Stainless Lobster Knife 4 Functions Rostfrei Stainless Bear Nint

Specifics:

Closed : 2.63 In.

Functions: 1.87 Spear, Screwdriver, Scissors, File.

Scales: Patterned Stainless Steel

Ad Logo: “Krones” on obverse.

Condition: Near Mint: Check description of NEAR MINT below.



TheInternational Blade Collectors Association Price Guide to Antique Knives byVoyles (1973) explains a system for describing a knife’s condition. My grading is based on that guide.

Any system and terms require both buyer and seller agree on what they actually describe. Describing knives is, at best, an inexact process. I will try to be objective but leave final judgment to the buyer. This system follows:

Mint is 100%. New Mint means the knife offered includes the box and all paperwork. Grades are based on web selling prices (not buy it now) for a knife in similar condition, and not Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP).

  1. New Mint is 100% plus of current eBay prices for “Mint, no box.”

  2. Mint 100%

  3. Near Mint 80-90%

  4. Excellent 50-70%

  5. Good 40-50%

  6. Fair 25%

  7. Poor 5-10%

Soooo, a near mint knife is worth 10% to 20% less than a mint knife. An excellent knife 30% to 50% less than a mint knife. A knife in good condition is worth 50% to 60% less than mint. A fair knife is worth 75% less than mint. A poor knife is worth 90%to 95% less than mint. My descriptions follow:

New Mint: Never sold and never used. New as shipped by the manufacturer or distributor with all original packing (box, sheath,etc.) and instructions. New is what most knife retailers sell...generally current production knives.

Cracks. Important exception: Cracks will occur in mint knives. If it is mint for everything except a crack, the knife is still mint-–it is only mint with a crack. This should downgrade the value approximately10% on most knives.

Mint:The standard mint, UN-sharpened, never used, and never carried extensively. Almost any knife made prior to World War II is going to have some rust specks here and there. If you only wait for mint Schrade knives with no rust specks, for instance, you are going to get very few. Some knives mint in 1970 have been in storage for over 45 years–and are starting to show some neglect spots here and there. Important exception: Case knives still must have no rust to be mint. An older Case knife with a rust speck is not a mint knife. Case collectors are stricter in their grading than other knife collectors.

Near Mint:Nothing wrong with the knife, sharpened but no blade wear, some original polish still visible, carry scratches on the outside, walks and talks, no deep rust pits, full blades. (A mint knife that rusted and was been cleaned back to near perfect shape is near mint.)

Excellent:5-10% blade wear, blades snap, some tarnish, and light pitting possible. A good solid lightly used knife. On a multi-blade knife,some of the smaller blades may still be near mint. Tang mark clear.Master blade not over 10% short.

Good:More blade wear than excellent, 15-25% wear, some blades may be slow,stamping readable but faint, some distinct cracks but no chips out of handle that have not been repaired. Blades still sound but may be slow. Some rust pitting and tarnish. Master blade may be short.

Fair:Simply, Fair is worse than Good. 25%-50% blade wear, maybe a chip missing, replaced handles or blade is evident, but still able to identify maker, still usable as a working knife. Blades may be very slow. Deep pits and rust. Still has all the blades, even though worn and short.

Poor:Blades over 50% gone, usually short, handle may be chipped, one blade broken, blades lazy, tang mark just barely readable. Still usable for parts.