entry-level customs

fishface5

fishface5

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Feb 3, 2001
Messages
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I can't seem to find exactly what I want in a production slippy. Tony Bose makes some beauts, but they are way past my range. Are there some decent and more affordable makers y'all can recommend looking at?

Tx - FF
 
Gary Crowder (very reasonably priced for what you get)
P.J. Tomes
Ray Cover (long wait, my recent arrivals took 21 months)
 
There are a few lower-priced customs on vintageknives.com. thaey also have a number of unusual production models that may fit the ticket. I have dealt with them and their service is first-class.

In addition, you could go the "custom-collaboration" route. Dan Burke has designed some knives for Queen that are superb. I don't know exactly what you are looking for, but you should have a look. Cumberland has a few in stock. Another great "custom-collaboration" was the one that Joe Kious designed for Schrade. There are a few still out there.
 
Ty Montell
Jason Cutter forum member has started making slipjoints. The 2 I have Jason posted on BF's. You can see Ty's work at the custom knife gallery of colarado.

I have knives by both.
Mitch
 
Hello Mitch,

I don't think Ty has anything listed anywhere right now. But, he does make very nice, very reasonably priced slipjoints.

I doubt if he'll mind, so here is a picture of Mitch's Montell... :D

Bill
 
Steve Vanderkolff from Canada comes to mind, as does Gene Anderson ( Southwest Bladecraft)from here in Tucson. Very nice work at very reasonable prices. Great start into a life of customs.
 
I was going to say Don Morrow too. I own a couple of his trappers and they are very nice.
 
Great suggestions.

Others to consider.

Wally Watts,

Joe Houser.

Jeff Clairborne.
 
El Lobo
Thanks I just emailed you a bigger picture of montell. If anyone wants Ty's details let me know.
 
awesome, thanks guys . . . let's see what kind of trouble this gets me into . . . :D
 
Ray Cover
Jeff Cover- Ray's son
Reese Bose- Tony isn't taking orders, I have Coffin Handled Jack on order from Reese, right now, he has about a 2.5-3 year back log
Gary Crowder

Good luck,
Matt
 
IMO, Gary Crowder, Ray Cover and Jeff Cover are three of the best when it comes to reasonably priced slips.

Even on the inflated secondary market Ray's knives are a bargain.

Gary is a great guy to deal with, well below what he should be charging and can have a custom order knife turned around in 6 weeks usually. I have 4 or 5 of Gary's knives and can't speak highly enough about them.

Jeff is turning out some very nice work and in the low to mid $100 range his work is even more impressive. At those prices he has to be doing it for the fun of knife making!
 
Unfortunately, I don't think Tony is currently making knives. He came on one of the other forums and said maybe one day he'll get back into knifemaking. :(

Bill
 
Of course most anyone who knows me on here... knows I'm gonna say Ray Cover, and Jeff Cover ;) . I also have first hand experience with Gary Crowder's knives, and recommend his work too. Another fine long time maker of slipjoints is Cliff Polk. I've had a few of Cliff's knives and they are great for those that want a little smaller or a little dressier knife. Ray Cover makes a small gent knife now, but he hasn't made them long, so not too many of them are floating around. Henry Parker is another maker of super quality slips...though it's being said that he has quit making. Henry's knives usually sell for pretty close to his table prices. In conclusion, there are some dang fine custom slipjoints to be found in the $150 - $300 range.

Here are three of my latest Ray Cover Gent knives in Giraffe bone, white and black pearl, they are 3 1/8" closed.
RCGentDS.jpg
 
I have two slipjoints I got for ~200. I have a gary crowder two blade trapper, with jigged bone handles. It's a great design, good execution, but had a few problems with the grind (still sharp as a razor) and slightly loose blades. It was worth the price, it's a user, and I bought it off his table with my eyes wide open. However, if I was more anal retentive or looking for a safe queen and bought it over the internet, I might not be so happy.

I have a henry parker single blade of his own design. I bought it because the execution was flawless, the pearl was pretty, and I always wanted a pearl handled knife. From another maker, the pearl alone would have been about half the purchase price. I didn't love the handle design, until I started using it. Now, it's my little gem. I sure hope he hasn't quit.

Note that for $200, crowder gives bone, ATS34, fileworked liners, nickel steel bolsters/liners and two blades with good execution. Parker gives ATS34, steel liners/bolsters, single blade, filework, pearl handles and great execution. For $200, that's considerably cheaper than the Case Bose knives (made by Queen?) that run $300 or more.

Both makers can do a great nail nick, something that some higher priced or newer makers sometimes can't seem to get right. A slipjoint with a poor nail nick is a sad thing to own. I reject them out of hand.

Edited to add: When you start shopping for entry level customs, the best place is at a knife show so you can see and handle them. Beware there is some real garbage out there, even by makers whose pretty knives you see in Blade or KnifeWorld in their photo spreads. If you buy sight unseen, don't buy w/o the right to return with a money back guarentee, unless you can afford to put a few hundred down a rat hole.
 
Brownshoe,
that is some sound advice about attending shows. Although being across the big water there is not many shows. That's why I find these forums essential for sound advice, info from El lobo helped make up my mind for my montell & was not dissapointed. I did attend the Aussie knifemakers guild show this year & met heaps of great makers. I have ordered a custom lockback throucgh 1 of the makers I met
 
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