[petey]

I'm much like your Co-worker. I have a lot of "numbered" collectable knives. Most are engraved and limited edition , like 1 of 100 or 1000 EVER made. They are just that..collectables made to unwrap and break out of the box and say "look at this nice knife". Will I sell them 20 yrs down the road? Probably not, but they will be worth something, if nothing else sentimental value to my children or grandchildren in 50 years. Each may "actually" be worth $10-20K in 50 years. Will they sell them? Probably not, but if they do..hope they get a couple days of higher education off of it.

I own several expensive working knives. My go to gutting and skining knife is a Buck Vangaurd, special engraved. I have Kodi-paks, and several others that hit the field. My Gerber or Coast clip knives are always on my side and I use them daily, from as simple as opening a letter to using them to tighten screws. If they break, hey I'm out $30 and go buy another...but my collectables...don't even get fingerprints on the blade or I'll whack ya one. A non-numbered knife probably isn't going to be worth any more 10 years down the road than the day he bought it. So, GOB if your co-working is just collecting off the shelf knives you can buy anywhere he isn't any further ahead if he wouldn't have spent his money.

No different than my signed NWTF stamp collection or any other collectable. Just a hobby, that will be worth something on down the road. Will the current owner, be it me or ancester ever cash in on it? I doubt it....I'll be dead before they leave my family's hands so the point is mute.

You guys mean to tell me that if you receive a $450 numbered 40 of 100 EVER made Case (which would typically go for $80) as a gift, you'd break it out and start whittlin wood with it? I doubt that seriously. Those that say they would, please email me and I'll give you the $80 to buy a non-numbered knife in exchange for your numbered knife so you can "make use" of it. We'll both be ahead.