OT - Need Help Re: My Grandads Knife

[salvo]

A few years ago I posted a picture here of a knife that my Grandad gave when I started Mule deer hunting at age 12. I have hunted with this knife for most my life and he hunted with it before me. One of you sharp eyed folks said that the knife looked like it might be a Ruana knife.
Well it turns out to be a very early R.H. Ruana, unmarked as his first knives were and the sheath is also one of his first's, square buckle and old type rivets. Since learning all this I more or less retired it, not wanting to loose it in the field.

Now for the help, I need your input on what you would do? A Ruana collector must have Googled up that old thread posted here and e-mailed me last week, wondering if I might consider selling it, he offered me $2,150.00 for my knife! I told him I needed to think about it and just when I think I have it figured out, I get confused again. I need to give him an answer soon and feel he has given me a fair offer. If I had to have the money to survive I know what my Grandad would say. I can get by without the money, but then again it could be put to good use because of the slowdown here in Vegas, I'm in construction and my wife is in real estate, so times are lean, but were not in any trouble.
Anyway you get an idea of were I am. Great offer but should I sell, what say you?

[kimwcook]

Scott, there's no way I'd sell that knife if it were mine. You already said it, you don't really need the money. Not yet anyway.

Plus, I think the knife's worth more than $2,150 and maybe a lot more. Let me dig out my last edition (or the edition before) of Blade Magazine. There was an article in it about Rudy Ruana. I believe there were some prices quoted in there on some of his blades. It would give you some idea of what your's might be worth.

Edited: The article is in the June 2010 edition of Blade. I might of been a little premature in stating your knife's value. There's one shown in the article that looks to be the same model as yours, but it's stamped. The price listed for it was $300-$350. But, there's another one shown with a spear tip, not marked w/original sheath and it's listed as $2,000-$3,000. Again, I wouldn't sell it, but if I had to I would definitely look around.

[salvo]

That would be great kimwcook!
I did a bit of Googling and did not come up with much. The blade shape is pretty unique from all the Ruana's I have seen.

[2ndovc]

Tempting offer.

Let me ask this question.

How much stuff do you have that belonged to your Grandfather?

I have a bunch of stuff from my Mom's Dad but just a couple items that were my Dad's
father's.
If were me and I only had one or two things from one or the other I don't think I'd part with it.
I did get a lot of stuff from my Mom's father and have sold a couple things that were not that important to me.

I only have two rifles and a knife that were my paternal Grandfather's and would never part with them.


jb

[kid_couteau]

My Father gave me my first Winchester 30-30

I still have it

It AINT for sale

Just sayin
Kid

[salvo]

He was my Mom's father, I have around six of his guns, a couple of other knives, his coin collection and a few other things. All was left to me after his passing, we were very close. The Ruana and an S&W are the only two items that he gave while he was alive.

Never even met my Dads father,he cut out when my Dad was a kid.

[Doc Hudson]

$2150 might be a fair pice for the knife, i don't know, I'm not a collector. But it doesn't begin to pay for the memories of good hunts and a Grandpa's love and generosity.

If someone offered me that much money for my Grandpa's old rusty pitted Hopkins Allen I'd tell him "Buzz off, it ain't for sale!"

If that were my knife, I'd not sell it unless it were literaly a matter of sell it or starve. Tell the collector to check back with your grandson in 30 or 40 years.

[J Miller]

Scott,

I'm a sentimental old fool I guess, but if my granddad had given me something while he was alive there is no way I'd sell it. Even if I did inherit other things from him.

That is just the way I feel about things. Personal gifts are far more personally valuable to me than money.

JMHO

Joe

[salvo]

My first response to him was if my daughters don't have me a Grandson soon, it will be for sale.

[Blaine]

The knife is not the issue, but how you felt about your Grandfather......

[Hobie]

Knife is Granddad's. Love Granddad. He GAVE me the knife. Sell it? Not even from the grave... Give it to MY grandson? He'd have to earn it!

PS - I would sell the knife if I absolutely had to so that wife, kids, grandkids wouldn't starve (and I mean literally starve). They'd have to have been on short rations for a while. This isn't likely, is it?

