Anyone else feel the same ?

pitdog

pitdog

Joined
Apr 13, 2007
Messages
12,294
It hit me yesterday that since spending time on this forum I have sowly been losing interest in production knives and gravitating more and more toward the custom makers !
I can't put my finger on why exactly, there just seems something a little more special in knowing who it was that produced your knife.
The Scrapyard released a new blade the other day and a while back I'd have given my right arm to have got one but this time after a short while thinking it over just thought 'Nah I'll leave it'.:eek:
 
I've definitely come that way myself. Especially with the prices from a few of our makers being what they are. Although I know I'll be picking up some of the new Condor line if it ever comes.

I've also really been concentrating on fixed blades, I havent bought a folder in months.
 
cmdionne said:
I've definitely come that way myself. Especially with the prices from a few of our makers being what they are. Although I know I'll be picking up some of the new Condor line if it ever comes.

I've also really been concentrating on fixed blades, I havent bought a folder in months.
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Your right about the prices, this one went for $80 the other day, what production can you get for $80 that compares to this !!!!

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I don't think the price thing is the whole story though, I used to look at Busse's and think...one day....but now I look at such as Scott Gossmans larger pieces etc !!!!!
 
The makers here get all my money over production. I do pay attention to a few production knives like Rat Cutlery and BRKT, but no one else really. The only production knife that I feel I really want right now is the BRKT Gunny.

I still prefer doing business with the knife makers here though. Each knife I get is special and has its own soul. If that makes any sense....
 
tonym said:
I still prefer doing business with the knife makers here though. Each knife I get is special and has its own soul. If that makes any sense....
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I totally understand what you mean. However I think that production blades can have the same feeling sometimes. My family is from the UP, and my mom's side from the southern UP , so I really like having knives from the makers up there. I spent alot of time when I was younger staying with my grandparents and running around in the woods behind their house. I still make it up there every deer season and hunt the same woods that my family has been hunting for 4 generations. It's really cool, and the UP is a really special place to me.

I've got an old marbles, a Rapid River bird and trout knife, and I've really been wanting to pick up a Bark River of some sort. These knives all have "soul" to me, just because they're made right where I had most of my formative wilderness experiences.

But I definitely have a greater connection to the customs I have.
 
I think because most custom you can change things like you want on them, prices are cheaper on alot of customs, production models knife cost alot sometimes. almost 3 times some customs. just my thoughts
 
I'm in agreement with Pitdog. I've come more and more to look toward custom makers and their knives when I'm thinking about a cutlery purchase. Too many talented makers creating incredible knives to look elsewhere.

That being said, I still like my CRKs and Spydercos and SAKs for daily carry folders. ;)

AJ
 
I also agree with Pit, I hardly look at Production knives anymore.

Even the semi-production knives I have kept (Dozier’s and Bark River’s) are mostly custom variants in some way.

There is something special in having a Special Knife. :thumbup: :cool: :thumbup:
 
not me, I've stuck with prduction just so I dont have to wait, and I dont feel so bad about breaking it.

One of these days I might get a custom, but the closest I think Ill get in a bit is a BRK&T.
 
Fonly said:
not me, I've stuck with prduction just so I dont have to wait, and I dont feel so bad about breaking it.

One of these days I might get a custom, but the closest I think Ill get in a bit is a BRK&T.
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The waiting is rough, but man it makes it sweet when the knife finally gets done... besides, some of the wait-times arent that bad. Kaleb Reynolds (Muskrat Man Knives) doesnt have a bad wait-time. It's only around 16-18 weeks. When they start hitting the 1 1/2-2 year mark (like the Charlie May I'm waiting on) that's when it starts getting rough. :D
 
I own less than 2 dozen fixed blades and almost all are customs. I have very little interest in production models. I like owning something that someone built in their workshop!
 
I have a lot of custom knives BUT, to me a quality Blade is a quality blade, production or custom. Certain knives catch my eye and I usually have to give it a try. The Buck 110 was my first locking folder and they will always be a favorite of mine, I have gone several years at a time using only the 110 and a fillet knife. Certainly could do it again. If I had no choice except Buck knives, I wouldn't shed a tear. That said, nothing beats variety. Of course, I am a big JK fan.:D:thumbup: But then, John likes Buck knives too.:)
 
tonym said:
Each knife I get is special and has its own soul. If that makes any sense....
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Makes perfect sense...the makers put a little of themselves in every knife they make. Not like the soul-less-ness of an assembly line. You feel the energy they place within while concentrating so hard and sweating over...even sometimes bleeding on, during the process of creating the piece. In essence they do have their own soul.
 
I have switched my collection from all production (Busse & BRKT) to mostly customs. I have kept a few Barkies & Busse knives that I really like but I only order custom stuff now. My collection is made up of user style knives also, I do not like knives that just sit around and look pretty.

I found away around the waiting, you just have to place more orders so that you always have new inventory coming in.
 
Besides my leatherman I inly have customs - although I am thinking about a decent folder and not sure if factory or custom is the way to go - my next fixed will be a HI khukri - also a custom!
 
Fonly said:
not me, I've stuck with prduction just so I dont have to wait, and I dont feel so bad about breaking it.

One of these days I might get a custom, but the closest I think Ill get in a bit is a BRK&T.
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You only have to wait if you are buying one made to order, if you buy from the makers forum you will likely have it quicker than ordering a production knife from mail order !!!!:thumbup:
 
Not really, although I have been looking at a lot recently. I have become more wanting of knives just because I can't get as many. Isn't that how everything always goes?
 
I agree 100%. And I don't even really have much of a collection yet. I seem to have skipped over the production knife craze altogether...
 
My interest in production knives hasn't decreased; however, my interest in handcrafted knives has increased.
 
My interest in better quality knives has increased. I have found myself enjoying some new SAKs, decent quality slippies (Boker Tree Brand), Buck Custom Shop knives, and gravitating towards Bark River fixed blades. The quality is there - and they satisfy my needs and wants - and a big thank you to those here who opened my eyes!

Stainz
 
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