Old case knives getting cheaper?

The W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company has a very rich history that began in 1889 when William Russell (“W.R.”), Jean, John, and Andrew Case began fashioning their knives and selling them along a wagon trail in upstate New York. The company has produced countless treasures and it continues to do so as one of the most collected brands in the world.
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Case XX 6383
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Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by Case XX 6383 »

I'm 30 years old. When I was 10 I bought my first mint 6383 10 dot for $162. I can still buy one today for that or less. I see prices declining I feel like. Anybody else see this? Think it's because young people aren't interested?
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1967redrider
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by 1967redrider »

Pictures from 1995 Sargent's with collector book value, keeping in mind book values are usually somewhat inflated. Today that knife in mint condition could demand a $200+ price tag. Just my thoughts on this topic. ::nod::
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by Sharpnshinyknives »

Case XX 6383 wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 1:37 am I'm 30 years old. When I was 10 I bought my first mint 6383 10 dot for $162. I can still buy one today for that or less. I see prices declining I feel like. Anybody else see this? Think it's because young people aren't interested?
I watch prices on knives closely and I have noticed that Case knives made in the last 20 to 25 years have declined a lot. Only unique or limited runs are still bringing good money. But if you have run of the mill knives that they made thousands of, you can expect prices to be about half what a new one costs. You can see this on EBay every night. There are hundreds nightly on there. I think that’s the problem, there are just way too many Case knives for sale. And now Case is putting several knives out north of 100 dollars. These scare me a bit not knowing how the prices are going to hold up on these $100+ knives.
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Mumbleypeg
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by Mumbleypeg »

Case XX 6383 wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 1:37 am I'm 30 years old. When I was 10 I bought my first mint 6383 10 dot for $162. I can still buy one today for that or less. I see prices declining I feel like. Anybody else see this? Think it's because young people aren't interested?
I'm not arguing your point, but a 10 dot 6383 in near-mint condition sold on eBay last month for $195. Having said that I'll give my opinion that really old Case knives, from Tested era and earlier and in near-mint condition are bringing big bucks.

IMHO 1970 (ten dot) knives are on the margin of what most collectors of old Case knives who are willing and able to spend significantly, are interested in. More recent knives are just keeping up with inflation, if that. Your observation about (not enough) young people being interested is on target. Many who are interested are into new Case and/or GEC and not able to spend what it takes to play in the older Case market. Counterfeiters have also had an impact by scaring away customers from that market. JMO

Ken

Edit: I see Mark was posting same time as I was and I agree with his comment about most newer Case knives especially those made since 1990s are selling for less than they cost when they were new.
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by kootenay joe »

If you like knives then you enjoy looking for them, finding them and buying them. If prices seem on the low side it will help your collection grow.
Don't worry about which way the knife market might go. The future is always unpredictable. Enjoy your knives and your collecting and get to know other collectors on knife forums like this. There is so much to learn you will never get bored. When time comes to sell your knives you get some of your money back, or maybe all, or maybe more than what you spent. As long as you buy wisely you are not really blowing your money.
Is this sort of what you are wondering about ?
kj
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by TwoFlowersLuggage »

I think it is wrong to think that older means more valuable. Condition, scarcity and desirability often have more impact than just age. With that said, I will also say that I dislike the concept that a new collectible should automatically go up in value just because they were a limited run. That sort of "manufactured collectible" rubs me the wrong way - it smacks of speculation in Beanie Babies & Cabbage Patch Dolls, or maybe the Franklin Mint type of "limited edition" collectibles. History is littered with the remains of the market crashes of these types of instant collectibles. It is one of the reasons I haven't bought any GEC knives. I just don't like fabricated scarcity - even when the product really is a high quality item. At the end of the day, an item is only worth what someone else will pay, and I'm just too afraid I will be the last link in the chain of greater fools.
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by Robo »

TwoFlowersLuggage wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 5:47 am That sort of "manufactured collectible" rubs me the wrong way - it smacks of speculation in Beanie Babies & Cabbage Patch Dolls, or maybe the Franklin Mint type of "limited edition" collectibles. History is littered with the remains of the market crashes of these types of instant collectibles.
I agree. I only hesitate to do so for fear of raining on another collector's parade. Folks should collect anything they want. But they shouldn't be surprised when they do it as an investment and don't get the return they dreamed of. People looking for a wise investment should probably go to a financial counselor or an accountant, not E-bay.

The only kind of collecting that is fool proof is the collecting one does out of love for the thing they collect. Levine recomends some pattern of pocket knife and says, and I paraphrase, "if you're looking for a pattern to collect, this would be a good one." That line always disturbs me. If you need someone's recomendation can you really be all that interested in pocket knives in the first place? If you're that passive and bored, collecting something simply because someone recommends it isn't going to improve your existence as much as rigorous exercise, a good diet and cognative therapy. Love doesn't come by way of recommendation, it comes by way of an open heart. Love others first, but don't be afraid to love things because those things will lead you back to people even if they're just some old, ragedy-ass collectors like us.

I believe in the end, we're going to die with collections that are not going to ad much to the estate we left behind. If anything a collection is a sad and pathetic little thing without the person who built it there, tending to it like a shepard. I hope I have the time to pass my collection on to someone who sees it as a form of historical preservation-- as I do-- Someone who will tend to it for that reason, with the desire to edify others with it. If our loved ones are our concern, we should invest in a good life insurance policy and try to be kinder to them while we're still kicking.

