All About Pocket Knives

I see that the Mammoth Michigan Jack had a bid retraction. Apparently, the lead bidder (who had put in a bid of $800) had a change of heart...or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say he came to his senses!

Current price: $710, with 1 day, 2 hrs remaining (as of this posting).

Well, this certainly is curious. Another bid retraction drops the current price down to $660, with just over one day remaining. For some reason, the price of this Michigan Jack is going in the wrong direction. Did the top two bidders discover something wrong with this knife, perhaps? Maybe it didn't seem so "necessary" in the light of day after the heat of battle (bidding war) had cooled off. Or maybe the bidders sobered up after a night of heavy drinking (and bidding) left them with hangovers (and regrets).

One more bid retraction will drop the price right back down to the original $450 starting point.

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 23, 2021 6:52 pm Well, this certainly is curious. Another bid retraction drops the current price down to $660, with just over one day remaining. For some reason, the price of this Michigan Jack is going in the wrong direction. Did the top two bidders discover something wrong with this knife, perhaps? Maybe it didn't seem so "necessary" in the light of day after the heat of battle (bidding war) had cooled off. Or maybe the bidders sobered up after a night of heavy drinking (and bidding) left them with hangovers (and regrets).

One more bid retraction will drop the price right back down to the original $450 starting point.

You sure you don't have something to do with this, just to make my guess of the final bid look utterly ridiculous.

cudgee wrote: ↑Sat Oct 23, 2021 8:04 pm

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 23, 2021 6:52 pm Well, this certainly is curious. Another bid retraction drops the current price down to $660, with just over one day remaining. For some reason, the price of this Michigan Jack is going in the wrong direction. Did the top two bidders discover something wrong with this knife, perhaps? Maybe it didn't seem so "necessary" in the light of day after the heat of battle (bidding war) had cooled off. Or maybe the bidders sobered up after a night of heavy drinking (and bidding) left them with hangovers (and regrets).

One more bid retraction will drop the price right back down to the original $450 starting point.

You sure you don't have something to do with this, just to make my guess of the final bid look utterly ridiculous.

If I had anything to do with it, believe me, the price would skyrocket just by me showing interest in it (at least that's what always seems to happen with most of the knives I save on my watch list...especially the ones I really want!)

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 23, 2021 8:42 pm

cudgee wrote: ↑Sat Oct 23, 2021 8:04 pm

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 23, 2021 6:52 pm Well, this certainly is curious. Another bid retraction drops the current price down to $660, with just over one day remaining. For some reason, the price of this Michigan Jack is going in the wrong direction. Did the top two bidders discover something wrong with this knife, perhaps? Maybe it didn't seem so "necessary" in the light of day after the heat of battle (bidding war) had cooled off. Or maybe the bidders sobered up after a night of heavy drinking (and bidding) left them with hangovers (and regrets).

One more bid retraction will drop the price right back down to the original $450 starting point.

You sure you don't have something to do with this, just to make my guess of the final bid look utterly ridiculous.

If I had anything to do with it, believe me, the price would skyrocket just by me showing interest in it (at least that's what always seems to happen with most of the knives I save on my watch list...especially the ones I really want!)

I get ya' brother. Have a good Sunday.
PS. Will be interesting to see what it does go for.

I realize mammoth can have "natural " cracks, but there's no way I would bid on this one with that huge vertical crack.

gsmith7158 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 22, 2021 8:15 pm I had looked at that $2000 one and recieved a discounted offer to buy it. $1700 i declined.

I received that same offer. I suppose if I we’re selling off a bunch of my Northwoods on eBay at a pretty good profit, I could easily afford it. But I think I’ll hang onto mine a while longer.

edge213 wrote: ↑Sun Oct 24, 2021 3:22 am I realize mammoth can have "natural " cracks, but there's no way I would bid on this one with that huge vertical crack.

Likely this is more of a vertical mark than a crack that goes into the substance of the mammoth ivory. But it certainly gives the appearance of a crack and detracts from the look of the knife.
I have never really understood bid retraction. Can a bidder send the seller a retraction simply saying "i changed my mind" ? If so this allows curious people to place bids just to see the amount of the highest bid out of curiosity.
kj

I used to own that mammoth Michigan. It was actually quite stunning in hand. Northwoods mammoth is stabilized and that crack won't be migrating. If the seller is whom I sold the Michigan as well as others, he is a fine member of this forum.

