Customs versus production general question

[Cobalt]

I was wondering about some of this and how I feel about customs and production knives and was wondering how others deal with this. So here is the comment and question:

The question is, "at what point in, fit, finish, and cost do you decide that a production knife is just too expensive and you move to buying a custom or do you move to customs at all?"

example: There are many production folders that will top $300 - $400, microtech, Reeves and even rare spydercos. For example microtech LCC DA's have been going for upwards of $400 recently. But at this price point, why not buy a real lightfoot or carson or so many other customs.

 

[DaveH]

your assumption that a custom is higher quality the a production is not always valid.

Secondly people don't buy for quality alone, but also for design appeal. It's a combination of those two. I'd say a person is more likely to buy because they like the design, as long as it meets or exceeds quality expectations.

 

[Cobalt]

your assumption that a custom is higher quality the a production is not always valid.

Very true indeed. But if you take a sampling of 1000 customs and 1000 production knives, you are more likely to get better quality with customs, but as you say this is not always the case.

Secondly people don't buy for quality alone, but also for design appeal. It's a combination of those two. I'd say a person is more likely to buy because they like the design, as long as it meets or exceeds quality expectations.

So your saying that if you have a production mass produced knife that is close to the cost of a quality custom blade, that you can have made YOUR way, you will still choose the production?

 

[Whoever Wherever]

I agree that I would rather have a custom.

There are some well made knives from production however. CR in particular makes well designed, smooth operatin knives. I have come to see why people will spend 500 on them even if I wouldnt. I dont think Microtech or Strider are worth the money, but again thats just my opinion. Microtechs have to many isssues with breaking down and when combined with a poor warranty dept. thats a no go for me. Striders are tough and have a great warranty but unless you can inspect the one you are buying you may have to send your knife in for work right when you get it. Shouldnt be that way at there price point. Also there are knife companies that deliver switchblade and tough knives that use the same materials and are cheaper. Resale value can be better on such popular companies so that is an argument for them

But...

If you buy a custom you are getting work from an artist. Yes I know that many famous knife makers use cnc equipment, thats not my point (and there are plenty you can buy from who dont). The fact is that there are knives from custom makers that open as smooth as any sebenza (ikbs flippers come to mind) and there are many custom tacticals that are over built. As for design apeal I cant imagine that a few models (popular as they may be) offer more design options than the custom market. Even if what you invision as the perfect knife isnt bieng made, you could have it made. A quick run through the knives for sale in the makers area displays a gammut of styles and many of them are executed to a very high level of quality. Plus you are supporting the custom knife industry. One look at how many knife companies turn to the custom makers for design will tell you that the inspiration for many a production knife lies in the creativity offered by these great artists. Is a Yuna knife per say completely devoid of variances or very slight imperfections? Maybe not in the purely mechanical sense but they look amazing, are much more unique and function as well as these well made production knives.

In the end, we all have to decide for ourself how our money is best spent.

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

Most production knives are too generic for me to feel compelled to pay a lot of money for them. Why would I want to pay hundreds of dollars knowing that thousands of people own knives exactly like mine?

While production knives can usually be counted on to be of good quality and consistent from knife to knife, they usually lack teh custom touch and attention to detail one can get from a custom piece.

Why pay hundreds for something unexceptional? Especially when for the same money, something one-of-a-kind and unique can be had?

Andy

 

[reholli]

...

So your saying that if you have a production mass produced knife that is close to the cost of a quality custom blade, that you can have made YOUR way, you will still choose the production?

To me, what DaveH said is that a buyer will often like the design of a production knife and choose it over a custom as long as quality and price concerns are satisfied.

YMMV...

 

[ehhh]

I think there is also the fact that custom knives have a long wait time or no wait list at all.

 

[Lycosa]

Interesting thread, Cobalt. A custom knife would be special in knowing that ONE person made ME this knife. But there are some darn nice production knives as you know!