Beliving all this, I collect without anxiety. Sometimes I spend too much for a knife, sometimes I get a bargain, and sometimes I spend exactly the correct amount. Unless its a fabulous fake--those ALWAYS anger me--I'm at peace with my collection.
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by TripleF »

As a seller on ebay (that's where "REAL" prices happen) I have seen the prices declining on auctioned off Case knives.

I remember when I first started selling on ebay a fella told me it was near impossible to get a CASE knife for under $20. He was right.
But not anymore. I've had a number of CASE knives sell for less than $20.

Just my EXPERIENCE.
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by Case XX 6383 »

Let me clarify a little. All I ever spent every single penny I had on from age 10-23 was knives. No car accessories, no steros, no fancy shoes, no other hobbies, knives! I had one of every whittler from 40-79 6380s and 6383s. I had the best stuff I could get. So when I got married at age 23 we bought a house. I sold 100 knives for 20k to remodel the house. It hurt to do so but that was where my savings was. Now those same knives I could replace cheaper than I sold mine for in 2013. I often see mint dotted 6383s for $80 or so. They were in the $115 range in 2013. I've changed my collecting to good used xx and tested knives because I want to carry something neat every day and get the pleasure out of it. But there are few people I meet that share the interest in the general public. I just wish there were more people sharing this hobby especially my age
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by espn77 »

For the last 3 years from September to about February the knife market has dropped off considerably. Those months are definitely a buyers market. You get outside of those months and prices seem to rally. It isnt just case knives. I see the same thing in the Remington world. A rare, super hard to find knife will bring good money. My theory is the younger collector is out of the market in those months due to his kids going back to school and Christmas coming up. Wait till after Valentine's day and knives will go up. No more diamond rings needing to be bought to make up for all the knives purchased during the year. Just my opinion.
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by TripleF »

espn77 wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 12:12 pm For the last 3 years from September to about February the knife market has dropped off considerably. Those months are definitely a buyers market. You get outside of those months and prices seem to rally. It isnt just case knives. I see the same thing in the Remington world. A rare, super hard to find knife will bring good money. My theory is the younger collector is out of the market in those months due to his kids going back to school and Christmas coming up. Wait till after Valentine's day and knives will go up. No more diamond rings needing to be bought to make up for all the knives purchased during the year. Just my opinion.
And my experience is, better have a truckload of knives to sell Nov - Mar because people hjave cabin fever and buy stuff online!!
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by tallguy606 »

Classic older guns like Winchester model 12s are getting cheaper and cheaper. Younger guys don't appreciate blue steel and walnut, aluminum and black plastic and 3.5 inch shells is what they like. Oh, well, times change.
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by jlw257 »

Are Case knives getting cheaper? My answer is No on the pattens that have collectibility, from Tested to the 10 Dots (1970) certain pattens will alway hold their value.
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by RevolverGuy »

I've noticed knives and collectible auctioned on Ebay pick up more traction during the holiday season, because people are shopping for gifts. I sold on there for years (no longer though due to fees being so high now). The same knife I would list in February-July would sell for a lot more in November-December. There are a lot of variables that can affect final sale price. If the sellers aren't writing good descriptions or taking clear photographs, then it will sell for less. People shopping for knives online don't have the luxury of handling it and seeing it up close, so they most likely bid on ones that showcase everything well. Ebay is not the best indicator for values because they fluctuate all over the place. And then you have a ton of sellers who are over valuing and you see Case knives that have been listed with "Buy It Now" for years with no interest. I'm a younger guy (I just turned 40) and I have noticed a lot of older guys who are selling these knives aren't real tech savvy and they skip over those little details which could help increase their sale.

Also I shop around a lot for certain brand knives and when the Case bug hits me (usually a few times a year) I have noticed myself wanting to add something to my collection from their newer offerings than the older ones... This is just my personal opinion but I feel that Case has over saturated the market with so many limited editions that a lot of younger guys like myself are drawn to spending money on those over the classics, which may be one reason why it seems they aren't selling like they use to.
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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by stockman »

RevolverGuy wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 5:06 pm I've noticed knives and collectible auctioned on Ebay pick up more traction during the holiday season, because people are shopping for gifts. I sold on there for years (no longer though due to fees being so high now). The same knife I would list in February-July would sell for a lot more in November-December. There are a lot of variables that can affect final sale price. If the sellers aren't writing good descriptions or taking clear photographs, then it will sell for less. People shopping for knives online don't have the luxury of handling it and seeing it up close, so they most likely bid on ones that showcase everything well. Ebay is not the best indicator for values because they fluctuate all over the place. And then you have a ton of sellers who are over valuing and you see Case knives that have been listed with "Buy It Now" for years with no interest. I'm a younger guy (I just turned 40) and I have noticed a lot of older guys who are selling these knives aren't real tech savvy and they skip over those little details which could help increase their sale.

Also I shop around a lot for certain brand knives and when the Case bug hits me (usually a few times a year) I have noticed myself wanting to add something to my collection from their newer offerings than the older ones... This is just my personal opinion but I feel that Case has over saturated the market with so many limited editions that a lot of younger guys like myself are drawn to spending money on those over the classics, which may be one reason why it seems they aren't selling like they use to.
Older guy, not tech savvy, that is me. Hard for me to sell even on AAPK. Bad pictures. I mostly sell face to face. Sometime I lose money, sometime I break even, but sometimes I make money. I'm having fun and still looking for knives.

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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by XX Case XX »

tallguy606 wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 2:19 pm Younger guys don't appreciate blue steel and walnut,
Amen Brother.

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Re: Old case knives getting cheaper?

Post by gunut »

not to mention what would happen to a 10/12yr old, with a boy scout type pocket knife in his/her pocket at school.....
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