Do you buy others?

bodfish

bodfish

Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Messages
101
I'm simply a lower class maker of blades. I love the craft, I love the knives....

I love art, and I "adore" the part where function = design, and the art just flows from the merger. Many here will know from where I come. Some will never get there, unfortunately.

So.........I also BUY knives, even though I can make them. Why? Well.......I don't rightly know exactly.

I bought the NWA knife, the forum blade, just for the having of it, I think. I wanted to feel the maker in my hand. I wanted the brotherhood of having another's hand in what I love to do. Maybe you know what I'm talking about, here. I also plan to use this blade with the love that it took to produce.

Now, for the working part. I went camping last week-end, and lost my folder. It was POS, Gerber, as they are prone to make nowadays. But, it did serve, but not with dignity. This company went the way of the harborfreight virus.

In any case, I NEED a replacement. I feel naked without a folder in my jeans. I have ordered a Japan made, Norwegian replacement. It's found here:

http://www.fallkniven.com/

It's the U2 folder, and I can't think of one I could custom buy with this blade metalluregy.

So...........are you a maker of knives, and buy other's??

Will you admit to it? I have.........
 
I used to buy knives... but not many. I've thought from a young age only good tools are worth having, and I could never afford good knives. I learned how to make them between books and this site, and haven't looked back. Most good knives I like are upwards of $100, which to me is another 6' of 1095, a couple new files, sheets and sheets sandpaper, etc.. I'll get better, and eventually be able to make most any kind of knife I could want. Right now, my own knives serve my needs perfectly.
 
I buy folders since I lack the skill/equipment to make them well if at all. As much as I want to buy certain fixed blades from other more skilled makers I would have to buy more steel,mats and belts first. If I ever have to money to spend again I would most certainly pick up knives from all my favorite makers even if I had gained the skill to do comparable work. I would be buying them for the love of the craftmanship and not because I'm unhappy with my own knives.
 
I have been making my own and for others for about a year or so and i feel my quality is quite good. I am just hopelessly addicted to knives and cant seem to stop buying other makers work or other production knives.
 
While I may WANT to, I usually divert the funds into my own knifemaking. Not to say I haven't had some moments of weakness (I got an awesome "little curly" from Ray Smith at the last show I attended), but I usually try to tell myself that I should put the time and money into making my work as good as that of those I want to collect pieces from. I mean, I'm supposed to be working on MAKING knives right?

Then I heard Bill Moran's take on things. The paraphrased version is "how can you expect to emulate a thing that you can't study by owning one?" That made sense and so I'm hoping to start putting some $$ away to buy work from some of my favorite makers.

I can rationalize ANYTHING! :D

-d
 
I'm kind of in the same boat as BigJimSlade and deker. It's hard to buy knives, when the money can be used for a new bandsaw blade, steel, shop supplies etc., but I still manage to buy one once in a while. I guess I'm more picky now as to the knives that I do buy, since I'm not buying as many. I'm also not making much due to not having much time, so until I can make myself "THE KNIFE" (which is kind of why I started this in the first place) I'll still be buying others knives. -Matt- Who am I kidding? I'll probably always buy others knives, there really is no reason not to if you like them.
 
The other thing I forgot to mention is that it's pretty rare for me to find a knife I "can't live without". Most of the things I'd like to add to my collection are on the list because of the maker, not the specific piece. I like to have pieces made by those people who have provided me assistance or inspiration, or those folks who I consider friends. In the former case I'd like to buy a piece from a maker as a sort of "thank you" for their time in helping me or simply for their hard work in making pieces that have inspired me. In the latter, it's because they're a friend and I highly value those pieces not only for the craftsmanship, but also because they came from a friend.

-d
 
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