All About Pocket Knives

Well I am new to collecting and already had a few disappointments from Ebay. I have narrowed my search to three Knives. United Cutlery Ford red bone set 2000-2001, Toothpick folding knives, and Fishing knives. I mainly started the fishing knives because they look like the toothpick knives. Later I realized they were two different styles. I just got my first collectors book. WOW! did that help! So, anyone with some good advise PLEASE pass it along. I am also a woodworker and am having fun designing the display cases.

Advice? New Collector? Oh yeah, I got some advice for ya......


Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang on.......it's a slippery slope!

to AAPK!

Thanks! For that advise. My wife has already caught on and started slowing down the slope. LOL! And having a son in college who wanted to get married in a year doesn't help the collection either. God has definatly been good to me though! Wonderful Family!

PM inbound! And

My advice..........

Knife collecting is more of a marathon than a sprint.

Don't get in too big of a rush...............you can't ever get them all anyway. (I've tried)

Phil

Thanks! Its fun searching for "THE ONE". Then your hoping you have the cash available when you finally find it!

to AAPK Tim.

welcome to AAPK ! always nice knives being sold buy the AAPK stores .

Hey Tim I'm new to this myself. Wife is already putting a damper on my collecting. She thinks bills are more important. I just collect what I like. Right now the grey bone melon tester with scrolled bolsters is my favorite. When I saw it there was no way i could leave it there. It had to go home with me.
Another good thing about knives is that they dont talk back.

Welcome timf600! If you're into learning as much as possible about knives you're in the right place.

I too have had eBay disappointments and now use eBay for researching purposes only. It's a good place to follow sales trends but top dollar will usually be paid for most of the knives you find there and I'm not wild about how their timed auctions work. Research books are great too but keep in mind that collector value depends on what someone will actually pay for a particular knife.

I got into knife collecting just a little over 3 years ago when I purchased 2 Case trappers at auction. The rest is history and I have enjoyed every minute learning about my new hobby (or quest, sickness, passion; depends on the moment).

Again, welcome aboard ! ! !


-John

Welcome to you too, Lee!

wELCOME!!!

Thanks I'm here to learn something. All the past posts help (most of them anyway). lol

Welcome aboard Tim & Lee. Collect (or accumulate) what you like. I gotta tell you though, this forum can be bad for your pocketbook.

Welcome to AAPK...

I have been collecting for quite a long time. As a young boy I liked the feel of a knife in my hand. I have learned that I get more satisfaction if I concentrate on quality and condition rather than just a lot of knives. Center your interest on specific brands or styles. It can broaden as you get more involved...such as fixed blade knives and custom knives. I have been fortunate to live around and befriend some custom knife makers over the years, and it made me appreciate what goes into a quality knife. Good luck, Dave O

Tim; What ever ya do DON'T break your camera

one thing I can contribute, being a fairly new collector myself (around a year or so "collecting" but i've always had an interest), is that your tastes in knives will likely change and fluctuate. You may always have a soft spot for the fishing knives but in six months or a year you may start to lean towards something else. Always go with what you like at the time, and don't be pressured into overpaying for something you REALLY want unless you know you may never see it again.

Give other knives a chance too. Buy some different brands and maybe a few different styles. Hen N Roosters didnt appeal to me too much at first, but once I actually got one and handled it, I really started to like them a lot. Keep an open mind and keep us posted!

Warm welcome to the site Tim. Good luck with your collecting. s-k

Thanks to everyone for your helpful comments. I am learning alot already! I can't wait to learn more!

Welcome, I think your new hobby will provide you with many hours of enjoyment. Be most cautious on eBay especially if you are buying a previously owned knife.

Eventually you will find reliable dealers and sellers. I have always had good results using the stores listed on AAPK. It pays to shop around. I recently bought a limited edition set of pocket knives that most dealers were offering at $800 plus. But I found one dealer who provided the set for $500 plus.

For now, do a lot more reading than buying. Besides books there are excellent informative essays on various knife forums including this one. Subscribe to as many knife publications as you can e.g. Blade, Knife World etc. If you get stuck on a question, you can usually find someone around here who can help you out or get you pointed in the right direction. Knife company catalogs can let you know what is available.

And always keep your priorities straight. Knives first; family second.

Collect and study Hawkbills myself, but have been known to collect the odd whittler or the wierd and unusual.
Many types and styles of knives as there is advice on what to collect. Enjoy

A great bunch of folks and fellow hobbyist here at AAPK Welcome!!

Warm welcome Tim and Lee. You guys have found one of the most informative and helpful sites you will ever need!! Attend the auctions and visit the chat and you will see just how much these guys and gals want to help. Again warm welcome and God Bless.

You have already done the smartested thing by joining AAPK. You can lean allot here about almost any knife maker and style. Fish knives are a great pattern to start with. Try not to take on to many projects. They usually wind up in your tool box.

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