An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

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knife7knut
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An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by knife7knut »

One of the things I have been thinking about of late is how my wife(or someone else unfamiliar with knives)would go about identifying the myriad types of knives in order to properly dispose of them should anything happen to me. Although I have put in place things to alleviate the problem they might not always be available to assist.
Therefore I have started putting photographs of specific types of knives in a separate file in my documents section of my computer that gives the common name of the pattern and some variations.Hopefully this will make things easier should anything befall me. I didn't realize how many patterns of knives I actually had until I started compiling this list and I am probably missing quite a few,but it is a start. Just thought it might help others on the forum.
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dlr110
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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by dlr110 »

Here is a thread about how others go about keeping an inventory or not.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=64573&start=30
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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by knife7knut »

dlr110 wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2019 9:25 pm Here is a thread about how others go about keeping an inventory or not.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=64573&start=30
This is more of a guide naming and showing the various patterns of knives rather than an inventory to give someone who isn't familiar with the various knife terms that we commonly use. While we would have no problem knowing what for instance a," five blade sowbelly with jigged bone scales,bar shield,and fluted bolsters" the average person would likely be totally confused.
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Jeffinn
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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by Jeffinn »

knife7knut wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2019 11:15 pm
dlr110 wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2019 9:25 pm Here is a thread about how others go about keeping an inventory or not.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=64573&start=30
This is more of a guide naming and showing the various patterns of knives rather than an inventory to give someone who isn't familiar with the various knife terms that we commonly use. While we would have no problem knowing what for instance a," five blade sowbelly with jigged bone scales,bar shield,and fluted bolsters" the average person would likely be totally confused.
You could potentially use an Excel spreadsheet with links to photos or build a small MS Access database with image links as well. Most folks know how to open a spreadsheet or database (or know someone who does). Of the two, A database allows for more flexibility whereas a spreadsheet allows for easier use-ability.
I’m surprised no-one in the knife collecting world has developed a simple inventory database.
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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by djknife13 »

I trace all my pocket knives on a 5X7 index card showing blades open, along with the value, cost, date of purchase, where I got it from and when and any repairs or anything unusual about each knife and file the cards under the brand name. I know it's old school and not as neat and tidy as a computer printout but it's permanent, doesn't crash or get outdated any more than it already is. My wife can look up the card from the stamp on the knife, match it to the tracing and realize it's value and what I paid for it. I know a computer printout might be handier, but since she isn't any more computer savvy than I am, this works for us. ____Dave
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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by Dinadan »

Knife7knut - I can understand your concern about what happens to your collection and your heir's ability to get a fair value for the knives. But, based on the photos that you have posted, I suspect that a catalog is going to be ... inadequate. Honestly, if you have even one fourth as many knives as I think you have, your heir will need some kind of expert on hand to handle things. Or else just turn the whole collection over to an auction house. Think about how many years you have spent assembling your collection, and how long it wold take you, who knows every knife, to sell it for a fair return.

Still, a catalog cannot hurt and might help!
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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by XX Case XX »

Dinadan wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2019 11:34 pm Honestly, if you have even one fourth as many knives as I think you have, your heir will need some kind of expert on hand to handle things.
Exactly. ::tu:: ::tu::

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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by kootenay joe »

This is a situation all of us will face. We are all going to die. Trying to sort through a large collection is a daunting task even with pictures & inventory list/notes for anyone but an experienced knife collector. Your heirs might well be adult children very busy with their own career & family and no time to sort through a few thousand knives.
An experienced collector could go through a few thousand knives in a day or 2 and group into 'low value', 'moderate value' and 'possible high value' and into groupings like: military knives, traditional USA, modern tactical, etc.
This would help with disposing appropriately for example, lower end knives to ebay, higher end to a Voyles auction, some to offer privately, etc.
The main idea is that high value knives would be recognized and sold for fair value rather than being mixed in with a 'lot' that might sell for just a few dollars.
If you have a large collection i just cannot see 'heirs' managing it's disposal well, unless they are willing to go very slowly and work on it for a few years.
My plan is already underway: sell 90% or more of my knives while still alive, but if i expire before the knives, then it didn't work very well.
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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

As I mentioned in another thread on this topic, I have a loose leaf note book with one sheet with all the info for each knife. If I have more that one of a particular knife or if there is any question on identification because of a faint tang stamp or other issue, then I put a string tag on the knife as shown. If the string is put into the choil of the blade, it won't get cut when closing the blade. This way even the most knife illiterate could find the alphabetized sheet in the book from the tag. In fact maybe it would be good to string tag them all.
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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by zzyzzogeton »

I am gradually going through my collection and changing and/or attaching inventory tags to them.

The tags have an index number indicating the brand, type and inventory #.

An example would be W-121 or "Western knife #121".

That tells me (and future examiners of my knife collection) to "Go to the Western Knife Worksheet and look at inventory # 121."

Each line of the spreadsheet has the pertinent information about the knife in question -

- inventory number
- a repeat of the brand
- the model number (if the knife has one)
- a trademark name/nickname associated with the knife
- tub/cabinet/wall location
- date of purchase,
- amount paid,
- tax paid (if any),
- shipping paid (if any),
- total invested
- estimated re-sale value
- whether or not a sheath goes with the knife (and its individual inventory number - which would be "W-121-S").
- special info #1
- special info #2
- special info #3

Estimated resale value is based on watching current ebay sales and comparing the condition, sheath condition etc of mine and adjusting this column as appropriate so my nephew will know what to TRY to get for them. And yes, I have a few that I overpaid on, but that was because the knives in question were "rare" although not necessarily valuable, but I was willing to pay more so I had them to fill holes in my collections.

W-287 Western G46-6 Shark Tub 24 10/18/1997 $23.88 $1.49 $0.00 $25.37 $100+ W-287-S WW2 flat pommel

My spreadsheet file includes worksheets for Kabar, Western, Camillus, Buck, Ontario, Muela, Other, Dive, Bayonet, Military Machetes, Sword/Saber, Axes, Throwing Knives and Axes, Tools.

I have a separate spreadsheet with worksheets whistles, challenge coins, non-knife BSA/GSA items, cast iron cookware, reference books, leather working tools.

"Other" includes all the fixed blades that aren't in my primary lines of collection - e.g., Case, Kinfolk, EW Tryon, EG Waterman, Blackjack, Imperial, Hammer, foreign brands, etc.

"Tools" includes picks, hammers, and specialty items.

Probably overkill, but at least my nephew won't be left totally clueless. :mrgreen:
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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by lorifromchula »

Back in 2000, my husband created an Access database for his knife collection to help him keep up with his knives, purchase prices, descriptions, pictures, etc. and to help us determine the value of the knives should something happen to him. His health is not good and I am currently selling off his collection on the AAPK site (Lori's Knives - lorifromchula). I am attaching an image of the database to this post. If anyone has Access and wants a copy of the database for their use, send me an e-mail requesting it and I will e-mail you an empty version of the database.

Best regards,

Lori Hines
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Knife database.jpg
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Re: An idea for cataloguing your collection.....

Post by lorifromchula »

Forgot to add the e-mail to request the Access database file. It is my husband's e-mail address - murrayhines56@yahoo.com

Best regards,

Lori Hines
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