Custom Knives, a catagory name!

[Les Robertson]

The term custom knife for the most part indicates a catagory of knife, not a specific knife.

We find this in our daily lives. How many times have you asked for a Xerox copy, when the machine plainly says IBM. Asked for a Band-Aid and received another companies product, or a Kleenex and recieved another type of tissue.

The point is, that the catagory of Custom Knives is just that, a catagory name. Handmade knives would probably be a better term. However, Custom was chosen to indicate to would be buyers that while standard models do exsist from a particular maker. You could have the one you want, custom made to your demands/desires. Additionally, you could come to the maker of your choice and have a knife of your design custom made for you.

How do you know if a knife is from a factory or bench made type set up. Call Spyderco and ask them for a knife with a Stellite blade, thumb stud and a liner lock. Do the same with any company you think produces "custom knives". Ask them how you go about sending them a drawing for them to produce a one of a kind piece for you.

This is where the new catagory of knives comes in. Custom makers who also produce a factory line of their knives, could do this for you. Emerson, Reeve, Busse and Piorek to name a few.

However, keep in mind that these guys were custom knife makers before they lent their names and talents to their "factories".

And that the knife you recieved would carry a custom knife price not a factory price.

Im sure this will sort itself out in the next century. However, understand that the term Custom Knives used in every day language, refers primarily to a catagory of knives more so than a construction method.



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Les Robertson
Moderator
Robertson's Custom Cutlery
http://www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com/rcc/makers.shtml
I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Les, you are being misleading here :

Call Spyderco and ask them for a knife with a Stellite blade, thumb stud and a liner lock.

You are implying that this would work with any custom maker and that is simply not the case. Most (all?) custom makers work in a fixed style of knife with a fixed selection of blade and handle materials either because they do not have the ability or the interest to work with other materials. By your comments above if I called a custom maker and described a knife and he refused to make it I could say he is no longer a custom maker. Will Walter Brend make a #2 in L6, CPM-3V, Talonite, or Stellite? Will he put a G10, G11 handle on instead of Micarta?

While it is true that many makers are very open to new designs and materials some are very fixed. For example Kevin McClung only makes knives with three blade materials (O1, a ceramic composite, and a composite similar to G11), with two types of grip, and with a very narrow range of styles. Is he not a custom maker because he will not make the knife that I want, a khukuri or hawkbill for example? Or even make one of his standard designs in a different blade stock, or different steel, or serrate the false edge, or fully serrate the edges on a fighter etc.

In fact, there may in fact be noncustom knives that are more customizable than the customs. Mission for example is very open with how the blades are ground. Plain/serrated, with/without false edges, with/without sharpened false edges, without/without serrating the false edge. I am sure I could find a custom maker that would not fully serrate the primary and false edge on their knife. Here is a custom maker's knife being less customizable than a production knife. Am I the only one that sees a problem with this?

-Cliff

 

[NamViet Vo]

I'm with Cliff on this one. Maddog would not make what I want, so I took a Maddog knife and had Johnny Stout modified it for me. I appreciate Rick and the gang at Mission Knives (a production knife company) in making modification to their products to suit my need even though I only buy one or two at a time. I have a Mission modified MPT that I would consider a custom since it was made specifically for me, at my request, signed by Rick, and does not look like any other MPT.

 

[Les Robertson]

Guys,

You are missing the point. Re read what I wrote. Custom knives is a term for a catagory.

Yes, Walter will build it the way you want it Cliff.

For the record I dont consider Mad Dog knives custom knives either.

Again, re-read my post. Custom knives can be used as a catagory.

Now back to you Cliff, give us your definition of a custom knife. Be careful. As it will be my turn to sharp shoot and I am sniper qualified! <G>

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Les Robertson
Moderator
Robertson's Custom Cutlery
http://www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com/rcc/makers.shtml
I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Les, are you serious? Would Walter make a #2 in L6 with a G11 handle? If so that opens up some serious possibilities.

My defination of custom work is very simple. It is made to my specifications. Now the degree of customization determines just how custom I would regard it as being. The method by which it is made make no difference.

For example a while ago I ordered a knife from a custom maker. What I did was take one of his regular knives and ask him to change it to meet my needs. We discussed exactly the kind of performance I was looking for and we selected the blade material, the thickness, the grind, the taper, and the handle slabs. I also requested a specific balance point. This resulted in him adjusting his standard model to a different blade steel, with a slimmer taper, and a thinner stock with my choice of grind and handle slabs.

Now I would call that a custom. And if someone asked me "Is that a custom knife?" I would say "Yes, its based on his standard model X, but I had him make it from thinner stock, with a slimmer point, and a different blade material."

Fire away Les. I enjoy your straight shooting even when I am the target.

-Cliff

 

[Cobalt]

If I order a Carson U-2 and do not wish to change it from the way he normally makes it, it is still a custom. If I call Brend and do the same with the #2, it is still a custom. However, If I want changes they can do this also, since they are custom knife makers.

If I grind a knife myself and it turns out to be a POS, it is a custom POS. I can repeat this POS 500 times over the next 5 years and sell it and it is still a custom POS. But it's my custom POS.

 

[Les Robertson]

Cliff,

You are missing the point of this thread. CUSTOM KNIVES IS A CATAGORY NAME. CUSTOM KNIVES IS A CATAGORY NAME. It was a title given to a group of knives before you and I knew what a custom/handmade knife was.

It was a simple word to disassociate the knives from factory or production knives.

No, they do not have to have your modifications in place to be a custom knife.

Yes, Walter and just about any other knife maker of talent, given enough time and money will make whatever idea you can contrive.



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Les Robertson
Moderator
Robertson's Custom Cutlery
http://www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com/rcc/makers.shtml
I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Les, I understand your defination, its just not one that makes any sense to me. Oh, and by the way, if the Guild formed in 73 then I have known what a custom knife means longer than that.

I can accept that the Guild has their defination of custom knives, and of course I can accept your defination and use it to moderate my discussion in this forum. But the Guild's defination is only that, their's, its certainly not what I was taught custom products are, knives or otherwise.

I see no reason to have different definations of custom work depending on the field - I am a simple fellow and that seems sensible to me.

-Cliff