Custom Fixed-blade vs. Custom Folders

Here's an " Old Thorny" by Jerry Fisk MS, Mosaic damascus and Blue mastadon

N2652.jpg
 
Perhaps funny wasn't the best choice of words, but I suspect you knew what I meant:rolleyes: In case you didn't...what I meant was that custom slipjoints are greatly sought after and relatively few of them have forged blades. On the other hand, almost every thread about custom knives tends to gravitate toward forged blades and I find that especially odd (interesting) in the context of folders. What I'm learning (observing) here is that there apparently is a large group of people who consider forged and custom to be interchangable and synonomous with one another and I'm making a note of that:D

Durwood - the fact is this board is heavily weighted toward collectros of hand forged knives, which explains what you notice. It doesn't mean that we don't recognize the beauty of stainless work, but most of us here are less knowledgeable about it and don't have many examples available.

With this said, I have a few folders. In stainless, I have 4 J. W. Smith tacticals, which I consider to be great value, and 1 small Butch Beaver. Handforged, I have:
- 1 Don Hethcoat damascus + carbon fiber,
- 1 Randall Gilbreath / Don Fogg damascus + anodized titanium,
- 1 Howard Clark Turkish damascus + shakudo + walrus ivory,
- 1 goblin folder by Steve Schwarzer,
- 1 goblin folder by Larry Fuegen.

I have a couple slipies in order from Joel Chamblin.

Among the makers of folders not represented in my collection that I like are Jim Schmidt, Barry Davies, Kit Carson, Tom Mayo, and quite a few others.
 
Like most people, I was attracted to folders first. I incorrectly assumed that a folders more numerous parts made it more difficult to make and therefore more "advanced". Boy was I wrong. Most custom folders are no better than many high end factory knives in the performance area. They do look and feel a lot nicer though.....

That's interesting, as one would expect to get better performance and quality in a custom.


Most high end factory knives have better locking mechanisms than the liner-locks and frame locks on the typical custom folder, for starters. Les would disagree, but then again he is in the business of selling the stuff..

It depends how you define quality. "Prettier" yes. Better materials, sometimes.
Rarely better engineering or function from a strength or features perspective.

Since custom folder makers and enthusiast have not challenged Anthony's statements I assume he's right.

So I'm a little surprised as to why "custom folders" are so popular as one of the main reasons "custom fixed-blades" are popular is because they out perform and offer better quality than factory fixed-blades. :confused:
 
Since custom folder makers and enthusiast have not challenged Anthony's statements I assume he's right.

So I'm a little surprised as to why "custom folders" are so popular as one of the main reasons "custom fixed-blades" are popular is because they out perform and offer better quality than factory fixed-blades. :confused:
I have a couple of Benchmade folders. They are very nice little knives, BUT the blades are a bear to resharpen and they have that cold, flat, synthetic feel to them, whihc I don't really like in folders of fixed blades The feel is one of the things that would keep me away from a lot of folders, both factory and custom. I don't really like the feel of balisongs either. The one custom folder I have is about as tradtional as your can get in a lockback and I really like the feel of it.
 
Since custom folder makers and enthusiast have not challenged Anthony's statements I assume he's right.

So I'm a little surprised as to why "custom folders" are so popular as one of the main reasons "custom fixed-blades" are popular is because they out perform and offer better quality than factory fixed-blades. :confused:
Kevin, assuming will get you in trouble :)

There has been at least one other loooong thread with Anthony and this subject. WWG can fill you in :) I'm sure that there are some examples of this (mostly in liner locks) but not across the board.

Example, compare a Bose slip-joint with any factory slip-joint.
 
Kevin, assuming will get you in trouble :)

There has been at least one other loooong thread with Anthony and this subject. WWG can fill you in :) I'm sure that there are some examples of this (mostly in liner locks) but not across the board.

Example, compare a Bose slip-joint with any factory slip-joint.

And we might as well include Ray Cover's signature bank-vault style lockup on his slippys:D
 
Perhaps funny wasn't the best choice of words, but I suspect you knew what I meant:rolleyes: In case you didn't...what I meant was that custom slipjoints are greatly sought after and relatively few of them have forged blades. On the other hand, almost every thread about custom knives tends to gravitate toward forged blades and I find that especially odd (interesting) in the context of folders. What I'm learning (observing) here is that there apparently is a large group of people who consider forged and custom to be interchangable and synonomous with one another and I'm making a note of that:D

Yes, I did know what you meant :rolleyes: but thought you were wrong. I can't think of a single regular contributor here who thinks the terms "custom" and "forged" are synonymous. Can you? What you are observing is that a good number of participants in the custom forum (or perhaps just a good number of the more active participants) are also fans of the forged blade. There is nothing in this thread which prohibits the inclusion of stainless folders - everyone was invited to say and show what they like.

