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iKnife Collector

The online community of knife collectors, A Knife Family Forged in Steel

Beginner Collectors

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Just started collecting? Want a place to learn and ask questions about our hobby? No dumb questions here. Seasoned iKC collectors provide direction and help with basic questions

Members: 174
Latest Activity: Sep 16, 2022

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Collecting is one of the most enjoyable hobbies. It brings years of satisfaction and provides for great friendships.

If you are relatively new to knife collecting- you are faced with thousands of choices. There are more knives out there than we have the money to buy, so which way do you go?

There are a number of factors and decisions that go into building a collection and our goal with this iKC Group is to help you sort though those choices.

Almost every collector started out by grabbing whatever we liked, almost without rhyme or reason. While this is one way to start off, it can be extremely expensive. Most collectors eventually settle-in at some point and focus on a type of knife, a maker, a pattern or particular use.

It's OK to buy what you like, but determining WHY you like knives and your goal for your collection are the most important questions you can answer for yourself as early as possible. And before we go much further here.

Our group here is to help you think this through.

Discussion Forum

Collecting Ethnographic & Aboriginal Knives

Started by Lars Ray. Last reply by Jan Carter Mar 18, 2015. 14 Replies 3 Likes

Ethnographic and Aboriginal knives – at one time I could hardly spell these terms let alone understand what they meant. The title itself is enough to turn away crowds at any self-respecting knife…Continue

Knife Collection Genres

Started by Lars Ray. Last reply by Lars Ray Mar 17, 2015. 27 Replies 4 Likes

Have a simple discussion with another collector and one topic is always bound to occur - someone will ask, "what do you collect?" Sometimes the answer is simple - Folders or Fixed blades. Spend more…Continue

Tags: a, Collection, Staring, Genres, Collecting

Buyer beware!

Started by Steve Scheuerman (Manx). Last reply by Tobias Gibson May 16, 2017. 16 Replies 8 Likes

I just wanted to stress to everyone to do your homework on your purchases before you buy them. Knock offs are everywhere, and everyone stands at risk of this diabolical practice. My son and I were…Continue

Tags: offs, knock, counterfeits

A video Introduction to collecting Traditional Pattern Knives

Started by Tobias Gibson. Last reply by Andy Larrison May 20, 2017. 7 Replies 6 Likes

I've been doing a series of you tube videos on Traditional Pattern Knives. The videos are being made with the novice knife collector in mind. I will be adding them to my page and to this thread. …Continue

A look at China Made Knives

Started by Bobby Horn. Last reply by Tobias Gibson Jun 25, 2014. 6 Replies 2 Likes

With all the negative discussion about Chinese-made knives, I wanted to add my two cents based on actual experience, not rumors and second hand information. I am comparing my three newest knives-…Continue

How sharp ?

Started by Bobby Horn. Last reply by Brian Martin Sep 6, 2013. 1 Reply 2 Likes

When I get a used knife I like to take it to a decent edge. What criteria do you use. Slice paper, shave hair, others? Sorry my microscope is broken and I am too old to eyeball edge :)

Featured

Definition of a "slip joint knife"?

Started by Charles Sample. Last reply by D ale Mar 11, 2016. 3 Replies 2 Likes

Until recently I had never heard the term "slip joint knife". At first I thought it must be a type of knife that opened differently than a standard pocket knife. From my own research I think I have…Continue

Deciding on a type of knife to collect

Started by Mel Jones. Last reply by Jan Carter Mar 15, 2015. 14 Replies 3 Likes

I have collected knives, not seriously, for many years, but now I would like to create a collection that can be added to on a regular basis and that has some semblance of meaning to me. I am…Continue

Why is this knife worth $2500

Started by Ira Landsman. Last reply by Jan Carter Jan 22, 2015. 14 Replies 3 Likes

I am a new collector. I follow ebay to gain an understanding of the cost of knives. I was blown away by this one.…Continue

new to knife collecting; no idea what this is...

Started by Michael Forbes. Last reply by Shlomo ben Maved Mar 11, 2016. 9 Replies 1 Like

Found this at my grandfathers old house and it seems to have some sort of value. Older with what appears to be some form of middle-eastern writing. thanks for the help. …Continue

How Do I Label my Knives?

