Customizing factory knives

mbjannusch

mbjannusch

Joined
Apr 1, 2010
Messages
3,115
Does removing what makes a great knife great(like scales/handle material)and replacing then with something else only appeal to custome knife collectors or does it increase or decrease the value of the knife?
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

By and large, factory knives would only be improved by replacing stock scales with expensive and well-made replacements. It mostly depends on how good the new scales are. But there are semi-custom knives that probably hold their value best with the original configuration.
 
It seems to me that the replacements a almost too much to look at. As well made or ornate as they may be they seem to be like a short bald guy that drives a Lamborghini.
 
Usually getting custom made scales will increase the value of a production knife. There are two exceptions that I can come up off the top of my head. A: You make the scales yourself and do a crummy job. Or B: You modify a limited edition or classic knife and kill the value. There are a few members here that can make you an exceptional set of scales out of pretty much whatever you want if you are interested. I love looking at pictures of the knives that BF members get modified there is some real class A work going on around here.
 
mbjannusch said:
It seems to me that the replacements a almost too much to look at. As well made or ornate as they may be they seem to be like a short bald guy that drives a Lamborghini.
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Hey - I'm a short bald guy that drives a Lamborghini!

Just kiddin.

I tend to leave all my knives as stock. There are so many choices out there that if I want something special I find that someone is making something very close to it and there is no need for me to tinker.
 
The scales that manufacturers put on a knife are their compromise between cost, ease of manufacturing/assembly, what they think appeals to the largest market share, and how big or small they think the users' hands will be. It's not difficult for me to improve on that guess in terms of what I like and fitting it to my hands. If you're talking about modifying a common factory knife for your own use, I say go for it. You'll get to know what's inside the knife, and worst case, you screw it up, you just take it back off and do it better.

Also, on older knives (like I prefer) the manufacturer didn't have all that many choices for scales back in the 40's or 50's (or some choices like celluloid, which didn't work that well over time). You have a much wider array of materials today.

If you're considering rescaling knives for resale, you're just jumping back into the manufacturer's compromise again, unless you have a specific customer who's ordered one a certain way.

Parker
 
I see no reason not to mod. I've modded $700 customs.
 
I recently saw a pre 1986 Buck 110 that was customized with a red agite. Although it looked nice, if you are into that stuff, I still don't think taking a knife that is a collector item and ruin it by costomizing it for the purpose of selling it. Customizing it for yourself is one thing, but to imbellish it for the purpose of selling it for profit is another.
 
The Buck 110 is just the canvas, it's more valuable to many collectors because of what the artist did with it that made it unique. So, if Picasso took a Lamborghini, sanded off the paint and then re-painted it freehand he may have screwed up a collectible auto but certainly improved it's value.
 
Put like that i guess i'll concede. But every knife costumizer isn't picasso and that would be the only reason i would buy a knife that was altered and made different than the way it came. If it was a piece of junk to begin with than i probably wouldn't buy it costumized either.would u buy a pinto if it was painted pretty.
 
OTOH, Picasso's hillbilly neighbor might have just reduced the car's value by the cost of a paint job. Anybody can do it, but not everybody can do it well.

Trying to predict what a collector will find appealing (and pay handsomely for) is highly subjective. I feel much more confident modifying for myself.

Parker
 
mbjannusch said:
Put like that i guess i'll concede. But every knife costumizer isn't picasso and that would be the only reason i would buy a knife that was altered and made different than the way it came. If it was a piece of junk to begin with than i probably wouldn't buy it costumized either.would u buy a pinto if it was painted pretty.
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Junk is junk, silk purse from a sows ear and that. I think there is a fair cottage industry of scrimshawed junk knives. The buyer or collector is interested in the scrimshaw not the knife.

On the other hand, you might find yourself considering a knife someday that has been modded for enhanced performance to your liking such as a blade profile regrind or burl rather than micarta (or vice versa) scales.

Having spent a fair amount of time in a dull yellow Pinto I know a paint job wouldn't do it...unless Pangra was stenciled along the side. Even then doubtful.
 
I wouldn't replace what makes a great knife great (well, OK, not usually) but I would happily, and have often, replaced what made a great knife NOT SO GREAT FOR ME.

Greg
 
I frequently modify factory knives to make them more useful to me. I switch bades to get higher end steel. I add pocket clips and/or thumb studs. I ream lanyard holes to accommodate push pins which allow one hand removable lanyards. I reprofile blades to suit the intended use. Sometimes I remove handle material near the base of the blade to give better access for sharpening. I send handles out for anodizing. I order custom blades for factory handles. I inscribe contact information. I add glow in the dark material. I don't do everything to every knife, but the endless permutations add a lot of interest and utility to an already interesting hobby.
 
Tiguy, tell me more about the lanyard holes, if you don't mind. I favor lanyards myself over clips.

Parker
 
I prefer clips with lanyards. Check out my YouTube link for the "megafolders" video for a good explanation of why a lanyard is important to drawing a waved folder.
 
tiguy7 said:
I frequently modify factory knives to make them more useful to me. I switch bades to get higher end steel. I add pocket clips and/or thumb studs. I ream lanyard holes to accommodate push pins which allow one hand removable lanyards. I reprofile blades to suit the intended use. Sometimes I remove handle material near the base of the blade to give better access for sharpening. I send handles out for anodizing. I order custom blades for factory handles. I inscribe contact information. I add glow in the dark material. I don't do everything to every knife, but the endless permutations add a lot of interest and utility to an already interesting hobby.
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That pretty much sums up my thoughts on modding.

Some knives get the works...some get nothing. Knives are a hobby and a passion and various mods can make it interesting.
 
^^^ Very true. As has been mentioned, knives can be like a blank canvas. I usually modify my knives, some mods are visible, some are unnoticed, but there. I will put more tension in a liner/frame lock bar to make it harder to disengage accidently, and/or use phospher bronze washers in place of teflon. I also will shorten the pocket clips on some knives so that you only see a small bit on the pocket, and cover all my clips with black 3M Stair Step tape.

The latest knife I have modified was modded to suit me and to make the knife the way I saw it in my mindseye. It is the Ontario Hossom Retribution 1. I sanded the handles flat, added a thumb groove on the handle to better access the blade opening hole, replaced the teflon washers with phospher bronze washers, and added a foldover, deepcarry pocketclip that has been shortened to 1.75" from 2.5". This is how I envisioned the knife and I ended up with that knife and am very happy with the results. Some would say I ruined a good knife, but in my estimation I have made a great knife even better! Plus, as said, it was what I wanted and what I got!
 
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