Valuable Knife?

[Jaeger]

Aye Up All,

After recently suffering a serious blow to morale after learning that early production Leatherman multi tools were now collectors items and reasonably valuable (I lost one and sold another for a song at a car boot a few years back! ), I was pleased to discover that the Mauser pocket knife (of which I have two!) and which I have been using as both an EDC and as a regular bushcraft tool, are also collectors items and demand a good price.
An 'Officer' version was recently advertised on ebabe for $350!
Is this a known situation to the knife gurus/collectors within BCUK?

 

[mick91]

Aye the mauser officer is worth a few quid now, pretty rare you see them come up for sale in good condition. You can pick other GAKs up for pence but the odd one is worth money

 

[Jaeger]

Ooooh -

I have an Officer version - excellent condition despite regular use;
And the 'soldier' version (fewer tools) which is even more used but still in very good condition but has had the Mauser logo smoothed out (to allow for a dymo name tape label .
I have found them to be excellent tools but what do I do now -
Keep using them as they were intended?
Stop using them and cosset them hoping they will rise yet more in value - to what end?
If the former - replace them with the new Victorinox Soldier? (not as good a tool imho - nor a legal UK carry).
If only all my dilemmas were so difficult!

 

[mick91]

Soldiers I believe where produced in larger numbers for longer so not worth as much as the officer. Up to you what you do with it, imo a knife should always be used though, no matter how cheap or expensive they where. Same as these super rare and expensive wines, pop the cork and enjoy that's why people made em

 

[Robbi]

whats the chance of someone popping up side by side pictures of the "officer" and the "soldier" for a comparison ?

 

[MikeLA]

Totally agree if you own it enjoy it. Had one while serving, remember skinning a goat with it. Another time the using the great saw for a needed job. That one tool (the saw) must have been the best of any penknife

 

[Jaeger]

Point noted mick91 -

I am usually of that opinion but covering the cost of one of those babies produced by mark.177 by flogging the Mausers is very tempting!

Yes Robbi I will do that in due course - can't do it now as its a bit of a faff to set up knives - take images - tx to puta etc - and swmbo has just summoned me for my tea! I'll do it during the week pal.

 

[mick91]

Ahh that's different, selling to buy is fair enough! And Mark does indeed do some fine work.

The one for GAKs to look out for is the "walther" edition, much the same but with black nylon scales not olive drab (don't think they carried a German eagle markings either) out of curiosity does yours still have the razor blade that covered the saw? If so that'll add a few quid most of those went missing shortly after the person bought the knife

 

[tombear]

A nice knife, before I got the later locking ones like the Trekker It was my favourite large SAK , I never did skin anything with it so the Mauser marked blade is still unused 20 something years later. It's even still in the pale green leather Victorinox pouch it came with.

ATB

Tom

 

[Jaeger]

Aye Up Each,

Robbi - as promised an image should appear with this post.

The 'soldier' is on the left with what used to be a nice olive green coloured pouch. It was worn on a waist belt daily for over five years (next to the early production Leatherman PST - that I lost! aaaaaargh!). The leather finish has been damaged due to general wear and a dymo label that I stuck to it with my monica on to keep my sticky fingered colleagues with whom I worked with at the time at bay!

The 'officer' is on the right and has the 'skinning' blade. The tool is slightly broader due to that extra blade.
I never had a pouch for this one (don't know if they did one?).

Mick - that little cover for the (seriously sharp) saw blade isn't a razor blade (not in either of mine) but it is almost as thin as one. Spring steel I think and I can see how easily they could be lost in the field, though I have managed not - over 23 years!

Re the Walther version - wasn't aware of that, how interesting.

This is getting dangerous - don't tell me any more about these GAK's - you'll turn me into a collector!

 

[Limaed]

I had the Mauser Officer version which I bought in about 1991, it was on a special offer from Combat and Survival magazine. It was a treasured knife as I was about 15 years old.

Thinking back it was quite a good offer as I also got a Lofty Wiseman survival video and a rubberised RAF survival poncho (orange / grey). The poncho actually did keep me alive once when we were out in full winter conditions on the Carneddau in March, again with the cadets.

 

[backpacker]

I too got a Mauser Officers knife around 1991 it was for continuing my subscription to Combat and Survival Magazine, but prior to getting the knife from Combat and Survival I had already bought a brand new Mauser Officers Knife which I still have to this day and is in mint condition, didn't even know that they were of value until now! although mine is not for sale.

 

[wingstoo]

I was left one of these...

http://autoknife.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1765

 

[mick91]

I was left one of these...

http://autoknife.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1765

Nice knife, illegal to sell though in the UK I'm afraid, think they're ok if you already had it prior to the ban.

 

[wingstoo]

Nice knife, illegal to sell though in the UK I'm afraid, think they're ok if you already had it prior to the ban.

Sadly so, and it is locked away in a safe place...

 

[EdS]

Got mine and still in excellent condition. I have however replaced the cheap plastic scales with wood ones with turquoise and silver inlay on one side

 

[mick91]

Sadly so, and it is locked away in a safe place...

Ridiculous imo. Always thought a knife is a knife, I like balisong flipping, find it quite relaxing, but can't buy a live bladed one so have to do it with a spoon or spyderco pen does have comedy effect fireside though I guess

 

[Goatboy]

Ridiculous imo. Always thought a knife is a knife, I like balisong flipping, find it quite relaxing, but can't buy a live bladed one so have to do it with a spoon or spyderco pen does have comedy effect fireside though I guess

You can get them with combs instead of blades I believe. That way you can look sharp.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[mick91]

Comb the mutton chops in a stylish way I suppose