Seeking guidance!
I am completely oblivious to the world of knives/swords/blades and was sent here by a supervisor at the benchmade knife company.
I recently inherited a knife, that I learned from said supervisor, was “an old Custom Bali that was done by one (their) knife makers Jody Samson. There is no real model on it as it was custom with a Kris blade. Those were all hand ground and done in house.”
After inquiring about a value amount, he stated to come here and ask you fine people and that would be the best way to gauge market value.
so here I am, asking for your guy’s help in this. I’ll attach a couple images and please let me know what you think it’s worth.
thank you!!!
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Wow, that scroll work is awesome!
That’s a nice custom.
you’re looking to get some good value on that.Easily over 1k.
I’d find some way to polish out or satin finish the initials out. Might bring in more coin.I wonder how many similar customs are out there…
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Not sure if I'd polish off the initials. You may damage it. If it's anything like an old coin, they tell you not to clean or refurbish them, or you decrease their value. I'd agree, as is, it's worth at least $1,000. I've never seen a bali like that one.
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Yeah, I probably wouldn’t do anything to alter it, for fear of decreasing the value. Without the initials, I would say over $1000, though I would pay about $1000 for it as is
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I guess it’s just me.. I wouldn’t want someone else’s initials on it.
and prob try to clean it up for my self.
but easily over 1k regardless.
good luck with the sale if you go that route. But it’s a keeper for me. Too pretty to let it go.I’d make an offer, but with some home repairs looming, wife would kick my bits in a heart beat.
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I completely agree with the pricing and the removal of the initials. I think it would fetch well over $1000 as I venture it may actually be a one of a kind. This from the words told to you by the Benchmade supervisor "an old Custom Bali that was done by one Benchmade's knife makers Jody Samson. Key words there... "Custom Bali" and "Jody Samson". The work is impeccable. I've seen scroll work like that on Custom handguns and the scroll work alone is worth over 1K.
Now on to the initials. If you want to get more for it as Ekwan mentioned above a cool way would be to find yourself a gunsmith that does scroll work. Ask them to quote you a price to cover the initials in scroll work that matches the rest of the handles. It should be easy enough and you wont be destroying the knife. Just be upfront if and when you do go to sell it.
I too would love to add it to my collection, but like Ekwan I would like to keep certain necessary body parts that my wife would remove if I was to hold up current remodeling on the home. And when it comes to Balis I end up losing to much blood playing with them!
Good luck with what ever you decide BJBenchmade!
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/|\ Or leave as is & say “PVL” stands for - Plain Vanilla Love
My dad didn’t smoke but got an expensive lighter with his initials FH. My Uncle Tom , a smoker, took the lighter. He told all his business contacts the story of how his brother- in - law had a wicked sense of humor & had the lighter engraved “FH” for the nickname my dad called Tom - Fat Head. Always got a laugh, & likely a few extra sales.
Beautiful knife enjoy!
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Bill, it’s an R..
so maybe Regular vanilla love.
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If this can be verified as an original Jody Sampson, it’s worth will be well over 1k to the right collector, I’ve seen plain Jain weehawks by Jody go for 1k
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Look like it was proven. Only better way would be to send it in to BMC.
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It is a very pretty piece for sure. I agree with you guys, I also would not want own a thousand dollars' knife(or any knives) with other people's initial on it.
Personally, I don't think it is done by Jody. He is knife maker. I would not think he could do the scroll.
If you take a look the side. the side do not have the RVL. On top there is a B J. initial. That might be the person did the scroll.
It is difficult to make both sides identical.
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Nice catch arcsupply
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Since the OP is BJ, he should keep it!
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Were there latchless bali's made by Benchmade in the Jody Samson era?
Has anyone seen similar engraving to this on a Benchmade knife of any era?
If Jody did this himself outside of Benchmade then wouldn't it have the Samson logo on it?
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Im kinda old and remember the custom shop had some pretty nice options, but couldn’t afford anything so it wasn’t something I spent time looking at.
some of the old timers might have a better memory than mine.
I’m more inclined to what arcsupply said.
JS made it and another person did the scroll work. Sounds more correct.1 -
[@mention:589599268365929094] posted:
Im kinda old and remember the custom shop had some pretty nice options, but couldn’t afford anything so it wasn’t something I spent time looking at.
some of the old timers might have a better memory than mine.
I’m more inclined to what arcsupply said.
JS made it and another person did the scroll work. Sounds more correct.+ 1 more! I lean towards this being the actual case.
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