All About Pocket Knives

Most of us when buying a production knife want one that is in the same condition as when it left the factory. The production knives that get modified with file work, engraving, new handles etc. are often hard to sell so prices usually are lower than if never 'customized'. The 2 exceptions that i know of are knives modified by "Painted Pony" (Michael Prater) and David Yellowhorse. These knives have dedicated collectors and prices are often higher than a never modified example.
Here is a GEC 4 1/4" Sunfish # 362208 with extensive customizing by Painted Pony including ivory handles with detailed scrimshaw work, inlay, bolster stippling, etc. It is a bit 'over the top' but still is amazingly well done.
This has been listed on ebay for over 1 week at $400 BIN. Auction now closed. It did not sell at $400 even though this amount and more are being paid for regular GEC # 36 pattern knives. Add on ivory handles magnificent scrimshaw, etc. by a famous artist with a following, yet no takers at $400.
How do you see the value of this knife in specific ?
And re-handled GEC knives in general ? I have seen original handles replaced with ivory and mammoth. Unless you are informed they are not original you would not know.
kj

I personally prefer understated elegance in a knife. I view the type of work that I see here, and that of Yellowhorse as gaudy and meretricious.

The scrimshaw is very fine and nicely set off by the ivory. I find the stippling to be distracting. Without the stippling I would consider $300 to $325.

I just do not care much for file work, so it does nothing to enhance the value for me, though I realize a lot of folks do like it. I like scrim, and that nice scrim without the file work would at least make it more valuable for folks like me. But you say that the replacement handles are ivory: elephant or fossil? Considering the legal ramifications of selling elephant ivory, that could make it real hard to resale in the future. On balance, if the ivory is fossil, I would value that knife at 50% to 75% of a factory original knife. Folks who like Painted Pony's work a lot might value it higher.

kootenay joe wrote:How do you see the value of this knife in specific ? And re-handled GEC knives in general ?

1. Value of this knife: Well, everyone's different. Because of that, some might really like that knife. Me, I don't care for that particular one. It has too much "bling" on it for me. Too fancy. There's too much to look at. Sometimes, less is more.

2. Re-handled GEC knives: Depends on the handle material and if it was done right. By right I mean no spaces between the handle and the bolster. The handle material should be pushed right up against it. No gaps. Smooth, straight, and clean all the way around. And I would have to either see it in person or the photographs would have to be crystal clear with extreme close-ups.

The handle material chosen, as far as I'm concerned, should be of a higher grade of material used in the production knife. Meaning if they originally used Jigged Bone, the new material should be MOP, Mammoth Ivory, Abalone, or something of that nature. To me, that brings the knife to another level but like I said, it better be done by someone who knows what they're doing.

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Mike

To each his own. I find the work on the bolsters and ends of the blade way too much.
Just a little on the bolsters would look nice to me. It always seems that if the work
is done, it is always over done.

Bob

I agree that there has been too much done to this knife, that less would likely have been better. However there are people who do like the work of Michael Prater ("Painted Pony") and other auctions i have seen for his work have ended with a price double or more the price of the knife unaltered. Here we have a knife that is already very much in demand, a GEC # 36, and worked on by "P.P." yet it doesn't sell at the price of an unaltered # 36.
I posted to see if there is an explanation for this lack of interest, other than the 'over done' aspect that most of us see it to be.
For example, is work by this artist no longer popular ? or is it due to people wanting to stay away from ivory ? or just the vagaries of ebay and if listed again might sell easily even for a higher amount ?
kj

This is my Darren Orrell/GEC#23 Antique Autumn Natural bone custom with the main skinner blade removal . The Queen Mountain man lock-back was stuck and never used , it needed fixing too.

Thanks for reviving this thread. Your #23 looks great and many of us prefer a single blade #23 but GEC makes the majority of them as a 2 blade knife.
Once having seen your knife there may be others who opt for a custom 'job' to get their 2 blade #23 to a single blade. Getting a single blade GEC online usually requires time & luck and a fair amount of money.
kj

Got this one today from Gunstock Jacks. Customized by Esynx Custom Knives. Cocobolo handles w/ a crest shield on a boys knife pattern 15. I like wood handles and this one looks great.

Sharpnshinyknives wrote: ↑Tue Oct 13, 2020 7:55 pm Got this one today from Gunstock Jacks. Customized by Esynx Custom Knives. Cocobolo handles w/ a crest shield on a boys knife pattern 15. I like wood handles and this one looks great.

I spotted that knife on Gunstock Jacks. I am so happy you bought it before I spotted it. I am saving up bones for the #74 run. That Esynx #15 knife is wonderful. Thank you very much for sharing.