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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 23, 2015 at 17:47

History is a great enabler!

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Permalink Reply by Syd Carr on July 25, 2015 at 17:47

Didn't really consider myself a "collector" until just recently. Started out just needing a good knife for hunting and fishing while I was still a youngster because those activities occupied a lot (most) of my time while younger. Dad gave me his old 1930's Kinfolks skinner which I used for years. I then needed good "tools" when I started working, so I purchased the best tools I could find, and that included good pocket knives. That started my relationship with Buck, though I also "needed" other brands of tools from time to time. A few years back I found myself with a drawer full of various knives I acquired over the years from either inheritance, work or recreation, and realized I already had a "collection" just from living my life. Recently I decided I liked the Buck 300 series so much I needed (wanted) one of each model, (especially Camillus-made), and therefore became a "collector" as I quested to fill in the gaps.

I don't much care to have pristine like new knives, I actually more appreciate a knife which has been in someone's hand, and so my collection consists of good used working "tools" as much as anything. I guess that makes me a collector, but really I just like good tools, (got a bunch of old hand tools too). If that makes me a collector so be it.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Chase on August 20, 2015 at 9:08

How did I get started collecting knives?

It started in the Spring of 2006.  My Dad asked me to help catalog and sell his collection so that he could leave the money for my Mom when he passed!  He was in very poor health and I had made arrangements to take time off work and get together with him in the next two weeks!  Unfortunately he passed before we got started.

My Mom asked me to take the collection and do what he wanted me to do with it.  The collection was all Schrade Knives and amounted to approximately 400 knives.  I feel it necessary to tell you some about myself and my family at this point.

My Dad had 42 years with Schrade, Mom had 37 years there and I even worked there for a year between High School and the start of my Military Career.  All told, between immediate family members (Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters & Cousins), my family had more than 200 years of combined employment at Schrade.  I really didn't have any thoughts of Collecting Knives at this tie in my life....and then it all began....

I spent the better part of a year gathering information about each and every knife, such as values, year of manufacture, retail cost at the time of manufacture and so on.  I made contact with several people who stated that I needed to sell each knife individually to be able to make the most money.  Mom didn't care either way, she just wanted me to follow my Dad's wishes.  I work full time and didn't think I could do the whole eBay thing so I decided to try to sell the collection as a whole.  I had three solid offers for the collection, although I though the offers were too low, and I understand that these folks were going to break it up and sell them individually for a profit.  I sat down with Mom and she said I should just sell them to the largest offeror.  I agonized over this for two weeks and I made a decision that I wanted the knives, the Schrade bug had bitten me and I was hooked.  I talked with Mom, and she said I could just have the collection.  I told her that Dad wanted to sell them so she could have the money and I matched to price from the highest bidder.

Needless to say I was extremely excited and paid the debt and have been going strong sever since.  I have a Schrade room within my home that I have dedicated in Memory to my Dad.  I have grown the collection to over 2000+ knives, displays, clothing articles and what not that are all Schrade products. I have even carved out a smaller area for my Canal Street Cutlery obsession.

I am very proud of the assembly of knives I have gathered, I even have some items that the Schrade Museum doesn't have.  I did this in memory of my Dad, however, it goes deeper than that in that Schrade is a part of my Family's History and I want to preserve that for future generations.

Tom

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Charles Sample on August 20, 2015 at 10:47

Tom, all I can say is WOW!  That is a fantastic story!

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Permalink Reply by Tom Chase on August 20, 2015 at 18:17

Thank you Charles, it's funny that when I worked there, Schrade knives were not that big of a deal to me. In fact, I would use a knife until it got dull and throw it in a junk drawer and get another one. The intensive research that I did really peaked my interest and then I got bitten. Here I am with a room full of Schrade products and still looking to add more...lol

Tom

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Jeremy B. Buchanan on August 20, 2015 at 18:23

Very nice story Tom. I am glad you shared it with us. I have several knives that have sentimental value and understand how you feel. Enjoy them all.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Chase on August 20, 2015 at 18:33

Thank you Jeremy. I do treasure all of my knives, however, my Dad's knives mean the most. Funny thing is, I don't carry a knife on a daily basis, although I always have one close at hand!

Tom

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Permalink Reply by Syd Carr on August 20, 2015 at 19:55

Thanks for sharing your story Tom. I'd love to see some photos of the collection, sounds like knife collector heaven to me, (even though I'm a Buck guy).

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Permalink Reply by Tom Chase on August 20, 2015 at 20:23

Thank you Syd. It is Knife Collector Heaven, at least for me. I am sorry to hear that you are a Buck guy, but then we all have our own little problems too. LOL just kidding, Buck is a great knife as well, in fact I have a couple of them myself. Schrade is my passion though.

Tom

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Permalink Reply by Syd Carr on August 20, 2015 at 22:08

I started buying my own knives in the mid sixties, and I recently have been reflecting of what my remembrance of Schrade, Case & Buck was during that time in the world, (a different world from today I'm sure we all agree. Wish I knew then what I know now, huh?).

Schrades were always the least expensive of those three brands as I recall, came with carbon blades, and I regarded them as kind of disposable at the time. My "work knife" was usually an Old Timer Stockman, which I just tossed in my toolbox, when that one rusted away, (and they did rust away....rapidly as I remember), I just threw it away and bought a new one. The thought of "collecting" hadn't entered my mind at that point, so pocket knives were just tools to me then. Hunting and fishing became my main extracurricular activity, and the need/desire for stainless steel blades was what eventually attracted me more to Buck, (though they were always more expensive). Funny though, I didn't own a Case until two years ago, I just kinda got stuck on Buck.

So that's how it all began with me, just a desire for a proper tool, it was never about "collecting". For years I had a Schrade Stockman in my toolbox, (various ones, I used them hard and went through A LOT of Schrades), and I had a Buck 313 Muskrat in my hunting/fishing vest, (a knife I still have), and that's how it went for a long time, (until I also got "bit"). It occurred to me that it was the stainless steel which became my primary desire in a knife blade, though I am slowly getting over that now that I'm officially a "collector" lol. I have a few old Schrades around these days, and unlike my youth I keep them oiled now. I think I appreciate them more now than I did then, but I still find myself preferring a stainless bladed knife. The steel debate is a discussion for another thread I think, but that was my main reason for favoring Buck.

I commend you for paying tribute to your father by keeping, curating and expanding his collection. That effort not only honors him, it makes a real contribution to history via the preservation of those knives; well done!

Would still love to see photos of your collection Tom.

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on August 20, 2015 at 23:13

Great stories guys. Thanks for sharing them with us.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Smith on August 21, 2015 at 18:28

I've always had an interest in collecting knives. But it began in earnest after the untimely death of my daughter 6 months ago. We traded knives with each other as gifts. I travel a lot with my job and surfing the web looking at and for knives keeps the mind from dwelling in the past in the hotel. So I guess my collection is a form of therapy. And I get to meet a lot of interesting people which is always nice.

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