Edwin Jay Coricama Picklock

[Coach60]

Hello everyone, this is my first post here and I’m excited to be part of the community.

I’ve come across a beautifully made Italian switchblade, but I’m not sure where the best place is to sell it. It seems that many platforms ban the sale of these, and I’d really like to find it a good home.

The spring is still very strong — the first time I tried it, the blade actually jumped out of my hand!

I’d appreciate any guidance or advice on where and how to sell this. Thanks in advance for the help!

[CountryBoy77]

How much you looking for.Pretty rare knife.

[bestgear]

Hello everyone, this is my first post here and I’m excited to be part of the community.

I’ve come across a beautifully made Italian switchblade, but I’m not sure where the best place is to sell it. It seems that many platforms ban the sale of these, and I’d really like to find it a good home.

The spring is still very strong — the first time I tried it, the blade actually jumped out of my hand!

I’d appreciate any guidance or advice on where and how to sell this. Thanks in advance for the help!

Hello and

AAPK offers 2 opportunities for selling knives through our site; an e-commerce storefront and direct forum sales.
Here's a link to the AAPK Member Store Program
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/ca ... ng_started which gives you access to a massive audience of highly targeted customers.

If your sales intentions are smaller in nature, then setting up an e-commerce platform may not be optimal for you which is why AAPK provides the opportunity to sell knives in a topic called Knives For Sale Or Trade
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... m.php?f=31.

To sell knives in this topic (or any topic) you'll need one of our premium subscriptions which can be found here:
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/ca ... scriptions.

Our Bronze tier subscription ($20/year) allows 20 items/year to be sold on the knife forums, Silver tier subscription ($30/year) allows 50 items/year to be sold on the knife forums and the Gold tier subscription ($40/year)
allows an unlimited number of items to be sold on the knife forums.

Lastly, just by making your intentions known in your post you may be contacted by one of the many knife dealers or collectors on AAPK so be forewarned but please don’t violate our rules for selling on AAPK!

[QGofLake]

Even though your knife has some wear and some peek, it is VERY desirable. Rare stamp. IMO its a beaut! Don't take any low ball offers.

[Coach60]

What would y’all recommend I ask for it?

[OLDE CUTLER]

What would y’all recommend I ask for it?

Seems like you have already violated the rules here by offering your knife for sale.

[Killgar]

A 9" Edwin Jay sold at Arizona Customs in 2022 for $850. It was in better condition than yours.

Another 9" Edwin Jay recently sold at Lathams Vintage Knives for $1250. It was also in better condition than yours.

On the downside- your knife is in rough condition, particularly the blade peek. But on the potential upside- those other two Edwin Jay's I mentioned did not have the Coricama stamp on them. It's possible that the Coricama stamp might make it more desirable to some collectors.

And in case you didn't know, Edwin Jay Hoffritz was a US importer of knives. Your knife definitely dates to before 1958 when the US import ban on switchblades went into effect.

And Coricama is an anagram for Coltellerie Riunite Caslino Maniago, the name of a knifemaking/selling consortium in Italy. It basically translates to "united knifemakers of Caslino and Maniago".

[Coach60]

I genuinely appreciate all your advice and the detailed history of the lesson on the knife. This information will be invaluable in helping me find a suitable new home for this knife. .

[Coach60]

What would y’all recommend I ask for it?

Seems like you have already violated the rules here by offering your knife for sale.

By asking how much I should sell it for, please elaborate. If asking for recommended pricing is the same as asking someone to buy on this platform, I need to make adjustments to how I communicate here.

[Coach60]

A 9" Edwin Jay sold at Arizona Customs in 2022 for $850. It was in better condition than yours.

Another 9" Edwin Jay recently sold at Lathams Vintage Knives for $1250. It was also in better condition than yours.

On the downside- your knife is in rough condition, particularly the blade peek. But on the potential upside- those other two Edwin Jay's I mentioned did not have the Coricama stamp on them. It's possible that the Coricama stamp might make it more desirable to some collectors.

And in case you didn't know, Edwin Jay Hoffritz was a US importer of knives. Your knife definitely dates to before 1958 when the US import ban on switchblades went into effect.

And Coricama is an anagram for Coltellerie Riunite Caslino Maniago, the name of a knifemaking/selling consortium in Italy. It basically translates to "united knifemakers of Caslino and Maniago".

Should I send it off to be professionally cleaned before attempting to sell it?

[bestgear]

By asking how much I should sell it for, please elaborate

It's a sensitive subject on most hobby platforms including AAPK that require a subscription to sell. As I said in my welcoming post, just by making your intentions known in your post you may be contacted by one of the many knife dealers or collectors on AAPK so be forewarned but please don’t violate our rules for selling on AAPK!

