WHERE DID YOU FIND IT???

PA Knives · Post by **PA Knives** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 5:37 pm

This question is for those of you that like OLD knives. I am interested knowing where you found your prized piece? I bought a gorgeous Brown Bros from a fella that I got a knife from off of ebay. I asked if he had anything else and this was one of three I bought. I got a good price and a lifelong friend to boot. What is your story?

longbeachbum · Post by **longbeachbum** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:25 am

I don't really have any good stories, but I hate to see such a great topic languish with no responses.

I was only just bitten by the knife bug about nine months ago. It started when I saw the Case knives on display at Lowes of all places. I hadn't even been aware that anyone out there was still making traditional style slipjoints (a word I didn't pick up until later). Anyway I kept thinking about them and whenever I went to Lowes for other items I'd look at them, but I never bought one because I just couldn't justify it. I couldn't get past the fact that I didn't NEED one. Is everyone on the floor laughing yet?

Then one day I was in an antique store and saw some old pocketknives, among which were some Cases. These were in terrible condition from a collector standpoint, but I loved the fact that they had so much character, and had seen so much use. Well I bought two, a brown bone pen and a brown bone jack with a big crack in one of the scales. And yes, I paid way too much for them. Here's the really funny part: I bought these TO GET THE MONKEY OFF MY BACK. I actually thought I would just buy these two and never think about another slipjoint in my life. If you weren't on the floor laughing before, you MUST be now.

I went back a few days later and picked up a mint vintage Browning Sportsman folding hunter, and was convinced I'd found a rare treasure. It was on this board that I learned that the "Japan" tang stamp meant that I could strap it on and use it with a clean conscience, i.e. it had little to no collector value. It was probably less than a week later that I bought a Case blue scroll canoe in less than mint condition for way too much money, and after that I was hooked.

At this point I can't say that I collect so much as accumulate. I'm trying to get to the point where I have some direction in my acquisition of new knives, but I'm still doing a lot of experimenting it would seem. At first it was strictly slipjoints, and although I still prefer them, I've bought several "tactical" knives as high performance users. So far I've successfully steered clear of fixed blades almost completely, but I can feel the tug in the worst way.

Does this feverish directionless mania sound familiar to you experienced collectors? I'm really hoping it's just a phase.

Anyway, this was only semi on-topic but like PA Knives I'd love to read some stories from others.

wt3l · Post by **wt3l** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 12:38 am

Hi PA Knives, My name is Keith..I use my Ham RadioCall sign wt3l to log in here. I have approx 128 knives. Some old and some new. This story is true (God up above knows). I started my collection by going to the local flea market. There was an older gentleman selling some old case and Primble knives one day.He started selling knives when his wife passed away. He didn't know much about flea marketing...just had to busy himself because his lovely wife was now gone. He trades up some knives he thinks are worth trading, cleans them and brings them to the flea market each saturday. I feel I have made a genuine friend in this guy and I usually swap with him. Swap my money for his knives..heheh.I buy many knives from SmokyMtn Knifeworks but I would love to hear the stories the knives I get on Saturdays could tell, if they could talk. Later wt3l

Mossdancer · Post by **Mossdancer** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 1:51 am

PA:
ALL OF MINE ARE FAVORITES IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THAT SAID, I HAVE AN OLD PUMA WHITE HUNTER IN VERY GOOD COND. FOUND IT AFTER BECOMING ACQUAINTED WITH AN OLD GENTLEMAN WHO HAPPENS TO BE A KNIFE DEALER.ON OUR FIRST ENCOUNTER I SOMEWHAT BELATEDLY GAVE HIME A C.C.C. SIGNED FIXED BLADE ABOUT A QUARTER INCH THICK AT TANG. I PAID A BUCK SO FIGURED IT WAS WORTH IT. AFTER SEVERAL B.S. SESSIONS TRADING KNIVES BACK AND FORTH, DURING WHICH HE SPINS TALES WITH THE GREATEST OF EASE. FIGURES HE JOINED THE NAVY IN THE EARLY 40'S, ONE OF HIS FAVORITES IS OF A CHIEF HE HAD WHO TOLD HIM THAT IF HE HAD TWO MORE SEAMAN SUCH AS HIM THAT HE WAS SURE WE WOULD HAVE LOST WWII.
ENDING THIS INSTALLMENT, A FEW WEEKS AGO HE GIFTED ME THE PUMA.
THANKS FOR LISTENING.
MOSSDANCER