Started by Jim Child. Last reply by Ricky L McConnell Nov 25, 2013. 5 Replies 1 Like

Okay! Trying to be organized I've set up a database in HanDBase (synchs between my laptop and my Droid smartphone) and every knife has been assigned "a number."That's all good and well but now I need…Continue

Knife Steels

Started by Pat T. Last reply by Alexander Noot Aug 28, 2014. 3 Replies 1 Like

What is the best all around knife steel? Something robust but also stainless. How good is ZDP 189 & M4?How is the rust resistance of D2?Continue

Tags: steel, 189, ZDP, D2, M4

Knife Maintenance Gear

Started by kage. Last reply by Mel Jones Jan 2, 2012. 14 Replies 1 Like

At some point in time as your collection grows, you may find the need to maintain your knives, in order to keep them sharp, functioning and to preserve their potential value. As a beginning…Continue

Tags: User, Maintenance, Knives, Gear, Collector

Plastic or antler/bone? Can you tell by sight?

Started by Andrew P. Last reply by dead_left_knife_guy Jan 23, 2015. 8 Replies 1 Like

I have a Solingen "big n little" set (I'll have to figure out the picture thing here shortly) that I have been told has Sambar Stag scales.I know the hot needle trick to discern plastic handgun…Continue

Counterfeit Knives ( What you need to know)

Started by Alan Stevens. Last reply by Alan Stevens Dec 27, 2009. 1 Reply 1 Like

Ok all knife collectors have purchased a fake or counterfeit knife at one time or another it simply goes with the territory. Unfortunately most Counterfeits are purchased by beginner collectors who…Continue

Tags: knives, counterfeit

In Memoriam

Ever cut yourself playing with your knife - while it is still in your pocket?

Started by Scott King. Last reply by Ricky Messerle Feb 25, 2010. 11 Replies 1 Like

I don't know about you but lately I have found myself playing with my knife- while it's still in my pocket. I'll be talking to someone and find myself opening and closing the blade..I like the…Continue

Undefined Area's of collecting:

Started by James Sosa. Last reply by Chris Pittman Dec 5, 2010. 3 Replies 1 Like

Ok, I'm looking for some info on what makes knives tick. Our collection depends on:1 - Looks, (is it pretty, does it have nice lines, is the style up to date or antique?), you can add more to this…Continue

In Memoriam

Tell us where you find your knives

Started by Scott King. Last reply by Bobby Horn Jul 17, 2013. 21 Replies 2 Likes

When we're first getting started into buying knives, whether to use or collect, it can be a trial and error kind of thing. Let's help each other out here and save us all some heart-ache and $$ by…Continue

Tags: buy, purchase

best knife for the dollar

Started by duncan lemp. Last reply by björn thompson Mar 5, 2012. 13 Replies 1 Like

Personaly ( im a kid and a beginer so ask sesoned people for the best answer) i like the byrd line ( yes B Y R D) from spyderco. I havent seen one but ive heard that the spyderco tenacius is good.I…Continue

What quality knives did you get when you first started collecting

Started by Michael B. Last reply by Bobby Horn Jul 17, 2013. 18 Replies 1 Like

What quality knives did you get when you first started collecting did you keep buying the cheap ones o did you jump right to the expensive ones

Tags: quality, beginners, price

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Comment by Shlomo ben Maved on September 24, 2011 at 9:32: Kent,

Sambar Stag (if real) is the antler of a Sambar deer that comes from India and only from that Region of the world...Although there are wild game parks all over the world that offer them as a hunting option and are legitimate in calling them Sambar stag horns even if they came from Texas.

I have (genuine) Sambar that goes from pure white to almost black...I also have stag that started off whitish and ended up very dark due to lots of use--dirt, sweat, blood.

Colour variances are due to several factors--the size of the antler to begin with, where on the stalk the slab was cut from, the region that the animal lived in (climatic variables), what they had been feeding on and of course genetic (DNA) mutations within and between the herd(s).

Most of the stag comes from farms that raise the animals in pens and collect the drops, the shed antlers, and dry them out for a couple of years before offering them for sale.

Lots of companies take bones--cattle and swine, score them with routers, colour them (usually with a blow torch) and you have jigged bone that is supposed to look (and does) like Sambar stag...Reputable companies will tell you so.

