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The Death of Vintage Knife Collecting

First of all let me state, the content of this blog is based simply on my observations over the past 30 years of collecting and dealing in vintage knives. Nothing written is based on statistical facts…just my observations and opinions.

Thirty years ago I started collecting knives. I collected most Case brand but I also collected Winchester, Remington, Cattaraugus, and a few others. I used to go to every gun and knife show around and even traveled out of state to attend NKCA and the smaller knife club shows. Back then there would be literally hundreds of serious knife collectors and dealers that would attend these shows. The buying, selling and trading was at an unbelievable pace. I was considered very young at the time in the eyes of most of the collectors and dealers. I learned a lot from the seasoned collectors and dealers…some times I learned the hard way. It seemed back then that everyone was interested in vintage knives. If you were collecting Case knives, Case Brothers, Tested, XX, and USA were the ones to collect back then (70’s dots were too new at the time).

As the years rolled on (20 years later), I became one of those “seasoned” collectors. In the last 3 years I have attended at least a dozen NKCA or smaller knife club shows. What I’m seeing at these shows is, attendance is way down and not as many dealers are setting up. My biggest concern/observation is the average age of collectors and dealers I see attending. I don’t see “young” people attending or collecting. I don’t see people younger (under 40 years old) than me coming to these shows. The collectors and dealers that are coming to these shows were all in their 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and older. The most recent NKCA show held in Louisville, KY. (Oct. 2, 3, & 4th 2009) had a terrible turn out as far as attendance and the number of dealers that were set up was about half of what is normally there. When I talked to the dealers what I was hearing was, “nobody is coming” and “nobody is buying”. Now some of this could be due to the economic condition this country is in, but I have to wonder how long the NKCA will continue having shows knowing they are having financial troubles.

Three years ago I decided I had enough working full time, so I closed my business and became “semi-retired”. I decided that I would start dealing in knives and start setting up at the shows. What a great way to spend my “free” time turning my hobby and passion into a small business on the weekends. When I started setting up at the shows I naturally wanted to deal with knives that I had a good knowledge of…this would be vintage knives. I had dozens and dozens of vintage knives to choose from in my inventory. Much to my surprise and disappointment, the first year setting up at shows, “vintage” knives just didn’t sell. Not only did they not sell, people very rarely even looked at them with the exception of the “older” collectors. A very large percentage of the people (all younger than me, from 15 to 40 years of age) that I talked to were asking for Kershaw, CRKT, Benchmade, SOG, Spyderco….ect. They were looking for the new EDC and the “cool” tactical knives. Well, I’m not a dummy (although some might argue this)…it didn’t take me long to start adding to my inventory all those manufactures mentioned above and then some. I have been setting up at the shows now for 3 years (this year I will do close to 40 shows) and I still carry a few vintage knives, but 98% of my inventory is the new EDC and tactical/survival knives. For every vintage knife I sell, I bet I sell 50 maybe more “new” EDC and the “cool” tactical knives.

So what is my point for all of this rambling? I’m concerned that the market for vintage knives might be dead or close to non-existent in 20 to 30 years. Today’s younger collectors don’t have any interest in vintage knives; they probably don’t even know the difference between a Case XX stamp verses a USA stamp. Oh, every once in awhile I will run into a younger collector that collects vintage knives (very rare). They tell me that they were introduced to knife collecting by their father or grandfather. Their interest in vintage knives seems to run parallel with the person that introduced them into collecting. With no new blood (younger collectors) coming into the vintage knife collecting arena who will be the buyers and collectors of vintage knives after us “older” collectors are no longer around?

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In Memoriam Comment by Doug Webber on March 1, 2016 at 13:27: If anyone here has a line on a Queen 2002 NKCA youth knife I'd sure appreciate a heads up.

Thanks

Comment by tim payne on April 2, 2015 at 19:46: Sorry to hear you're parting with your NKCA knives Gus. Chatted with you & john couple nights ago regarding the Gold Etched Stag Robeson Germany knife. By the way, that knife has no other markings on it. Just "Robeson Germany" on one side. Posted pics under my photos. Only have 3 NKCA knives in my collection. Saw each on display, and photographed them on my last trip to NKCA Exhibit at SMKW.

