How do you determine the price of an old knife?

[ms267]

Here's a question: You have an old knife that served you well but that you have to sell in order to buy that beautiful Reeves. How do you determine a fair price?

Of course one has to take into account the condition of the knife and the original price. But there are other factors, of course: current tastes in the type of steel used, collectibility, etc.

-----Here's an example with a production knife I got a while back: I have a Cold Steel folding tanto with a 3/4" San Mai blade, purchased sometime between 1988 and 1990. What's it worth

It's hefty and thick in comparison to the current trend of lighter-weight folders. Would one look at the curent maker's production catalogue, see what is similar, and then take some bucks off? Or is there a way a knife can hold its (monetary) value over the years?

My question is how to assess value fairly, so that both buyer and purchaser win out.

 

[averageguy]

That CS may be worth $35.00 if it's new - much less if it's used.

"Of course one has to take into account the condition of the knife and the original price. But there are other factors, of course: current tastes in the type of steel used, collectibility, etc."

Yes, that's true.

Throw it up on ebay, you'll find out what it's worth in 7 days.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

ms267, welcome to Bladeforums.

Valuing knives is notoriously difficult to do. We have a forum here for identifying antiques and collectibles, The Bernard Levine Knife Collecting and Identification Forum. Sometimes they can help.

Something like the Cold Steel knife you mention has been out of production so long, it hardly ever comes up on the secondary market here, or you could go to our exchange forums and Search for what similar knives have gone for.

If you remember the price, even approximately, and it's just a worker, not a really collectible knife, you can knock off 10% or so for age and another 10% or more for wear'n'tear, post it for sale and see who goes for it. No sale? Lower the price a few bucks at a time until it sells. (You do have to be a Gold member to sell knives here, though.)