MITCH RAPP · Post by **MITCH RAPP** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 3:22 am

HEY! LONGBEACHBUM
That was a great story! A story I can very much relate to. For the past six years I have been working with an ex-special forces guy (Marine Force Recon Sergeant) for ten years. He always has 4 or 5 Tactical knives on his belt, pockets etc. He taught me about them and I have been collecting them for quite some time now. This last Summer I stumbled upon this webb site and began reading everybody's Posts. At first for the life of me I couldn't understand everybodys fascination with these tiny little kids size pocket knives. A few months ago I bought a couple of Case knives on EBAY to check them out and just like LONGBEACHBUM, I know I over paid for them. That being said, the Dam has been broken and now I know what the attraction for these little jewels is all about! I now have sixteen of them and counting. Just like LONGBEACHBUM I too have no direction in my collecting yet. I hope you guys won't laugh at me but I kind of like the MINI COPPERLOCK sized knife, it's a small knife with a good size blade. I know that the MINI COPPERLOCK is a relatively new knife pattern but my Grandson, who's due next month will probably enjoy them.

GeoKost · Post by **GeoKost** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 4:05 am

Hey PA, I don't consider it old, but one of my favorites is a...
Let me tell you the story, about 32 years ago I carried a Buck 301. Well, I lost it, so at Christmas of 19** my mother in law bought me a Case knife. About a year after that my in-laws gave us there old couch and while moving I heard something rattle down in the couch. When I got home, I cut the corner under the couch and my Buck 301 fell out. Well, the Case went in the drawer and back in the pocket went the Buck. I did drag the Case out and use it some in work from time to time, in the old tool box in the truck, then, back in the drawer. Until recently when this knife fanatic craze hit, I drug out the old Case. Low and behold to me, a nice, from Christmas of 1976, 4 dot Case 6332. Still in good shape and snaps like a snapping turtle. I mean loud, talk about walk and talk. Man. Another ironic thing is the day back in 77 when I had found the Buck 301, that very day I had gone to Hot Springs AR and bought a brand new Buck 301. Still have it in the box wrapped up. I do consider the Buck 301 I bought in High School, My Favorite though.

Anyway, I thought I would share that.

George.

PA Knives · Post by **PA Knives** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 12:33 pm

Thanks guys for the wonderful replys to this thread. I am sure others have great stories too. I have another. While working on road crew for a small municpality years ago, I struck up a conversation with a local fella. I was brooming the street, "yes we did it by hand back then" and he came out to BS. Of course I got on the subject of pocket knives, as I always do and low and behold he had couple that I might like to see. Well out comes two old tested XX case's and he want to give them to me. I just couldn't bring myself to take them as he was certainly low on funds from the looks for the house and his clothes. I offered him a $100 for both and felt bad about that. I figured then were worth more than that but I was a collector not a dealer. Needless to say he even shed a tear as I handed him the money. I told him if he wanted I would try and sell them for him, but he said that he really wanted them to be in the hands of someone who appreciated them. They belonged to his Uncle and he had taken excellent care of them. So you never know where the opprotunity will arise.

calico jack · Post by **calico jack** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:59 pm

Since we're swapping stories...
My grandpa gave me a Barlow when I was about 6y.o., and I carried it everywhere for 10 yrs. After football practice one day, I noticed my car had been broken into at school, and my knife had been stolen, along with my Prince(??) and Van Halen(!!) cassettes. I was heartbroken. I don't know who told my papa about it, but that CHRISTmas he gave me a Queen stockman. I have never carried or used it. I break it out of its wrappings and clean it every 3 months. I always think of Papa(he passed in '93) and how much he really taught me about family, life, and what it is to be a compassionate person. Didn't mean to get sappy, but I think of him a lot at this time of year, and I get a warm smile. Thanks for letting me ramble and Merry CHRISTmas to all of the members at AAPK.

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