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Where do you find your vintage (antique) knives?

I know many of us techie collectors trade between each other and shop online but what other venues do you browse to find your vintage knives?
I get a lot of mine at gun/knife shows that I have tables at, hit estate sales when I can and head to antique malls with the small booths sometimes too. So how bout you?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David L. Anthony on December 4, 2009 at 9:23

I am a municipal Manager in NW Pennsylvania. On my desk is a limited edition CASE tang stamp display with a gorgeous Toenail in the middle of it. It gets lots of comments and inevitably ends up with "you know my dad had a couple of old knives, would you like to see them?" Would I!!!!!!!!!! Sometimes I end up getting one or two and sometimes I enlighten the owners as to what they have. Some worth big $$$ and some only sentimental value. It happens on a regular basis and provides me with hours of fun. Sometimes I find a keeper too.

I never sell or trade a knife given to me in this way. I always tell them that if they want it back. NO PROBLEM, I am just the keeper of the knife until the next person comes along that will take care of them and cherish their history like me.

Permalink Reply by Rick Cothren on December 4, 2009 at 10:13

Thats a cool story and a neat way to end up finding some gems I'm sure.

Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on December 20, 2009 at 18:14

I live in a small town so don't get much opportunity save for pawn shops. Never know what you might come across!

Permalink Reply by Rick Cothren on December 20, 2009 at 20:50

Thats true, my father is always hunting the pawn shops in Tyler and I hit them here in the Dallas area when I can.

Permalink Reply by Dave King on December 27, 2009 at 14:31

I got these this morning from a add on craigslist, craigslist does not allow knives or weapons on there site but I just happened to see them about 30 min. after it was listed and called the number before the add was flagged off by the "antiknives". It was a 1 hour drive but it was worth the drive, A Marble's Ideal, A Barnett Tool Pliers Knife, and a Case Mako Customized by CMK auto from 2000. There were several other knives, I bought them all but the rest were common compared to these. Here are 3 knives I did not have in my collection so it turned out to be a good day. It turns out you can find vintage knives in some unlikely places like craigslist.

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Permalink Reply by George Leray on December 30, 2009 at 11:08

I've been hunting old knives for many years. They are getting tougher to find these days but every now & then you get lucky. A few months ago I was at a table at my local flea market looking through a buch of junk knives. The dealer asks if I like auto's,of course I say "Sure do,what have you got"? He pulls out a Press Button INVINCIBLE with full etch < & tells me the price. I couldn't wait to get the money out of my pocket.

Permalink Reply by Rick Cothren on December 30, 2009 at 13:40

WOW, super cool knife and a treasure to keep!!! Great story on how you obtained this one. Thanks.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on February 19, 2010 at 20:25

Flea markets, out of the way antique stores, pawn shops, yard sales, ...

It's all about finding that one really neat sweet been lookin' for forever one ... in the hands of some one that has no idea what they have.

A Cattaraugus 3-W ... antique store in Fenimore, WI yrs ago. ... I did the "YES" dance !!!

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on February 19, 2010 at 21:14

Barnett tool pliers ... cool !!!

Nice conversion ... real sweet.

The Marble's is in great shape ... seen more of 'em than I have the Barnett tool pliers though ... I like the Barnett !!!

Permalink Reply by Lee Saunders on March 15, 2012 at 18:21

man...I love that Invicible. And David, your story about keeping the tang on your desk is great. I worked for the county for 30 yearss and I wish I did that.

Women collect a lot of things. Some of them collect almost everything. But few collect guns or knives, so when I meet a woman who is a 'collector' of antiques or collectibles I always bring up that I collect old knives. And when I was still collecting guns I let them know that too because I found that many had knives (especially) and guns (sometimes) that belonged to Dad or Grandad (or mom!) and they had no use for them. Bought a few that way.

When I could I used to hit antique stores and estate sales nearly every week. Our flea markets have pretty much all died off. I have gone to some pawn shops but never found too many that weren't hella expensive.

Now I go to our local Gun & Knife show 2x per year, stop at a yard sale if I see one, and mostly right now uy online. If anyone has knives for sale I am always interested especially in switchblades because they are so dang hard to find.

I think I will taattoo "I Buy Knives" on my forehead! Be cool if it blinked.

Permalink Reply by Scott Rauber on March 24, 2012 at 5:53

Mostly eBay......and friends.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on April 21, 2012 at 18:25

David,

Everytime I read this entry, I smile. It is such a joy to know that collectors are still out there that love the knives for the knives themselves. Very well said

David L. Anthony said:

I am a municipal Manager in NW Pennsylvania. On my desk is a limited edition CASE tang stamp display with a gorgeous Toenail in the middle of it. It gets lots of comments and inevitably ends up with "you know my dad had a couple of old knives, would you like to see them?" Would I!!!!!!!!!! Sometimes I end up getting one or two and sometimes I enlighten the owners as to what they have. Some worth big $$$ and some only sentimental value. It happens on a regular basis and provides me with hours of fun. Sometimes I find a keeper too.

I never sell or trade a knife given to me in this way. I always tell them that if they want it back. NO PROBLEM, I am just the keeper of the knife until the next person comes along that will take care of them and cherish their history like me.