Bill DeShivs wrote: ↑Tue May 07, 2024 6:27 pm Just buy knives you like, at prices that appeal to you. This makes it simple.
In a practical sense, what difference does it make if a knife is "rare?"
If you are collecting for monetary gain, you do need to research. This research can be as interesting as the knives themselves.
Bill, rarity (or ANY aspect of a knife that substantially adds to its value) makes a big difference on the practical level. It means that I can sell or trade at a profit; which is not only personally gratifying, but gives me increased means to expand my collection.
Buying knives that I like at acceptable prices only works when I actually get what i pay for; it stops being simple when I get duped by fakes.
I'm very interested in research -- I've bought every book on switchblades that I can find. I try to absorb everything I can from here. But there's an awful lot to know; my memory isn't what it used to be; and countless bits of information on switchblades are scattered on dozens of sites all over the place. Kinda tough for the average joe to get a handle on even a part of the picture.
I would greatly appreciate any recommendations on streamlining research. For instance, there's tons of info on this site alone; but I've spent hours scrolling through old threads and by the time I'm done, my head is swimming and I can't remember half of what I've read. I absorb much better from books than screens; I've often wished that someone would pull together all the hard data on this site and print it.
I'm not sure there's an easy answer..... just thinking out loud......
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