Good idea... or bad?

[Bob McBride]

I’m not a record keeper either. If you do end up with a collection of some value I would advise you to make a list of what you have, and the values of each piece, along with the names of a few buddies you would trust to sell or otherwise dispose of your collection. Either that or an auction house to call if you kick the bucket. I’m glad I’ll be long gone when my wife finds out what an Allen Martin costs.

On a side note, my fine wife likes to walk into my shop about once a month, look around, and with hear head cocked a little funny, say, “I’m suspicious of you boy...”. I’ve finally gotten where there’s too many for her to keep up with. Not that she cares a hoot about a shop full of guns and duck decoys.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

I do not keep track or try to quantify the flowers I give my wife, the mornings on stand when the sun rises, the number of times a turkey gobbles before flying down from roost, or the cost of my flintlocks. When you start to quantify and account for joy, wonder, and pleasure, you have turned life into accounting. Just enjoy, love, cherish, and experience. It's called living.

Just my way of thinking, no recommendation to others.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[FishDFly]

If you have to hide what you spend, you don't have much of a marriage.

 

[Eric Krewson]

As a bow maker I kept a log on all the bows I made and where they went, 158 so far give or take a few that I forgot to log.

Earlier I was a duck decoy carver and kept a log one these as well.

For some reason when I started making flintlocks I overlooked making a log book, perhaps I only thought I would make one or two when I started. Looking back I wish I had logged the progress on each one, I do have a spotty pictorial record of their builds but the dates when I made them escape me, I don't know how long ago it was when I made my first one or what the parts cost.

I did a build along on my squirrel rifle to show people on the primitive archer site what was involved on a gun build. I think I took 180 pictures during the build, warts and all but I couldn't tell you what year I built the gun. The date is probably stamped on the bottom flat of the barrel because I have always put my name and location there on every build to prevent someone who didn't know much about longrifles from thinking it is an original piece.

 

[Bob McBride]

Fish, that’s a dip #$&* comment. Who said they have to hide? It’s a matter of it mattering isn’t it? I don’t pretend to be an internet marriage/financial counselor but I judge ‘not having much of a marriage’ by whether my wife has to worry about it. If she cared, she’d know.

 

[FishDFly]

Bob, see the below.

"You made the mistake of telling her one value and the truth is it was double or triple that figure. She believes what she was told and sells the item for that figure."

Not a dip comment at all, I know numerous folks who are not honest with their wives what they own and how much they paid.

 

[Bob McBride]

Bob, see the below.

"You made the mistake of telling her one value and the truth is it was double or triple that figure. She believes what she was told and sells the item for that figure."

Not a dip comment at all, I know numerous folks who are not honest with their wives what they own and how much they paid.

It was the absolute judgement in your comment that blew my hair back and it felt pointed at me. Sorry for replying so hotly. My wife would know if she cared and she obviously knows generally the total value of the collection because it's within context. Yes....don't lie to your wife.

 

[FishDFly]

Not a problem.

My wife knows what I spend, she concurs before I buy.

 

[Bob McBride]

Not a problem.

My wife knows what I spend, she concurs before I buy.

That sounds like a fine way to do it. My old Pop has to go to mom hat in hand, but they probably wouldn’t have two half dimes to rub together if she didn’t run a tight ship. It takes all sorts of ways to make it work, I imagine.

 

[oldwood]

Have to take a page here from dear old dad's (RIP) experience. During the 1950's the family was in financial survival mode. Coal mines were down after the war. Dad was working three jobs to feed us and keep our house. At the same time , in fall we had to hunt to give us a better diet than Spam and govt. cheese. The borrowed shotgun we had was called back to it's owner 'cause every one was in tough times. Dad didn't consult Mom about somehow finding money for a shot gun. Dad quit his pack -a - day , 35 cents a pack cigarette habit and put that money toward a shotgun. The next year , we laid away a used 12 ga. and picked it up in time for small game season. I was too young to hunt , but the lesson's learned from this served me well through lean times. I had a desire to own a m/l gun after college , and again, no money, for such unnecessary stuff. My bride (budget officer) , extended me couple bucks a day for food on the road , long hours , doing emergency service job. Remembering how this lack of funds for "foolish" stuff was handled , my lunch money went towards some Dixie Gun Works parts , and a work shop was set up in a spare bedroom. In a few months , a Numeric arms barreled .58 cal.Hawkin rifle was born. If you want something bad enough , it can be had . I always considered my guns , my business. I understand poverty, and some times ya just got to help folks. I've given away a few guns when folks need to hunt for meat to feed their kids. You don't need to consult anyone to do the right thing.......oldwood

 

[Col. Batguano]

I think the "quantity vs quality" thing is something we start with aspiring to quantity, and we gravitate towards quality (or the unique) as we mature in our collecting careers, and it applies to many things, not just arms. The "impress your friends" mentality slowly turns in to; "nobody cares except me".

 

[M. De Land]

Have to take a page here from dear old dad's (RIP) experience. During the 1950's the family was in financial survival mode. Coal mines were down after the war. Dad was working three jobs to feed us and keep our house. At the same time , in fall we had to hunt to give us a better diet than Spam and govt. cheese. The borrowed shotgun we had was called back to it's owner 'cause every one was in tough times. Dad didn't consult Mom about somehow finding money for a shot gun. Dad quit his pack -a - day , 35 cents a pack cigarette habit and put that money toward a shotgun. The next year , we laid away a used 12 ga. and picked it up in time for small game season. I was too young to hunt , but the lesson's learned from this served me well through lean times. I had a desire to own a m/l gun after college , and again, no money, for such unnecessary stuff. My bride (budget officer) , extended me couple bucks a day for food on the road , long hours , doing emergency service job. Remembering how this lack of funds for "foolish" stuff was handled , my lunch money went towards some Dixie Gun Works parts , and a work shop was set up in a spare bedroom. In a few months , a Numeric arms barreled .58 cal.Hawkin rifle was born. If you want something bad enough , it can be had . I always considered my guns , my business. I understand poverty, and some times ya just got to help folks. I've given away a few guns when folks need to hunt for meat to feed their kids. You don't need to consult anyone to do the right thing.......oldwood

Amen and Good on You!

 

[flashpoint]

Actually I'm going to be a bit of a contrarian here. Always tell your wife exactly how much you spent on your firearms. I have been party to far too many situations where the husband has died and the wife has absolutely no clue as to the value of his firearms. In these situations without very honest and trustworthy people who are knowledgeable in that field of firearms that have no financial interest in the situation and who are able to advise the Widow on values, it is very easy for the wife to be taken to the financial cleaners. To most women a gun is a gun. The firearms in question may in fact just be cheap junk, but sometimes that cheap junk turns out to be very valuable. You would not want your Widow to unknowingly turn $20,000 into a $5,000 fire sale now would you? This is actually more common then you might think. So I think you should go ahead and keep track on paper what the firearms end up costing you. Might save your Widow and heirs a bit of trouble when you are gone.

I agree NorthFork. However, I would make sure my wife knows exactly what I paid for my guns AFTER I was gone

 

[1950DAVE]

Question for Gunyt, will said wife and kids be able to decipher your data in a meaningful way? My sons could make use of data burn daughter couldn't. Of the three daughter is best shot though. Will wife or kids dispose of any of my firearms? No! Will I keep data? No! If folks enjoy that sort of thing , that's the sort of thing folks should do, I guess.
Dave