Buying knives from a pawn shop

A

azjeff

Joined
Dec 16, 2018
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I don't stop at pawn shops regularly and haven't been in the local one since we moved in May but I stopped yesterday and along with the usual tools, guitars, guns and jewelry they had a few knives. I bought a like new Leatherman Rev for $20 that replaced the one I recently misplaced. They also had a ZT 0770CF with the box like new for $149. I haven't given ZT much thought but I really liked this knife and it has the same dimensions except for weight of another EDC I've been looking at. Any reservations buying this knife from them or should I bump in the other $30 and get a new one from BHQ for instance? How much will pawn shops deal? thanks
 
Just a personal thought, but... If I was you, I’d blow the additional $30 and get the new knife with the original factory box, papers and warranty from the authorized vendor. I could be tempted to go for a used one from a pawn shop, but I’d need far more than a scroungy $30 savings to tempt me. When you deal with a pawn shop, you’re looking an “as is, where is” deal---no Amazon/Ebay protection, no PayPal protection, no BF Exchange seller integrity presumption, no manufacturer warranty, no nothing. As for how much a pawn shop might deal---there’s only one way to find out. Lowball ‘em and see what happens. My guess is they might (???) knock another $10 off, but I’d be surprised if they’d go further than that. Pawn shops don’t tend to be generous, forgiving or charitable organizations. Good luck with whatever you end up doing.
 
If it's genuine and you like it (and maybe get it even a bit cheaper) I don#t see a problem with it. KAI has a good warranty, so even if there is a problem you can send it in.
 
I have seen really good clones in pawn shops. Alot of the people that work at them aren't as knowledgeable when it comes to things like that.
 
If you know what's up with the knife you are seeing then by all means save some $$s and walk out
with a good knife. It is definitely a buyer beware type of retail but a good potential to strike a deal.
Some folks dicker, others not so much. Like any other horse trading, see what you can do - no harm in asking.

Have fun.

Ray
 
b00n said:
..... KAI has a good warranty, so even if there is a problem you can send it in.
Click to expand...
The first sentence in the ZT/KAI warranty is "Zero Tolerance from Kai USA Ltd. carry a limited warranty for the lifetime of the original owner, except when stated otherwise.” Based on that, I don’t think the warranty applies to whoever buys a used ZT from a pawnshop. Does anybody here know for a fact based on their own personal experience.....does ZT/KAI honor their "original owner" warranty for second and subsequent owners of their products?
 
Stumpy72 said:
The first sentence in the ZT/KAI warranty is "Zero Tolerance from Kai USA Ltd. carry a limited warranty for the lifetime of the original owner, except when stated otherwise.” Based on that, I don’t think the warranty applies to whoever buys a used ZT from a pawnshop. Does anybody here know for a fact based on their own personal experience.....does ZT/KAI honor their "original owner" warranty for second and subsequent owners of their products?
Click to expand...

In my experience, ZT doesn’t ask for proof of purchase, so... in effect, the ownership history is irrelevant.
 
I've had Kershaw parts sent to me with no questions asked.

OP- I'd offer $120 and see where that leads. Don't think I'd go a penny over $130. Buying from a pawn shop is a risk. So the deal has to be there to make it worth taking that risk, but that's me.
 
Comeuppance said:
In my experience, ZT doesn’t ask for proof of purchase, so... in effect, the ownership history is irrelevant.
Click to expand...
I’m honestly surprised, but that’s a good thing for us. I’ve got three ZTs and I’m the original owner of only one of them.
 
I've had multiple warranty (and non-warranty) contacts between the MANY Kershaw and ZT's I've had. Mostly good experiences, aside from maybe not having the knife around for a few weeks while in the repair cycle. Don't think I've ever been asked if I was the original owner. I think there may be a question on the warranty form asking date of purchase. But certainly nothing verifiable. All but one were handled quickly and professionally.

Will say, if buying from a pawn shop (or eBay, etc), make sure you can tell the difference between the real deal and the Aly fakes. If not really up on the brand, that price differential would not be enough for me to take the risk. I'd buy from BladeHQ or USAmadeBlade (or known online dealer of choice).
 
Go look around and see if the ZT0770 has been cloned. It's been around long enough to be subject to cloning. Couldn't tell you what to look for in a clone. If they've been cloned, and you really want one, pony up the extra cash and buy from a reputable dealer. An extra 30 bucks buys peace of mind in knowing what you're getting.
 
Offer them a hudred bucks.
I never pay anything close to sticker price when buying from pawn shops. They have a massive Margin, as they only give a fraction of the value on items like that.
I've gotten great deals buying from pawn shops.
 
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