What would you do?

[50 Shooter]

So anyway Ive been hunting down certain knives for the collection, some of which are Pacific Cutlery knives. Dont ask why, I just like the combat knives that they put out back in the 80's.

I bought my first in the 80's and because the company wasnt that far from where I lived in CA. Three knives come to mind that they made before being taken over by Bali Song/Benchmade. First is the Timba, second is the Fer De Lance and lastly is the Timba w/o saw teeth on the back of the blade. I have the first two and check around often for the last.

So Im cruising eBay and there it is!!! My Timba w/o saw teeth to finish out the trilogy. As I read the header for the knife I see "carried in Afghanistan".:banghead: Dont get me wrong, I bought an EK knife to take with me if I was ever deployed to a combat zone. Figured I wanted a better fighting knife then the bayonet that we got issued.

Bu bu but this is a knife that cant be replaced! The seller lists it as "rare" but I list it as ruined and no longer worth anything. Heres the listing for you guys to tell me your thoughts about it. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Timba-PRE-B...ible_Knives&hash=item3cdebc5265#ht_746wt_1153

 

[ugaarguy]

Why is it ruined and no longer worth anything? What is a Timba worth in equal or better condition?

 

[50 Shooter]

Well, its no longer in like new condition and whoever decided to sharpen it didnt do a good job. Not to mention all the scratches all over the blade. To me theres just to much work to be done to bring it back and he wants $300 for it. That's about the going price for one thats NOS.

Type in Pacific Cutlery knives and youll see how much they sell for, some are a little inflated but they're gaining in price do to they're rarity.

 

[Sam Cade]

Heres the listing for you guys to tell me your thoughts about it.

My thoughts are thus:

Knives are tools for cutting stuff. Knives purely as objets d'art arent interesting to me in the slightest.

I would not pay $300 for the knife in question since its utility isn't nearly commiserate with the price.

If it was mine I'd probably chop off off the spine side guard.

 

[ugaarguy]

he wants $300 for it. That's about the going price for one thats NOS.

There's your answer. You want a collector piece, so find a NOS example to round out the collection.

 

[hso]

I don't see a sheath.

I don't rate it as "lightly used" by collector standards.

I don't see $300 as a reasonable asking price, BUT when people are trying to fill a hole in a collection they will often pay too much just to fill that spot.

If you don't think you could resell it at a later date at a price that would help enough if you came across one like mine (NIB) then it isn't something you should put your money into.

 

[MICHAEL T]

I got a original LA Balisong with weehawk blade. Before they became Pacific Cutlery then Benchmade I remember took 9 months. Before show up at my door. Cost was $180 a lot on a $220 week take home back then

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Well, its no longer in like new condition and whoever decided to sharpen it didnt do a good job. Not to mention all the scratches all over the blade. To me theres just to much work to be done to bring it back and he wants $300 for it. That's about the going price for one thats NOS.

Type in Pacific Cutlery knives and youll see how much they sell for, some are a little inflated but they're gaining in price do to they're rarity.

If that is the case - and I'm not gettin' snotty here - why don't you buy one of the NOS ones that you already know about?

 

[50 Shooter]

That's just it, I have to search for NOS or used good condition ones. The ones w/o the saw teeth on the blade are hardest to find. When the one in the link popped up I was ready to buy, once I saw it I couldn't believe the price. Then I couldn't get over how trashed the knife was and his description of the knife.

 

[GLOOB]

Pacific Cutlery knives. Dont ask why, I just like the combat knives that they put out back in the 80's.

If you get a personal kick out of these knives, I wouldn't let a few small surface scratches put out off a rare find. I would buy it and use it, and eventually refinish it when I have achieved the perfect edge geometry. 440A polishes up really fast.

I might be missing the investment value. I take it as a given that any new-in-box knives that I should pass on to my heirs will be appreciated only as dollar values ($300.00 isn't exactly a jackpot and adjusted for inflation, I think this knife is going the wrong way?). I could only hope they they eventually find their way to some stranger who WILL appreciate them, rather than being eventually lost or damaged through neglect. Whereas a knife that I used and shaped and finished might be appreciated on a more personal level by a son. If you have a son or nephew that shares your sickness for oogling and fondling NIB combat knives from the 80's, then maybe you should hold out.