Do knife makers buy knives?

M.McAlevy

M.McAlevy

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
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Question: Do people who make knives also buy knives from other makers/companies?

This is something I have pondered a few times and decided to throw the question out. I don't recall it being discussed here recently. I suspect the answer is mostly 'yes' because most knife makers are also knife enthusiasts, but I am curious.

I'll start. I have been making knives for ~7 years. I typically buy 1 or 2 knives a year. They are mostly customs but not all. I typically purchase from makers that have a particular style that I really like and don't make myself.
 
I’ve been making 2-4 knives a year, as a hobby, for myself and to give away for several years now, wether that qualifies me as a knife maker or not may be another topic.
Yes I do buy knives from other makers and some production knives as well.
 
Yes. I have a hard on for Sinkevich designs, Osborne designs, and Spyderco. I also have a few customs from other makers.
 
Absolutely, I have sold many knives to other knife makers.

I have bought a few. The last one was a damasteel straight razor with mammoth ivory handle from Jeff Mutz
 
Heck yes. I have a Menefee, Dowell, Davison, and a Dunlap all folders. Jerald Nickels makes very nice knives but not many. I have two of his folders.
I also have a Minchew straight knife and a Shawn Shopshire along with my Ray Kirk.
All of theses I consider my friends.
 
I buy lower end knives that I don't mind loosing too much, mostly from CRKT, Benchmade and Spiderco.
I use knives in my day job and I end up losing and damaging them, so I don't want to lay out the cash to buy nicer stuff, like the stuff some of the guys on here make.
Custom folders are spendy!!
 
M.McAlevy said:
Question: Do people who make knives also buy knives from other makers/companies?

This is something I have pondered a few times and decided to throw the question out. I don't recall it being discussed here recently. I suspect the answer is mostly 'yes' because most knife makers are also knife enthusiasts, but I am curious.

I'll start. I have been making knives for ~7 years. I typically buy 1 or 2 knives a year. They are mostly customs but not all. I typically purchase from makers that have a particular style that I really like and don't make myself.
Click to expand...

no, not since I went full-time as a maker, in fact most of my collection is gone as one would rather have more equipment than money tied up in a collection.

2 knives I have left are a WD Pease and a David Sharp Chute, both have my last name engraved on both blades.
biggest sell regret - Marcus Lin caper finn

do you still have that engineering mgr job?

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yes :) it helps me to have a model of what quality i am trying to attain, something to compare my work to. i collected and loved knives since i was a little kid, way before i tried to make one.
 
Lots of good responses.

HSC, yes I do. It’s a good thing because I lose money as a knife maker :) (I have lots of fun though)

John, I also do it to benchmark my quality versus established and respected makers. :thumbsup:
 
M.McAlevy said:
Lots of good responses.

HSC, yes I do. It’s a good thing because I lose money as a knife maker :) (I have lots of fun though)

John, I also do it to benchmark my quality versus established and respected makers. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

when I worked in mfg ops / eng mgmt, I earned 5-6 times what I make fulltime as a knifemaker...so while I don't have $ for collecting, I do have my freedom :D
 
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