Collectors - Your Next 3 Fixed Blade Knives?

[Burl Source]

This is a question for the collectors about the knife makers and the knives you like best.

If you were having three knives made by non MS knife makers with a budget of $4000 to $5000 for all three knives. Enough to have something real nice made but not overly extravagant. I am curious which knife makers and which of their knives you would choose.
My curiosity is sparked by the fact that there several knife makers out there who have not yet made it to the Master Bladesmith ranking but are making some exceptional knives. Pretend like you are selecting the style of knife, handle material and any modifications.

This would be just one of my choices. But then there are several others I would really like as well. I am only using this example to clarify what I am talking about.

Stuart Branson Japanese Whaling Knife
Similar to this but a figured wood handle and matching saya.

My reason for choosing this is that Stuart is getting some great hamons, he is very talented with the woodworking portion and that he keeps trying new styles with great results. I think this would be a unique addition to any collection as well as something that would appreciate in value.

I am really curious to hear what you would like.

 

[Michael Rader]

Oh, I'll bite because I know you aren't a troll: David Lisch and Mike Quesenberry. Raymond Richard is a little different - (aren't you Ray?) - but good. I only mention these guys because I know them. there are lots of good makers out there.. What, do I even need to mention Nick Wheeler?


Ooops.... fail. I'm not a collector - but hey, if I were....
-M

 

[MT Damascus]

Mike Cradock, Sean O'Hare, Jerry Halfrich. I would have Jerry make me another Rounder w/ Robbie Thomas damascus, and Mike is making me a nice piece this year, and Sean is always making me my next one. All three are great examples of great knifemakers and overall great guys.

 

[RogerP]

Interesting question. $5k is a big budget for only three non-MS knives. I'd likely choose to buy more than three apprentice or JS knives with that much in my pocket. I know some are advocates of the "buy the most expensive knife you possibly can!" school of thought, but that it only one approach - and not necessarily the best for all collectors.

I'll give some thought to how I might spend the $$ and chime in down the road.

Roger

 

[Lorien]

geez, this is one of THOSE questions! lol
I don't think that I can answer it in its entirety, because I admire a great many knife maker's contributions to the world of knives, and I'd hazard a guess that most of them are not MSs.
Now with that being said, Mark, thanks for letting us off the hook here a bit, as Stuart would make my list even if it were as short as 3.

ps. that whaling knife, well, I got a chance to 'whale away' with it, and it is VERY impressive. Looks nice, too!

 

[SharpByCoop]

Hi Mark,

I cringed at the title of this thread once I read the criteria. Here's what I think it should read:

ABS/Forged Collectors - Your Next 3 non MS Knives?

This presumes a Mastersmith is the pinnacle of knifemaking. And it is. For the ABS and forged blade.

You see, I know of many makers who are performing at the highest levels of knifemaking, yet aren't ABS smiths AT ALL. All of them are easily as skillful as a Mastersmith--in their particular field.

Emmanuel Esposito, RJ Martin, Schuyler Lovestrand, SR Johnson, Jeffrey Harkins, John Young, Joe Kious, Warren Osborne, even Tai Goo.

Just some food for thought.

Coop

 

[Shaw Blades]

Hopefully a knife from Philip Patton soon, John M Cohea, and one of Logan Pearce's carved knives.

 

[bobbystoney]

I'd get a Ban Tigress, a Horton ringed sword and I'd contact Rob Douglas to see if he could make me up another katana since I had to sell mine.

 

[Buffalohump]

Fun question. Seeing as its not my money I would blow it all on the RJ Martin Blackbird that's currently up for auction on the green forum. That would do me just fine!

 

[Marcel54]

Hi Mark,

I cringed at the title of this thread once I read the criteria. Here's what I think it should read:

ABS/Forged Collectors - Your Next 3 non MS Knives?

This presumes a Mastersmith is the pinnacle of knifemaking. And it is. For the ABS and forged blade.

You see, I know of many makers who are performing at the highest levels of knifemaking, yet aren't ABS smiths AT ALL. All of them are easily as skillful as a Mastersmith--in their particular field.

Emmanuel Esposito, RJ Martin, Schuyler Lovestrand, SR Johnson, Jeffrey Harkins, John Young, Joe Kious, Warren Osborne, even Tai Goo.

Just some food for thought.

Coop

Coop, I'm with you on this one. How about Arpad Bojtos, Roger Bergh, Wolf Loerchner, Tom Overeynder, Salvatore Puddu, Pierre Reverdy and Andre Andersson to name a few others!!!

Marcel

 

[RogerP]

Coop, I'm with you on this one. How about Arpad Bojtos, Roger Bergh, Wolf Loerchner, Tom Overeynder, Salvatore Puddu, Pierre Reverdy and Andre Andersson to name a few others!!!

Marcel

$5k might not be enough for 3 knives here.

I thought the forged context was implicit in the question as posed. Mark certainly isn't the type of guy to suggest that other types of knives aren't worth collecting, and I'm quite sure that wasn't his intent. If the question had been "Collectors - your next three slipjoints?" - or tacticals, or daggers, or Loveless-style knives, or whatever - I doubt there would be any controversy about what knives were included in / excluded from the discussion. Why the extra sensitivity over the method of construction as a category of definition, versus the style of knife?

That said, I don't disagree with Coop's suggestion for thread title with better clarity.

Roger

 

[Marcel54]

$5k might not be enough for 3 knives here.

