Anything worth keeping?

[ctstannard]

Hi all,

First off I apologize if this is in the wrong place. I am still getting settled in to the layout here haha.

I just "inherited" a collection of random knives from a relative. Admittedly most of my experience (read: all of my experience) is with leathermans so looking at these I have no idea of what I am looking at and was hoping some of you could shed some light on the subject or subjects as it were. I am not expecting anyone to "appraise" these for me but basically just tell me if it is junk and I should give to the nearest taker or if they are worth keeping.

I haven't ever posted images to this site before so forgive me if it is messy the first time haha. Also I haven't had a chance to clean these knives yet so some of the images are pretty gross. Again I don't expect anyone to say "That is worth exactly $18.73!" but instead just a "Yea those can be collectible" or "give them to your nephews".

First Image: A few of IMPERIAL knives. Two Kamp-Kings, one blade/fish scaler, one three-blade knife.

Second Image: At first looked like a small Kamp-King but it has IXL stamped on the blade. There is something else on the blade that I can't quite make out.

Third Image: These are cheap knockoff SAKs. I am pretty sure I already know the answer to this one but I figured I would ask the experts just in case... is there a market for Chinese SAKs?

Fourth Image: These are also off-brand SAKs but seem better than the Chinese ones. The white one is a German ELOSI knife but that is all I know about it. The Red one is a Spanish INOX. Again I am not expecting these to be worth keeping but they seemed to be a step up from the chinese knockoffs.

I have two more images but will need to post them in the next message.

Thanks in advance!

[ctstannard]

More Images:

Fifth Image: This may be a bit harder. Most of these knives I wasn't able to read the stamps on but they didn't appear to be cheap knockoffs. I don't expect anyone to recognize these and I will work on cleaning up the stamps and getting that information but again for now just your best guess.

Sixth Image: I suspect this is the trash pile. All of these are China, Taiwan or Pakistan. I am pretty sure I will be throwing all of these away as they are pretty bad but I thought I would make sure before doing so.

Thanks again!

[dks]

The imperials and the German knives are worth keeping, if their walk and talk and overall condition is good.

The rest possibly not, but you need to see how good each one is - some may be quite good loaners, beaters, or just to keep in various places for any emergency...

[Corwyn]

1 - worth a pretty penny
2 - worth a tad
3 - worthless
4 - some worth, not much, a few USD
5 - some worth, have some ideas, but a slippy pro might give better replies
6 - The two Barlows are interesting - some worth there. The rest are junk

[Sparky415]

Second Image: At first looked like a small Kamp-King but it has IXL stamped on the blade. There is something else on the blade that I can't quite make out.

I can only help with the IXL
Made in Sheffield in the UK
Not worth a lot, good carbon steel, will sharpen up well, if you have a spare hour or two you might find some more about it here 

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?72466-I*XL-Wostenholm-markings

[cody6268]

A family friend carries one of those Buck 110 knockoffs.  I would assume they're passable quality, as he's had his for quite some time. 

I've had those maroon handled knockoffs with the gold shield before.    They're OK, but not great.

From what I've heard, most of the Pakistani made knives are crap.  You're better off without them.   

As long as the Imperials are American and Irish made, they're great.  I have a few, which are made in both countries.     The Chinese ones are not as good.   


The two in the last pic, on the right you're definitely better off without.  First of all, the sliver one is a butterfly knife, illegal in many places. Cheap tactical knives fall apart easily.   

[ctstannard]

Hi Everyone,

Thank you ever so much for all the replies! Everyone has been most helpful. I will probably just pass off most of the pakistan and chinese knives but I am glad to hear the Imperials have some interest to them.

Also as for the worry about the silver one-- it isn't actually a true butterfly knife, it is some cheap smurfized device. It's handles don't actually flip open like a butterfly knife. I know it looks like it should but you have to open the handles, fold the knife out and then close the handles again around the knife and the blade is fairly stiff... it really is a weird mess haha. I might just dismantle that one and throw it away though so that others don't think that it is a butterfly knife.

Do you think those two Barlows are real? I don't have them in front of me but if I recall they both were stamped Pakistan on them. I will double check as soon as I get home.

As for that Buck 110 knockoff man it is bad! The lock on it is so stiff that I find I have to push it against a table to get it to close and that is AFTER applying some light machine oil to it... Another one for the trash bin most likely as I wouldn't want to give it to someone only to have them end up hurting themselves on it.

Also I forgot to take a picture of it but the best find in that pile was a light blue Alox Pioneer Settler (as far as I can tell) with an "Albany International" logo on it. It looks essentially identical to the picture I have attached here, except the coloring on mine is in slightly better condition.

Thanks again and I will continue to post any updates as I clean up those knives.

[Corwyn]

From what I've heard, most of the Pakistani made knives are crap.  You're better off without them.   

No, no, no , no, no....
Pakistani knives are like all other knives, very bad, mediocre, good or even very good. They are generally cobbled together from various materials in small workshops, but it depends much on the craftsman.. I'd say instead that Pakistani knives are let's say... "uneven"...
They are not inherently bad, just as not all Chinese knives are inherently bad....

Do you think those two Barlows are real? I don't have them in front of me but if I recall they both were stamped Pakistan on them. I will double check as soon as I get home.

"Real Barlow" is a bit of an incorrect term... they are not Barlow-brand, but they are Barlow pattern. Case, Bear & Son, Boker, Robeson, and Rough Rider currently make Barlow patterns, so it wouldn't be a knock-off like a fake sak or a fake Buck 110... As such, I'm sure they have some value for slippie collectors... I mean Schrade, Rough Rider, Marbles, Colt etc. slippies are all Chinese and people still collect them... - see point 5
If it weren't for shipping/customs charges I'd get them off you, Pakistani tang or not 

PS: the Spanish sak-alike - see point 4 is probably an Aitor and they are semi-collectable - you won't have problems selling that...

[anon]

From what I've heard, most of the Pakistani made knives are crap.  You're better off without them.   

No, no, no , no, no....
Pakistani knives are like all other knives, very bad, mediocre, good or even very good. They are generally cobbled together from various materials in small workshops, but it depends much on the craftsman.. I'd say instead that Pakistani knives are let's say... "uneven"...
They are not inherently bad, just as not all Chinese knives are inherently bad....

One of my friends from PK once said knives were their best export. FWIW I see a lot of tools from there at a doctors office I work at.

[ColoSwiss]

Hi ct, welcome aboard!

The Spanish Aitors are decent knives, though not that much market for them. The crown-and-shield logo has been copied too often by Chinese junk.

A number of the knives appear to have shell bolsters. That is a one-piece thin metal shell incorporating both bolsters and the handle between them, with a piece of plastic wrapped around the middle. It's a cheap type of construction used on old dime store knives, and indicative of low quality and value.