Knife Collecting: A Beginning

Want to learn more about knife values or knife history? Knife collecting is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States. It provides enjoyment as well as being an excellent investment for the future. A carefully assembled collection of selected knives will continue to grow in value year after year. The demand for older knives is a definite reality.

The four main groups that most knife collectors specialize in are: brand name, pattern / model, handle material, specialties. Knife collecting is a very personal hobby where each individual can select his or her specialty. There are knife collectors that search for certain patterns (such as trappers, white hunters, whittlers, cubs, canoes, emperor, muskrats, bantam, peanuts, folding hunters, etc). Some collect certain handle materials (such as stag, mother of pearl, yellow, rough black, green bone, celluloid, papa, etc). Many collect certain brand names (such as Buck, Bulldog, Case, Muela, PUMA, Remington, Winchester, Fight'n Rooster, IXL, Queen, etc). Others collect certain blade stampings (such as Case Tested, Case XX, Old Remington, New Remington, etc). Some collect certain specialties (such as advertising, figural, souvenir, etc).

Regardless of your desires for a knife specialty, you will find buyers, sellers, traders at any knife show and most gun and knife shows. The most sought after knife in any brand or pattern is a mint one. As a general rule, used knives bring 25-70% of what a mint knife brings. You can usually pick up an excellent condition knife for 50-70% of what you pay for a mint one. Ten to fifteen years ago, all the knives experts preached "Buy only mint knives". Well, in the older knives (1945 and earlier), if you stay with only mint, you will pass up a lot of fine knives. If possible, collect only excellent or better knives. Used knives can have considerable value. But, for the soundest investment, it is more desirable to collect only excellent to mint knives.

Remember to take excellent care of your collection, as you are the curator during your lifetime for future generations to enjoy. Moisture and fingerprints are the prime villains to avoid. Check your collection periodically and keep your knives in a dry location. A controlled environment with regards to temperature and humidity is the best. Your collection can lose value very quickly if you allow your knives to deteriorate from lack of care and maintenance. The best teacher for learning about knives is to attend as many knife shows as possible. Most dealers and collectors are very patient about explaining the many variations and subtleties that make some knives rarer than others. The more knives you examine the more familiar you will become with them. This experience will also make it easier to spot counterfeits or altered knives.

If you are just starting out, take the time to look and talk rather than buying. The next best thing to going to knife shows is knowledge you can obtain from books and magazines. The way to obtain this knowledge is to read books on knives, knife history, knife price guides and knife magazines.Don't start out hoping to collect every knife made by a manufacturer as that would be virtually impossible. For example, Remington made 1300 different patterns. Set your goals at a more realistic level, such as: one particular pattern, a certain type handle, or a particular blade stamping. A collection with a theme or direction will be easier to sell than one that is simply a conglomeration of everything.Above all, when you reach the point where you are purchasing knives costing hundreds of dollars or more, make sure that you buy only from a reputable dealer who will stand behind the authenticity of the knife. Beware of 'too good of a bargain' as in all probability you are being taken. As in any hobby, there are always those unscrupulous few who will make a fast dollar in any way they can. Many counterfeiters are very good and only an expert can tell. Simply be as careful as you can and familiarize yourself with manufacturing methods and details. In any event, get your feet wet at a knife show. Look; ask questions; read books and articles; start small; become a knife collector, and join thousands of us who enjoy this great hobby. Look for a local or regional knife club near you and go there to find other collectors who will reinforce these ideas.

Why I Began Knife Collecting

I have been collecting, buying and selling knives for over fifty years. I grew up in a small town in East Tennessee. My grandfather and father owned a hardware and farm supply store, and that is where my passion for knives began.

My father mainly sold Boker knives from Solingen, Germany. The unique thing about growing up in a small town in East Tennessee is that it was much like "The Andy Griffith Show" in that our small town had many of the same real- life characters. Often my father would send me to another store to pick up an item that we were out of so our customer would be happy.

One day I had to go to one of the other hardware stores and pick up some items for my father, when all of a sudden staring right at me like a new shinny penny was a Case Knife Display. Well for a young boy who already had a knife collecting passion, this was like pouring gas on a fire. I began buying and trading for Case knives with the older men that owned that store and his partners.

I would take my prize knives home and polish on them until my hands were tired. It was not long before I was a traveling knife salesman in our small town making rounds to all the hardware stores to buy and trade knives.

One day I noticed a bunch of old men in overhauls sitting in front of our courthouse cutting a piece of wood with their knife. Each one had a large stack of cedar shavings underneath them. I was an adventures young boy so I stopped one day and learned all I wanted too learn about whittling and telling stories, but the most important thing I discovered was I had a new source to buy, sell, trade and learn more about knives.

Over the years my collection grew and grew just like I was growing up and becoming a teenager in the 1970's. I had another hobby that I enjoyed and that was riding dirt bikes in the mountains with my friends. In our small town you did not need a license to drive downtown; you just had to be brave and safe.

This became my mode of transportation from our house to our store and to all my knife collecting spots. To keep my knife hobby alive I had to continually sell and trade knives in order to buy more knives. In the 1990's the internet was beginning to buzz with buying and selling knives on eBay as well as many other web sites. I began selling knives on eBay in 1999. I have been blessed with wonderful customers from around the world. Our business is a family business.

PUMA Knife Collection

For many years I collected Case and I still do. I also focused on Case canoes. At the same time I was also collecting various German brands as the craftsmanship and quality is second to no one. I began seeing more PUMA models I liked that were made in Solingen, Germany. Many famous knife brands have and still are being made in Solingen, Germany. I like PUMA knives as the craftsmanship, design, and quality are superb. PUMA has been making knives for over 250 years.

Around 2010 I began a new focus on PUMA knives. I have chased PUMA knife models all around the world. I began collecting each model. In 2016 I started a Facebook Group named “Chasing Puma Knives” where I could post pictures and learn more about PUMA knives and the history of the company. This group is a forum to share pictures and information about your PUMA knife collection. I enjoy the chase for a specfic model, as much as I do finding the model. The older vintage PUMA models are a challenge to find in mint condition that are complete in the factory box as they came from PUMA.

I always enjoy seeing collections of knives as there is something always to see and learn. It has taken almost over year to complete the pictures, descriptions, and research for the publication of the “Puma Knife Collection”. I plan to continue to grow and add to the web site.

There have been many people that have helped me learn more about PUMA knives as my passion for the brand expanded. There are several excellent PUMA knife collections around the world that highlight every PUMA model.

I encourage you to explore and navigate around in the web site to see all the facets of the Puma Knife Collection. You can explore the various PUMA knife models as well as knife categories. You will also find PUMA memorabilia as well.

Paul Pratt