Knives

[Ratzo]

Any Knife Collectors out there.  Can you tell me if (John W. Smith )knives are worth the Money or what the Status is on His Knives.  I have been told that he is Top Notch when it comes to knives, just would like to know where he fits in the Knife world.

Thanks

[Richard S]

Ratzo:

MountainMan is a knife collecter and will know.  He'lll probably check in as soon as he sees your topic.

[MountainMan]

Ratzo

I'm a slipjoint guy and the Smith knives are not of my area of interest.  They can be expensive - it depends on what it is worth to you.  Do a Google on him.

I personally am a little put off by the knife market right now.  If you buy from a reseller some of the knives are way overpriced.  

For example my favorite makers are Tony and Reese Bose.  The knives below I orderd directly from them and took a few years to get delivered.

I paid less for this Bose knife than I did for the Seecamp.  I could put it out for resell for three times the current cost of a Seecamp and it would be gone in a day.  Check out this link - way overpriced I think - the same knife I paid $425 for but it has a less expensive handle material than my own - mine is antique Remmington bone from the 1930s.  

http://www.levineknives.com/m.pl/maker.htm?287







These three Bose knives I paid a total of $1150 for directly from the maker.  I could easily sell the three together for $3200 and probably higher.  I find these prices way out of line and it takes the joy out of buying one for carry and use.  It is one thing to worry about losing a $500 knife - but when you know it could sell for $1300 ...

[Ratzo]

Those are Nice Knives you have, and Thanks for the Reply.

Smith knives seem to be around the $500.00 dollar and Up and seem to be of Excellent Quality, two years is a long wait for me, I was Told today that his knives are at the Top End as far as knives go, it is nice just to have a knife that everyone does Not have, I guess just a Special Knife.

Again that is a Nice set of Knives you have but to much for me.

Thanks

[MountainMan]

Ratzo

Most people will never understand paying $500 for a knife so don't worry what others think.  

You buy a $500 custom knife instead of a $40 Case for the same reason you buy a $1100 Rohrbaugh over an inexpensive Keltec  (or a BMW over a Ford Focus) - all three will do the job and get you to your destination - but the journey will not be as memorable.

Here are a few Smith knives for you Ratzo:  http://www.levineknives.com/m.pl/maker.htm?54

[Calvin Cooledge]

Any Knife Collectors out there.  Can you tell me if (John W. Smith )knives are worth the Money or what the Status is on His Knives.  I have been told that he is Top Notch when it comes to knives, just would like to know where he fits in the Knife world.

Thanks

Sorry it took so long to reply to this, Ratzo. I am a knife collector; have been since I was 8, and have been collecting custom knives since 1977.
I have been an Honorary Member of the Knifemakers Guild since Jim Hammond sponsored me in 1978. A long time.

Over the years, I've met just about every living famous maker at the knife shows. In fact, the Blade Show is next week, right here in Atlanta, and I'm an exhibitionist there;^) (tomway.com  Table #25M).

I know John W. Smith personally, have drunk beer with him, and owned his knives. Let me say that in the knife world, his knives are considered to be of the finest quality. He is the sole author of every one of his knives now, and of all his talents, his best one is of consummate good taste. His knives have "it". And his range is from simple fixed blades to the fanciest folders.

Here is an outstanding example of a set he made for a card player:



My company, Tomway, LLC supplied the case. MountainMan, you may notice this set is from the collection of our mutual friend, Bob Harshall.

BTW-if any of you are coming to the Blade Show, I can supply you with a complimentary VIP Pass to the show, good for the entire weekend. PM me with your request.

Steve

[Calvin Cooledge]

Let's try this John W. Smith picture thing again, sorry!



If this doesn't work, please someone tell me what I'm doing wrong.
It's from my Photobucket account.

TIA!
Steve

OK, try this:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c187/Tomway301/JWSmith-4aces-case-w.jpg

Should work Steve - just did for me in separate browser window, Chris

And this was exact link per yours -

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c187/Tomway301/JWSmith-4aces-case-w.jpg

Why not showing on this forum tho - puzzled!!  Nice knives BTW!

[R9SCarry]

Steve - you have in your photobucket link JPG written as JP G - that is enough to cause a problem.

I am about to edit that and also delete your earlier attempts so as to tidy up.  Hopefully with useful results

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry - no idea why the sucker won't display here but anyone following link should see pic OK.

[MountainMan]

Steve

You are lucky to live in the same area as the annual Blade Show.   Wish I could be there this year but the funds are not available.  Will miss seeing you and others.

Hope the show goes well for you.

Anyone who likes knives should try and so to the Blade Show sometime.  The first time I walked through the doors and saw over 500 tables of knives it took my breath away.  

Dave

[Calvin Cooledge]

Steve

You are lucky to live in the same area as the annual Blade Show.   Wish I could be there this year but the funds are not available.  Will miss seeing you and others.

Hope the show goes well for you.

Anyone who likes knives should try and so to the Blade Show sometime.  The first time I walked through the doors and saw over 500 tables of knives it took my breath away.  

Dave

Yes, Dave, I am lucky. I think of the Blade Show as my own private knife show, which I can invite my 10,000 closest friends;^) When the announcement was made that the show was moving to Atlanta, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I have many many wonderful memories of the shows past, it's like walking in Hollywood, but you get to go up to the stars and actually talk with them.

I even got my picture in Blade Magazine a few times because of my sense of humor, for example when I was caught wearing this sign:



And here is my pal Bailey Bradshaw hamming it up for the masses.
The Star Wars sword was too popular at that show; I was forced (star wars humor;^) to put it down. Didn't want to distract folks from actually buying knives!



So, lucky guy that I am, I'm still in awe of the whole being of this show.
I can not wait. I'm sorry MountainMan can't be here to feel the love;^)
I'll toss your name into Tony Bose's hat for one of  his famous drawings to buy one of his knives;^)

I'll report back on the show afterwards...

Film at 11.

Hayword N. Edgewise