In the past, new members have cloaked a knife for sale disguised as a call for information and have sold that knife in violation of our rules. I'm not saying that is your intention but it's happened in the past and hence the policing of posts to ensure that rules are being followed. Since you haven't violated any rule that I'm aware of, we are all good I would however consider changing "how much I should sell it for" to something like "what is the current market value of this knife" thereby getting your answer without attracting a buyer tempting you to violate one of our rules (of which we have very few).

Make sense?

[bestgear]

Should I send it off to be professionally cleaned before attempting to sell it?

As a collector, I want them in as found condition but ask anyone here, shiny sells.

[Killgar]

A 9" Edwin Jay sold at Arizona Customs in 2022 for $850. It was in better condition than yours.

Another 9" Edwin Jay recently sold at Lathams Vintage Knives for $1250. It was also in better condition than yours.

On the downside- your knife is in rough condition, particularly the blade peek. But on the potential upside- those other two Edwin Jay's I mentioned did not have the Coricama stamp on them. It's possible that the Coricama stamp might make it more desirable to some collectors.

And in case you didn't know, Edwin Jay Hoffritz was a US importer of knives. Your knife definitely dates to before 1958 when the US import ban on switchblades went into effect.

And Coricama is an anagram for Coltellerie Riunite Caslino Maniago, the name of a knifemaking/selling consortium in Italy. It basically translates to "united knifemakers of Caslino and Maniago".

Should I send it off to be professionally cleaned before attempting to sell it?

I'd say it's a "six of one, half-dozen of the other" kind of situation. The person who would buy your knife is a serious collector, as opposed to someone who just wants a genuine Italian stiletto. So it could go either way.

There are some collectors who might prefer the knife in the best condition possible, even if it is a restoration, but it depends on who did the restoration. Bill DeShivs, a member of this forum, is a well-known and highly respected expert restorer of Italian switchblades (website- billdeshivs.com). If he restored it that could actually increase it's value (he can also fix blade-peek). But it will cost you to have him restore it, if he is even available. But if you had some unknown individual do the repair/restoration, that could reduce it's value.

On the other hand, like bestgear mentioned, there are collectors who might prefer the knife as-is. And then it would be their choice whether to have it fixed/restored.

So, you might get more for it restored and fixed, but it would cost you for the work. Or, you might make the same profit if you sell it as-is without paying for repair/restoration. It all depends on the individual collectors who see it posted for sale, what they prefer, and what they are willing to pay.

Some advice- Since it looks like you're planning on selling it, I suggest that you resist the urge to fire it (close and open). I know it's fun to fire a switchblade, but the more you fire it the more you risk breaking the spring, and a broken spring would dramatically reduce it's value. Although Italian switchblades can remain fully functional for many decades with regular firings and without breakage, a broken spring is always a risk. Springs can be repaired, but the knife is more valuable with the original spring.

[OLDE CUTLER]

What would y’all recommend I ask for it?

Seems like you have already violated the rules here by offering your knife for sale.

By asking how much I should sell it for, please elaborate. If asking for recommended pricing is the same as asking someone to buy on this platform, I need to make adjustments to how I communicate here.

By posting a series of pictures and saying it was for sale, that's what you did. As it has been explained, you can sell here if you follow the rules.

[Coach60]

A 9" Edwin Jay sold at Arizona Customs in 2022 for $850. It was in better condition than yours.

Another 9" Edwin Jay recently sold at Lathams Vintage Knives for $1250. It was also in better condition than yours.

On the downside- your knife is in rough condition, particularly the blade peek. But on the potential upside- those other two Edwin Jay's I mentioned did not have the Coricama stamp on them. It's possible that the Coricama stamp might make it more desirable to some collectors.

And in case you didn't know, Edwin Jay Hoffritz was a US importer of knives. Your knife definitely dates to before 1958 when the US import ban on switchblades went into effect.

And Coricama is an anagram for Coltellerie Riunite Caslino Maniago, the name of a knifemaking/selling consortium in Italy. It basically translates to "united knifemakers of Caslino and Maniago".

Should I send it off to be professionally cleaned before attempting to sell it?

I'd say it's a "six of one, half-dozen of the other" kind of situation. The person who would buy your knife is a serious collector, as opposed to someone who just wants a genuine Italian stiletto. So it could go either way.

There are some collectors who might prefer the knife in the best condition possible, even if it is a restoration, but it depends on who did the restoration. Bill DeShivs, a member of this forum, is a well-known and highly respected expert restorer of Italian switchblades (website- billdeshivs.com). If he restored it that could actually increase it's value (he can also fix blade-peek). But it will cost you to have him restore it, if he is even available. But if you had some unknown individual do the repair/restoration, that could reduce it's value.

On the other hand, like bestgear mentioned, there are collectors who might prefer the knife as-is. And then it would be their choice whether to have it fixed/restored.

