Got to looking over some stuff in the shop, that got me thinking...how many people are keeping "Trade knives" on hand? Kinda curious about what everyone had/would pick, or why they chose not to.
I would have to say my trade items are alcohol and 1lb propane tanks. Since I buy empty 1lb and plan on refilling them some day.
Not a bad idea, and was worth plenty back in the day to have trade goods on had. Might be again, like having some wool blankets on hand and perhaps some beads!
@AxesAreBetter Well, I am not exactly "keeping "Trade knives" on hand" but strange enough my knives seem to be like rats and coat hangers as they tend to multiple at a furious rate on their own...As I told the wife, I am at a lost how this occurs, probably something in the ozone causing it...
In a way, I keep a few extra Mora knives around. We use them ourselves but have some for barter should we need to.
I have been acquiring (as opposed to "collecting") knives of various types since I was a kid. When the balloon goes up, I have many that I could trade for other things. Same with old but still good clothes and tools. Pots, pans and other cooking gear - I have mine and my late parents' stuff. Heck, I'm gonna open a small trading post in the post-apocalypse!
Yeah, last count I had somewhere over 200 blades laying around the house.... shoot me....I like knives....while not specifically kept for trading purposes I certainly could and not leave myself short. The reality is that given the types of knives I accumulate (can't say collect) the trades for most things would generally be to my detriment !! For SHTF fodder I would think a box of cheap generic butcher's knives would get more mileage in small items for you than trying to work something out with a high end blade. The later is what you have on your side as you want the confidence it wont fail when you need it as opposed the perceived trade/$ value.
Amazon has a huge selection of cheapo "hunting" and tacticool knives priced real cheap, that would be perfect trade fodder.
I have been considering stocking up (personal collection) on some cold steel bowie machetes and Moras for this purpose.
I've been buying knives all my life, and have plenty of reasonable quality knives to trade. If the need arises.
I bought a $130 deal from that irritating knife guy on early morning TV. Most are junk, OK for trading or giving away. Never do that again. Still have about 80 of them.
TL-29 electrician knives. Utilitarian, good high carbon steel, take and hold an edge well, has a lanyard loop. Usually $15 or less at a knife show for common manufacturers.
If the idea is trade , then the practical thing is to have equivalent to a store, with a verity of valued tools . If one deals only in gold then it excludes those that have no real need for it. However if you deal in a variety of metals, you can relate to a larger clientele . As a machinist and blacksmith all I need is the metals and fuel to reproduce tools at the quality people are willing to pay . If you know how to make/repair/repurpose things ,you much further ahead. I've been storing steels for fabrication, and my next investments are the more exotic metals, and practice working them.
