can't believe no one is familar with Staple..
- Thread starter RJP
- Start date
Hmmmm...
"His knives are coveted by many celebrities and regularly sell for 4 or
5 figures. Yet no one here has heard of them? " (emphasis mine)
That should tell you something. So, why don't you give us some info or a website?
addendum:
I did an Alta Vista search and had one hit on Chuck Staple. http://www.caravanwest.com/guns.html The site has a pic of a dagger Mr. Staple made for the movie "Tombstone". No information about the materials used in the construction of said knife.
In answer to your question, I'd venture to say that Mr. Staple has found a lucrative niche market and hasn't exposed himself to the knife world in general, for reasons only known to himself.
[This message has been edited by DC (edited 10-16-98).]
"His knives are coveted by many celebrities and regularly sell for 4 or
5 figures. Yet no one here has heard of them? " (emphasis mine)
That should tell you something. So, why don't you give us some info or a website?
addendum:
I did an Alta Vista search and had one hit on Chuck Staple. http://www.caravanwest.com/guns.html The site has a pic of a dagger Mr. Staple made for the movie "Tombstone". No information about the materials used in the construction of said knife.
In answer to your question, I'd venture to say that Mr. Staple has found a lucrative niche market and hasn't exposed himself to the knife world in general, for reasons only known to himself.
[This message has been edited by DC (edited 10-16-98).]
- Joined
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- 1,290
Well, I can't speak to his pricing levels but I've known of his work for a long time. I believe if you go back thru some of the "Knives" annuals you will see his work represented. I recall the venerable Ken Warner writing about him in several articles.
There are lots of very talented and long standing makers out there that never get mentioned in these forums, perhaps because of price ? I don't know, thats why I always get the "Annuals" and the Gun Digest "Book of Knives".
There are lots of very talented and long standing makers out there that never get mentioned in these forums, perhaps because of price ? I don't know, thats why I always get the "Annuals" and the Gun Digest "Book of Knives".
Les Robertson
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Brian brings up a good point, research in the old Knife Annuals is a good place to look for makers work.
Currently, the custom knife market is going through a rebirth of sorts. There is a changing of the guard. Many of the well known, established knife makers have all the orders they can stand. Many have excellent retirement packages from their previous employers and make what they like and charge what they like. They exsist in a kind of a parallel market.
This is good for the maker, but may have a negative impact on his knives worth in the aftermarket. Because, many of these makers stop advertising and go to fewer shows and dont have catalog's they tend to get lost in the crowd by todays new custom knife buyers.
Many incredible knifemakers are unknow to alot of current knife buyers. Makers such as Herman Schneider, Charlie Weiss, Ted Dowell and Willie Rigney. These are makers of exceptional talent.
Price does enter into these and other makers such as Buster Warenski, Doug Casteel and Fred Carter make mostly one of a kind knives that command (and deservedly so) a high price.
Dont let this stop you from checking out the work of these makers and many others not mentioned here, remember it doesnt cost anyting to look.
Come on posters, who else do we need to be looking at!
Les
Currently, the custom knife market is going through a rebirth of sorts. There is a changing of the guard. Many of the well known, established knife makers have all the orders they can stand. Many have excellent retirement packages from their previous employers and make what they like and charge what they like. They exsist in a kind of a parallel market.
This is good for the maker, but may have a negative impact on his knives worth in the aftermarket. Because, many of these makers stop advertising and go to fewer shows and dont have catalog's they tend to get lost in the crowd by todays new custom knife buyers.
Many incredible knifemakers are unknow to alot of current knife buyers. Makers such as Herman Schneider, Charlie Weiss, Ted Dowell and Willie Rigney. These are makers of exceptional talent.
Price does enter into these and other makers such as Buster Warenski, Doug Casteel and Fred Carter make mostly one of a kind knives that command (and deservedly so) a high price.
Dont let this stop you from checking out the work of these makers and many others not mentioned here, remember it doesnt cost anyting to look.
Come on posters, who else do we need to be looking at!
Les
- Joined
- Dec 14, 1998
- Messages
- 4,870
Les has a good point here!
There is a changing of the guard in the knife industry today. In ten years some of the makers you see now will be in the same boat. It takes many years to get really good at knife making. It seems once a maker does its easy to rest on your rep. Many times the maker will have a following of folks who buy several knives over many many years. Only so many can be made. Those makers who have reached that apex just have a niche market and love it. So they dont need the exposure as they did when they were comming up.
There is a changing of the guard in the knife industry today. In ten years some of the makers you see now will be in the same boat. It takes many years to get really good at knife making. It seems once a maker does its easy to rest on your rep. Many times the maker will have a following of folks who buy several knives over many many years. Only so many can be made. Those makers who have reached that apex just have a niche market and love it. So they dont need the exposure as they did when they were comming up.