Newbie reference questions

[Newbie1945]

Gentlemen &Ladies,
I am an old rascal who has loved pocket knives since my first at age 10 in 1955. I have been accumulating them for the last 20 and that has accelerated in the last 2 years. Nothing special ,I think ,but I just don't know.
Yesterday at a resale shop my wife ,bless her, says " oh ,isn't that cute!" Looking I spy three very interesting knives at 3 bucks apiece. Well ,now that means I have a bunch now and have no idea how to clean them or value them. They are varied naturally ,some being bone handles with a few being silver ' fruit knives' ? What reasonably priced book could I search for that would answers a dense old mans questions? Please. Thank you.
With regards
John

[treefarmer]

Howdy, Newbie1945!
John, you will enjoy finding out about your knives here on AAPK.
There are lots of reference books available but it seems that posting pictures of the knife or knives in question here on the forum will bring some fairly accurate responses from our members. Peruse the pages and notice the type of pictures that show tang stamps, closed length, handle material, the blade of course and figure out how to post the pictures and you'll be in business. There are several threads showing how to post your pictures and always some one willing to give us a hand.
Treefarmer

[Newbie1945]

TreeFarmer,
Thanks for the welcome and the advice. Advice is cheaper than books any day!
John

[royal0014]

Lots of free and friendly advice right here on the forum.
Just go to the upper left corner of the page, click 'Quick Links' and scroll down to 'search'.
Might take a little effort, but I'll bet most of your questions have already been asked ....


Welcome aboard. Don't be scared, most here don't bite

[cudgee]

Welcome John, from your description of how you got into knives you will find yourself at home here, that is how most of us started this great hobby. Jump aboard and enjoy your time here.

[jerryd6818]

Welcome to AAPK. There's a wealth of information here. Don't be afraid to explore and ask questions. The only dumb question is the one that doesn't get asked.

[Madmarco]

to AAPK John! I can't add much to what's been stated already, but if you follow the advise given above you'll very much enjoy your time here. Again, WELCOME!

[Mumbleypeg]

Welcome to AAPK John. As others have already said, answers to most of your questions can be found right here on AAPK using the Search capability. For information about cleaning knives see here https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... 37&t=54157.
For how to post pictures on AAPK, see here, and scroll down to find the instructions for your device. https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... m.php?f=98

There is no single reference book having current values - there are several very good books about knives but the values sections are quickly out of date, often before the book was even published. For general books, those written by Bernard Levine are very good, as are those by C. Houston Price, or by Stewart & Richey. For Case brand knives, Steve Pfeiffer has written an excellent book. All of those are out of print now so can be pricey and difficult to find.

The best source for current values is an advanced search of sold listings on eBay. Look for knives like yours. Limiting your search to sold listings only will tell you what items actually sold for, not what sellers are asking. Adjust accordingly for condition of the sold item compared to yours - In knife collecting just as in coin collecting, condition is everything.

Enjoy your collection. Folks here on AAPK are always glad to share their knowledge and pictures of their knives - don’t be bashful about showing yours and asking questions or sharing what you know.

Ken

[Newbie1945]

Ken,
Thank you! Your advice is like finding gold. I'm looking forward to participating on this forum.
John

[Newbie1945]

to AAPK John! I can't add much to what's been stated already, but if you follow the advise given above you'll very much enjoy your time here. Again, WELCOME!

Marco,
Thank you for the friendly welcome.
John

[Newbie1945]

Welcome to AAPK. There's a wealth of information here. Don't be afraid to explore and ask questions. The only dumb question is the one that doesn't get asked.

Jerry,
I have never shied away from asking questions, sometimes very dumb ones. Thanks for the welcome.
John
PS, some day ask me about my first introduction to the USMC

[Newbie1945]

Welcome John, from your description of how you got into knives you will find yourself at home here, that is how most of us started this great hobby. Jump aboard and enjoy your time here.

Curves,
Thank you for your welcome. One might say that I have developed a sharp interest in the hobby.
John

[Newbie1945]

Lots of free and friendly advice right here on the forum.
Just go to the upper left corner of the page, click 'Quick Links' and scroll down to 'search'.
Might take a little effort, but I'll bet most of your questions have already been asked ....


Welcome aboard. Don't be scared, most here don't bite

Royal,,
Thank you for your kind words.
John

[jerryd6818]

Welcome to AAPK. There's a wealth of information here. Don't be afraid to explore and ask questions. The only dumb question is the one that doesn't get asked.

Jerry,
I have never shied away from asking questions, sometimes very dumb ones. Thanks for the welcome.
John
PS, some day ask me about my first introduction to the USMC

You have a PM.

[Dan In MI]

Welcome aboard! Ken read my mind concerning values. As for cleaning, start with warm water and blue Dawn dish soap; that goes a long way! Just remember to dry your knives thoroughly and then oil the joints.