Comment by KENT GABLE on September 23, 2011 at 13:15: One thing I've wondered about is stag handles and the variety of stag being used in past & present? For example, Case XX stag handles from the 60's & '70's vary greatly in appearance from what I see being marketed today. They have a rich honey color and often deep dark indentations. No doubt a different variety is being used today?

What is Sambar stag or the India stag used on some Canal Street and other knives? Can anyone shed some light on the varieties of stag or what to look for from a collector's perspective.

Comment by Shlomo ben Maved on September 22, 2011 at 20:48: Comment by Joe Burgess

I'm considering Case pocket knives for collecting and using. It seems that Case knives are available in lots of places. Does more knives in more places mean anything negative toward Case? Or should I just be happy they are easy to find?

Check out this site on this forum -- Case Fans

Just click on the highlighted and underlined portion

There are many Case knives out there because Case made a lot of knives over a Hell of a lot of years (100+)…Take fifty basic knife styles and offer them in twenty different knife handle materials or colours and you do the math—one thousand different knives…Now toss in commemoratives and anniversary issues of just their own let alone all the states and companies—John Deere, Remington etc. and you see the numbers continue to escalate and then you add different blade materials like Damascus and the numbers skyrocket..

This means for a budding collector lots of excellent choices to start with and for little money—A friend just bought a dozen Trapper Knives in twelve different handle materials/colours and paid $150 for the lot ($12.50 a knife)…The seller had a set of Muskrat and Stockman and Canoe in basically the same set ups for around the same amount of money—I believe it totalled fifty knives for $500 and most were in their original boxes…I have one friend who only collects Case knives in the tin cans, preferably Cars or trucks, but he’s not that particular as long as it tin.

I only have a few Case knives—In them I only collect Sambar Stag and prefer Stockman, Congress, Muskrat, Trapper and Canoe models in all sizes otherwise I’d have to devote too much time, effort and money for a knife company that I can do without as I’m interested in fixed blades far more then folders B U T every collector has to have some in their collection.

The drawback to having thousands of different models out there is that counterfeiting is rampant so you had better know your stuff before ordering anything on-line…I’d say stay with knife shows or gun shows for the first little while until you develop an understanding of the different knives…Also join the various Case Knife Collectors groups out there and buy your first knives from them…I have never been to a show, outdoors, gun or knife where there wasn’t at least one Case collection on display and IIRC there were five at one show I attended in Arizona.

There are a number of books on Case Knives, get them and use them as reference material for what you want to collect within the Case line up…You can’t collect them all—some are astronomically priced and there are just far too, too many of them—I heard 4,500 models over the years but have no way—nor does Case for that matter—of verifying if that’s correct or not…I really think it’s low, by quite a bit.

About Knife Collecting – An excellent article – MUST READ

All About Pocket Knives - Identifying the Age of a Case Knife

Case Classics Club

W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. -- Case Collectors Club

Dealers:

Knifeworks --- Case Collectors

Shepherd Hills -- Collecting Case XX Knives

Collector Knives.Net

Comment by Tobias Gibson on September 22, 2011 at 19:54: Joe, Case Knives are probably the most collected USA knife out there. There will probably always be a market for them. Will they always go up in value? Maybe/maybe not. If you like them collect them. You'll soon find they aren't all easy to find. You'll also son see that some of them have a price that seems totally unreasonable for you get. Others will seem like a great value.

Comment by Joe Burgess on September 22, 2011 at 19:13: I'm considering Case pocket knives for collecting and using. It seems that Case knives are available in lots of places. Does more knives in more places mean anything negative toward Case? Or should I just be happy they are easy to find?

Comment by Justin Dunn on March 7, 2010 at 19:31: What style of Case knife is a good starter?

Comment by wayne collinsworth on January 17, 2010 at 23:58: hi all

hay Scott how do I reeduce file size?

Comment by wayne collinsworth on December 12, 2009 at 15:42: ok thanks

In Memoriam Comment by Scott King on December 12, 2009 at 15:34: No, sorry. Do have a suggestion: Try to reduce the file sizes when you up load. Makes them load faster for us here. Unfortunately I don't know Buck or Bower.