[deerwhacker444]

IMO, I didn't get much of anything from my grandpa when he passed, didn't have much to give. If my grandpa gave me a knife such as yours, I'd hang on to it as long as I could, even if it was just hanging above the fireplace. If you don't need the money, you can will it to whom ever you wish when you pass and they'll sell it.

FWIW, I'd love to have had anything of my grandfathers, he died when I was 13 and Step-grandma (evil) took everything, eventually burned the house down for insurance money.

[Chris83716]

I think Hobie has the winning answer. If you have food on the table and a roof over your head i don't think I would part with it.

Dollar bills come and go but do you really think Grandpas knife will ever be available again?

Chris

[adirondakjack]

I dunno. I am of two minds. I can somewhat agree with the folks who say hang onto the memories.

BUT, as you said, things aren't great in your line of work just now. MIGHT BE I'd counter with "Make it $3,000 if yer really serious" and if he bites, take the wife on a vacation, etc. Grandpa would surely approve of that kind of "converting" of pleasure. (PS, yer NOT selling yer memories, just the object that ya attached to em. Ta still got his guns, etc.)

[Mich Hunter]

Don't do it. You will kick yourself for it later.

[salvo]

I sure appreciate you guys, I knew I did not want to sell it, but the $$ signs began to blind me. Thanks for your help. I had better hold out for a grandson that's deserving.

[salvo]

I feel so much better now! Thanks again.

[claybob86]

I sure appreciate you guys, I knew I did not want to sell it, but the $$ signs began to blind me. Thanks for your help. I had better hold out for a grandson that's deserving.

Good for you!

[Hagler]

Scott,

Have you seen this?:

http://www.treemanknives.com/tek9.asp?p ... =jpcqqnnqq

"This rare vintage R.H. Ruana can be dated back to 1943-44. It is a square cut model 13B with the R.H. Ruana stamp. It has a cast aluminum handle with elk antler inserts with three aluminum pins. The overall length is 8 3/4". This knife is in excellent condition. It has some light pitting and grind marks, but is still a solid example. It comes in a later Ruana full cover sheath that is not original to the knife. Thanks, JR"

http://www.treemanknives.com/morepics.asp?prodid=5418

Here is one of their photos:



Here are more R.H. Ruana knives:

http://www.treemanknives.com/tek9.asp?p ... cts&grp=30

Shawn

[Mutt]

Do Not, I repeat ,,DO NOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,You will hate yourself. No matter , it's yours. Was given to you for a reason. Keep it. I envy you . I have little or nothing from my folks , Not likely too either . They are all gone now. At 72 I'm trying to make sure my son and grandaughters and my lovely young Wife have somethhing left from me.

...............................Mutt

[Dave]

Money keeps getting worth less and less, but that knife is irreplaceable. Not only would I not sell it, I would go back to using it. If I did not end up with a grandson who appreciated it, I would try to find another young guy who has the right spirit to give it to before I crossed the river.

[Dave]

Double tap

[Buffboy]

I have a hunting knife made by my grandfather, originally given to my uncle when he was a child. He was not famous for his skills, as he never made blades to sell but that knife holds an edge like nothing else I've ever seen and it does get used for boning deer. I doubt it is valuable on the knife market and like you, I won't risk it in the field. My uncle sent it to me for some reason and to me, from its family history standpoint, it is priceless.

[rafter-7]

One thing I know alot about it R.H. Ruana my dad and I had over 350 pieces of his work... thats about 4 knives deep on a pool table and 2150 for a nice buckel sheath is not enough money for that piece the feller made a decent offer but he left himself considerable room. I sold marked square cuts for over 1500.00 4 years ago.

look at it this way 2150.00 buys pays the bills for about a month and a half but losing your granddads knife will haunt you forever.

we have about 20 pieces left we sold the collection for two quarters of land (320 acres) and we still have the land

we still have a ruana knife that is older than yours it was made before he left North Dakota along with a variety of model 27s (custom finn) in various lengths one is so unique I would be scared to see what it would be worth 27 9" studebaker

rafter-7

[Hobie]

I feel so much better now! Thanks again.