Roger
 
Don said:
Kevin, assuming will get you in trouble

There has been at least one other loooong thread with Anthony and this subject. WWG can fill you in I'm sure that there are some examples of this (mostly in liner locks) but not across the board.

Example, compare a Bose slip-joint with any factory slip-joint.

This is my quote, Don.
Most custom folders are no better than many high end factory knives in the performance area. They do look and feel a lot nicer though.....

I wasn't comparing cosmetics, fit and finish, or walk and talk. I am referring to primarily:
1) Lock Strength
2) Edge geometry including factory edge

I will take any custom folder on the planet and compare it to a Spyderco $120 folder for lock strength and long-term durabililty. Care to take the Pepsi challenge? Besides, what do you think Les will say. Everytime I ask my insurance agent if annuities are a good investment he says YES! (Because he sells them!)

Oh, and I have no use for slip joints, sorry. :)
 
Anthony. Kevin just seemed surprised by your comments and I wanted to point him to the old thread.

I'm not familiar with Spydercos or really any of the black handle knives. So I'll leave it at that.

I do know slip-joints though :)
 
Although technology such as CNC has made factory knives much better, I would point out that ALL factory knives are still built to a price point, which entails compromises if for no other reason than to cover the extra overhead costs of being a manufaturer. Remember that knife factories will generally have NO MORE than 60% of the MSRP of a knife into the product and that includes whatever profit margin they make. In contrast, custom knife makers maybe some of the WORST on the planet when it comes to economic efficiencies. For an example, how people out there would take a machine blanked and ground, paracord handled Strider over a base model Craig Camerer Slim Pickens forged fighter? And yet they sell for approximately the same price. How many good custom makers have you heard joke about barely making minimum hourly wage once they add up all of their time? Now some custom makers may not pull out all of the stops in order to create the "ultimate" knife that they can, but a large number of makers do.
 
Anthony. Kevin just seemed surprised by your comments and I wanted to point him to the old thread.

I'm not familiar with Spydercos or really any of the black handle knives. So I'll leave it at that.

I do know slip-joints though :)

don't forget SILVER handled knives too:D
 
I would point out that ALL factory knives are still built to a price point, which entails compromises if for no other reason than to cover the extra overhead costs of being a manufaturer.
No kidding. Thats how factories stay in business!

Remember that knife factories will generally have NO MORE than 60% of the MSRP of a knife into the product and that includes whatever profit margin they make.

The margin is much, much higher than that in general for factory knives.
A "typical"

Lets take this new Benchamde, which I like the looks of alot.

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=BM707P

It is $150. Dealer price is Roughly $80-90. Distributor is approximately $67.
Benchmade can probably make that knife for $18-20 or so IF they use offshore vendors for the handles, springs and clip. The blade is 154CM,so it is made in the USA.

That is how knives are made in production. I also don't know of any custom folders with a lock as repeatable and as strong over time as a well made AXIS lock.

Do you?
 
. There is nothing in this thread which prohibits the inclusion of stainless folders - everyone was invited to say and show what they like.

Roger


Thanks for clarifying that for me:D I thought I would get banned if I posted a pic of a stainless folder, but I see Kevin has done a nice job of it already. I like everyone of them including the nice forged one from Don:thumbup:
 
No kidding. Thats how factories stay in business!



The margin is much, much higher than that in general for factory knives.
A "typical"

Lets take this new Benchamde, which I like the looks of alot.

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=BM707P

It is $150. Dealer price is Roughly $80-90. Distributor is approximately $67.
Benchmade can probably make that knife for $18-20 or so IF they use offshore vendors for the handles, springs and clip. The blade is 154CM,so it is made in the USA.

That is how knives are made in production. I also don't know of any custom folders with a lock as repeatable and as strong over time as a well made AXIS lock.

Do you?

The knives made by whoever designed the Axis lock? Likewise, a lot of factories seem to have copied designs by guys like Michael Walker and others. The connection between custom makers and the factories over the past 20 years has changed the game a bit, but I still say that even those knives take the designs of custom makers and figured out ways to cut corners so they can be made more cheaply. But then again, I am still of the opinion that ANY knife that breaks in half for easy storage is a compromise:D Flame away, my friends.....lol.
 
The knives made by whoever designed the Axis lock?

If you had ever seen a McHenry/Williams Axis lock you would know that their knives aren't designed for hard use.

a lot of factories seem to have copied designs by guys like Michael Walker

And a lot of custom makers have copied the factories. Who invented the trapper or stockman :)
 
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