Are expensive custom knives worth it?

K

knifejuggler

Joined
Dec 29, 2018
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More specifically, how much is too much to spend on a custom knife that you intend to use? Should you really pay over $1000 on a handmade bowie knife that you plan to take in the woods with you?

The reason I ask is that I was recently looking into have a custom bowie knife made. I saw prices that ranged from about $200 all the way up to $5000 or so. A lot of them were somewhere in between, around $2000. Take Gaetan Beauchamp, for example, absolutely beautiful knives, but I can't help but think they look a little too pretty. To pretty for use, that is. Are these considered "Art Knives?" How much is actually too much for a goodlooking bowie that I plan to use and expect to be fully functional, if not tough?
 
That truly depends you and what you can afford.

If I can afford it, I'll use it. Some others may have a cost threshold for what they will use and another for what they collect.

Regarding the functionality, I'd bet most if not all of the makers you're looking at will make a solid knife that will work just fine.
 
knifejuggler said:
More specifically, how much is too much to spend on a custom knife that you intend to use? Should you really pay over $1000 on a handmade bowie knife that you plan to take in the woods with you?

The reason I ask is that I was recently looking into have a custom bowie knife made. I saw prices that ranged from about $200 all the way up to $5000 or so. A lot of them were somewhere in between, around $2000. Take Gaetan Beauchamp, for example, absolutely beautiful knives, but I can't help but think they look a little too pretty. To pretty for use, that is. Are these considered "Art Knives?" How much is actually too much for a goodlooking bowie that I plan to use and expect to be fully functional, if not tough?
Click to expand...

If you are talking about pure cutting performance, I would say that you aren't going to get much more, if any more, performance out of a 5,000$ knife than you will out of a 500$ knife. Fancy materials ( forge welded pattern damascus, Timascus ect. ) are not going to make a knife perform any better.
 
You know, the funny thing is that the fundamental rule of economics is that value is relative, not objective. That's why we have such variety.

In other words, the question "Is X really worth Y?" has no answer, because the question is really "Is X worth Y to you?"

Which is a question only you can answer.
 
If I were in the Market for a Fancy Artsy Knife I'd get a CAS, if I wanted a very good looking Bowie that is also functional I'd get one made by @Phillip Patton . There is definitely a curve of diminishing returns to custom knives, at a certain point you pay for a name more than materials and performance. A 10 dollar knife will cut, a 100 dollar knife cuts longer, a 1000$ knife will not cut 10 times better or will hold an edge 10 times as long (in most cases).
 
Every individual will have a different answer to the old "How much is too much to spend on a knife that you intend to use” question. How much you’re able to spend and your personal tastes will both be determining factors. Some will consider a BM 940 to be a luxury knife that’s beyond their reach while others are overjoyed to spend $1,800 on a Shiro White Tiger.
 
I suppose it all depends what expensive means to you and what you're comfortable using.

For me, knives are functional art. So, it depends on how much of the art and how much of the function I'm buying. You tend to pay more when you have a lot of both.

I'm curious what you're looking for. I have one in my mind that's one of the better looking ones out there and still highly functional. Actually, there's two that I really want, eventually.

I want to say I'll never buy a knife just for art, but I do have all of the GEC moose options and only use the canvas one. But, if I didn't have that one I wouldn't hesitate to use the others. I limit what I allow myself to collect for appearances only. All of my fixed blades except one have been, and continue to be, used.
 
Thats a subjective question as mentioned everyones budgets and values are different. Personally i have my beater knives and nicer ones that get light edc use. Whatever your comfortable with spending on a user will dictate what to spend.
 
Some knife makers are excellent at blade geometry and heat treating. Those knives are well worth the extra money.

Other knife makers charge a lot, but their knives are mostly for show. They may cost the same, but they are not worth it.

I have custom knives from Phil Wilson and Bluntcut that are awesome -- super heat treats and excellent blade geometry. I treasure those knives. They have edge shoulders 0.008 inches or less in width. They slice like the dickens.

I have also purchased custom knives that were more expensive that were junk. One custom knife maker sent me a Bowie knife in W2 that could not hold an edge and easily rolled when chopped into a clean, clear piece of wood. The sheath fell apart when I got it because the threads were exposed and the edge cut them when the knife was pulled from the sheath. That knife was pure junk.

A light chopper that I purchased from Nathan at CPK is a rocking chopper. Wonderful heat treat. Excellent blade geometry for chopping.

So, like everything else with knives, it depends.
 
diminishing returns definitely come into play with high end customs as well as supply and demand. Custom makers can not just up their production to make more money. They can only charge more for their time. Add in the secondary market and you can get some pretty scary prices.
In the end only you can decide if you have the money and desire to purchase. I tend to get a bit nervous over $1000 for an EDC/user, and even then I am indulging myself extremely. If you use a $5000 knife you are going to take a big hit on value.
 
Luxury items are beyond
the reach of most ordinary folks.
Highly expensive is a niche market.
Thus the idea of it falls into
the bin of materialistic vanity;
since as a tool, it is not going
to perform tasks infinitely better
than the average common implement.
I betcha folks really want great edge holding and super cutting ability that can part an anvil in half in a single blow :)
Maybe ultimate performance is exactly
what one should really be paying for;
In relation to one's disposable cash status ;-)
 
You can easily see what's possible by looking on the Custom forum for the annual "best Bowie" thread. That being said I think this "user" by Phillip Patton is an excellent choice for a reasonably priced custom that I'm not afraid to carry. Truth be told it gets nowhere near the use the kitchen knife he made me does; that gets used a lot!

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Customs have not worked out for me...a couple folders that I designed were made to my exact specs and I didn't like either one of them. I seem to need to handle one to tell if I like it. I can get along just fine with folders with a max of $500.
I am much more drawn to custom fixed blades, but about $350 is max for me...
 
knifejuggler said:
More specifically, how much is too much to spend on a custom knife that you intend to use? Should you really pay over $1000 on a handmade bowie knife that you plan to take in the woods with you?

The reason I ask is that I was recently looking into have a custom bowie knife made. I saw prices that ranged from about $200 all the way up to $5000 or so. A lot of them were somewhere in between, around $2000. Take Gaetan Beauchamp, for example, absolutely beautiful knives, but I can't help but think they look a little too pretty. To pretty for use, that is. Are these considered "Art Knives?" How much is actually too much for a goodlooking bowie that I plan to use and expect to be fully functional, if not tough?
Click to expand...

Maybe not "Bowie" style, but I have a lot of big knives from Thailand. Hand-forged from spring steel, edge hardened. Work well, maybe $10 each these days, though I got them for less than half that. Set up a forge, bang some out and see what it's all about. The only thing that has to be pretty is the cutting edge.

These are made by and for people who use them every day.

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After you consider price of materials, basic artisan labor, and design, then any extra is for the art. If you like the artist, and want to support their art, then buy their art. If you are meh about them, then don't. At the end of the day there is nothing wrong with buying or not buying functional art, so long as you are honest with yourself about why you bought it. I have a couple knives on my "wish I could buy" list simply because I like the knife, and I hope the guy who makes them can keep making knives. Same reason I buy a concert ticket. If all I need is just a tool for a job, then just buy the best value tool that will do the job you need it to do. Nothing wrong with that either.
 
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