If you were a good custom knife maker and you teamed up with a production knife company that produced garbage, do you think it would look bad on you? What if you teamed up with a production company that had a great rep and your design was poor? Do you think it would hurt your rep or the production knife company's rep more?
I ask this because most people get introduced to a custom knife maker's name by buying a knife from a production company that makes one of his designs. For example, Benchmade has the 940 Osborn. I had never heard of Osborn before the BM knife came out but now I would look at his stuff because I think it is a well made knife and a good design. BM also had the 885 Darkstar Elishwitz (sp?). I had one and didn't think much of it. It was a bad design with good materials, I don't think BM was to blame because it was made well but the design was poor. I consider that the custom knifemaker's fault. I doubt I would ever buy anything from Elishwitz (whatever it is!) becuase there are better designers IMHO.
What about you? Have you been turned off a custom guy because a production knife you bought didn't measure up that bore his name? I do think this is a fair way to judge a knifemaker by the way since I am only considering the design and I take into account the price point. I feel if the custom guy is going to take a paycheck for putting his name on the knife, he needs to take the responsibility if it is a piece of dog doo.
I ask this because most people get introduced to a custom knife maker's name by buying a knife from a production company that makes one of his designs. For example, Benchmade has the 940 Osborn. I had never heard of Osborn before the BM knife came out but now I would look at his stuff because I think it is a well made knife and a good design. BM also had the 885 Darkstar Elishwitz (sp?). I had one and didn't think much of it. It was a bad design with good materials, I don't think BM was to blame because it was made well but the design was poor. I consider that the custom knifemaker's fault. I doubt I would ever buy anything from Elishwitz (whatever it is!) becuase there are better designers IMHO.
What about you? Have you been turned off a custom guy because a production knife you bought didn't measure up that bore his name? I do think this is a fair way to judge a knifemaker by the way since I am only considering the design and I take into account the price point. I feel if the custom guy is going to take a paycheck for putting his name on the knife, he needs to take the responsibility if it is a piece of dog doo.