Smartknives

[stressmaster5000]

Anyone else notice that eBay SAK and Leatherman buyer "Smartknives" has stopped buying? Its been about a week since his last bid/buy for these type items. Kind of wondering if maybe the poor economy has caught up to him.

As far as I know he buys for his own collection and for resale from his website. I have never bought from him although I did try once. His staff are not that helpful and could not get together and complete my relatively small sale so I gave up and bought elsewhere. 

[Fisting_Chili]

Anyone else notice that eBay SAK and Leatherman buyer "Smartknives" has stopped buying? Its been about a week since his last bid/buy for these type items. Kind of wondering if maybe the poor economy has caught up to him.

As far as I know he buys for his own collection and for resale from his website. I have never bought from him although I did try once. His staff are not that helpful and could not get together and complete my relatively small sale so I gave up and bought elsewhere. 

They have bought a number of my items off ebay, but not in a while.  Never bought FROM them, but as a seller, they have prompt payment.

[jazzbass]

Yeah, I noticed. Also noticed that you've done pretty well for yourself recently. Good get on that Scientist and Yeoman. 

[Fisting_Chili]

Yeah, I noticed. Also noticed that you've done pretty well for yourself recently. Good get on that Scientist and Yeoman. 

I'm looking!  I'm looking!
 

[stressmaster5000]

Yeah, I noticed. Also noticed that you've done pretty well for yourself recently. Good get on that Scientist and Yeoman. 

Got them as EDC models. Never was that interested in getting these before though. Figured some day I would find a decent price on a used one. Almost went the route of buying a Swissbianco model but could never get him to respond to my inquiries back when he had them for sale.

[jazzbass]

Got them as EDC models. Never was that interested in getting these before though. Figured some day I would find a decent price on a used one. Almost went the route of buying a Swissbianco model but could never get him to respond to my inquiries back when he had them for sale.

My guess is you're completely SOL now that he's discovered eBay. I contacted him about a Technician 2 days after his newsletter came out, and "they're all gone". Since then, he's put several up on eBay. Hard to blame him, though - if you can sell knives one place for $60 each, or in another for $120, why wouldn't you choose the latter?

That said, I am curious how Victorinox views making making special production runs for him just to have them end up on eBay. Typically, manufacturers frown on this kind of thing - but perhaps they don't care at all. Dunno. 

[Ben X]

Yeah and I think they're burned out on buying the same stuff- ebay seems to be almost all the same stuff over and over- it may just be that there is less and less  that they don't have now. But yes I suspect thee harsh times are making all collectors think twice between clicking at that last second.

Smartknives bought a knife I put up a year ago, even at that time I thought they had flatlined- all that effort was put into their site then out of nowhere they stopped contributing entirely. All I know is that they were in NY iirc. I sorta wonder what the story is on them 

[Neil]

If memory serves me well.  He owns a software company so that's a fair bet as to where the funds come from.   He's been buying for a long time now and has probably stopped buying as more collectors have entered the market pushing the prices up.   Either that or he's on holiday

[felinevet]

If memory serves me well.  He owns a software company so that's a fair bet as to where the funds come from.   

Yes he does and he got into the knives originally to test out some new software they developed. Don't know why he stopped buying but at least it might give someone else a chance to win on eBay finally!