Wretched Excess

Way to go CC.
There's room for everyone. Especially those that want to learn.
Now watch you wallet...they got me, you still may have a chance ;)
 
Thanks everyone. I can accept that my opinion is not fact and that everyone does like different things for different reasons.

I was being very narrow minded and crass.

Sorry about that.

:)
 
Copper Crayon said:
Thanks everyone. I can accept that my opinion is not fact and that everyone does like different things for different reasons.

I was being very narrow minded and crass.

Sorry about that.

:)
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Well, CC, if back-pedalling was an Olympic sport, you'd be getting a Gold about now and listening with pride to the national anthem! ;) ;) ;)

But that's OK. Better an admission of foot-in-mouth disease than an obstinate refusal to realize that a tunnel can take many different directions before you finally see the light.

As a collector, when it comes to the technical aspects of knife making, I consider myself to be pretty much of a newbie. That's why I am here. If you have an honest desire to learn, this is where you'll find the people who are willing to teach. There isn't a more knowledgeable group of knife experts on the planet!

And have a Happy New Year! :)
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Where's the art in that NYS? I don't see any exotic materials, intricate carving, hell even a unique pattern to that maker. It's a duplicate design made with common materials, and the only thing that could be lauded would be fit and finish-and any monkey trained on modern equipment could match that perfectly. It won't out-knife anything else, and it ain't any prettier than anything else either. A maserati is built a little better and goes just a little quicker than a Pinto, A 440 pumps out maybe just one or two more ponies than a slant 6. Sculpted mother of pearl and carved bolsters make a teensy bit fancier and more unique look than a couple of handle slabs profiled the same as something Loveless, Johnson, and who knows how many others have done over the decades, and in the oh so exotic shade of black. Take the name off the blade, and you can't find a reason to price it at $1800. The knife is designed and constructed like a user, but priced like high art.
 
hardheart said:
Where's the art in that NYS? I don't see any exotic materials, intricate carving, hell even a unique pattern to that maker. It's a duplicate design made with common materials, and the only thing that could be lauded would be fit and finish-and any monkey trained on modern equipment could match that perfectly. It won't out-knife anything else, and it ain't any prettier than anything else either. A maserati is built a little better and goes just a little quicker than a Pinto, A 440 pumps out maybe just one or two more ponies than a slant 6. Sculpted mother of pearl and carved bolsters make a teensy bit fancier and more unique look than a couple of handle slabs profiled the same as something Loveless, Johnson, and who knows how many others have done over the decades, and in the oh so exotic shade of black. Take the name off the blade, and you can't find a reason to price it at $1800. The knife is designed and constructed like a user, but priced like high art.
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When most work by a maker is over $2k, even a simple piece for less is a bargain, especially if that is an old work.

I've got an old Herman Schneider Hunter that doesn't look like much, but because Herman won't make another for any price, that makes mine very valuable. Old work, even if it is more basic, is valuable as part of the maker's history.
 
hardheart said:
Where's the art in that NYS?
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You aren't going to see any art, other than just the art of making a knife, in a Loveless knife either. You are still going to have to pay even more than you will for a Kressler.
 
Early this summer I took delivery of a 2000.00 knife. I could have sold that knife at 2500.00 at delivery time easily within minutes if I wanted to and the person who would buy it would realize a profit in no time or could sell the knife at what they paid for it or a little more. I also sold an 800.00 custom I had for 2 years for 1200.00. I have not made many investments that can claim that kind of return in 2 years.

Try that with a 100.00 mass produced knife and then tell me who is "ripped off".

The key is doing your home work and enjoying all aspects of the hobby. That includes using/art/investments. Even when I am unable to afford a knife or a makers work or if I happen to not be interested in the style, it is still an enjoyment to see it and appreciate the work, time and ability that went into it.
 
Another example.

I can buy a nice multiblade for 50 or 60 bucks that will cut and last several lifetimes. Even if I kept it new I might never be able to get my money out of it.

I can buy a Bose hand made multiblade (after a wait) for 1k give or take a couple of hunderd bucks. Use it and enjoy the perfection of Tony's fit finish and action and sell it for what I paid for it without much effort or make it a safe queen and realize a very nice appreciation.

