Would you trade your 2021 Traditional Forum Knife???

Would you put up 2021 Bladeforum knife "Spring Street Barlow" for a trade?

  • Yes, why not?

    Votes: 25 43.1%

  • No, why would you?

    Votes: 33 56.9%
  • Total voters
    58
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I would trade for another rare or hard to get knife. Granted, they are hard to come by and others did not get a chance to get one, but trading would provide an opportunity for one of those left out to acquire one. I would trade it for a Double acorn bolster GEC. I find that one more attractive than this year's release.
 
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kamagong said:
Horse trading is a long established practice with knife people. Have at it.

I'm glad you started this thread. I've been considering doing something similar with mine, for the 2019 forum knife. Don't get me wrong, this year's knife is technically awesome, but there's something missing with it that I can't figure out.
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My thinking too. I like the forum knife, but something is missing. And i am drawn to the double acorn on the bolster of the other knife.
 
euroken said:
All,

Wanted to get your thoughts on something, a topic that could be a little sticky to regulars (also non-regulars) and veterans of the knife community.

First, I don't consider myself a flipper (though, you may think otherwise), meaning, I don't purchase knives just to sell it, doubling, tripling the cost for profit.

Most of GECs I own were purchased on the secondary market, for costs higher (much higher) than the initial offerings by GEC. However, I have also sold them in the past at the secondary market prices, though I do think I've been fair to keep the prices at which I've paid for.

This year's forum knife is my very first one direct from the porch and love it! The beautiful cover, lines of the clip blade (including the ever so slight re-curve), and of course, the bolsters!!! Holy moly! 😍

With that said, however, my grail knives are of the specific #77 or #15 traditionals (given my small hands..."insert your jokes here" 😁 )

Regardless, some of the rare gems of GEC products continue to elude me, and have difficulty finding them for sale (or never get to it on time lol).

So, not to turn this in to a book....

Would you put up this year's BladeForum knife for a trade for something that is also difficult to get?

I know the dust hasn't even settled yet and a lot of the members still haven't gotten their knives...but I start seeing WTT requests and thought it may be a good time try...

The reasoning is that given the popularity of the BF knife this year (more like every year), perhaps I can use it as a bargaining chip, per se, to trade it in.

Also, I was able to get the recently dropped #86 2AB natural bone which I also love. In my opinion, while this is definitely NOT the BF knife, it is also as incredible as a BF knife and would make a great alternative, IF, I can make a trade work for something I can't seem to get.

Given the heightened sensitivity on 'flippers' purchasing this year's BF knives and some regulars/veterans missing out, thought I would request your audience to vote this out.

Your thoughts, opinions and perceptions are absolutely important to me (as a regular visitor to the porch).

I don't wish to offend anyone, or be distasteful, on the forums and, if 'strongly' suggested, I will gladly keep the knife and continue to pursue my 'grails' through other means.

Will NOT be selling the BF knife!!!

So let me have it, please! 🤪

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I admit, the same thought had ocurred to me as well. I wouldn't sell, except to someone deserving that missed out (and at my cost), but a trade for something equally desirable and absurdly inflated on the secondary market wouldn't seem like "flipping" to me. ie: I wouldn't trade it for a Sebenza, but I'd trade it for TC barlow or some other GEC that originally cost ~$100 and sold out in mere minutes before being listed on eBay for $300. Because that'd be a fair trade, regardless of what the secondary market "value" of either was (and still, I'd only trade with someone who qualified but missed out). Of course, I would actually have to receive the Forum Knife first before I could decide what to do with it (including keeping and using it).
 
Planterz said:
but a trade for something equally desirable and absurdly inflated on the secondary market wouldn't seem like "flipping" to me. ie: I wouldn't trade it for a Sebenza, but I'd trade it for TC barlow or some other GEC that originally cost ~$100 and sold out in mere minutes before being listed on eBay for $300.
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That’s an easily defendable case, and I don’t think any reasonable person would have problem with that. The forum knife is rare and so I see it would be an apples to apples comparison.

Personally, I’d like to see knives valued a little more intrinsically anyway- If there are 200 knives made and 199 are sold, the remaining one is still the same knife, no matter how much you want it. It’s not like food, or some other necessities either … But that’s for another discussion.
 
Planterz said:
I admit, the same thought had ocurred to me as well. I wouldn't sell, except to someone deserving that missed out (and at my cost), but a trade for something equally desirable and absurdly inflated on the secondary market wouldn't seem like "flipping" to me. ie: I wouldn't trade it for a Sebenza, but I'd trade it for TC barlow or some other GEC that originally cost ~$100 and sold out in mere minutes before being listed on eBay for $300. Because that'd be a fair trade, regardless of what the secondary market "value" of either was (and still, I'd only trade with someone who qualified but missed out). Of course, I would actually have to receive the Forum Knife first before I could decide what to do with it (including keeping and using it).
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This is my thought exactly. The word value was starting to get thrown around, and if that's the case it really needs a more clear definition. It seems like original retail price is the best way to measure it. If we start to go by 'market' value, rarity, etc. it'll be a subjective mess. Would we keep a chart, each year that passes a knife increases x in value, the # of pieces produced changes by y in value, northfield or tidioute, SFO or not, and so on and so on? That path would surely lead to madness.