 

[Cobalt]

Interesting thread, Cobalt. A custom knife would be special in knowing that ONE person made ME this knife. But there are some darn nice production knives as you know!

I waiver back and forth on this one because I have bought expensive production knives in the past and have wondered why I don't buy more customs at those prices.


Busses and Sebenzas are perfect examples of this. They are about as high end as productions get and they are custom quality. Except that for the most part you do not get it designed your way which is the advantage of a custom over these.

 

[udtjim]

Only you can decide at what point a custom becomes to expensive. Some here can drop several hundred or more on a knife but most of us can't. The good news is that there are many production knives out there that will do the job close enough to as well as the high dollar knives for a small fraction of the cost. Maybe you will have to sharpen your production knife a little more than a high dollar custom but if you are set up to do so than its part of the fun.

To me it makes not one bit of difference if a dozen or ten others have the same knife, it only matters that the knife does what I want it to do for a price I can pay without severe pain. I have a lot of very good knives and have not paid over 70-75 bucks for most of them. My cutting abilities have never suffered one bit.

 

[DaveH]

The other issue that I consider very carefully, is the future prospects of the custom maker. GBU has quite a few entries about makers who may have nice stuff, but either never delivered on items, and or never repaired items that were defective. In other words there is a greater risk involved with a custom maker.

 

[Cobalt]

The other issue that I consider very carefully, is the future prospects of the custom maker. GBU has quite a few entries about makers who may have nice stuff, but either never delivered on items, and or never repaired items that were defective. In other words there is a greater risk involved with a custom maker.

yup, I have had a few bad experiences myself. But many good ones also.

 

[MVF]

I waiver back and forth on this one because I have bought expensive production knives in the past and have wondered why I don't buy more customs at those prices.


Busses and Sebenzas are perfect examples of this. They are about as high end as productions get and they are custom quality. Except that for the most part you do not get it designed your way which is the advantage of a custom over these.

Hi Cobalt, seems we are at the same place. I've been going throught the same thing, especially since being at Pasadena last weekend and handling some of the better custom folders- all unfortunately too steep for me at the moment- but after seeing what's available, some of my Busse safe queens will soon be seen on the exchange! I'm also debating whether to keep my William Henry.

I will be keeping my Mnandi, and several of my Busses (there's just no arguing with INFI) for users, but my current wish list is definitely leaning towards customs. I have decided to pick up a Classic Sebenza if I ever find one at a decent price, tho!

 

[SIFU1A]

FWIW i find it difficult to pay over $350 or $400 for most productions, at that price point i prefer a custom, though i have paid that a couple of times (ie a strider SnG, SmF and a sebenza) i will say $500 would be tops for a production, i dont think i would pay that for any production.

as far as customs i collect emersons so i will spend a grand on them, or more, of course its fairly easy to get your money outta a emerson custom, a lot easier than say a $350 surefire delta, for one.

 

[cutter17]

A lot has to do with your own expectations, and what it is you are looking for in a knife. The one overriding factor in buying a knife, for me at least, is that it must have excellence in engineering. With the advancements in CNC machines, some production knives are being built with some very fine tolerances, couple that with the newer materials, and then throw in a pinch of custom collaborations, and you have some very good production knives on the market. The best of these are going to cost more than a standard model, but will be more exclusive than the standard models.

If you are looking for exclustivity you can still find it with a few productions due to the materials used and/or the limited number produced. But for a genuine "one of a kind" it will probably take the custom market to scratch that itch.

If the knife appeals to me, be it production or custom, I will pay the price it will take to own it. As far as high dollar productions go I have gone as high as $550 for a LE wood inlaid Sebenza. That is probably the top dollar I would go since the knives I buy do not have engraving, precious metals, or damascus metals, and those are things that would drive the cost of a production knife up, and also a custom knife.

Good designs that appeal to me, top notch materials, and production methods that require the upmost in precision are the things that matter to me. If a production knife fulfills those requirements then that is what I take; if it is a custom knife that does this then it is the custom knife I take.