There are so many other ways to get that money but, as others said, you'll NEVER get the knife back.

[Modoc ED]

I sure appreciate you guys, I knew I did not want to sell it, but the $$ signs began to blind me. Thanks for your help. I had better hold out for a grandson that's deserving.

I've been buying and selling knives for years and that seems to be a fair offer to me. Anyway, ask the guy that made the offer if it will still stand further down the road and tell him you will give him first choice for it should you decide to sell.

[KCSO]

Where does it go from here, do you have kids or a grandkid to give it to, if so it belongs in the family. If you are the last in line when you die somebody will get it at the garage sale for $1.50.

[Tristan]

I think Hobie has the winning answer. If you have food on the table and a roof over your head i don't think I would part with it.

Dollar bills come and go but do you really think Grandpas knife will ever be available again?

Chris

Bam. There it is...

[lthardman]

Hang on to it. I have collected knives a long time, and while I don't know everything about this particular knife, I know about gifts from grandfathers.

If you're eating, and healthy, then what in the world could you possibly buy with the money that will mean as much to you and yours as that knife?

My grandfather had a beautiful collection of handguns. He told me that one day they would be mine, but he did not tell his children. At the time, I was the only one of his children or grandchildren who expressed any interest in firearms. after his death, and that of my grandmother, my aunts and uncles did not realize they were spoken for and gave them to the local police. While my Mother knew of the promise, she never liked firearms and stayed quiet, prefering they go away. Oh well. But, had they come to me, I cannot imagine selling them. What I do have from my grandfather is a Victorinox Swiss Army knife. Its beaten and battered, not worth a hoot in collector value, and its in the center of one of my displays, surrounded by more expensive knives that are not nearly as valuable to me.

[salvo]

I knew you guys would set me straight

I gave the collector the bad news last night and I slept like a baby.
He did mention on a few e-mails that he had some wiggle room on the offer, and that he would be interested in it any time down the road.
I think I will have a new sheath made for it, one that will retain the knife securely, get it back out in the hills were it belongs.

[Idiot]

Setting aside sentiments; a guy offers you $2,150 for a knife that isn't worth a couple hundred bones on its best day? Think about it for a second.

If I give one of my grandkids something like that knife and a similar offer comes up and they don't take it, I will come out of my grave to kick their butts and then take it back.

This is a no-brainer. Sell it.

[rafter-7]

salvo, your knife due to its age most resembles a cross between a 13 and a model 14 his style of the blades changed through out the years to make is eaiser to forge but his handle style for the majority has not. poured alum. with elk horn inserts yours is a strait cut handle and they fall out easy the later ones have dovetail inserts

your knife is late 20s earily 30s and the buckel sheath are the first knives made when he got to Montana strait cut 4 rivit and hagler has a strait cut 3 rivit

it would be scary to see what your knife would bring on E bay keep the sheath in tact that with the knife should fetch 2800-3500.00.... Put a note with it and tell some family about what its worth. You really do have a piece of highly collectable - piece of Americana

Lets put it this way I had only one buckel sheath out of 350 ish knives

I am the second owner of a kitchen knife made by rudy the original owner said it was bought from that little Finnlander feller he just lived up the road. His early stuff is unmarked and you half to know what you are looking for

Idiot; there are somethings worth more than money..... I learned that lesson before I was 20 and it still bugs me!

rafter-7

[stretch]

I'm glad you slept well.

That's a fine knife, and I'm glad you're keeping it.

-Stretch

[salvo]

Wow, thanks rafter-7 That is some great info!
I need to buy the book Hear The Hammer, any other good reads out there?

[rafter-7]

Wow, thanks rafter-7 That is some great info!
I need to buy the book Hear The Hammer, any other good reads out there?

It's the only book about him that I know of.

Rafter-7

[Streetstar]

Glad your keeping it. And this also gives me some "rainy sunday afternoon" research material --- i had never heard of a Ruana knife until now, and never knew they could be so valuable

Regarding what your descendants do with stuff when we're gone --- hopefully a note outlining the nicest pieces and what they meant to us will be a reminder to the future generations to do the right thing--- but hopefully you wont have to worry about that for a long time