Customs vs. prices

gdaddy

gdaddy

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Sep 22, 2016
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I guess I will get some feedback over this, but:
I have owned several custom knives over the last few years.
It seems that there are a lot of them lately on the market.
My view is that a lot of quality, fit and finish, etc... is more in the $250 range, no longer the $350 -$400 range as before by some makers. The top makers seem to still put out quality but are the others ust producing more than before and allowing the quality to suffer? Or are more knife collectors putting them up for sale to pursue better makers knives? Personally, I am not in the market to spend $350 to $400 on a knife when the blade is not even centered, has obvious fit and finish issues - even minor ones.
gdaddy
 
Do you mean handmade? Are you referring to fixed blades or folders?

Custom knives in the price range you list are almost exclusively fixed blades, with some hand made slip joints close to that range. Occasionally I see a locking folder for slightly above that range too.

More clarification on what you mean would be helpful.

Chris
 
I tend to think of a "custom" knife as one made to the buyers specifications. Many (I get the impression you also) consider any knife made by an individual, one at a time, as "custom". I agree with ^shinyedges^ that a bit more clarification would help. :thumbsup:
 
gdaddy said:
Personally, I am not in the market to spend $350 to $400 on a knife when the blade is not even centered, has obvious fit and finish issues - even minor ones.
gdaddy
Click to expand...

Centering would indicate a folder, not a fixed blade. I agree with shinyedges shinyedges that in that price range custom knives are fixed blades.
 
Many have moved more to Mid-tech, really small production vs custom/handmade. Good quality products, but not unique with a personal touch. While the product may not be the same I think the financial end for the makers has greatly improved.
 
Peter Hartwig said:
Many have moved more to Mid-tech, really small production vs custom/handmade. Good quality products, but not unique with a personal touch. While the product may not be the same I think the financial end for the makers has greatly improved.
Click to expand...

My apologies guys. I was referring to traditional folders (slipjoints) and not custom to the buyers specs.
 
Slip joints have been hot, and their prices have jumped. Other makers have started making them who did not previously, you even have chis reeve making them. The market is driving those prices.
 
Didn’t even realize that was you Harold!
 
If you're not naming names I'd guess those sub par knives you see are part of the new wave of what folks call Instagram makers.

They're not meant for folks like you to collect or use. They're meant to be sold to folks who live and die by social media likes. The maker creates a buzz and the knives are snapped up and used for photos by the end user. Any of the issues you see in person are managed by the way the photo is staged or filters.

The good news is there are also a lot of good newer slipjoints that are better than that.
 
Honestly, I haven't seen what you describe with custom traditionals. Most of my recent purchases have been right in that range (+/- $400) for custom slipjoints and, at least in my experience, they have all been surprisingly well made (and screaming sharp to boot!). I am a little jaded though and my perspective is influenced by mostly collecting custom modern folders, which rarely come well sharpened and generally have at least some noticeable fit and finish issues. If that was what you were originally addressing, then I'd agree with ya for sure.
 
I own 2 custom slipjoints. Both are made by John Lloyd in W2 and micarta. Both cost in the 350-400 range. I consider this entry level.
 
Danke42 said:
If you're not naming names I'd guess those sub par knives you see are part of the new wave of what folks call Instagram makers.

They're not meant for folks like you to collect or use. They're meant to be sold to folks who live and die by social media likes. The maker creates a buzz and the knives are snapped up and used for photos by the end user. Any of the issues you see in person are managed by the way the photo is staged or filters.

The good news is there are also a lot of good newer slipjoints that are better than that.
Click to expand...

I am not so sure "buzz" around a particular knife that is more about the buzz than the quality is something unique to social media. There have always been overrated blades out there. It seems to me that social media has simply accelerated their rise and fall.
 
gscreely said:
I am not so sure "buzz" around a particular knife that is more about the buzz than the quality is something unique to social media. There have always been overrated blades out there. It seems to me that social media has simply accelerated their rise and fall.
Click to expand...
Oh for sure! It's just so easy now to create that buzz.

Don' t believe the hype!
 
I own a TA Davison slip joint that I consider about perfect in terms of construction. Pricing on his stuff has been going up and seems to vary from $550-$725, but nothing in the $400 range anymore unless it is secondary market. Been real curious about the Winkler slip joints; something I am going to look into in the coming year, but no hurry.

To me a handmade slip joint needs to have something more than a GEC and you're paying 100's for that slight upgrade. Mostly boils down to want versus need. To push the value or cost much past this point, to me it has to have a bunch of file work done on it (scrolling, engraving).
 
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