Suggestion: AI Price Guide

[SFC ADP]

I know people have various opinions on artificial intelligence (AI).
Times are changing however, and one thought I had was "what if" there was an AI generated knife pricing guide.
I have done some exploring, and it appears it could be a real possibility.
Event a AAPK one (based on sales from the site, average price data etc.) could be used.
Now, I am no AI expert, so it would likely be beyond my capabilities. I do recall many years ago, there was a link to some Case knife pricing right here on AAPK.

Asking Google Gemini, and just playing around, I asked about using the 'RBR Scales' used in The Standard Knife Collectors Guide, and it seems to be plausible. AI can even evaluate online sales from eBay, etc to determine pricing data.

See below:
Yes, it is entirely possible to use AI agents like Google Gemini or Microsoft Copilot to build a comprehensive knife collectors' value guide. However, because the knife market is highly fragmented and depends on specific "vibe" factors (patina, rare steel batches, or maker reputation), you can't just ask for a list; you have to build a workflow.

Here is how you can use these tools to create a professional-grade price guide.

Gemini said
Yes, it is entirely possible to use AI agents like Google Gemini or Microsoft Copilot to build a comprehensive knife collectors' value guide. However, because the knife market is highly fragmented and depends on specific "vibe" factors (patina, rare steel batches, or maker reputation), you can't just ask for a list; you have to build a workflow.

Here is how you can use these tools to create a professional-grade price guide.

1. The Multi-Agent Strategy
To get a "comprehensive" guide, you shouldn't rely on a single prompt. Instead, use the specialized strengths of each AI:

AI Tool Role in Your Guide Why?
Google Gemini The Researcher Excellent at scanning live web data, forums (BladeForums, Reddit), and YouTube reviews for current sentiment.
Microsoft Copilot The Data Analyst Strong integration with Excel. Use it to pull "Sold" listings from eBay or auction houses and organize them into tables.
Perplexity AI The Sourcer Best for finding specific citations. It can provide direct links to historical sales or catalog PDF archives.

2. Steps to Create Your Guide
Phase I: Data Extraction (The "Raw Material")
Don't ask for "the price of a Chris Reeve Sebenza." Instead, use this prompt structure with Gemini:

"Search for all sold listings of the [Knife Model] from the last 6 months across eBay, Arizona Custom Knives, and BladeGallery. Create a table showing the steel type, handle material, condition (Mint vs. User), and final sale price."

Phase II: Sentiment & Rarity Analysis
Prices aren't just numbers; they are driven by "hype" and rarity. Use Gemini to analyze the "Secondary Market Premium":

"Analyze current discussions on Reddit r/knife_swap and BladeForums regarding [Brand]. Are certain 'sprints' or 'exclusive' runs currently trending? Which models are currently selling above MSRP?"

Phase III: Creating the "Value Matrix"
Use Copilot in Excel to synthesize the data. You can feed the raw text gathered from Gemini into Copilot and say:

"Based on this data, create a formula-based price guide. Provide a 'Low' (Heavy User), 'Median' (Light Carry), and 'High' (Safe Queen) price range for each model."

3. Critical Limitations (The "AI Hallucination" Guardrail)
AI agents are prone to certain errors in the knife world that you must manually verify:

Steel Confusion: AI often confuses different steel versions (e.g., S30V vs. Magnacut), which can change a knife's value by $50–$200.

Clones/Counterfeits: AI cannot easily distinguish between a real Benchmade and a high-end clone in text-based listings.

The "Custom" Gap: For one-off custom makers (e.g., Loveless, Walker), AI often lacks access to private "handshake" deal data, making its estimates for high-end customs less reliable.

4. Pro-Tip: Use "Image-to-Appraisal"
If you have the paid versions of Gemini or Copilot, you can upload a photo of a knife.

The Prompt: "Identify the exact model, handle material, and blade steel shown in this photo. Then, search the current market for its estimated resale value in this specific condition."

You said
Could an RBR system be used? See this for reference - "The Standard Knife Collector's Guide: Identification & Values (primarily authored by Roy Ritchie and Ron Stewart) is a widely recognized resource in the cutlery collecting community, often utilizing the RBR evaluation scales for appraising pocket and sheath knives. "

Gemini said
Yes, integrating the RBR evaluation scale is actually the "missing link" that turns a generic AI price list into a professional-grade collector's guide.

The RBR system (developed by Ritchie, Brown, and Ritchie) is a standardized grading scale that ranges from P (Poor) to M (Mint). Using an AI to map current market data onto these specific grades allows you to create a guide that mirrors the structure of the Standard Knife Collector’s Guide.

How to Implement RBR with AI
To make this work, you have to "teach" the AI the RBR parameters so it can categorize listings accurately.

