Everyday civilian or Knife aficionado?

[AVigil]

As a knife maker do you find your creations sell more to knife nuts and collectors or just normal folk?

100% over the last few years my knives have gone to knife aficionados.

A normal person gasps when they find out how much a custom hand made knife sells for and are intrigued about the process but not a patron

 

[Horsewright]

Most of mine are edcs bought and carried by working cowboys/ranchers. I do have several customers that are over 50 each though.

 

[Maelstrom78]

Most of mine are edcs bought and carried by working cowboys/ranchers. I do have several customers that are over 50 each though.

Wow 50! Do they give them to their employees or something?

 

[Horsewright]

Wow 50! Do they give them to their employees or something?

No I guess ya'd call em collectors. First one is a rancher down in Texas. He bought a bag full at that time probably 10-15. He called a couple of weeks later and told me he didn't buy enough so he bought another 10 or so. And has for years now every once in a while 3 here and 4 there. He told me his original intent was to gift them but he couldn't. Now he's over 50. Just did this one for him a short while ago:

Another guy is a true collector. He's a retired firefighter on the east coast. He logs em all date made, bought, handle material, model etc he wants to leave them as an investment to his daughter when he passes.

The last is a cowboy/rancher/horseshoer. He's semi retired and still shoes some horses so he can buy my knives. He carries them all and rotates through them. His wife will tell him "You're being grumpy, go buy one of Dave's knives". He does.

Several others in the 30 to 40 range too. As far as employee deals I've had several that were done with brands etc for the ranch but these were in the 10 -15 range.

I was at a roping once and counted 35 of my knives there being worn by contestants and spectators. Got pics of quite a few. It was fun.

 

[timos-]

yeah its kind of a bummer really, when you put so much into the performance of a knife and then you know most of em just sit there barely ever used. I do like kitchen knives for that reason, it seems that alot of the collectors are more into using them on a regular basis, even the high end stuff. Then when you go and try to make some more affordable stuff it just appears that you are cutting corners and doing shit work LOL , oh well.

 

[Bob Ohlemann]

Nobody buys one of my knives that doesn't already have a good knowledge of what goes into a handmade knife. I do sell some EDC's but...well, there are different levels of EDC aren't there?

Bob

 

[not2sharp]

yeah its kind of a bummer really, when you put so much into the performance of a knife and then you know most of em just sit there barely ever used. ....

In the short term yes; but, then those same knives will be available to future generations. They will all eventually get used.

n2s

 

[DanF]

My mentor sold most of his knives for less than a hundred dollars (and he did some high end stuff too). I kinda adopted his attitude, most of mine are for using.

 

[Scott Hanson]

I think more of my knives are bought by collectors, I also have a lot of repeat customers as well. A lot my repeat customers buy my knives and gift them out to their children and grandchildren. I think the price of most custom knives in general prevent a lot of people from wanting to use them. A lot of the knives I make have some sort of mammoth ivory or musk ox boss spacers in them. I tell people when they buy a Scagel replica with some of these more exotic materials that maybe they shouldn't use that knife. Because with they way things are going with the bans on ivory it may not be too long before those materials are not legally available.

 

[AVigil]

most of mine are for using.

even knife aficionados and collector use some of their expensive handmade knives.

 

[Maelstrom78]

No I guess ya'd call em collectors.

I was at a roping once and counted 35 of my knives there being worn by contestants and spectators. Got pics of quite a few. It was fun.

Very cool thanks for sharing.

 

[E.Carlson]

It depends on the style for me.
Chef/kitchen knives all seem to get used.
My EDC design seems to get purchased by everyday folks. (Mostly tattoo artists for reasons I've yet to determine!)
Camp and bush knives seem to get used, most those guys are knife people.
Hunting knives seem to go directly in the safe. Mostly collectors or folks that have intentions of using them but rarely get a chance to get out.
I don't make high end collector pieces or art knives, rather tools that look good. I'm always shocked by people who say they would never use them.

 

[Horsewright]

even knife aficionados and collector use some of their expensive handmade knives.

Absolutely:

Very cool thanks for sharing.

Ya bet!

These two young ladies were part of the staff putting on that roping show I mentioned:

Looks like they use em:

Few others:

 

[HSC ///]

almost 100% knife aficionados and collectors,
However I have sold some to friends because they know me, want to support me, appreciate hand crafted items, want to give gifts, neighbors, etc etc, these are relationship based sales I would say

 

[john april]

mostly sell to collectors and knife nuts

 

[AVigil]

One thing I have noticed the better your fit and finish the more knife nuts and collectors will buy your work.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I love seeing Horsewright's photos. It doesn't hurt that the ladies in his like are as lovely as his knives.

 

[Horsewright]

Thanks Stacy. They can all do stuff too, not just pretty faces:

Even helping out an old guy getting his butt whipped by a calf:

And they carry and use custom knives:

Lil cray cray sometimes though:

Also handy for models when ya make and sell a variety of things, not just knives:

Anyhoo and now we return to your regularly scheduled programming......

 

[Cushing H.]

You know Horsewright, i was telling my wife the other day about some of your designs, and in particular your comment in the thread in the “cooking steak” thread about turning a bull into a steer ... and she said “what, without anesthesia?? (She is a physician). I wonder if i even DARE show her some of the above photos......

 

[Horsewright]

You know Horsewright, i was telling my wife the other day about some of your designs, and in particular your comment in the thread in the “cooking steak” thread about turning a bull into a steer ... and she said “what, without anesthesia?? (She is a physician). I wonder if i even DARE show her some of the above photos......

Tell her to rest easy. In all honesty the calves object more to the restraint than either to castration or branding, which Nichole my wife is also pretty handy at:

This one was a new bull and he was a little big to rope and lay down to brand, been tough on the ground crew:

There he is just a yearling ya should see him now.

Pure grassfed beef, something every Doc should appreciate.


Anyhoo Adam is gonna come up one day when we're branding and we're gonna test drive one of his folders. He don't know it yet, but he's only a couple hours away. While I have made great in roads with my small fixed blades, the slip joint (spelled Case trapper) is still THE cowboy knife and Adam makes a fine slip joint.