Re-polishing Vintage Case Knives – fair play? Deceptive at best cheating at Worst or does it depend on if it’s disclosed or not…. And, if it is, how does this affect the book values?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Robin Simpson on January 5, 2010 at 21:21

In my opinion uneducated buyers are getting taken in many many cases. I believe it is hurting or has great potential to hurt the collecting field as the buyers of these "cleaned to almost mint" knives find out that the 100s and 1000s of dollars they spent got them knives that have very little value to true educated collectors. There are quite a number of dealers on the auction site who know better but do it for the money IMO.

Best regards

Robin

Permalink Reply by wayne collinsworth on January 5, 2010 at 22:16

hello all.I was very interested in what you guys have to say.I am new at knives and have been givin a collection and dont know how to care for or present knives for sale and how to discripe.Your point is interesting from a lay persons point of view.I have to assume by your comments that shiny and clean not allways best. My qustion would be as a seller how do you know which knives to clean and which not to?

Permalink Reply by Robin Simpson on January 5, 2010 at 22:24

There are ways to properly clean a knife, mineral oil, tooth picks, match sticks, I use bamboo meat screwers to gently rub at rust and clean out the blade slots. Best advice I can give is, the better the knife the less you should touch it. A $5000.00 piece can be reduced to a $500.00 piece if it is "cleaned to near mint" by heavy buffing that changes the blade shape by rounding. Extreme cleaning also opens up questions as to the originality of blades and handle scales etc.

Regards

Robin

Permalink Reply by Frank Evans on January 6, 2010 at 11:55

Wayne, for cleaning the bolsters and for most blades without getting int this subject of severe polishing - (with the term may be confusing) we want to clean and polish but with rather gentle products like Flitz or Supercleaner (A G Russell and he has another milder cleaner in his catalog like Mothers Billet from any auto parts store.... It's made for metal rims but has a mild abrasive that you can control by using your fingers and ALWAYS microfiber cloths from the auto parts places. The mothers billet can take on some nasty stuff but when used in strict moderation does the best hob of all that I have found.... I have cleaned some pretty horrible knives and have some pretty nice ones I'm cherishing for my some so this subject is close to my heart.... RE:marketing..... email me direct or call me at 803-718-0009 / eBay is a buyers market now not a sellers unless you merchandise very accurately with photos and accurate description... a possible $100 knife with poor photos and a lazy description could get the same knife $29.00..... There are some eBayers I can point you to as examples... they build value into their offerings.... Nothing is going to save you from some research if you want to maximize the value in this collection. Then to there are appraisers out there, I know one that's known as the best for Case knives and others...He's a 40 year family friend and use to work for my father.... My father calls him the most straightforward honest man he knows..... too straight forward for some.... anyway....Good luck.... BTW, Stay away from SMKW's COON P as a lubricant.... Remington's Rem oil (Wal-Mart) is a great cleaner lubricant in one and the debris of a knife and the preservation of a knife is much like that of a gun.... Flitz is marketed as a cleaner lubricant for both.

Permalink Reply by Jim Johnson on January 9, 2010 at 1:11

Disclosure of a professionally restored knife has no more to do with conscience than robbing a bank.If the restoration is not disclosed it is a basic violation of willful theft Which is really the least of it.This is what an old man such as myself,would call lying deception false presentation.Upon disclosure,the relative value to be determined by the buyer and seller.What that book says is a guide and really don't mean squat! which does bring us back around to the knife collectors arch nemesis counterfeiting and out and out total misrepresentation.When I started messing with knives,all the action was at shows.There you would deal with people you hadn't met before face to face.However your reputation usually presided you.I f you were unethical,someone there would know and you didn't buy sell or anything else.To bad we don't still have a system like that.Its called honesty.One of the largest problems with internet selling is the anonymity.You don't have yo look someone right in the eye and lie to them!
Jim Johnson
Opelika,Al.

Permalink Reply by Peter DeChant on February 2, 2010 at 10:27

Great article! I have collected for 35 years and have aquired some funny knives along the way. one thing I have always believed in was telling the truth about the knife. I have restored, refurbed and ruined some knives and never misrepresented them for anything more then what they were or are. Have some pretty early knives that have been refurbed that I won't part with because the are hard to find. But i know what they are.
Be honest and have fun collecting.
Pete DeChant

Permalink Reply by Trent Rock on February 21, 2010 at 18:15

I've come to the conclusion that a lot of knife collectors like SHINY blades
There is one guy one EBAY who polishes old hatchet heads to a mirror finish
He gets pretty good money for them

It would be nice if they disclosed that they were buffed
That is fanatsyland
If the knife in question looks buffed
And you don't liked buffed out blades
Don't bid on it...

Look on the Cutlery Corner/Home Shopping Network show
All they do is turn the blade back and forth to catch the reflection of the lights
People like shiny blades...for some reason .....
Maybe it's just the novice collectors?
Before they learn that patina is "cool" ;)