I'll take the Bose please. I like being "ripped off" like that.:D
 
I'm new around here, though I've been collecting knives off and on for 20 years or so... but I do know a little about collecting and investments, being a collector of various things- and having been a registered stock broker, commodity trader, etc. in years past.

The price of most "collectibles" will continue to go up as long as there is excess cash floating in major world markets. (In recent years if Americans won't swoop down and buy something up- the Japanese will!)

In it's purest form it's a simple case of supply and demand. Just try buying a 1966 Shelby Cobra or a 1957 Fender Stratocaster guitar: not many made and lots of baby boomers who want one and have made a bundle on home appreciation or the stock market run.

But there's also the "Greater Fool Theory" at work in our culture. The theory suggests that it really doesn't matter what someone pays for something because there's always a "greater fool" out there somewhere who will pay more! Just ask those who were SCRAMBLING to buy the dot.com stocks a few years ago; had to have them at ANY PRICE!

Or take the tulip-frenzy in Holland in the early 1600's when tulip bulbs were all the rage and were trading hands at ridiculous prices. Some were sold at prices in excess of 5000 guilders (a best guess of perhaps $250,000.000 in todays' money) while others were "hoarded" and offers of thousands of guilders were turned down.

In the winter of 1836 auction prices dipped and within days the market collapsed. Tulips that had sold for 5000 guilders were suddenly worth only 50 cents or a dollar. The "greater fool" simply failed to show up and panic-selling ensued as prices plunged. Sort of like the dot.com stock collapse, eh? :barf:

I also had the opportunity to walk through an acquaintances Ferrari collection a few years ago. We were standing beside an exquisite F40 when I asked him, "What's this car worth?" He scratched his head and winced: "Well... I bought it near the top of the Ferrari collecting frenzy after Enzo Ferrari's death in 1989. Some F40's traded hands above $1.5 million. I didn't pay quite that much but pretty close. Today it's worth perhaps $250,000 so I'm down a little over $1 million on it at the moment."

So is a knife worth $2500 or more? It is under three conditions: 1- There are lots of excess $$$ floating around waiting to be spent... 2- there is always "somebody" that will pay me $3500 for it if I want to sell it or 3- if you want to own it and it's more valuable to you than anything else you could own for $2500... even if nobody else ever wants it.

If the market ever hiccups and prices start to decline... OR if there's a worldwide recession (or worse yet a depression) then watch out as prices begin to plummet and the market is glutted with a flood of knives offered at ever-decreasing prices.

A $3000 knife won't cut a bit better than most $100 knives and not all THAT much better than some $15 knives. And if a guy has convinced his wife that the $30,000 home equity loan he invested in 15 "collectible knives" is a great investment- just watch as the market plunges and he frantically tries to sell them to recover a portion of their retirement nestegg!! :eek:

Bottom line: You pays your money and you plays the game. But just know that a $2000 knife has little intrinsic value. It's value is in the eye of the beholder and the perceived sense of worth.... just like a beautiful tulip bulb. In the end- they're only a cutting tool... or a flower... even if rare ones.

Me? I operate under the same assumption with collecting knives as I would if I were collecting tulip bulbs. Buy what you like- and ASSUME that there aren't any buyers out there for your collection- never spend more than you can comfortably afford to "throw away."

Someday you may be pleasantly surprised at the value of your collection... or you may be SHOCKED at it's lack of value in a staggering economy. Buy what you like and enjoy them for what they are- tools.

Now how's THAT for a long-winded, opinionated FIRST EVER POST! :rolleyes:

Steve
 
rossab said:
As far as I'm concerned, a knife priced at $1800 had damned better well glow in the dark when Orcs are present, or something like that.

RB
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I hear the same thing when I tell a person I paid more than $100 dollars for a knife. It's all relative, and perspective. I get the same comments concerning my "Omega Seamaster", and yet if you were to delve into the world of watches you'd find that, that's no more special than a BM or Spyderco. In other words no matter what the hobby you can go as deep as you want. I can go buy a $100 Seiko that looks (to the average joe) and tells time no better than a $10,000 Rolex. In the end the sickness is the same it just depends on what you like and how much money you have.
 
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