collecting old knives a dying hobby?

[traderdan]

I like that old stuff , But , Dang it cost to much to sit in a draw and rust . I found an old Case a while back .
It cost more than I paid for my K22 Smith & Wesson ! Really ... $450 for a dang 3 blade green handle Case ?
I like my guns better . It had been sharpened ! I don't need that kind of rare ....

I know what you mean..I have had to sell, through the years, many of the early, Case, Union Cutlery (KABAR), Schatt and Morgan, Robeson, Western ect...quality pocketknives that I loved. The bills must be paid, and it is hard to justify owning a $500 old knife when we need groceries. I still miss them though!

 

[traderdan]

The internet has made the purchase of good quality old knives more difficult...We have many (self described) "pickers" who think they know value, but cannot judge condition.

 

[traderdan]

Learning..

Nice collection "Winchester" as Traderdan said there are a few old knife collectors on Ingo. I am from the old school. Remember watching the seniors who taught me to hunt/fish sit on the porch or barn yard and skin a deer or squirrel, clean fish with oldtimer knives or Case XX or a "damngood one" John Primble pocket knife. I buy a few each summer at yard sales, auctions or flea markets.

Some of those old guys gave us a good education on knife collecting! It was expensive though!

 

[gungirl65]

I like old knives. They are a definite mood enhancer kind of purchase when I need a lift. I buy knives similar to how I buy guns. I am only attracted to solid and sturdy knives. I must like the feel of the handle before I will buy a knife. I prefer wood or stone handles but am ok with plastic if I like how the blade looks.

I buy knives more on appearance and feel than anything. I know very little about knives so I go by the smile factor. If a knife makes me smile a lot when I hold it, if the price is right I take it home with me.

I have several of my dad's old knives. I keep a smaller one of his in my desk drawer for simple opening projects. It's just a Frost knife probably from the late 80's or pre 1996. Nothing special other than it was my dads.

I keep an older Parker knife with a wooden handle in my purse. I keep a simple buck knife a friend gave me in my laptop bag. Most of my knives are kept in the safe so I don't play with them very often.

I also like older kitchen knives and bayonets but I don't like to spend a lot of money for them since it's generally a short lived thrill purchase for me. There's only so much I can do with a knife before it's time to put it in the safe so the thrill is short lived.

 

[ISP 5353]

Awesome collection! Love the Hobo knives you posted!

 

[Hillbillyblood]

Very Impressive collections!!

Its all what your into, I love old knifes and the new knifes and guns and......Etc.... Cant afford it all. Find the pieces you enjoy and do just that Enjoy!

 

[lon]

Very nice.
Thanks for posting.

 

[M67]

I kind of go in runs when it comes to knives. Sometimes fixed blades, other times folders, other time old stuff.

What got me started in knives were WWI and WWII things. Seems like a lot of peoples' entrance into knives at an early age are military bayonets. Some of them are cheap, they're plentiful, they have character, and you gain a certain respect for your knife because even though you might not use it, you can only imagine what it's seen; like an old military rifle.

Went from bayonets to swords, mostly WWII Japanese NCO Shin Guntos, machine made but still cool. Eventually picked up a hand made officer's sword made in May of 45 and a Kyu Gunto, unfortunately the markings were ground off the tang, probably from the police department fitting it into the mounts.

Old giant meat cleavers, #12s that you'd see in a Resident Evil movie, or just a small Utica

I think my first old knife was a Utica Electrician's Knife I got for $5 at an antique market.

One of my favorite knives still, is my AU Lion Knuckle Duster. Didn't come with a sheath, but I eye balled it for a long time and I saved a long time for it. I got my driver's license and I went and picked it up. Still haven't found one in the same condition for the price I paid for it, one of my earliest and smartest moves when it came to knives