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Flea Market Finds!

How about a thread of knives found at flea markets, estate sales, garage sale, or even pawn shops.

Only real world person to person transactions, no online purchases!

You know an actual purchase where you actually got to touch and examine the knife before you bought it and were actually able to haggle in person over the price.

Here are two knives I landed for around $30, one is a Coleman "Collector Edition" fixed blade hunter with a burl wood maple handle and the other is a Swiss Buck Advantange. Both came new, in the box. I bought them at Swap-O-Rama in Alsip Illinois from a guy said he had been a distributor for Buck Knives for 13 years. He told me the Coleman Collecotr's Edition was made in Buck's China Factory. I don't know about that but it was sweet looking knife and razor sharp!

So what great deal did you find at flea market!

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on October 20, 2014 at 18:41

Ron-- WOW !!--- That cleaned up beautifully--- Heck of a price, too !!!

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on October 21, 2014 at 9:12

Great find, Ron. Amazing what a little TLC can do when it comes to dirt and mold!

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on October 21, 2014 at 13:18

I'm just gonna have to move to where there's better flea markets and antique stores.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on October 21, 2014 at 18:07

JJ- Me Too

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on October 22, 2014 at 6:20

JJ and Jan,,,

I often go to estate sales every Saturday morning and hit the Swap-o-rama about three or four times a year. Trust me, there is a lot of JUNK out there. (and stuff that is priced WAY more than it is worth!) I recall seeing a used Boker Scout knife from the modern era with delrin handles that a guy was trying to sell for $150! It lookied like some one had used a grinder to sharpen the blade. I told him I could buy a new one from amazon with genuine stag for less than that and he tried to tell me his was an antique. It told him to dream on and that he needed to learn more about his products.

Had the knife been properly sharpened, I might have given him $25-$40 for it due to other problems with it.. Because of the screwed up main blade it was basically junk and maybe good for parts. I would've been to embarrassed to sell it.

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on October 22, 2014 at 9:18

Something about this part of the country. We, for some reason, don't see too many Estate Sales. Flea Markets are a joke. Folks think that they can get a Jim Frost "Knives for a Buck" mega set and become rich.

Southerners seem to hang on to their old knives.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on November 4, 2014 at 12:36

Here's one I picked up in an antique store in Farmer City, IL last week. A Ka-bar model 2750 boot knife I got for $30. This is from when Ka-bar was owned by Cole National Corporation (1966-1996 ) - Tang stamp reads- Ka-bar - Cleveland, Ohio-2750 on one side, and Stainless-Japan on the obverse- I believe this is circa 1970-80's. It is 91/4" OAL with stainless blade, red fiber spacer, Duracon handle, sunburst brass pins, and brass crossguard-- Cleaned up real nice except for some minor pitting around the tang stamp on the front side-

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on November 4, 2014 at 13:13

Are the edge of that blade super sharp or is it more like a false edge. Either way that is one fine looking pig-sticker!

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on November 4, 2014 at 14:52

Tobias, both sides are razor sharp the full length of the blade-- No false edge--The owner had this in a drawer in his back room-- was not on display-- Sold it to me cuz I bought a box of 5 junk knives for next to nothing- This included my $3- 1945-1955 Hammer Brand and a stag Uncle Henry Texas Jack I haven't restored yet. Here are some pics of the Ka-bar before a little TLC and my restored $3 Hammer Brand.

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on March 7, 2015 at 15:51

Wife was getting her hair done so i dropped by a small pawn shop earlier today. I figured this was worth the $10 asking price, especially since i've been looking for a machete with that style of blade. The thing is 3/16 of an inch thick at the spine. Some type of heavy carbon steel but unmarked. The leather sheath is flat out awesome! Should look real pretty once i clean it up a tad! Don't know much about it other than it being a real brute of blade!

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 7, 2015 at 18:32

Now that is one heck of a find! The sheath is worth 10.00! Congrats Tobias

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on March 7, 2015 at 20:24

Thanks, Jan. I've been looking for a machete with that style blade for over a year. I was half tempted to buy the Frost Tac-Assault Anti-Zomibe Machete because it had the right style blade (see below) but I really wanted something that could take some punishment. Having not heard or read any reviews of this Frost machete I was skeptical.

PS. And unlike when Todd Boone says "the sheath alone is worth $10" I know when you said made the comment it was more than just a sales pitch.

Here is the Frost Machete. If it didn't have the front hole, I might have been more willing to try it for $15! But I'm pretty sure my $10 pawn shop machete would smash the Frost Machete to bits in a side by side challenge