-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
CNC made customs-
- Thread starter BlazenGem
- Start date
Les Robertson
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 10, 1998
- Messages
- 3,565
Hi Blazen,
Knives that are made using a CNC are in fact custom knives.
Question, if a knife maker outsources his heat treating is it a custom knife?
Question, if a knife maker uses someone to cut out his blanks on a jig saw is it a custom knife?
Question, if a folder maker uses "jigs" to make the frame of his folders is it a custom knife?
Question, if a maker uses a hydraulic press to create a pattern in the Damascus is it a custom knife?
Remember, the CNC basically does the "blank" work. It is the skill of the maker to finish the knife that turns it into the finished product that is a custom knife.
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
Knives that are made using a CNC are in fact custom knives.
Question, if a knife maker outsources his heat treating is it a custom knife?
Question, if a knife maker uses someone to cut out his blanks on a jig saw is it a custom knife?
Question, if a folder maker uses "jigs" to make the frame of his folders is it a custom knife?
Question, if a maker uses a hydraulic press to create a pattern in the Damascus is it a custom knife?
Remember, the CNC basically does the "blank" work. It is the skill of the maker to finish the knife that turns it into the finished product that is a custom knife.
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2004
- Messages
- 1,813
i consider them semi-custom.
- Joined
- May 9, 2000
- Messages
- 29,205
Les Robertson
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 10, 1998
- Messages
- 3,565
Hi Severed
What about the other questions?
Lots of very well known makers who employ all of the techniques I mentioned.
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
What about the other questions?
Lots of very well known makers who employ all of the techniques I mentioned.
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2001
- Messages
- 816
Uh oh.....here we go again..
CNC is here to stay. I own and use the heck out of two CNC machines. I can assure you, just because a knife had some operations done on a CNC machine, it still requires a lot of hand work.
Also, the acronym CNC doesn't mean "can be operated by anyone with perfect and repeatable results" . Still a lot of skill required......as evidenced by the large pile of bad parts and broken cutters I have
CNC is here to stay. I own and use the heck out of two CNC machines. I can assure you, just because a knife had some operations done on a CNC machine, it still requires a lot of hand work.
Also, the acronym CNC doesn't mean "can be operated by anyone with perfect and repeatable results" . Still a lot of skill required......as evidenced by the large pile of bad parts and broken cutters I have
- Joined
- May 19, 2001
- Messages
- 5,255
Uh oh.....here we go again..
CNC is here to stay. I own and use the heck out of two CNC machines. I can assure you, just because a knife had some operations done on a CNC machine, it still requires a lot of hand work.
Also, the acronym CNC doesn't mean "can be operated by anyone with perfect and repeatable results" . Still a lot of skill required......as evidenced by the large pile of bad parts and broken cutters I have
Too funny
along with tufts of hair being pulled out...
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2004
- Messages
- 1,813
the other questions dont really bother me. so if you use a cnc to make your handles, grind your blade and to make your spacers, what makes your folder different from a Benchmade or Sebenza? I am sure those knives also have a certain degree of hand work involved.
Les Robertson
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 10, 1998
- Messages
- 3,565
Severed,
If you are good with all the other things, you should have no problem with a CNC.
I think the basic problem is that you don't understand a CNC is nothing more than a computerized tool for creating certain parts of the knife.
If I gave you the parts, directly off of a CNC and asked you to finish the knife. What you built would only look vaguely familiar to what professional custom knife makers produce using a CNC.
It is interesting how you have no problem with outsourced heat treat, jigs and others working on the knife who get not credit.
The difference between a custom knife and a Sebenza. Is that the knife makers actually make a variety of knives and not differentiations of the same platform 10,000 times.
Can you imagine what factories would charge if they only produced 50 of a knife and then didn't build it again? Or how about limited runs of 10 or 20?
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
If you are good with all the other things, you should have no problem with a CNC.
I think the basic problem is that you don't understand a CNC is nothing more than a computerized tool for creating certain parts of the knife.
If I gave you the parts, directly off of a CNC and asked you to finish the knife. What you built would only look vaguely familiar to what professional custom knife makers produce using a CNC.
It is interesting how you have no problem with outsourced heat treat, jigs and others working on the knife who get not credit.
