custom knives: good value?

N

notos&w

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Jul 17, 2002
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never having owned or had much experience w/ custom made knives (folders especially) i am curious to know whether custom made folders are still a value when compared to quality knives such as benchmade, spyderco, etc.
 
I think value depends in good part on how much money you have to spend, the more money you have the more an expensive item will seem to be a good value. And since that feeling is subjective, it's difficult to advise someone.
 
That is a very personal question that you are going to have to answer for yourself. I would suggest you get yourself down to the local knife shop and look at as many custom and production knives as you can. The Production knives are getting very good, they are available for immediate delivery, and customer service is sometimes easier to get.

The custom knives generally have better finishes, smoother actions, and perhaps rarer materials. Open and close a few and feel the difference. Look at the small details - have all of the edges been polished or have some been left a bit rough? Then decide based on your personal preferences.

n2s
 
not2sharp gave a great answer. The difference between customs and factory knives in the small details. Today I picked up a limited edition Benchmade 690 (all carbon fiber handles with boron coated blade). This knife looks just like an Elishewitz custom except that it only has a single sided thumb stud. I compared it to my all carbon fiber small Carson Model 4 and the difference was not great at all, however, the Benchmade has a titanium fram that is just barely larger than the carbon fiber scales while the Carson is perfectly flush. The edges of the frame are also rough while the Carson is smooth. The action of the Carson is also a bit more smooth than that of the Benchmade. I'm sure that Benchmade could have produced a more refined knife for another $50-100. The problem is that once a production knife gets that expensive, it ceases to be competitive with customs, especially those made by new or lesser known makers.
 
custom knives generally have better finishes, smoother actions, and perhaps rarer materials.

that is what i was looking for only i didnt ask it. sorry for not being more specific/accurate.

so, in your opinion, are the differences in finish, fit, action, etc. so profound as to make the extra $100-150 worth it? would they be noticeable to someone not intimately familiar w/ knives? i realize this is very subjective but since i dont live anywhere where i can compare the two i must rely on member's perspectives.
thanks for your opinions.
 
I look at it like this. You have pictures that hang on motel room walls and then there are Van Gogh's and Monet's. If you don't know the difference,it doesn't bother you. Once you do, it opens up a whole new world. Worth the money? I think so. So long as you don't get caught up in paying $1,500 for a $900 knife. And so on.
Greg
 
There are different qualities of custom knives in the same way there are different qualities of production knives. Your question isn't answerable in such a generic sense. Value is in the eye of the beholder. Nobody can make that judgement for you. Take the comments above as some reasonable advice and then factor it with the knowledge that all customs aren't equal just like all production knives aren't equal. Best of luck.
 
I've found the fit and finish of selected custom knives to be superior. A fair amount of labor goes into those small touches that set the knives up another level.

A major factor for me is that I can have the knife MY way. I can discuss blade shape, blade steel, heat treatment, handle material and shape and all the other details with the knife maker and have a ONE OF A KIND true custom knife. I can also have the knife made by THAT maker, not turned out by an apprentice in a factory under more or less supervision, working to standards that someone else set. That, to me, is worth more than the additional cost. And I get great esthetic pleasure from such a knife as well.
 
so, in your opinion, are the differences in finish, fit, action, etc. so profound as to make the extra $100-150 worth it?
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Actually it can be a lot more than that, especially for folders, and whether its worth it or not is up to you. Is a $50,000 BMW worth more than a $15,000 VW? How about the difference between that BMW and a $250,000 customized Ferrarri?

would they be noticeable to someone not intimately familiar w/ knives?
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To my experience, not usually. People who don't know knives can't usually tell the difference unless the differences are brought to their attention. Even then, they don't care.
 
In my Bias Opinion of Corse there are Major Difference's in Custom Versus Factory Knive's The Major one's are Blade Steel / Handle Material / Frame Material if Folder / Locking Action, Function / Durability / Warranty !! Let me Explain !! You want a Damascus Blade for your Benchmade / Spiderco / Gerber / Kershaw Can You Get it ?? Not Usually Most Knife Factory's use the Cheapest Steel they can Buy then Pay Minimum Wage to People to make Your Knife Custom's are Mostly The Most Expensive Beacuse Most Custom Maker's try to Use the Best Material's I Have been Lucky Enough to See inside a Couple of these Factory's Great Machinery Laser / CNC Everything Surface Grinding Gear But Many of you Don't Realize is Many of these Big Company's Farm out Stuff like Heat Treating !! Well i Said i had a Bias Opinion !! Good Luck / Keep Cutting
 
I'm a pretty hard knife user, so fit and finish only matters so much to me. The biggest difference I've noticed between production and good custom knives is the heat treatment of the steel, in relation to the blade geometry. The difference can be quite noticeable after extended use.
 
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