CKCA-Jerry Fisk $100,000 Custom Knife Challenge-Details Added

Instead of contest, why not spend the money to develop a traveling exhibition? There are a lot of art museums both small and large that are strapped for cash that are looking for smaller less expensive shows. CKCA collectors could loan pieces to be used, the money could be used to set up the exhibit, and continuing fundraising by CKCA could keep the exhibit on the road.
 
^because the guy footing the bill didn't go for that option.
Really, it comes down to the vision of one person here. The guy holding the cash. And, he's smart enough to enlist someone like Jerry Fisk to bring his vision to fruition.
Besides, they are trying to run this thing as carbon neutral as possible, (no pun intended).:D
 
I myself would like to hear more of what the idea of Innovation, does this mean more design invention or more strictly the art- as it is catering to art judges? Is the idea "Can someone build a better Swiss army knife?". There are a few very good Italian makers that have already done some of this innovation in folders- new ideas, designs, high attention to lines and workmanship..

I am also questioning if market exposure is the goal, how might a contest draw more attention than say using the money to promote David Darom's series of books? .. What is already there in photos is a better testament to the current art knife generation. Ofcourse, I understand it must follow a set of rules.. it should be interesting. - but I hope it doesnt turn out to be more of a "best new Bowie" contest. In other words, more innovation in every aspect. Not in just artistic merits.
David
 
It is too expensive to put a traveling exhibit on in various museums and galleries as well as insurance etc. To the general public they are not going to know and innovative lock or process or design from a traditional one. They have to be taught. Hence the competition with the proper coverage and properly connected judges were we can have stories, writeups etc., thats where the teaching portion comes in.

Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them.
Thats basically what we need to do with our coverage of custom knives so that we can expand the market.
Now, there is not some undiscovered tribe of people that are going to suddenly discover knives and buy all they see. We have to show more of the public what we do and teach them. This entire process should be step one.

This is about innovation. Who is already trying to be innovative but lacks the funds to really reach out there? Innovation is not only about decoration but about performance and somehow being able to up the quality of what is being produced. Then those people selected sharing that information with the rest of the knife world and hopefully spawning more innovation.

Personally I do not care if the winner of this thing can put the application to a $50.00 hunting knife or a another King Tut piece, if it is something we have not seen before in its form and funtion, if it draws in more people, gets more people to the shows, and stirs up interest then we will all benifit. Then again, this is why I made sure knifemakers, including myself, are not running this program cause we aint all got good sense. :)
 
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That's a very helpful elaboration on what has been said to-date, Mr. Fisk. Thanks for taking the time to clarify.
Maybe mass media is one way to go. How about a judge like Alton Brown who has shown an interest in knives and has the ear of a large(er) audience?
Just a thought...
 
BenB, thats a good one too. When you really get to thinking about there are a lot of areas such as who you just mentioned we can go to or with.
The CKCA is really kicking over a lot of names and venues to reach various target audiences and as I understand it is is a tough balance. In my opinion you cannot beat having them head and run this program. They do not just grind their own axe, they grind everyones axes. What and who they come up and for what reasons it is up to them. The same with the judges. I think it is excellent that the judges will be at the worlds largest knife show all weekend walking around. What better way to get in there and mix with such a diverse group.
 
I for one am thrilled. I see this as a chance to spend the time it takes to really come up with something new. I spent a lot of time trying new stuff and some of it pay's off. In the last month or so I have come up with a new way to make mosaic damascus. it is different than tiling and has some advantages. I will do a WIP thread on it as I want to share it.
the thing that keeps me from spending the time to really go where my mind can go, is the $5000 plus in bills each month so I find myself short the time it takes to really just jump into what could be. I will throw my hat into the ring on this as I feel I have something to offer. If I could take 3 months and chase the stars, I would change the name on the door to the Triple DRC (Dave's Damascus Development Research Center) and shoot for the moon. Okay, I am getting off track. I will go fill out the paperwork, can't wait to see what comes from all this.
 
The Custom Knife Collectors Association Inc has been granted 501(c)(7) tax exempt status by the IRS paving the way for the start of the CKCA Jerry Fisk Cutlery Challenge. We will soon have applications available for makers who want to apply for our endowments.

This will be a very productive and exiciting project for the entire custom knife community.

