Bridging the gap - Collectors of Custom and Production

[Jon Brand]

This is something I've been discussing with Trevor Zantos (Mhael) and Mike Ruth Jr., being that we are all of similar age group. Ultimately, we feel that its extremely vital to get more collectors and interest into this amazing hobby we cherish.

How can we get more people into this hobby? All the shows need to have great turn outs and we need enough collectors out there to ensure the survival of value in our cherished collections. We need more collectors then makers in the custom side of things. Check out what I posted in "general" and let me hear your thoughts. Hopefully there will be some discussion there as well. Thanks again folks.


http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...k-about-CUSTOM-KNIVES?p=12920500#post12920500

 

[ptgdvc]

Invite a friend/s to go to a knife show with you. That is how I got sucked in.

 

[gga357]

This site has drastically increased my collecting scope. For me it was a matter of exposure to more makers. My local gun shows only featured one maker that I liked/like. This site opened up a whole new world of makers and levels workmanship.

I am not even sure what the closest big show is in this part of the country, but I might get my wife to attend. She is already showing an appreciation for small Damascus EDCs with very nice wood handles.

 

[Kevin Jones]

Invite a friend/s to go to a knife show with you. That is how I got sucked in.

I agree that knife shows are among our best opportunities to interest new collectors. I got exposed to custom knives by riding past the Blade Show while in Atlanta on business. I went in and that was all it took.

 

[valkyrierdr]

My wife and I are 61. We were sitting at the Ohio Gun Collectors and she was looking around. She said that we had better get some younger people in the club or in a few years it would not exist. We were 2 of the youngest people in the room. I don't know if there is no interest or if there are more people now that are just getting by and can't afford expensive hobbies any more. If we are to survive we must get more and younger people involved. I have noticed this in many public clubs. It seems younger people spend all their time in a non reality world on their cell phones.

 

[Kevin Jones]

My wife and I are 61. We were sitting at the Ohio Gun Collectors and she was looking around. She said that we had better get some younger people in the club or in a few years it would not exist. We were 2 of the youngest people in the room. I don't know if there is no interest or if there are more people now that are just getting by and can't afford expensive hobbies any more. If we are to survive we must get more and younger people involved. I have noticed this in many public clubs. It seems younger people spend all their time in a non reality world on their cell phones.

I agree, I read somewhere that the typical custom knife collector is a white male 57 years old. We desperately need younger collectors to enter the community.

 

[Chui]

Are they to expensive for you? Or do you not believe in the performance aspect compared to the veteran knife producers? I ask because I would love to see some growth in our community. Custom knives are works of art that usually will excel in their given tasks. I believe they cut BETTER then any production piece I have carried. And the mechanics seem to last longer. How can we get some of you into the custom community? I have been wondering for a long time. Customs can be expensive but some are very reasonable, and work VERY well. Used ones come around for sale and make GREAT additions to your pockets.

I have owned and used many Spydercos, Benchmade Emersons, Puma hunters, Emersons popular models, Paragons, Microtechs, Gerbers, Cold Steel, etc... and nothing compares to my handmade carry knife that is with me everyday. I'm even talking function, not beauty.

- an interesting one.

For me, I'd guess you can sum it up in two words - funds and access.

Funds - because obviously custom and handmade pieces cost more generally and collectors tend to be the more elderly amongst us.

Access - I have been fortunate. Though I live in UK, originally from Africa, I go back a lot to get my fix. And now, having met the forum owner and members of SABlade, I now frequent their shows and know many a renowned maker. It is this meeting, chatting, listening-to, rubbing shoulders with and getting 'stuck in' to the world of customs/handmade, that has created a desire over and above production knives, and, a wonderful set of new friends.

So, getting exposure of makers to general knife friendly folk is a start worth pursuing.

Perhaps too, custom makers need to look at the seemingly growing band of fairly well monied youngsters who love their tacticals, and tacticals only it seems...........there's a market for the makers to tap.

 

[JParanee]

I have attended many shows and worked enough to have formed an opinion

Regretfully as much as this troubles me to say there is a market that is growing and that is not the ABS style blades

Alas natural handle materials and the like are very popular here but that is not the norm at the shows and other sites

The tactical market is growing and the big buzz in the industry is there

We have watched the Guild slowly loose momentum and now at the shows its tumble weeds and walkers and soon the ABS section of the shows will be the same

The new buyers clamoring to the shows will be looking for the latest and greatest in designs and materials and if the makers want to replenish their buying audience they better cater to them

If any of you have attended the new tac invitational in Vegas you would be amazed at what this younger audience is spending

I'm a stag forged blade guy but I'm also a dying part of the market

My advice to any of my friend makers is to not ignore this new part of the market because if you do alas a lot of your customers will soon all be dead

New collectors are being attracted by makers that are stepping into this field

 

[Kevin Jones]

^^^ Joe, I wouldn't write the ABS and Guild makers off just yet my friend.
I believe some of the young bucks who enter the community purchasing tactical knives will eventually migrate over to more traditional knives.

