Do we tend to overlook imperfections on custom knives?

I agree with what you folks are saying, and I feel I should add as a maker, there are NO excuses for poor workmanship not going directly to the maker's trash bin. I find it hard to beleive a maker could actually make a knife and not notice flaws. And to send it to a customer is beyond being crass or mistaken. I would think this would be an insult to the customer to think the knife should actually be paid for. True, any maker will tell you we havn't seen the perfect knife yet, but we make damn sure you get your money's worth if we are worth OUR salt. You have seen countless great knives on this forum made by some really talented makers, and I for one would trust their wisdom as to whom to deal with. If you have any questions about a maker's reputation and work, don't have second thoughts about asking some of his other customers about his work. you can more or less feel your way with a maker and tell pretty quick about the guy if he is willing to give you the chanch to check him out if he is an unknown or not well known maker. I would not think an honest working maker would be insulted to ask him for a couple of customer's names, especially considering distant customers, as in other countries or not within easy traveling distance. As in my case, my business is all word of mouth, and I have plenty of work. The knife business has been profitable and rewarding for me because my customers are my advertisement and my peers. I havn't made the big bucks or the big bucks knives, but I'm a happy maker.
 
I agree that a recommendation may on the forums can be misleading. I don't put much stock in a comment unless a large number of people agree. Folks can be very enthusiastic about a maker's knives but is it just the same few cheerleaders posting or is there a consensus? Sure if a maker is new or hasn't got a lot of work out to forum members you may not have a lot to go on. I've been dissapointed with customs too.
 
Well, if you want an auto with essentially perfect fit, finish and function, you need a Microtech, or one of Dake's custom DA autos, i can all but guarantee you wont have anything to complain about with either. Of course MTs arent customs, and there are a few out there that are slightly imperfect, but most of them are about as perfect as any knife, auto or not, can be. Just about every MT i have examined has been perfect, meaning smooth actions, zero blade play, and a perfectly centered blade, the OTF's are the exception and do have slight play, but thats pretty much inherent in any OTF design. Its funny, whenever i check a knife for a centered blade, im always amazed at the MTs because there is a seam where the 2 handle slabs join and thats where the blade rests, so, if its not DEAD centered, youll see that its slighty on one side of the seam or the other, and its uncanny, but 99% of the time, that blade tip is exactly hitting the middle of the seam. THATS fit and finish!

In the world of customs though, tough to beat the workmanship of Dake, as good as it gets IMO. I have also heard good things about Burn's custom stilettos. Pricey, but many people swear by them.

Here is a pic of a DA Dake that i snoozed and lost out on a few months ago when it came up for sale. :(

Dake%20MI%20Auto%20Dagger.jpg
 
Oh yeah, forgot, if you want a perfect knife, get an Obenauf, i just got my first, and im in good company with the MANY BF members who have praised his work, in saying, wow, what an incredible knife, and for about $300! I think as good as a Carson, but for less $$$. You want perfection, its out there, you just have to look. :)

Honestly, get a Mayo, Carson or Obenauf and you have a VERY good chance of experiencing the holy grail that we're all after, a perfect knife, or as perfect as imperfect humans are capable of anyways.

Heres my new Obie, 3.25" S30V blade, blue CF handle, as solid and perfect as any knife I have seen, including knives costing 10 times as much!

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It became harder for me to expect perfection in a knifemaker's work once I started making knives of my own.

When I pay for a custom knife I now realize that I'm not only paying for that particular knife, but for the dozens or hundreds or even thousands made before it.

You can't expect a maker to not improve. They're not machines. If a maker improves, that means that the knives they make now are better than the ones before. And yes, there have been customers all along the way.

Know the history and story for each and every knife you buy and you'll never go wrong.

That's the difference between man and machine-made knives. Custom knives have a unique story and history of their own.

Dan
 
a maker, there are NO excuses for poor workmanship not going
directly to the maker's trash bin. I find it hard to beleive a maker could actually
make a knife and not notice flaws.
Click to expand...

Being an beginer knifemaker having little experience, I am curious to know
(according to your opinion ) which are the errors, flaws or problems "unforgivable"
that a knife can have and who deserve to him to go on the trash bin instead
of being sold...

Which are the top ten flaws to avoid?

Alain M-D
 
Originally posted by Alain M-D
Being an beginer knifemaker having little experience, I am curious to know
(according to your opinion ) which are the errors, flaws or problems "unforgivable"
that a knife can have and who deserve to him to go on the trash bin instead
of being sold...
Click to expand...

That's a great subject. Let's see (and I'm also very much a beginner, so to be taken with a grain of salt):

1 - Knife has to be structurally sound. Seems obvious, but... Anyway, the tang shouldn't be too small or skinny for the task, the blade shouldn't be too thin nor too heavy.

2 - Symmetries have to be ... symmetrical. Shoulders should end at the same levels, bevels should have the same ngle, the edge should be centered, etc.

3 - Straight lines. Bevels, edge, ricasso lines, etc, all should flaw regularly, without any wobliness. If they're curved rather than straight, they should be regular curve, with a fairly constant rate of spiralling, etc. Also true for carved fittings, of course.

4 - Flat flats. Self explenatary, but... Concerns mostly the blade. The test I use for that is to orient the knife in the light and then move it to see the reflection of the light on the blade. It should flow regularly, without any peak and valley.

5 - Crisp transitions, esp on the blade. if there are ridge lines, they should be indeed sharp lines, not broad zones of transitions.

6 - Fit and finish should be perfectly tight, without too apparent welds, etc.

7 - Heat treatment: blade should be perfectly HT, and that includes good normalization cycles and tempering for forged blades.

8 - Good polish, and when appropriate etch. There shouldn't be any trace of the previous stage of polish on the blade.

9 - Knife should be pretty, and in my opinion, this is one of the hardest to master.

10 - Knife should have character, in its own way be unique. Again, in my opinion something extremely hard to do if you don't have "the touch".

The numbers are not meant to be a ranking. Any of those can lead to a deat sentence in my opinion (of the knife).
 
Ten things that are no-no's in a knife;

gaps - joints should be tight

blade play (folders) and uncentered blades

sloppy locks (folders)

uneven and blurred grinds

poorly ground edges, not even

not sharp!

inconsistent finish

poor detents (folders)

poor ergo's

sharp edges where they shouldn't be sharp
 
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