1. The Grading Benchmark
You should feed the AI the standard RBR definitions so it knows what to look for in listing descriptions.

RBR Grade Description for AI to Identify Value Multiplier (Typical)
M (Mint) Unused, unsharpened, original factory edge and finish. 100% of Top Market
NM (Near Mint) Like new, but may have very slight "shop wear" or light spotting. 80–90%
EX (Excellent) Some visible use, snap is still good, blades nearly full. 60–75%
VG (Very Good) Noticeable wear, some sharpening, but still sound. 40–50%
G (Good) Heavily used, blades worn/pitted, handles may have cracks. 20–30%
2. Prompting the AI to "Grade" Listings
Once the AI understands the scale, you can use it to filter "Sold" data.
Example Prompt:

"Using the RBR evaluation scale, analyze these 10 sold eBay listings for the 'Case Trapper 6254'. Assign an RBR grade to each based on the seller's description and photos, then calculate the average sale price for each specific grade."

Creating the "RBR Pricing Matrix"
The most effective way to use an AI agent here is to have it generate a dynamic pricing table. Instead of one price, the AI generates a range based on the condition.

The Workflow:
Data Scraping: Use Gemini to find the "MSRP" and "Recent Sold Highs."

RBR Application: Use a custom instruction to tell the AI: "Assume the highest recorded sale is 'Mint'. Calculate the RBR Excellent and Very Good values by applying a 30% and 50% reduction respectively."

Documentation: Have the AI output the data in a format like this:

Model: Buck 110 (Vintage 1970s)

RBR Mint (M): $150 - $200

RBR Excellent (EX): $90 - $110

RBR Good (G): $40 - $55

Why this works better than the book
While the Standard Knife Collector's Guide is iconic, it is a static resource that goes out of date the moment it's printed. By using the RBR system as a logic framework for an AI like Gemini, you get:

Real-time accuracy: You're using today's prices, not prices from 2022.

Granular detail: You can generate guides for modern "sprint runs" (like Spyderco PM2s in 15V steel) that Ritchie and Stewart never covered.

Just a thought on how to catalog the millions of various knives, and set a benchmark of some type for collectors.
Thoughts?

[bestgear]

Thoughts?

A field of dreams; if you build it I’m sure over time it could become a trusted tool that would be used but the ROI would likely keep this in the dream stage.

[Paladin]

As a regular eBayer I see an occasional listings posted using AI. The last one I saw was so inaccurate and so full of blatant errors it was embarrassing.

Ray

[Mumbleypeg]

As a regular eBayer I see an occasional listings posted using AI. The last one I saw was so inaccurate and so full of blatant errors it was embarrassing.

Ray

The old computer programming adage still applies - “Garbage in, garbage out!”

Most of us know the internet is filled with garbage, and that’s where AI mines for its information. Hopefully some day AI will be sufficiently evolved to remedy that. Today too many lazy fools believe it’s already happened.

Ken

[Steve Warden]

It's called "artificial" for a reason.

[edgy46]

Artificial intelligence is an oxymoron.

[OLDE CUTLER]

As a regular eBayer I see an occasional listings posted using AI. The last one I saw was so inaccurate and so full of blatant errors it was embarrassing.

Ray

The old computer programming adage still applies - “Garbage in, garbage out!”

Most of us know the internet is filled with garbage, and that’s where AI mines for its information. Hopefully some day AI will be sufficiently evolved to remedy that. Today too many lazy fools believe it’s already happened.

Ken

You should try asking your question, " I bought a blue Chevy, what's it worth?" to AI. Answer might be hilarious.

[royal0014]

It's called "artificial" for a reason.

^^ THIS ^^

Aren't knife prices artificially inflated enough already ? ? ?
And if the AI descriptions on fleabay are any indication ...

[Mumbleypeg]

Timely article on the fallibility of AI, from the January 2026 Knife Magazine. https://www.akti.org/ai-and-knife-laws/

Kinda dry reading but the gist of it is, AI can be right if asked the right question in the right way. Otherwise, “you takes your chances”. It could also be wrong. Best to find a human expert and ask them.

Ken

[Miller Bro's]

AI will never ever replace a knowledgeable knife collector period.

[rea1eye]

AI is here now but I don’t think it is ready for this yet. I have
used ChatGpt for information on knives I have purchased but
it fails sometimes. I am sure it will improve tremendously
in just a few weeks or months or years but it still cannot
think like a human.

I am hoping the human element will still have the
last and best of the best answer.

Bob

[SwedgeHead]

Its sad, but referencing anything from January is already 2 generations of evolution back now.
The tech is amazing, its now a matter of if we as human beings are ready more than the tech itself.
And our current administration now demanding to hand AI the keys to the kingdom in autonomous warfare.
Pandora's box is open.