A word or two with RJ Martin, please, an apology...

Marion David Poff

Marion David Poff

Joined
Oct 8, 1998
Messages
5,403
RJ,

After my post to Allen's thread I got thinking that maybe I was presumptuous in my tone with you.

Please forgive me if that was the case.

Maybe I did not read Allen's post clearly enough and there was something insulting to you.

If you would like to take this to email, I understand, but either way I would like to hear from you. I decided to post this to the Forum where my comments where. mdpoff@yahoo.com or mdpoff@hotmail.com

My dealings with you have always been very pleasant. I would hate to think I have ruined that.

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Thank you,
Marion David Poff aka Eye, Cd'A ID, USA mdpoff@hotmail.com

"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.
 
Marion: Didn't even see the response you are referring to. Consider your apology accepted. What prompted my strong response to Allen's thread is this: The knifemakers, in particular, who post on these threads have a great responsibility to themselves and others, namely, walking the line between fact and opinion. I am in the business of making and selling knives. I break my a** to make sure that what I make and sell is the BEST there is, period. So do the other known makers, and, those who are not yet known are hopefully doing the same. So, wild comments or statements that aren't backed up by fact bother me-they end up swaying the opinions of the forum readers without presenting the necessary facts to back up the opinions.

I've read a lot of comments here lately about steels-"I've used such-and-such and it isn't as good as "XYZ". So, customers, shy away from XYZ. If a knifemaker has REAL experience with a steel, he will include things like the heat treatment method, Rc hardness, blade grind, blade size, thickness, etc.
What is annoying is, when I contact the poster, I often find out his comments were based on a low Rc hardness, improper heat treatment, or something else, which he failed to include in his post. So, the original post should have said "I havn't learned to heat treat XYZ yet, and I'll refrain from making comments about it until I have"

And, as to "traditional knifemaking", it's alive and well here at my shop. Each blade, hand ground by me. Heat treated, by me. Triple tempered, cryogenically processed, by me. 100% Rockwell tested, by me. Sharpened to scary sharpness and delivered to another delighted customer, etc, etc, etc.

You could argue that, compared to profiling by hand, and developing a big, heat affected zone around the perimeter of the blade, that, a waterjet or laser cut blade might produce a superior blade. I'll assume that guys who are doing this by hand AREN't wearing gloves and are profiling with new belts and are really watching that heat build-up. You see where this goes? So much of a knife's final performance is affected by seemingly insignificant factors that aren't ever talked about here on Bladeforums. So, I'll keep using the methods I use and let the performance of my blades speak for itself.

Just food for thought....

Keep up the good work,

RJ Martin
 
RJ, I've been carrying at least one knife daily for 43 years and I've been "collecting" for about 40 years. My "collection" started when I was searching for a better knife. This was back in the dark days when, IMO American factory production blades for the most part sucked. Then I discovered Buck and then Puma. In the early 80's I got my first Randall and my first true customs came a while after that. What I have concluded from buying and using literally hundreds of knives is exactly what you stated above. The skill and care of the maker or the QC in a production piece is more important than the type of steel. There are many great blade steels available today and some are no doubt better than others but I would be willing to bet that the average knife user would be hard pressed to notice a significant difference in performance between a half dozen blades of the most popular steels if they have been properly heat treated by a competent maker. All things being equal, I may prefer VG 10 or 440 v to another steel but that is not the primary factor in my decision on what to buy. I go first with a maker or manufacture I know and trust and the steel type is secondary. Sorry for the long rant, but it really bothers me to see something hyped as a SUPERSTEEL that will out perfrom anything that came before. I'd prefer not to have a maker have his first experience with a new steel be MY blade just because it is the hot new thing. I'd rather wait till someone has made several dozen blades in a new type of steel to make sure he/she is familiar with its quirks and peculiarities.

phantom4

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who dares, wins


 
Excellent respnse RJ. And lot of class,Marion Poff.
Since the original thread was locked down, I'd like to add my .02 that I agree partly with Allen Blade's post, though he could have stated it more tactfully.
Personally I prefer Handmade knives, but I have no problem with anyone using any kind of technology as long as they are honest and open about it. That way, the consumer makes his choice.
Last thing-Tim Herman you must have a short memory. You berate Allen for recently saying he wasnt gonna post anymore till so many asked him to keep posting. In a thread not too long ago, you got angry because 2 knifemakers were argueing and said you werent going to participate in the forums anymore because of it. Remember??? Yet not too much time later, you were back, so let's not throw stones.

RJ, your knives are great!

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Phil. 4:13
Dave
Wharton,NJ
 
lifter,

i do have memory problems recently, sorry. may be some of the cardiac meds i am taking now.
i did not mean to berate allen so i apologize if he took it that way. i was just pointing out that this type of thing keeps happenning here and i think has gotten to the point of wasting everybodies time. lynn griffith did the exact same thing time and time again.
i just didnt see the need for another topic/thread started again for the same old thing.

tim

[This message has been edited by HermanKnives (edited 02-07-2000).]
 
Marion.... RJ
Great post. Nice to see folks getting along and respecting each other.

As for your knives RJ..After talking to you at a few shows I realized You are one of the folks who really know what your talking about when it comes to steel metalurgy.

As posted above There is most often an underlying problem somewhere in the problems found with a complaint about steel.

Its an honor to know folks who act like the folks in this post..


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Web Site At www.infinet.com/~browzer/bldesmth.html
New Web at www.darrelralph.com

 
I agree, opening your mouth or in this case typing, is not communicating unless you have something to say, say it well, and are able to back it up.

Otherwise you are wasting everyone's time.

Glad I did not screw the pooch to badly.

Another time.

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Thank you,
Marion David Poff aka Eye, Cd'A ID, USA mdpoff@hotmail.com

"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.
 
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