Whether you choose to do it for art or profit, collecting knives is a hobby that can provide continued satisfaction. If you don’t know where to start, however, you might find yourself intimidated by the unexpected intricacies this hobby presents. To help you make sense of it all, we’re going to tackle some newbie tips for knife collecting in our knife collectors guide.

Our Knife Collectors Guide Will Help You Find Out What Knives Interest You

It’s tempting to buy the first knife that catches your eye. It’s more prudent, though, to take the time to do your homework. You’ll first want to research the types of knives that interest you. These might fall into one of several broad categories, including:

Bowie Knives

These large, fixed-blade knives have an instantly recognizable appearance. They have a large clip point knife blade, simple crossguard, and accompanying sheath. Supposedly, these knives became famous due to their prominent use by American pioneer Jim Bowie.

Daggers

These are similar in shape to the Bowie knife. Daggers have a short, sharp blade with two cutting edges and a sharp point. Humans have favored daggers for personal close combat defense throughout history, and they can be further divided into various subcategories like the Dirk, Pugio, and Corvo.

Pocket Knives

Folders are well known as versatile tools. Some models, like tactical folding knives, Balisongs, and Higonokami all make an excellent addition to any collection.

Custom Knives

These handcrafted works of art are the products of master bladesmiths. They can fit into any of the other categories, or be something else entirely. Either way, they will always feature the custom touch of the artisan who forged them.

Know Where To Go

You’ll need to know where to turn for a great selection of collectible knives. You can start by exploring your local knife stores, and antique shops. You can also expand your search online when you’re ready for a greater variety of options.

No matter where you go, you’ll want to make sure you’re dealing with a reputable business. What do other customers have to say? Is this a popular dealer? Have they been honest with their transactions in the past? Is their workmanship quality? Asking these questions, and others can help you determine the trustworthiness of your source.

Establish Your Budget

Knives can vary in price from a few dollars to a few thousand dollars. Know what you’re looking for and determine a price range that you are comfortable with before you buy anything. This will help you manage your expectations, and ensure that the hobby is a fun and sustainable one for you.

How To Choose Which Knives To Collect in Our Knife Collectors Guide

While this part really depends on whether there’s a pre-existing collection or not, choosing the right knife can be difficult. If the collection has been handed down to you and it’s a pocket knife collection, then you have a better idea of what direction you need to go in, but if you’re starting your own, then you have a clean slate. Many knife collectors end up finding out that they prefer to collection from a certain time period so, they’ll focus more on blades that are – let’s say, from the 1600’s.

We recommend that if you’re a beginning your knife collection, you start with some of the newer, high quality models that will grow in value over time. Then, once you’ve saved and looked into more historical type blades, you can make that larger investment.

Collecting knives is really about understanding the history, the design, and the one who designed the blade – especially if it’s a newer model. It’s important to note that if you buy a blade that is mass produced in China, it won’t gain any value over time. However, if you invest in a limited edition blade from Germany, the United States, or Japan, you’ll see different results in terms of the knives value.

We Hope You Enjoyed Our Knife Collectors Guide

Collecting custom made knives can be fun and fruitful endeavor, provided you have the right information going in. We hope this short guide is enough to get you started, and inspired to start learning more! For any other knife inquiries, look no further than Exquisite Knives, experts on all things knife.

December 23, 2018