So, you might get more for it restored and fixed, but it would cost you for the work. Or, you might make the same profit if you sell it as-is without paying for repair/restoration. It all depends on the individual collectors who see it posted for sale, what they prefer, and what they are willing to pay.

Some advice- Since it looks like you're planning on selling it, I suggest that you resist the urge to fire it (close and open). I know it's fun to fire a switchblade, but the more you fire it the more you risk breaking the spring, and a broken spring would dramatically reduce it's value. Although Italian switchblades can remain fully functional for many decades with regular firings and without breakage, a broken spring is always a risk. Springs can be repaired, but the knife is more valuable with the original spring.

You’ve been an incredible source of information, and I’m very grateful for all the advice you’ve provided. I’ve decided to hold onto the knife for now as a long-term investment, and I may have it restored later on.

My last question — since the spring is very sensitive and the knife opens easily, what’s the best way to store it without risking damage to the spring? Should I wrap it to keep it closed, or would it be better to store it in the open position?

[Coach60]

By asking how much I should sell it for, please elaborate

It's a sensitive subject on most hobby platforms including AAPK that require a subscription to sell. As I said in my welcoming post, just by making your intentions known in your post you may be contacted by one of the many knife dealers or collectors on AAPK so be forewarned but please don’t violate our rules for selling on AAPK!

In the past, new members have cloaked a knife for sale disguised as a call for information and have sold that knife in violation of our rules. I'm not saying that is your intention but it's happened in the past and hence the policing of posts to ensure that rules are being followed. Since you haven't violated any rule that I'm aware of, we are all good I would however consider changing "how much I should sell it for" to something like "what is the current market value of this knife" thereby getting your answer without attracting a buyer tempting you to violate one of our rules (of which we have very few).

Make sense?

I really appreciate you taking the time to explain this to me. I’m new to this forum and still fairly new to the world of knives in general, so your help means a lot. Thank you for guiding me through this!

[bestgear]

Thank you for guiding me through this!

you are most welcome. If you ever have questions, just ask away either in a topic, via email or using our private messaging system. Many of our first interactions with new members go like yours so all is good.

…..and when you get to 100 forum posts, you become eligible for our monthly knife giveaway: https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... hp?t=85290 - a nice member perk!

[Killgar]

You’ve been an incredible source of information, and I’m very grateful for all the advice you’ve provided. I’ve decided to hold onto the knife for now as a long-term investment, and I may have it restored later on.

My last question — since the spring is very sensitive and the knife opens easily, what’s the best way to store it without risking damage to the spring? Should I wrap it to keep it closed, or would it be better to store it in the open position?

I'm happy to help.

When it comes to the question of storing an Italian switchblade open or closed, I'd advise to store it open. Not out of any concern for the spring, but because I just don't like the idea of the sear (blade catch) being under constant, long term pressure from the spring. It goes like this- the spring pushes on the blade, the blade pushes on the sear, the sear pushes on the edge of the sear hole in the liner. The liner is thin brass, and my concern is that long term pressure might cause the edge of the sear hole to get pushed outward ever so slightly by the sear, which would cause the blade to rise and increase the blade peek.

And if the knife has a "hair-trigger", then that's even more reason to store it open, just for safety.

Also, in regards to storage, store it in something "bug proof". There are tiny insect larva that eat horn (the handles), and they have their ways of finding old switchblades.

You will also want to store it someplace dry, safe from humidity, to prevent rust. Adding some desiccant to whatever bug-proof container you store the knife in is a good idea.

On the subject of when to sell, you didn't ask, but I'll tell you, the vintage Italian switchblade market can be fickle. Demand, and prices, can always change. Prices went way up during the early 2020's, but they can always go down. A lot of the serious collectors of vintage Italian switchblades are, well, lets say "mature", and as they "pass on", or come to the opinion that they can't take their knives with them and choose to stop buying, demand for such knives could eventually drop dramatically. Holding onto a vintage Italian switchblade in the hopes that it will increase in value, or even retain it's value, is a gamble.

Again, you didn't ask, but if it were me, I'd want to strike while the iron is hot. If I had a vintage Italian to sell, and someone was willing to pay a fair, current market price, I'd take it. But of course it's up to you.

Good luck in any future sale. And feel free to ask as many questions as you wish.


.

[QGofLake]

Regarding cleaning, BestGear and Killgar put it well. For flexibility, I'd leave as is. Some collectors prefer a knife in as found condition. One thing I would do though is use some WD40 and a soft cloth on the blade and spine to knock down any surface rust. For the hair trigger, check to see if there is any gunk in the catch hole of the blade.

As I looked further at your pics, noticed the lock tab is octagonal. Is it D stamped?

[wiseguy]

This knife does have some history and in better condition would bring a premium price. In this condition my opinion it is about a 250/300 dollar knife because of the stamp. If it was just marked Italy for example 100/150. However, it is still worth what one would pay. Id say jump on a good offer and move it on . Goodluck!