We welcome any qestions you may have.
 
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Kevin my friend Merry X Mas

You guys certainly are taking it to the next level

Fantastic
 
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The Challenge

The CKCA - Jerry Fisk Cutlery Challenge is an opportunity for CKCA members who are full-time knife makers, (forge and/or
do stock removal) to be awarded an endowment of $15,000 for creating the most innovative knife they have ever done.
Out of all the submissions, three recipients will be chosen and can use the money however they choose – as long as it
related to making a knife which is more innovative. For example, the money could be used for training/travel for
engraving/carving or for the purchase of needed equipment. It could be the innovation of a new process – a new design –
anything which produces a knife more innovative than what is currently being done. Makers are required to keep
records/receipts detailing how their endowment was spent and these records are subject to inspection by the CKCA. Each
recipient must agree to be photographed and/or filmed during the year they are working on their knife – and must promise
to disclose any methods that they used at the end of the program. ALL WORK MUST BE DONE BY THE MAKERS
THEMSELVES – ABSOLUTELY NO OUTSOURCING. Those methods and videos will be available for viewing upon
presentation of their pieces for judging at the Blade Show in Atlanta. After judging is complete, the information will be
available for educating other makers.

The benefactor of the program has claimed the “right to purchase” any or all of the submitted knives at a price agreed
upon by he and the maker. Any knives not purchased by the benefactor may be sold by the makers to whomever they
choose after they are judged and the project is completed. All money received from the sales go to the makers. CKCA is
not responsible for selling the knives nor will they receive any money from the sales. (CKCA reserves the right to have the
knives displayed for a period of time in a museum (yet to be determined) in order to further promote custom knife making in
the art field). Each recipient will be responsible for paying taxes on these funds and will receive a 1099 at the end of the
year for tax reporting purposes.

Here are our Project Milestones:

May 1, 2012 - All applications have to be in to the CKCA for consideration.

June 7, 2012 - Three CKCA member knifemakers will be chosen for each to receive a $15,000.00 endowment to create their Knife Innovation Project. Winners will be announced and checks awarded at the annual CKCA Banquet/Meeting/Mini Knife Show on Thursday night before Blade Show.

July 7, 2012 - Date by which the three winning knifemakers will give the CKCA an idea of the direction they are going in creating their Knife Innovation Project. You are not committing to an idea or design but more running your ideas, concept and preferably drawings past us for acceptance and/or guidance.

April 15, 2013 - Date that all three Knife Innovation Projects are to be 100% completed and due to our designated CKCA photographer for photography and promo materials.

Blade Show June 2013 - The winning Knife Innovation Project will be selected by our distinguished panel of judges and winning knifemaker will be introduced and celebrated as the 2013 CKCA-Jerry Fisk Cutlery Challenge Winner.

Fill out and submit an application here:
http://customknifecollectorsassociation.com/Application_Form.html
 
There's about 30 days left to send in your applications for a chance to participate in this worthwhile project.
We have amended the rules to allow Non-full time knifemakers to apply. If not currently a CKCA member
and want to apply, all you have to do is join before sending in your application.
 
Joe, now you know I cannot count past 10 with my shoes on, but so far we are happy with the number but encourage all we can to apply. The reason being that the more we can have apply then it looks really good for extending this for another year or longer. This would mean that it would reach and include more applicants to be chosen.

Whomever the applicants are that is chosen will benifit very well. We will be reaching non knifemaking publications as well as regular knife sources. This will open up a big market. The judges that will be brought in for the judging next year will be paid to be at the Bladeshow all weekend to wander up and down the asiles. They may find someone that is not one of the chosen three to put in their gallery/magazine/paper or other media source.

For years I have heard and have said myself that we need to reach a new area of market. This is the way to do it, just simply pay them to be there and let our makers open their eyes. I know of know of group of traditional artist that is diverse as knifemakers. From materials they work with to the designs that they come up with. This simply means it is bigger than any one individual as to what you can do for our entire industry as well as get yourself on the map more with people that has the resources to promote the makers that apply.

When they are there for the blade show I would like to give the judges a list of all of the applicants after the judging is over, so, for sure we will be touting not only the winners but all of the applicants so these people will be taking a good look at all of the applicants at the show, then the rest of the makers that are there at the Bladeshow.