I thought the forged context was implicit in the question as posed. Mark certainly isn't the type of guy to suggest that other types of knives aren't worth collecting, and I'm quite sure that wasn't his intent. If the question had been "Collectors - your next three slipjoints?" - or tacticals, or daggers, or Loveless-style knives, or whatever - I doubt there would be any controversy about what knives were included in / excluded from the discussion. Why the extra sensitivity over the method of construction as a category of definition, versus the style of knife?

That said, I don't disagree with Coop's suggestion for thread title with better clarity.

Roger

Roger (and others), to be clear about this I love both forged and non forged knives and their makers, ABS and otherwise. The point I was trying to make was that I found the question and the parameters not very clear. Now if was to restrict myself to ABS members but no MS I would go for Rick Eaton (yes he is an ABS apprentice LOL) and Jody Muller. Unfortunately I reckon that the budget wouldn't be sufficient LOL.

Marcel

 

[Burl Source]

Roger made an accurate statement that I would not want to exclude any segment of knifemakers. But to narrow the scope of things, how about fixed blade knives.
When I stated non MS knifemakers I should have been more clear. What I should have said was makers who have not been actively collected until the last couple years or just beginning to get noticed.

Several of you have mentioned names I am not familiar with. I will make a list of the names and search for more info.
I haven't been to Blade so I know I am missing out on a lot of the most talented makers.

The 5k limit was thinking of a single knife that could be made in the $1500 to $2000 price range.
I thought that could buy a very nice knife, but not one that was overly extravagant.

A summary of my goal for this thread
Pick 3 makers that are not MS or Super famous yet. But that you believe will become so in the near future.
What knives would you like to have them make for your collection.
A budget sufficient for a very nice knife, but not overly extravagant.
Plus, if you could post a photo or link to an example of what you are talking about.

 

[RogerP]

Okay - so basically, newer makers, no MS makers (who certainly wouldn't be 'newer' anyway) and a $5k budget?

I can work with that.

Roger

 

[Burl Source]

Okay - so basically, newer makers, no MS makers (who certainly wouldn't be 'newer' anyway) and a $5k budget?
I can work with that.
Roger

The reason I used Stuart as an example is;
I have watched him making good knives for a while. Each knife seemed better than the last.
But.....through the last year he just seemed to take off with new styles and great work.

Nick Wheeler and Mike Quesenberry have already been recognized by the masses for at least a few years now.
Raymond Richard has been around forever and I love his unigue style with his forged blades.

I was thinking more like Scott McGhee, Erik Markmann and Claudio Sobral to mention a few. These are makers while not new, who I have just noticed over the last couple years.

 

[RogerP]

Stuart is on my list too. You are correct - he is not only doing really nice work, he is improving rapidly. There's a reason I've bought a number of his knives, and have more on order. The Fower-style set he did for me is just KILLER, and I am big a fan of his Japanese fusion pieces - such as the one you posted - as well. Stuart will be making me a traditional tanto some time this year and I am really looking forward to that.

Charles Vestal would grab some of my $5k as well. He's not a "new" maker in absolute terms, but among established Loveless-style makers he is at least new-ish. I've always wanted a knife in that genre and Charles offers a compelling quality / value equation at present. I think I better grab one before too long.

I'll try to come up with an actual list of makers and knives over the weekend.

Roger

 

[Grapevine]

Stuart makes my list as well. A fusion knife of some sort. I would ask him to fusion a Japanese style with a Nordic style if he was willing to try.

I think I would like a knife from Gerhardt Weiland. An integral hunter.

Michael Rader, a paring or kitchen utility knife with his distinctive wood combination handle. Edit: Doh! Michael's an MS. So I guess that moves one of the below up.

That should actually leave me with some money left over, which I would try to get something in wootz from Fabian Damanet, or a Japanese influenced fighter from Dan Pfanenstiel with his own tamahagane steel, or a Guppy or Parang model from Rick Marchand / Wildertools.

 

[The Amazing Virginian]

I am not how to decide sure who is Super Famous or just Ordinary Famous. Or not famous at all.

Also I do not see any correlation between makers whose knives I would buy, and makers "that you believe will become [famous] in the near future." Even if I could nail down the question of who is famous and who isn't, I could really care less how famous or not famous someone is when I buy a knife they made.

Given all of that, I will interpret the question as best as I can understand the intent.

I already have on order right now three fixed blade knives that add up to between $4K and $5K from makers who are not MS makers or who have neverending waiting lists (I guess I am using that as a sort of surrogate for "fame"). I hope to have all of these knives in hand before the Blade Show.

As far as "which of their knives I would choose," I am pretty sure that none of them has made a knife like the ones I am buying. In two of the cases, I gave the maker a general outline of what I wanted, and they came up with a specific design to meet that outline.

I will keep this thread in mind, and as I receive each of these knives I will post a picture of it here to answer this question.

 

[RogerP]

^^^ Why not just say the makers and describe the knives here and now in answer to the question? This thread might be long dead by the time all 3 are delivered. Nothing stopping you from still posting the pics when the knives come in.

Roger

 

[RogerP]

Here are some past orders that I not only would spend my own money on, but did spend my own money on:

Tad Lynch:

Dan Farr (okay - not a new maker by any stretch, but not an MS):

Michael Ruth Jr.:

David Wesner:

Stuart Branson:

Mike Quesenberry:

Matt Gregory:

And I have one of these on order from my friend and fellow forumite Derrick Wulf - just a terrific design, IMO:

Roger