 

[betzner]

I have attended many shows and worked enough to have formed an opinion

Regretfully as much as this troubles me to say there is a market that is growing and that is not the ABS style blades

Alas natural handle materials and the like are very popular here but that is not the norm at the shows and other sites

The tactical market is growing and the big buzz in the industry is there

We have watched the Guild slowly loose momentum and now at the shows its tumble weeds and walkers and soon the ABS section of the shows will be the same

The new buyers clamoring to the shows will be looking for the latest and greatest in designs and materials and if the makers want to replenish their buying audience they better cater to them

If any of you have attended the new tac invitational in Vegas you would be amazed at what this younger audience is spending

I'm a stag forged blade guy but I'm also a dying part of the market

My advice to any of my friend makers is to not ignore this new part of the market because if you do alas a lot of your customers will soon all be dead

New collectors are being attracted by makers that are stepping into this field

Joe, I think you are absolutely spot on. I have had this notion for some time. Lots of younger generation dollars are heading for tacticals. Times have changed. Rather than try and convince oneself that young tactical buyers will eventually switch to the good ol' Bowie market, it's may time for the good ol' Bowie makers to start adapting to a new, younger market - or go the way of the dodo. It's a rather simplistic notion to think the entire "traditional" market will fade away, but it sure seems to have tilted strongly in the direction of tacticals -and my personal sense is that won't change.

 

[Bladeplay74]

I can't overstate the importance of this site and especially this subforum in forming my experience as a collector. I found it by chance while researching a knife to replace an SOG I had lost while scrambling near a flooded creek in Zion Natl Park. Without that seemingly inconsequential loss, I would have never found a home here. Without you folks, I might have gravitated to one of the "hotter" trends. So don't lose heart just yet brothers in arms. This young buck wouldn't be here without you, and for that I am thankful.

Seth

 

[JParanee]

I hope so

DeLac created the tactical invitational because he sees an emerging market and is smart enough to take advantage of it.

 

[Lorien]

nevermind.

 

[JParanee]

Joe, I think you are absolutely spot on. I have had this notion for some time. Lots of younger generation dollars are heading for tacticals. Times have changed. Rather than try and convince oneself that young tactical buyers will eventually switch to the good ol' Bowie market, it's may time for the good ol' Bowie makers to start adapting to a new, younger market - or go the way of the dodo. It's a rather simplistic notion to think the entire "traditional" market will fade away, but it sure seems to have tilted strongly in the direction of tacticals -and my personal sense is that won't change.

I agree Bob

shows like the Gathering and the Tac iNv are growing and ABS and guild events are shrinking

I'm seeing more old guys with baggy pants and flippers

The big production companies failed miserable with their runs of ABS style Bowies

Top makers in this genre are doing design deals with the large production companies and the customers of the production knives are moving up into the customs and mid techs from these makers

They are being bottle feed right into their laps so to speak

I know a lot of top ABS Makers that are going in this route and I think they are smart to not miss the boat

One visit to blade and you will see who is selling out and having to do lotteries to supply the demand

When is the last time besides with a Tony Bose have you seen someone flip a classic knife in a drawing for big money

 

[Jon Brand]

Regarding the ABS vs tac market- I think alot of it has to do with increasingly tight laws on blade length and carry. Tacticals pack alot into a small (typically) folding package whereas the ABS style sports many long flashy blades.

NY is a completely different scene from out west and I assume there are still alot of big blades being carried out there.

 

[leghog]

I agree, I read somewhere that the typical custom knife collector is a white male 57 years old. We desperately need younger collectors to enter the community.

When you are younger and raising a family and saving for college and often not yet even in your best earning years, income for luxuries is a luxury itself. Certainly their are young ones who spend with reckless abandon, but I'll bet dollars to donuts, they'll not be collectors when they're in their 50s and 60s unless the remain single and without obligations to others.

 

[A.l.e.x.]

Hello!

I don't know how this would be accepted amongst "Bowie makers", but from what I see in the younger local European market (esp. the tactical one) quite a few people would be willing to invest in "traditional" designs (read: natural handle material and shape) if these featured modern "high tech" steels. A lot of these younger people I talk to over here (the tactical guys as well as collectors of local traditional patterns) are simply not willing to pay a premium for "only" 1095 and the likes. These people consider most high carbon steels "old technology" and are immediately turned of by it, even if the knife pattern itself would suit their preferences.

That said, an MS stag-bowie in S90V, REX121 etc should be able to turn a lot of heads from the younger tactical corner over here and raise some serious money.

Regards,
Alex

 

[JParanee]

This proves that they do not understand how good a properly heat treated piece of W 2 can be

The Carbon blades lend themselves to big high performance blades

You could not give me a combat Bowie made of s90v

 

[canineforge]

This proves that they do not understand how good a properly heat treated piece of W 2 can be

The Carbon blades lend themselves to big high performance blades

You could not give me a combat Bowie made of s90v

Experience speaks. High tech involves a lot of marketing. Performance involves a lot of sweat. Joe P knows.

- Joe

 

[A.l.e.x.]

Hello!

Joe, maybe so, but I am afraid that completely leaving out this part of the (steel) market might also lead to a dead end. Personally, I would prefer getting more people interested by using modern steels to not getting them interested at all.

Then again, I am completely happy with high carbon as well as most modern super steels. And it sure is funny and saddening at the same time to watch most tactical guys look down on some of my treasured high carbon and damascus Bowies, Fighters and Kuks because of the "old.rusty steel". They usually go on to present any of their mid-tech folders in some super-stainless steel with that "grail-look". Other than adopting the steel for classic designs as well, I myself can't see a way of getting these people to really get into carbon steel blades. Maybe the Amercan market is different in this respect, because I can see more love for carbon steel (on these forums).

Regards,
Alex