This is a good booster shot for each maker that applies so you folks sign up and sign in on this.
 
Ben B said:
First of all, it is a great and very generous idea.

There seems to me to be a bit of a dichotomy, however.
If the judges and end "market" for the innovative knives are art galleries, museums, art critics etc., isn't it going to drive the project toward ornamentation rather than real innovation?
Say someone invented a "new" steel or a locking mechanism for a folder that was a quantum leap from, say, a framelock or a slipjoint? Would an art critic have an appropriate appreciation of this? Hypothetical of course, but it might serve the discussion.

I may not understand the Challenge completely, but if it ends up being an art knife challenge, then it is only serving a small percentage of makers and collectors.

People have used Bob Kramer's success in the custom kitchen knife market as an example of what many wish could happen in the knife market in general, myself included, but his success was due both to the exposure and the fact that his knives work great. Great steel, great ergonomics, great grind. One wouldn't happen without the other. But fundamentally his works are knives rather than jewelry.

I'm going out on a limb a bit here as a devil's advocate, but maybe further discussion will help me as a collector and the makers understand the concept a little better.
Click to expand...

Nutshell: There are more and more makers and fewer and fewer collectors. We need an expanded market.
 
Cromagon, you are right.
Few people come in collecting right at the top. Most get interested and excited and start collecting lower end which makes sense. As they learn many start buying higher up on the scale to art knives but they buy knives all along the different levels. This challenge will bring all levels not just art pieces. Its all about bringing them in first, then educating them at what ever level they want to be at. The world would be boring if only art knives or ony plain hunting knives were the only ones. We need all. Another view of this is that if we can bring enough folks in the demand for pieces might be there enough to where they want it right then so it may pick up the secondary market. We are trying to cover that base as well.
 
Cromagnon said:
Nutshell: There are more and more makers and fewer and fewer collectors. We need an expanded market.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more and expanding the market is one of the most exciting aspects of this project.
The challenge is going to give custom knives exposure to the mainstream collectible community which for the most part don't even know these knives exist.
 
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I tend to agree with Ben B's thoughts on this., My wonder is who is qualified to act as a judge? If these folks are not people in the knife business, on what criteria or reference would they judge? If it more of a tactic to attract attention, my thoughts would be to solicit famous celebrities (there who already have or in past have showed an interest in the hobby) A few examples : Steven Seagal, Axl Rose, David Crosby, Sylvester Stallone, etc.. Bring in the movie prop makers, knives and swords - make it a media event.
If this is a contest judged by art critics, and an official from our legal system or a politician it may bring attention for a day and make for a good article, but i wonder how long it will last..

As far as innovation being the theme, is the thought to reward those with the ideas to try a project that might otherwise be finacially unfeasible? How are those who are submitting being judged, by who and is their body of work being considered or strictly based on the information provided in the application?
Thanks,
David
 
David. Your questions are good.
You asked who is qualified to be a judge.
This is set up with a selection committee that will screen the applicants by their applications that they fill out. It is up to the individual to fill out the application honestly and to cover their body of work as they see fit. The selection committee will choose the applicant by what he/she has written and shown with photogrpahs of what he/she chooses to submitt. The questions on the application are both to the point at times and vague at times so that the applicant has to think not just slap something down on paper. The selection committee has been carefully chosen from people that are honest and who collects a variety of work, not just one person or style or even method. These people know the knife field well. The selection committee will not be known to the public so that it keeps the makers from making unfair contact. David, I would not care if it was my own mother, I would not allow her to know who they were just simply to keep it fair. The seclection committee will change each year.

The judging committee.
David, if you can afford to bring in all those movie people then you have more money than we have with this program. We will get as high profile people as we can afford and that will do us some good in the long run. This group will come from different fields due to that egg and basket thing. They will not be known until next years CKCA dinner when the winner is announced. They will be at the dinner and at the Bladeshow all weekend, you can grab them and talk to them in the aisles then if you wish. The judging group will change each year. There will be one known collector that will be on both committees. That person will change each year. All this yearly changes is to keep it fair. There will be a technical judge in the room that can only answer technical questions if asked. This person has no vote nor can he make suggestions he can only answer what he is asked. This way the judges can make good sound choices.

I do not have a vote with either group, again to keep it fair.
 
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