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- Oct 28, 2006
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- 13,363
Is this Jim Schmidt fixed-blade clean or what?
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Custom Knives; Now & Then?
- Thread starter Kevin Jones
- Start date
- Joined
- May 25, 2007
- Messages
- 968
Perhaps ST you haven't been at this game long enough to know, but Lakes folders have been perfect for a very long time. His was perfect before any one else was. Period.
He astounded the second Knife Makers Guild Show makers and goers alike with his "VERY FIRST" folder. Setting the standard for others to follow from the very get go. (His was the FIRST recognized Interframe by the way.) How many times has that been copied? Each and every one a testament to Ron Lakes Geniuses and talent..
So Yes, He is an outstanding craftsman. It matters not whether he has crafted one or ten thousand and one. He's damed good!
M. Lovett
severedthumbs
Basic Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2004
- Messages
- 1,818
Thanks for the info Mike. Show me a maker that is making perfection very early on and that I will be impressed with.
jdm61
itinerant metal pounder
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2005
- Messages
- 47,357
There have always been guys who did incredible work. Now I saw Ron Lake's first interframe in an article recently. Let's be honest.......he got a LOT better at making those things.
Much of that probably had to do not only with fleshing out the particulars of the design, but also using better materials. His interframes went from being just a innovative design to functional jewelry/art in fairly short order. I think what may have changed is that a lot of collectors expect pretty much EVERY new knife to approach the levels of perfection that only the masters were getting 20 years ago. The bar being set so by both customers and organizations like the ABS says that I cannot expect to sell a knife that is of the quality some knives that even the current greats put out in the 80's when they had only been making knives for a few years. At least not for a price that will support my nasty habit. I essentially gave away a number of my earier succesful pieces for a pittance because of minor to medium flaws. Some people have early examples of some famous makers' work in their collections, but lets be honest. What percentage of those knives would you buy today if they had, say, my name stamped on the ricasso, even if my knife was selling for a fraction of the price?
Much of that probably had to do not only with fleshing out the particulars of the design, but also using better materials. His interframes went from being just a innovative design to functional jewelry/art in fairly short order. I think what may have changed is that a lot of collectors expect pretty much EVERY new knife to approach the levels of perfection that only the masters were getting 20 years ago. The bar being set so by both customers and organizations like the ABS says that I cannot expect to sell a knife that is of the quality some knives that even the current greats put out in the 80's when they had only been making knives for a few years. At least not for a price that will support my nasty habit. I essentially gave away a number of my earier succesful pieces for a pittance because of minor to medium flaws. Some people have early examples of some famous makers' work in their collections, but lets be honest. What percentage of those knives would you buy today if they had, say, my name stamped on the ricasso, even if my knife was selling for a fraction of the price?