Choosing a knifemaker

Don Adelfson

Don Adelfson

Joined
Oct 12, 2001
Messages
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I have been lurking around the Blade Forums searching for some information on how to choose a knifemaker. I have a couple of knives I want built, however I am fairly new to serious knife collecting and the number of makers is intimidating. I do not have enough knowledge of all the makers and their abilities to establish any sort of valid criteria for choosing one over another.

Would someone be able to recommend a maker to me....I do not need the most expensive or the best known....I also would like to have these knives in less than 4 months.

What I need is a fish fillet knife....6 - 6 ½ " blade of D-2 with a handle that would take a beating and also not slip out of my hand. My major problem with production fillet knives, even the best ones available, is the blades are too "whippy" and this is a problem when putting a new edge on them. There is too much "give" and sharpening is a hassle. I would want the blade as thin as typical fish fillet blade but without the "give".

I also need something similar to Knives of Alaska's "Light Hunter" Mini-Skinner....but without the gut hook. This would also be D-2.
The handle material for both would be at the suggestion of the maker.

If you might be able to give me some help here it would be much appreciated.
 
Your in SoCal, come to the next meeting of the California Knifemakers Association. You will get to meet alot of top name makers in a personal informal setting. There are many guys who would do a good job on these. I can tell that I will pass, just not my bag and I feel that others could do a better job. Also we have Expo coming up real fast. There will be a hundred or so makers that you can meet and handle their knives. All this will give a good idea of what maker to hire.
 
I am no custom knife maker but half the pleasure of owning a custom knife is getting to know the maker! Go to a show, meet a bunch of guys and you are bound to find a great tool and a great guy who makes it for you! Once you start getting to know some of the guys you will probably wind up making your decision more on the "who" than the "what"!
 
I agree with Ron and Jason. There is something very special having a knife made from a maker that you have taken the time to get to know.

As much as I enjoy the forums there is a vast difference in going to a show and meeting other knife nuts and makers (thank God some of the makers are nuts too :D) Go to a show, have fun, find a kindred spirit and start talking. Even putting knives aside, it can turn out to be a great experience.
 
Some ideas on a fillet knife:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=184592&highlight=melvin+dunn

I think 440V is a superior steel for a fillet knife (great edge holding, good corrosion resistance).

If you insist on D2, and don't mind swinging the "custom" price, Bob Dozier would crank out a blade to your sketch for under $200 I'm guessing. No harm in faxing a sketch and asking. Bob knows how to heat treat D2, that is for SURE. Just ask him to finish the grind on the blade to say 600 grit or something finer than 320 anyway. That will make it easier to clean and keep from corrosion. Pick out one of the handles of his stock knifes that you like and go from there. Consider asking him to bead blast the handle for grip (like he does on the Ranger).

www.dozierknives.com

On the Alaska's "Light Hunter" Mini-Skinner....but without the gut hook... I really don't know, but someone will. I suppose that, again, if you insist on D2 (which I like by the way on this one), why not send Dozier a 2nd sketch. This one will take some pretty damned wide stock, and some bandsawing the outline, so it could cost you more than you think it's worth. But D2 at Rc61 is hard to beat these days for the money.
 
a pic of the alaska skinner
 

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Originally posted by Gus Kalanzis
(thank God some of the makers are nuts too :D)
Click to expand...

LOL, I would hate to have to name ones that weren't!!;) ;)


Oh yeah, DGA . . . welcome to the forums!!!!
 
Not to jump on the bandwagon but... What they said! :) I could reccomend knife makers whose styles and techniques I happen to like, but I don't think that would be helpful.

Only YOU know what kind of knife you want, and through the internet you can browse through hundreds of knifemaker's galleries to see which ones think along the same lines you do about what the knife you're looking for at the time should look like and be made from. I chose that route instead of choosing a reccommended maker and telling him to work in a different steel and in a different style than he normally does.

Also, I can't say enough about finding someone you click with. In my quest, I ended up making a few friends among custom knife makers, and I personally wouldn't do business with anyone who didn't respond with good communication and show an interest in fulfilling your needs - even if it means reccommending another maker for a specific project!

Out of the millions of knifemakers, the way I found most helpful to narrow down the choices was to pay attention to posts by knifemakers in the bladeforms. When I noticed someone whom I felt handled themselves respectably and had good technical insight, I'd check out their website a little closer than I would a maker that I stumbled on through a link.

As a rule of thumb, this is my reccomendation:

1) Find makers who already work with the metal you want, and/OR whose knives are built very closely to the way you want. I stress 'OR' because sometimes there's a better metal for your task than what you're considering. Sometimes.

2) Probe them with some questions, and see how they respond. Are you compatable? I had an old gunsmith who was talented but was closed to new ideas, and we got along miserably because he thought all that cryo treatment stuff was "hooey." Extreme example, but you'll be communicating with the maker about all sorts of details that are important to you throughout the project, and you don't want someone who will roll their eyes when you bring up points that are personally important to you. Even worse, you don't want someone who is bad at even responding or takes it personally if you don't take their reccommendation.

Yikes, sorry this was so long, but having just gone through the process, there was no short way to say it. Hope it helps. -And good luck!
 
I do not recall a lot of makers who make fillets but there are some around

I had Tom Mayo make my father a really nice fillet and he loves it. www.mayoknives.com

Phil Wilson's fillet knive were featured in one of the knife mags in the last few years and look nice. Don't have any contact info

There are many makers around who could make one. Going to a show is a great idea. Try posting on the Custom Knife Directory if you do not get a response to your post here.

http://pub42.ezboard.com/bcustomknifedirectoryforum


I would consider a stainless steel instead of a semi-stainless like D2. D2 is a fine tool steel but more likely to have problems with rust verses a good stainless like 154cm or 440-c. However if you want D2 go for it, that is the great thing about custom knives, you get to have it built your way!
 
to all of you who took the time to share your thoughts on my request. I would love to attend a show...from what I've heard here, that approach makes the most sense.

Knowing myself pretty well, concurrent to getting to know some of the knifemakers, I will likely come away broke but with several new knives...which is OK...I really NEED more knives...you understand?? :)
 
The best thing to do is find a maker who represents your style and price range. Some guys just make tacticals, others will make art knives and some will make anything you want. You have to like their choices of materials, designs, grinds and availability, they might have a wait. So look around and see what catches your eye.
Chuck
 
was in Marlboro, MA. It was a small show in comparision to the shot show or BLADE, but for me it was a first. My image of a knife-maker was this omnipotent, "holier than thou" art-teest, who considered it his pleasure to allow me to spend my money. What a surprise!!!:) :)

I met some of the nicest, finest, and most knowledgeable knifeknutts and was absolutely floored. I did not expect to have an 'escort' taking me from Maker to Maker, introducing me and my two boys and spending two hours just with me explaining who was who and what was what.

I look forward to my first BIG show. While I am sure that there are those that are not that approachable and open, it should be easy to spot. Not too many will be stopping at their table. But as Gus said, just getting to really know who is who goes miles in helping make a decision on the list of Makers you end up with, and getting to know the true knifeknutts just reinforces the addiction.

My only problem is my list keeps getting longer, and my addiction stronger:eek: :eek: :D
 
Welcome to the Forums.. :).., and if you come to the Show in Vegas, you will also meet lots of good makers up close and personal!


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
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