EngrSorenson said:
That’s an easily defendable case, and I don’t think any reasonable person would have problem with that. The forum knife is rare and so I see it would be an apples to apples comparison.

Personally, I’d like to see knives valued a little more intrinsically anyway- If there are 200 knives made and 199 are sold, the remaining one is still the same knife, no matter how much you want it. It’s not like food, or some other necessities either … But that’s for another discussion.
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Glad to see this seems reasonable, and since our OP stated from the start that they'd maybe like to turn it into a 15 or 77, seems like their case would be a-okay
 
I voted "Yes, why not?" Trading is an old tradition among knife enthusiasts, and a good one. It spreads the wealth, enables people try new knives, and ultimately helps people enjoy this hobby a bit more. There is too much judgmentalism going on for my taste. I see a big difference between buying a knife (knowing that you have no intention of keeping it) specifically to sell right away at a huge profit, and owning a knife for a while and deciding you would like something else more. And in this day of rapidly escalating prices, the original price paid has little to do with "value." Value should be determined by the parties involved in the transaction.
 
prairie.dog said:
Glad to see this seems reasonable, and since our OP stated from the start that they'd maybe like to turn it into a 15 or 77, seems like their case would be a-okay
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There's three different conversations happening here:
1) Would you trade the forum knife? I wouldn't personally- I like it too much.
2) is it reasonable to exchange the knife for another knife of approximate initial cost? I'd say so, since it obey's the spirit of the BF knife rule "thou shalt not derive personal gain from the BF knife" (paraphrased, of course).
3) Can I exchange the knife in such a way as to gain a knife far greater than it's initial value? I'd say that's not inline with the general idea that an individual should not profit from the BF knife.

Johnnythefox said:
What it shows is everyone has a opinion and how the internet divides everyone.
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I'd say what it shows is that there's a large number of ways to respond to OP's thread.

Regarding forum knife etiquette, I think it should be notionally easy to follow the spirit of the forum knife rule to "not flip".
"By making this transaction, am I intentionally profiting from my unique and protected ability to buy a forum knife at a reasonable price?"
"Given the facts, could a reasonable individual be lead to believe I'm intentionally profiting?"
If you can honestly answer "no" to both of those questions, you're probably okay.
 
Everyone has their opinion.
Outright sale for money should be done at no profit, and preferably here on the forum.
Trading is fine with me fwtw.

Will I be selling or trading mine?

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I haven’t received mine but I was able to grab a Green micarta from the regular run and it exceeded my expectations in a positive way. I don’t care much for the for 19’ version and I’ve kept one of those around so I don’t see myself getting rid of the beautiful clip point from this year.
 
Bartering and trading is the oldest and purest way of exchange. Maybe you shouldn’t take complete advantage of some desperate soul, but trade for what you want. And…those that buy newer stuff just to trade, go for it!. Trading can be the ONLY currency that’ll work for most collectors.
 
Markeologist said:
For the most part I agree with what you have written here…but where I believe you miss the mark as it applies to the current circumstances is the fact that WE created the climate for the BF knife. This is not unique to the BF knife, on many knife drops, traditional or otherwise, we keep a constant banter going which hypes the product and in doing so we enhance the desirability for the commodity. I’ve brought this up before and took some heat but this is very much akin to the Beanie Baby phenomena, the market frothing at the mouth for the next release. Disagree? Well look at how fast folks try and create the thread for the next GEC knife to be released, then there is a constant back and forth in anticipation of the release, folks fear missing out and so the knife sells out quickly. The discussion starts to slow down once the knife hits the streets and quite often the thread for a highly talked about knife fades into obscurity. Can you say Beer & Sausage? Last post on that once very active thread was in early April and is now over 30 pages back in the list of threads.
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Okay, but what I wrote expressed my opinion of Flipping in general, not the Forum knife. The only mention I made of the Forum knife was that the organizers of this year's Forum knife took steps to minimize opportunism. Again, I think this is entirely reasonable. And the only reason I even mentioned the Forum knife was that the OP's question specifically mentioned it.

We've been asked (quite reasonably, I think) to let this year's Forum knife process rest in peace. I don't think anything I wrote could be construed as commentary on this year's Forum knife process.
 
Planterz said:
I admit, the same thought had ocurred to me as well. I wouldn't sell, except to someone deserving that missed out (and at my cost), but a trade for something equally desirable and absurdly inflated on the secondary market wouldn't seem like "flipping" to me. ie: I wouldn't trade it for a Sebenza, but I'd trade it for TC barlow or some other GEC that originally cost ~$100 and sold out in mere minutes before being listed on eBay for $300. Because that'd be a fair trade, regardless of what the secondary market "value" of either was (and still, I'd only trade with someone who qualified but missed out). Of course, I would actually have to receive the Forum Knife first before I could decide what to do with it (including keeping and using it).
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And then you could sell THAT knife for $300 . . . and never be accused of flipping your BF Knife for a $200 profit.

And then the dude to whom you traded the BF knife could also sell it for $300 . . . and never be accused of violating "the Gentlemen's Agreement" either, because he got it on the secondary market for a $300 knife.

A Win-Win for everyone!!! 🥳
 
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