Custom Knives; Now & Then?

[Kevin Jones]

Considering my not being a long time collector, my experience with some of the custom knife makers of years past is somewhat limited.

So my question is how do you feel the knives of the “Custom Knife Legends” of the past stand up to the top makers of today in regard to design, ergonomics, fit/finish, execution and even materials used?

Do you think today’s collectors have greater expectations as to what a custom knife should be than in years past?

I would also like to include in our discussion what influence these Legends have had on the custom knives we enjoy today? Loveless has obviously had a tremendous influence on a sector of today’s knives, but how about others and in what ways?

Who do you consider to be the “Custom Knife Legends or Icons”? Please post photos of their work if you would like.

As always, thank you in advance for your participation and the sharing of your knowledge.

 

[ckerwin]

I really look up to Moran, Scagel, and Bo Randal. The makers today that really stand out to me is Fisk, Bose, Fogg, and Meier. I know I have left off many.:thumbup:

 

[jdm61]

I would say that very few of the legends combined the design and fit and finish of the top makers today. Obviously, guys like D.E.Henry made some incredibly well made knives, but IMO, he really didn't start hitting them out of the park on the design front until his third generation bowies. Randall's early stuff looked like it was forged with a round rock and buffed with a Hershey bar and William Scagel made some of the homeliest knives that I have ever seen from a talented maker. Bill Moran never achieved the level of fit and finish of the top guys today on most of his pieces and he freely admitted that. I'm not sure about Bob Loveless and his fit and finish. I have no idea which knives he made himself. Now he is the one guy who pretty much got the design bit down very early on and I have heard that his knives are what made Bo Randall clean his designs up, but I will tell you that IMO, that knife that sold for $200K plus doesn't look anywhere near as good as the current stuff. I have only been looking at customs since the early 90's, but from what I have seen of knives from the mid 80's, I think that the knives have improved more across the board since then than they did in the previous 50 years. By a pretty fair margin at that.

 

[Lorien]

Joe said it.

 

[jjtjr]

Kevin,

Obviously over time things improve. I don't think that it is fair compare every knife made 30 or 40 years ago with knives today.

That being said my "Custom Legend" is Wayne Valachovic retired MS.

Wayne Valachovic became an ABS Mastersmith in 1982. He was the fifth ABS Mastersmith. He was part of a group of smiths from New England which included Don Fogg, Jimmy Fikes, Jim Schmidt and others. He was probably the first ABS Mastersmith to specialize in folders. He retired from making knives in the mid 1990's. I brought a few of his knives down to Jim Cooper last week and had them photographed.

This is a 3 7/8" damascus tail lock with Mastadon and filework.

This is a 3 1/2" Star pattern damascus tail lock also with Mastadon and filework.

This is a 3 15/16" damascus interframe tail lock with black lip pearl inlay and filework.

Jim Treacy

 

[betzner]

I've always considered Buster Warenski to be a legend. No one could make an English Bowie like he could. And before he met Julie, he engraved his own. Then, there were his art daggers, too..............

 

[Jon Brand]

I have not seen an older knife by a legend that seemed to have the same fit and finish as modern knives. Lets note that I have hardly handled any of these legends' knives. Still I think the bar has been raised and that the old knives offer inspiration on design.

 

[Jon Brand]

I always loved McHenry knives but at the past show I handled a $1500 folder of his and the fit was horrible. I am sure most aren't that way. Infact, I know they aren't. Maybe it just didn't age well.

 

[betzner]

Jon, with respect to outstanding fit and finish in fixed blades, it started long ago, not recently. Suggest you get your hands on a few from the right makers and you will discover that top quality is not a recent event.

 

[Jon Brand]

I don't doubt it.

I assume they are hidden away in some outstanding collections and that my wallet will never be big enough.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

Most of the knives that I saw back in the 60s and 70s were working knives. They were many times wonderfully made.