Comment by Gus Marsh on April 2, 2015 at 19:17: I am selling all my NKCA knives, some at a loss, moving on to Remington and custom folders.

Comment by Frank Evans on December 26, 2009 at 19:32: Dito!

Comment by Randy Musgrave on December 22, 2009 at 13:38: I would lean your way on the subject intil you go to a knife auction and want to buy the better old vintage knives. It seems like the prices there are good to great for the seller. So maybe as some of the other poeple commented online sales are stealing the show.

Comment by David L. Anthony on November 10, 2009 at 11:47: When the vintage knives die off, so will I. I have very little time for new knives. I did buy one this year. ONE in about 20 years isn't bad I guess. It was a new higher end that I just loved. Toenail to boot. But my true PASSION is vintage knives. I would love to go to the knife shows. There are only about one a year in my area without serious long distance travel. No one is interested in trading anymore! I would love to trade off some for something new to fondle, but it never happens. PLEASE don't stop selling vintage knives. We are out there trust me.

Comment by Trent Rock on November 4, 2009 at 22:15: I think knife shows are a dying art
It's all online now
I've been to 2 knife shows (Solvang and the Santa Barbara)
I have only bought one knife
I think the knives at knife shows are overpriced
I know the dude has to pay for his table and all
I am an EXTREME "rational economic man"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_economicus

And I am a freeloader :(
I find out what model knife I want from the salesperson
Then I go home and try and find it cheapest on the net

I think there is hope for the future
All it takes is taking one kid under your wing and teaching hom about old knives
Their history
The factory where they were built
The men and women who went to work at the factory every day

I turned my nephews on to kife colecting
sure, they like the3 tactical knife stuff
But, they also appreciate the Schrades and Imperials and the Case XX's
I gave my nephew my dad's cheap Imperial Alasaka knife
He really likes it!!!

The iKC poll also showed that there are quite a few young people that collect
All it takes is teaching ONE kid about old knives
We all can do it!!!
Baby steps.....

Comment by Frank Evans on October 31, 2009 at 20:56: Check out Scott's inter views with Zaleskie.... It will give you hope!

Comment by Frank Evans on October 31, 2009 at 20:52: Brad,

I'm trying to address these issues (with your help) in a Blog, "All the Knives on eBAy" Watch for the info that come out and forward me Questions. You are just the type person who could loose a valable collection if you just eBay ir away and I am hoping that I can shead light on the forums like this for old time swaping and trading like the show use to do and the iretail market, consignment sites, ect. It will not happen overnight, but a bud in this hightech world still has on it the potential for a "I have this, you have that' without the constrainghts and faluse marketing that goes on eBay.

Frnak

Comment by Brad Hyde on October 31, 2009 at 7:52: Scott,
I have to agree with you that vintage knife collecting will survive..but not at the level that it use to be (I still have my concerns about this and was in the devil's advocate mode when writting this blog). Yes...there will always be new collectors entering the vintage knife arena, but I still think that it is not the norm in knife collecting today (it was the norm 15 to 20 years ago). A lot of the shows that I attend have 2000 to 4000 people coming through the doors in a 2 to 3 day period. Now granted, a large percentage of these people are not even knife collectors...remember these are "gun" and knife shows. My point is..over the last 3 years I have talked with thousands of people that are knife collectors and a very high percentage of the "younger" collectors have no interest in vintage knives.

The troubles that knife clubs are currently having (both local and national) is hard to analyze. I believe that the internet in the last 5 to 10 years has played a major role in the decline of attendance (both collectors and dealers) and club participation. As a collector you can stay at home and look at over 100,000 knives just on Ebay alone and not have the expense of travel and admission fees. As a dealer you can sell your knives for a nominal fee compared to the expense of travel, hotels, and table fees that you have attending shows.

I think the NKCA and CCC (Case Collectors Club) recognized a long time ago the importance of getting younger people involved in knife collecting with their youth programs, but with the current financial problems clubs are having, I'm not sure how active/effective these programs are.

P.S. I currently don't have any toenails that I'm wanting/willing to sell! :)