The stag regrind Forest Jack also used to be mine. I cringe at what I traded to get it to this day, and not to the aforementioned person. By far the poorest trade I ever made, as much I liked the knives I gave up and the monetary imbalance. I was feeling bored I suppose. Gave up 3 15s. A KSF SFO 2 blade orange camel bone w sheepsfoot main, user beer scout in ebony and I think a crown lifter in ebony as well. I was building up a stag Northwoods collection at the time, all gone now

Rob, my history of selling my GEC and Northwoods knives is similar to yours. I sold them for prices that were a fairly good deal for the buyer, i.e. somewhat less than the ebay prices at that time. Now they are worth 3-4 times as much. At the time none of us could know how high prices for these knives would go.
But, so what ? It is only knives and money. I am more interested in making friends than making money and likely this is the same for you.
kj

Here is a Northwoods auction 'of note' because of a low price: https://www.ebay.com/itm/174982158685?s ... true&rt=nc
A very fine Norfolk Whittler with mammoth handles sold by auction at $306. The Norfolk is an exquisite pattern but for some reason does not attract as much collector interest as the single blade knives. I had expected this knife to sell for at least double this amount.
I do not understand the GEC & Northwoods knife market
kj

For whatever reason, most (but not all) GEC patterns continue to fetch previously unimaginable, stratospheric prices. High demand and limited supply is about the best explanation I can come up with. But I'm pretty sure there's more going on than just basic economic factors. GECs are dead sexy, high quality, made in USA knives, that have attained a cult-like status and following with deep-pocketed converts joining the "GEC cult" daily...or so it would seem. I'm just wondering how long it will be until made-in-China GEC knockoffs start showing up on eBay or Alibaba. (Kind of surprised they haven't already.)

2008 Stag #25: $521.09 (+$7.50 s/h)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/203816833954?_ ... true&rt=nc

I think this SS Viper #47 was around $85-$115 when first released in 2014. Sure wish I hadn't sold the one I had when I did.

This one just sold on eBay for $603.99(+ $11.60 s/h)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224826319701?s ... true&rt=nc

I don't know why I'm so fascinated with the prices of GEC & Northwoods knives on the secondary market...probably because I sold most of mine before the current price trend started

Here's the latest one I was following:

Northwoods Harrison Bay in Blue Denim Micarta sold for $455.00 (+$9.60 s/h)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224827192550?s ... true&rt=nc

Q, i too am interested in prices for GEC made knives. It is a bit like watching the stock market: how high will prices for various patterns go ? Will there be a 'market correction' ?, etc. It is a dynamic market and this keeps it interesting.
kj

Hmmmm Same knife, same seller but with a slightly different description (no mention of being a 75 yr old disabled vet with no heirs and little sand remaining in the hourglass) & free shipping this time.

What do you suppose is the reason? Non-paying winning bidder, perhaps?

Will be interesting to see how much it goes for this time around.

2008 GEC #25 Stag
https://www.ebay.com/itm/203833794494?h ... SwHnBh-IfG

First time it sold for $521.09, the second time it sold for only $352.50. What could this mean?

Might not make one scrap of difference, but with what is happening in the world at the moment, gas has/will go up, and as a consequence cost of living, with people maybe having to tighten their belts, interesting to see what people can and will spend their disposable income on.

You are probably correct, cudgee. Suddenly the auction prices seem to be leveling off and even dropping lately (see 2008 Stag #25 above). I wonder if inflation has potential bidders a little less inclined and/or able to continue paying outrageous prices? There are a bunch of GEC & Northwoods with high BIN (or min opening bid) prices that are sitting around week after week not selling.

Here's another auction I was following that kind of surprised me when it sold for less than $400 (which was the minimum I had guessed it would sell for) and only had 4 bidders.

Northwoods Bear Lake: min. starting bid = $284.00, Final Selling Price = $375.00 (+$9.60 s/h)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224840205189?s ... true&rt=nc

Here are two brand new 2022 GEC Northfield #77 Yankee Barlows with nice Stag handles that I am following:

I wonder how much each one will sell for? This should be interesting

Min opening bid: $400.00 (current bid with just under 2 days remaining = $0.00)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/134032565684?s ... 1438.l2649

Min opening bid: .99 (current bid with just over 2 days remaining = $265.00)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/275179763870?s ... 1438.l2649

First Stag #77 pictured above with the min opening bid of $400, was listed for a 3-day auction, had a total of 3 bidders (all bids were made on the final day) and ended up selling for: $527.00


Second Stag #77 pictured above with the .99 min opening bid was also listed for a 3-day auction, had a total of 17 bidders (28 bids only 5 of which were made on the final day), and sold for $380.00 (+$9.50 s/h)


What could explain the final price discrepancy? Any theories?

I guess this just goes to show that there are a number of unknown and/or uncontrollable variables that can, in fact, have a significant impact on the selling prices of even the most popular GEC patterns (which I believe the Northfield #77 Yankee Barlow is definitely one.)

Look at This one https://www.ebay.com/itm/334335607427

kennedy knives wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 2:54 pm Look at This one

"Only" $760 + $9.45 s/h (min opening bid: $395.00)

This Northwoods Hawthorne Jack in Denim Micarta sold for $432.00 +$9.60 s/h (min opening bid: $225.00) on Feb 27, 2022:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224848565542?s ... true&rt=nc

The Northwoods Hawthorne Jack shown below appears to be the exact same knife as the one shown above (same seller, same set of photos, same description and same bolster defect).

This one is currently up for auction with just over two (2) days remaining on the 7-day auction.
Current High Bid: $230.00 (min opening bid: $225.00)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224860749779?s ... 1438.l2649




What could this mean?