Many of today's knives have a great deal more work put into them. In many cases they are made for collectors, were back in the 60's and 70s, most of the knives were made to be used. It's kind of like comparing apples and oranges. What I will say is this, the working knives from the top makers back then were every bit as well made as most of the ones I see today.

 

[Kevin Jones]

I have examined some knives of yesteryear’s Icons such as DE Henry, quite a few by Bill Moran and Bob Loveless, but one maker who really impressed me especially from a design standpoint is Hugh Bartrug.

 

[sleyer]

I started collecting in 1975.And with every generation of makers there's always a few that stand out above the rest.And their work will always compare with the current best and in some cases surpass them.Some of the legends who's work will be hard to match for fit finish and design are Corbet Sigman,Buster Warenski,Henry Frank,Gray Taylor and Durvyn Howard to name a few.

 

[jjtjr]

Kevin here's a Bartrug folder with walrus tusk and mokume. He forged Ashley Forge into the blade.

Jim Treacy

 

[Kevin Jones]

Kevin,

Obviously over time things improve. I don't think that it is fair compare every knife made 30 or 40 years ago with knives today.

Jim Treacy

Jim in my opening post I didn't mention comparing every knife made 30-40 years ago with knives today, but comparing the knives of individuals considered legends or superstars of the past to the top makers of today.

 

[Kevin Jones]

Kevin here's a Bartrug folder with walrus tusk and mokume. He forged Ashley Forge into the blade.
Jim Treacy

As you had mentioned in another thread Jim, one can find beautiful examples of Hugh Bartrug's knives in the "Points of Interest" books.

 

[jjtjr]

sleyer said:

And with every generation of makers there's always a few that stand out above the rest.And their work will always compare with the current best and in some cases surpass them.

I agree with this 100%.

Kevin,

I think that generally the fit and finish of today's top makers is better than most of the top makers 30-40 years ago. Just like the top cars now are generally better than the top cars from back in the day. That is called progress. It doesn't mean that there weren't some great cars or knives back then.

Jim

 

[jdm61]

sleyer said:



I agree with this 100%.

Kevin,

I think that generally the fit and finish of today's top makers is better than most of the top makers 30-40 years ago. Just like the top cars now are generally better than the top cars from back in the day. That is called progress. It doesn't mean that there weren't some great cars or knives back then.

Jim

I would go further and say that the expectations for fit and finish for mid-level makers today are what they would have been for the elite maker of 20-25 years ago. How many times in the last few years have you heard an ABS judge talk about the "Master level" work that they are seeing in many of the JS knives? Would anyone on this forum pay $400 for a user that had the fit and finish of even a Vietnam era Randall, not to mention the soft blade?

 

[jdm61]

Kevin,

Obviously over time things improve. I don't think that it is fair compare every knife made 30 or 40 years ago with knives today.

That being said my "Custom Legend" is Wayne Valachovic retired MS.

Wayne Valachovic became an ABS Mastersmith in 1982. He was the fifth ABS Mastersmith. He was part of a group of smiths from New England which included Don Fogg, Jimmy Fikes, Jim Schmidt and others. He was probably the first ABS Mastersmith to specialize in folders. He retired from making knives in the mid 1990's. I brought a few of his knives down to Jim Cooper last week and had them photographed.

This is a 3 7/8" damascus tail lock with Mastadon and filework.

This is a 3 1/2" Star pattern damascus tail lock also with Mastadon and filework.

This is a 3 15/16" damascus interframe tail lock with black lip pearl inlay and filework.

Jim Treacy

Yes, there were prodigys back then I have always like his stuff. He was a true pioneer IMO.

 

[Jose Reyes]

Hi Kevin,

I'm reminded of a friend of mine who told me how the old tunes were so much better than the music produced nowadays. The oldies we listen to though are the best of the last few decades, only a few old bands or songs are played frequently now, so it's not fair to expect every band to create those kind of transcendental tunes. I feel that we have more makers making "pristine" objects now but they are few and far between that have the kind of style that will garner the same kind of praise we pay Scagel, Price, Moran, etc... in the future.