The difference between a custom knife and a Sebenza. Is that the knife makers actually make a variety of knives and not differentiations of the same platform 10,000 times.
Can you imagine what factories would charge if they only produced 50 of a knife and then didn't build it again? Or how about limited runs of 10 or 20?
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2006
- Messages
- 13,363
**********************Hi Blazen,
Knives that are made using a CNC are in fact custom knives.
custom yes, but not handmade
Question, if a knife maker outsources his heat treating is it a custom knife?
Yes
Question, if a knife maker uses someone to cut out his blanks on a jig saw is it a custom knife? No
Question, if a folder maker uses "jigs" to make the frame of his folders is it a custom knife? No
Question, if a maker uses a hydraulic press to create a pattern in the Damascus is it a custom knife? Yes
Remember, the CNC basically does the "blank" work. It is the skill of the maker to finish the knife that turns it into the finished product that is a custom knife. Yes, thus semi-custom
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2004
- Messages
- 1,813
Les it makes sense. I am not a knife maker and would never pretend to be one and I am not belittling anyone for using one. I was a machinist for 11 years, i know what CNCs are and what they are capable of. Setting up for just one part is a pain in the ass and in many cases harder than just doing it on a manual. I will stick with semi-custom or perhaps semi-handmade if that is better. CNC does open up a lot more options for design so its not all bad.
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2004
- Messages
- 1,813
So Kevin does Blackwood make custom/handmade knives?
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2004
- Messages
- 1,813
The more I think about it, I think it depends on what the CNC was used to do. its not the fact that a CNC was used but to what extent was the CNC used.
Les Robertson
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 10, 1998
- Messages
- 3,565
Kevin,
How about the ABS Mastersmiths who use a hydraulic press to create patterns in their Damascus. Since that is not hand made do you consider any damascus created like that to be semi-custom?
Then there are those ABS Mastersmiths who use a Little Giant Trip Hammer. So since these are using machines that require a mere stepping on the pedal to force the hammer down to form the blade. Are these non-handmade blades...semi-custom?
How about a lathe? or an End Mill?
Much like a CNC, you or I could utilize these technologies and create a forged blade. I don't know about you, I suspect mine would not look anything like those makers who know how to properly set, calibrate and utilize these machines for their intended purpose.
Hence much like giving a person the parts created by a CNC machine and asking them to finish the knife. I suspect a forged billet given to a person who is not familiar with the above technologies would have a similar result. One sorry looking custom knife.
Kevin, it is the talent of the maker who can incorporate and utilize the technologies available and finish the knife with the skill that only a custom knife maker has. That gives you and I the finished product that we would be proud to own.
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
How about the ABS Mastersmiths who use a hydraulic press to create patterns in their Damascus. Since that is not hand made do you consider any damascus created like that to be semi-custom?
Then there are those ABS Mastersmiths who use a Little Giant Trip Hammer. So since these are using machines that require a mere stepping on the pedal to force the hammer down to form the blade. Are these non-handmade blades...semi-custom?
How about a lathe? or an End Mill?
Much like a CNC, you or I could utilize these technologies and create a forged blade. I don't know about you, I suspect mine would not look anything like those makers who know how to properly set, calibrate and utilize these machines for their intended purpose.
Hence much like giving a person the parts created by a CNC machine and asking them to finish the knife. I suspect a forged billet given to a person who is not familiar with the above technologies would have a similar result. One sorry looking custom knife.
Kevin, it is the talent of the maker who can incorporate and utilize the technologies available and finish the knife with the skill that only a custom knife maker has. That gives you and I the finished product that we would be proud to own.
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
Les Robertson
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 10, 1998
- Messages
- 3,565
Hi Severed,
Exactly right. Since you have a working knowledge of the CNC you understand the differences that factory would utilize over a custom maker.
Like the double disc grinder that grinds both sides of the blade at once. While this is a great labor saver for a factory, it would be complete waste of time for a custom knife maker to purchase one.
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
Exactly right. Since you have a working knowledge of the CNC you understand the differences that factory would utilize over a custom maker.
Like the double disc grinder that grinds both sides of the blade at once. While this is a great labor saver for a factory, it would be complete waste of time for a custom knife maker to purchase one.
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
- Joined
- May 7, 2005
- Messages
- 20,928
Yes, it IS indeed a custom knife!!!!