Introduction
For some people, the joy and excitement is in the "chase" or "pursuit" of any particular pocket knife or set of pocket knives. Yet for others, the excitement is in owning them, and displaying them for others to also enjoy. Pocket knife swapping has also grown over the years, as people search out viable avenues to exchange their pocket knives, straight knives, and /or folding knives with other collectors of the same.
The pocket knife industry has shown tremendous growth in recent years, and that growth continues today. Prices of these types of knives vary, according to the what the knife is constructed of, and from where it originates from.
There are literally millions of versions from which to choose.
Folding knives, also known as folders or pocket knives are the most popular of all the different types of knives collected today. There was a time when every man and young boy for that matter carried a pocket knife. Within the folding knife category there are many special types and manufacturers. Most American collectors are interested mainly in knives mass produced for practical use in the United States.
Collectors of American folding knives also look for knives made by the many different brands including Winchester and Remington gun companies. They started making knives after WW1. Other popular brands include Buck, Camillus, Colonial, Ka-Bar and Schrade. Novelty knives and advertising knives were very popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Many large companies such as Coca Cola gave away many advertising knives made by some of the companies mentioned above.
For those of us that know knives it is a simple fact that no one knife can have all the features in it, every knife has its advantages and anyone using a knife will have to make his own decision as to what kind of things are important for him to have on his knife. It is not only the extra features of the knife that matter, it is also the way the knife itself is crafted and what it is made off.
Collecting vintage folding knives can be a fun, educational, rewarding and sometimes a profitable hobby.
GETTING STARTED...
The knife industry today is teeming with an impressive array of knife styles.
There are pocket knives, combat knives, folders, fixed blades, antiques, custom
made knives, investment grade knives, and so on. The best thing to do is to
follow your interest. What style catches your eye? Do not worry about keeping
up with the latest trend in the industry, just follow your heart. If you like
a knife because of the way it looks or the blade pattern, or whatever draws
you to the piece, go ahead and buy it. Prices are also a main concern in knife
collecting. One can get a good discount by going through Internet based mail
order operations such as Extremely
Sharp. Manufacturers are also sensitive to the pricing issue. Which is
why they release knives in just about every price range. Even with the lower
priced knives, the manufacturers want them to be rugged, and to serve the
satisfied owner for years to come.
Some people decide to focus on a particular brand of knives, like limited edition Case knives, Marbles, or old timer pocket knives from Schrade. Others decide to collect a certain type of material, such as mother of pearl or stag handles. Bowie knives are also a popular type of knife to collect. They do take up quite a bit more room, so you may want to plan ahead to make sure of what space you'll have to keep your precious collectibles in.
Once you determine what kind of knife you want to collect, it's time to decide how you want to begin collecting your knives. Some people will start one knife at a time. You can give your family and friends a list of the knives you are hoping to add to your collection so they can buy them for you as gifts on the holidays. Some specialty or online stores will offer incentives or discounts for collectors, so make sure to ask around for this as well.
