Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on June 25, 2011 at 8:42

What is the most collected brand?  I'd say we're beign a little short sighted.  First define collected?  Second, go global?  I'd hazard to guess Victorinox.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on June 25, 2011 at 19:57

Tobias,

I think the topic is dead on for USA made knives.

Go global?  I would have to say your probably correct on that.  Two strong factors come to mind on that thought process

1) Victorinox having been around successfully since 1884

2) I am willing to bet we all own one or have in the past.

As far as collected, I dont know anyone that owns a "collection" of them.  Other than yourself and the good folks here on IKC in the SAK group.  I also do not see many types at the shows.  I wonder if they are more widely "collected" in the european countries.  I would think they likeley are.  I will tell you I have certainly enjoyed seeing the knives in your collection, they are very different than the typical "swiss army knife" we think of when hearing the name Victorinox.

 

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on June 27, 2011 at 13:10

Hi Jan.

 

I see where you are coming from but here is my resoning for thinking Vics are the most collected.

 

1.  there are plenty of  Swiss Army Knife collectors They collect both Victorinox and Wenger.  Majority however collect Victorinox.  This is pure speculation on my part based on this group, Blade Forum and All About Pocket knives.  I'd love to see an actual scientific poll.

 

2.  Even if you don't collect brand specific, you probably have a Victorinox knife.

 

3.  People who collect buy pattern, will most likely own a Victorinox simply because they make knives for various patterns.  For instance, they currently make the Skipper and the Helmsman for collectors of Nautical knives.  They have a knife for those who collect fishing, Equestrian, folding hunters, military pocket knives, and so on.  Even if all you were to collect were Boy Scout Knives, your collection should include at least a half dozen Victorinox knives.

 

I could very well be the exception but  I currently own over 15 and have another 20 or so they I have my sights on and Vics aren't even the main focus of my collecting habits.

 

This is the main reason I thought Vics would be the most collected. Not because collectors focus solely on Vics but because they just have a way of creeping into collections.

 

Victorinox, does however realize that people collect their knives simply for the sake of owning them.  This is why they have such a variety of scales offered on the Classic SD, and why certain models come with added marking on the scales and such.

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Permalink Reply by Shlomo ben Maved on August 12, 2011 at 4:29

I would probably go with Hen & Rooster (think annual 10, 12 knife releases) for the cheaper middle priced and William Henry for the expensive end...Case holds down the cheaper end without question.

But there are a lot of Buck and Boker folders out there as well...At one time the Buck 110 4" w/double brass bolsters, wood scales and belt sheath was the most popular pattern--by brand ever sold so that would be another to think on.

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Permalink Reply by Shlomo ben Maved on August 12, 2011 at 17:38

It isn't about recognition, per se, but about what you see on the tables at local or state groups collector's shows and at knife shows and of course what is available in print--books about, magazines articles printed and membership in that brands fan site(s)...Also which version are you referring to Victorinox (Red) or Wenger (Grey) or their combined sales since they are the same company.

When I was working (for promotional purposes and tax incentives), I attended quite a few gun, knife, sportsman's, fishing and hunting shows a year and there is always one or two Case Knife Company collectors set up and no they’re not the same two! Lots of times it’s a Case table that wins for display(s)…I’d have to say, from personal experience that I've seen ten Case collectors and four maybe five Shrade Knife and Tool and Camillas displays for every SAK one…They’re out there but few and far between.

There are probably as many Buck 110s (and copies of) then any one Model by a brand...at least that was what was reported a few years ago...In it's heyday of the 1960s and 1970s that Model was responsible for huge portions of companies knife sales along with the other Buck knives as well...They're still a very popular brand with numerous collector's clubs devoted to just them.

With Fiskars buying into Gerber they're getting huge international coverage--see the figures on the Bear Grylls 2nd model Survival knife for sales...I would have to guess here but I think that Cold Steel has got as much reputation coverage as SAK

If it's about numbers then the U.S. Army's M4 bayonet and the USMC Fighting knife would have the most for North America and the pig sticker on the various models of Mosin Nagant rifles would cover it for Europe.

Two of the most copied--by cheap replica blades--brands out there are Cold Steel and Swiss Army so a lot of the stuff you'll see on E-Bay for cheap are Pakistani/Indian/Chi-Comm copies and aren't worth "fecal matter".

I've got about a dozen models of them but I’d never consider myself a SAK collector in any way, shape or form and their niche marketplace, is/has been taken over by the various multi-tools out there.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on August 12, 2011 at 17:51

Tobias,

Sorry for the late response but I am going to say you are more than likely correct on the Victorinox.  Your reasoning is sound and I agree

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on August 12, 2011 at 17:51

Please excuse this out of topic question. "How did Buck Knives figure that they had come up with the design of the model 110? I may be mistaken but I think the design comes from others.

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Permalink Reply by Shlomo ben Maved on August 14, 2011 at 22:05

They didn't...they copied it from a Puma Knife Company design/model which they, Puma, had copied from Boker...Both of those German companies had been in business since the 1800s.

 

What Buck did was promoted the Hell out of it and it became their"trademark" knife...For a long time it was the only model that was in the Buck's Custom Shop...It became instantly recognizable and was copied by everybody and their brother either under license and or illegally.

 

There were numerous companies that "improved" upon them--jewels on gold or silver frames with exotic woods/bones/teeth/tusks, they made them into automatic opening or flick knives and some of the companies are still in business.

Robert Burris said:

Please excuse this out of topic question. "How did Buck Knives figure that they had come up with the design of the model 110? I may be mistaken but I think the design comes from others.

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Permalink Reply by Willie Palm on October 30, 2011 at 20:00

My .02 is this.

Case wins the collector knife "bidness" hands down in my mind. I agree with Bruce.

 

I was buying Case knives when I was a pup. They had the reputation and they built a great knife. I've never really been a collector. I gather stuff more than anything. In my pile of 3 or 4 hundred knives, there might be 10 that have never been used.  I think of a new Case knife as one that has dots under the name. The newest Case knife I own was made in the 65-69 era. They went down the toilet and have climbed back out, BUT their knives are pointed at those that buy every different handle variation that they produce and will probably never see the light of day on regular basis. That's where their money is, as most folks won't unload the kind dollars it takes to buy a new knife and then screw it up using it or possibly losing it.

 

LOTS of fake Case knives out there too. If you're gonna swim in the older Case waters, you'd better sure look out for sharks and know your knives.

 

GEC is building some great knives, their stuff is being collected. I've got a couple that I use pretty much every day. They're well built and rather pricey, but I got into mine on trades and it doesn't bother me to use 'em.

 

Queen is building some great stuff and their S&M line is getting a lot of play by the collector market.

 

As for me? I'll just keep my eye out for a good solid oldie that will feel good in my hand and pocket.

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Permalink Reply by stephen tungate on November 1, 2011 at 23:05

thank you every one on your thoughts there has been alot of response on this and i for one thank you guys and ladies for your in put there is alot of different response on most collected and they all have their good points.but to me it looks like case knives is winning in this so far. in case there is more to know about the german made knives such as boker or puma please give us some more input on this subject if you know more about this...

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Permalink Reply by Rusty R Halsey on November 5, 2011 at 18:00

All I can tell you is what is in my own collection - mostly Bulldogs, then GEC, then Case followed by Schrade, Spyderco,Moore Maker and Northwoods.  I shy away from Case because they are ashamed or unable to say what kind of steel is in their surgical steel blades.  Keep in mind I have only been collecting for 7 years now and hadn't even heard of Case till I discovered ebay.

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