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To serialize or not to serialize?

I have been thinking about the subject of serializing knives and thought we should discuss it, to hear varying opinions pro and con.

Personally, I am against serializing knives, not against the issue of making a limited edition of a particular knife, nor against stating that any particular production run consists of a particular number of knives, be they 3, or 25, or 50, or 150, or 300. What I don't like is engraving or etching that information either on the blade or on the bolster, and actually I prefer my blades to be clean without any factory logo and etching, although I do make an exception for the deep blade stamp UN-X-LD on some of the #36 Sunfish which I think looks great. I don't mind serializing the knives on the COA either, that's all fine by me.

I am a photographer and an artist and as such I am very familiar with the concept of limited editions. However, by law (as it applies to limited edition prints, whether they are photographs or etchings) once the edition run has been completed, then the negative (in photography) or the plate (in lithograhy) must be destroyed so that no further prints can be produced and so that the integrity of the series and of its limited production is guaranteed. No, I'm not asking GEC to destroy anything, relax.

Now making knives and making prints are two different things, I know. In the making of art prints, the artist is also allowed by law to make a few more prints than the number declared in the edition, and these are called "artist's proofs" which are necessary in the process of perfecting the making of the print. These "artist's proofs" are very often slightly different than the examples in a final edition, and represent examples of the artist's work in obtaining the perfection achieved in the final production and they are all marked AP.

GEC has always been very honest and straightforward in their reporting the year end tally of all of their production, both serialized, unserialized, one offs and short runs, and as a collector that honesty and information is invaluable.

The question I continually ask myself is why serialize? If the edition says that there are 50 knives, in the reality of creating and producing that series there are a number of unserialized knives made as well, or you could call them "artist's proofs". I find that the unserialized knives are indistinguishable from the serialized ones, in fit and finish, save the etch or engraving on the knife, they all equally reflect the quality we have all come to know and love from GEC. In addition some of the unserialized knife production runs, those special limited runs like the recent #46 in Elephant Ivory (3 total) or the most recent Spiral Cut Buffalo Horn #46 (9 total), are made in even more limited quantities than some of the serialized knife production runs. So, some unserialized production runs are rarer and thus more valuable to a collector than a serialized knife, and some serialized knives are exactly the same and from the same production run as an unserialized knife, but cost a bit more. I have seen unserialized knives that are much prettier (scales) than the serialized ones from the same run. So what's the point of serializing and why does it affect the price and collectability of a knife?

Additionally, serializing creates problems for some who may be into numerology, or have special attachments to certain numbers, and may affect the way they buy, or don't buy knives. Some colectors are not even interested in a serialized production run that crosses their own personal threshold for rarity, some won't collect from a run that crosses the 25 unit run, or 50 unit, and so on. Some want a number that reflects their birthdate, or their address, or their lucky number, and some don't want the number 13 (if you're American) or 17 (if you're Italian) because they're unlucky numbers, or do want the number 8 (if you're Chinese) because it is lucky. And finally some just don't care what their number is, because they're looking at the beauty and finish of the scales and the blades, and that would be me.

In conclusion, I guess I just don't think serializing is important, and I don't like it, aesthetically, to be permanently emblazoned on the knife, but I do appreciate knowing how many examples of each knife and each handle material have been produced each year and find that to be the most valuable information that in turn affects the relative value to a collector of any one knife. So my advice to GEC would be, keep the blades and bolsters clean and free of numbers (tang stamps are OK) and put all of the information you want on the COA, which should accompany each and every knife made by GEC regardless.

What do you all think?

1 member likes this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Morrie Mayfield on December 20, 2011 at 13:37

Hi,

I like the #'s !!!!!!!!!!! I collect the #'s !!!!!!!!!!

Morrie

Permalink Reply by Roger Cunningham on December 20, 2011 at 14:08

I`m an"UN".

Permalink Reply by Luca Vignelli on December 20, 2011 at 16:22

Ron, GEC keeps all of the number #1 knives for their own factory collection. Now as far as the #1 or the #24 knife in a production run, I don't even know if they are serialized in the precise order in which they are made! Maybe someone out there knows? Morrie, maybe you know?

In thinking about their knives with wooden handles or their stag and burnt stag handles and even their primitive bone collection, each one of which is more clearly individual than on most jigged bone handles, I pick which one will be mine by the look of the knife, not the number or whether it is within the first five or ten in production. I think most collectors would agree. So, why number them at all?

Now Protoypes are a different matter all together and they should be more valuable, in a sense, because they represent the very working process, or work in progress, of the factory and the knife itself.

Permalink Reply by Bob Andrews on December 20, 2011 at 16:35

I think the serialized knives are numbered as they reach the finishing process. They are numbered in the order they are put on the etching machine.Several knives may be culled from the beginning to the finishing stages.

Un-serialized knives,many times,are more rare than serialized pieces. The serialized knives are made first,and made to the full extent of the planned run,say 35 pieces. Then the un-serialized knives are assembled from the remaining parts. Even though a run of 35 un-serialed knives was planned,they might find out that only 25 sets of handle scales are acceptable. Hence a lower number of un-serialized knives are actually produced.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on December 20, 2011 at 16:51

We see both sides of it, mostly because we collect more than we use. I like the fact that we can get serialized knives. But Bob is correct, if you look at some of the runs there are actually LESS that were not numbered in some cases. So although we prefer the numbers and appreciate the GEC only numbers a small run of the production, sometimes we just look at the run and choose the smallest portion.

Permalink Reply by Morrie Mayfield on December 20, 2011 at 20:35

Hi Everyone,

It sounds like the collectors want #'s & the users don't care.

That makes perfectly sense to me !!!!!!!!!

Morrie

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on December 20, 2011 at 20:49

There you go!

Permalink Reply by Morrie Mayfield on December 20, 2011 at 21:00

GOOD GOOD GOOD

I forgot ?????????????

Morrie

Permalink Reply by Billy Oneale on December 20, 2011 at 21:35

I don't pay much attention to the serial #'s. I have a Timberwolf trapper that is serialized. This knife was made oversea's and the # is not going to make it worth any more. I do think the serial number should be on the tang stamp and not on the blade or bolster. It really doesn't matter much to me. I don't buy the knife because of a serialized # anyway. I buy it because I like the way it looks. Each dyed bone knife will take the dye a little different, so in this case a # would be meaningless to me. This is Just my opinion.

Permalink Reply by johnny twoshoes on December 20, 2011 at 22:27

Yeah, I really have no true opinion on the serialized knives, it's good for the guys who collect and enjoy numbered knives, but not me. I hate seeing that one of my most used knife was a rare one, it stings for a while, then I get to thinking, it shouldn't matter to me, these knives work just as hard no matter how many brothers it had.

I pick un-serialized knives over the serialized knives because I just want a simple pocket knife. I'm a nut like everybody else, but I have to use my knives to fully enjoy them. I hope to have a few nice knives laying around when the Lord calls me home, but they all better have a patina on them. : )

I say, keep on keeping on and buy the knives that make you smile.

Permalink Reply by biglmbass on December 21, 2011 at 8:20

If I see a new GEC I like and want I prefer to get it without a serial number simply because it's a few $$ cheaper. If the unserialized ones are gone, I'll pony up the extra $8-$10. One exception is the dealers that post both pile and mark side photos of the knives. Especially on stag and wood scales sometimes by luck of the draw (I suppose) a serialized knife will look good enough that I prefer it to the unserialized ones. What is important, at least to me, is knowing how many of a certain run was made by GEC.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on December 21, 2011 at 16:30

Johnny,

This is my favorite knife line of the year

I say, keep on keeping on and buy the knives that make you smile.