Fear of carrying customs?

I buy knives to use them, be they custom or production. Soon will come a day when I have no production pieces, and I will be very happy to use the H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks out of every custom in my inventory. No worry about how they will hold up, no worry about scratches, no worry about turn around time. Just use 'em.

It rather saddens me to hear of people who carry a custom AND a production knife. If you are hoping for an investment, don't carry the custom at all... leave it NIB. But if you pack a custom for a user, by all means use it! Just seems like a slap in the face to a maker to whip out a production when the going gets tough. I could never justify sticking a Spyderco in my pocket when there is already a Carson in there. Seems like something from the Department of Redundancy Department. Just my opinion, keep in mind.

Anyways, If I have any fear of carrying a knife, I fear that I will be stuck with only a production piece in my pocket one day. Keeps me up nights sometimes.
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Sometimes I catch myself assuming that everybody knows their way around a pocket knife. Then I remember what the first three letters of "assume" are.
- James K. Mattis
 
Two words: NO FEAR!

I carry a custom everyday. Some people see them as an investment, but I see it as enjoyment. It is a pleasure to carry a nice knife in your pocket. I usually rotate around from a Terzoula to a Tom Mayo TNT. I have recently been carrying a Darrel Ralph Mad Max and I really like it alot. Yeah, people do say ,"man I bet that thing (mad max) cost about $50!". It gets on my nerves sometimes, but I get over it. If they really knew what it cost they would laugh me out of the county. If you have a custom don't be afraid to carry it. That is what they are meant for. If you scratch it up, you can send it back to the maker and they can refurbish it and you can still get close to what you paid for it back. So don't worry about carrying that expensive custom. If you don't want to carry it, send it to me and I'll take good care of it.
michael

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"For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword."
Heb. 4:12

"Lets meet at my house before the game on Sunday" God
 
I have had very good luck with getting knives Refurbished from the makers after wear appears. Darrel Ralph and Kit Carson are great about it. Kit once told me that seeing knives after they have been in the field helps him make better knives in the future. I had a custom Elishewitz that Allen brought back to pristine shape for a small fee. I have absolutely no problem with this, as I was not the original owner. This is exactly the sort of question that one needs to ask the maker when one is looking to buy a custom knife. After all, it is the service that you are paying for. It is one of the benchmarks that differentiates a long term quality maker from a flash-in-the-pan.
David

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AKTI# A000150
NC Custom Knifemakers Guild member
NC Knife Knuts member
 
of the two i have now,and the one im getting soon-no fear.
there not art knives.i used to not believe anyone would use a custom knife.now i find myself thinking "how could you not?"
Mo.
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Ron Sabbagh:
I'm hesitant to carry my customs on a daily basis.</font>
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Life is too short to drink cheap wine, shoot cheap guns, carry cheap knives, or live with fat/ugly women. Carry your custom! Enjoy it, by all means.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">My fear is that, when the knife is due for sharpening and a "tune up", the custom maker will be too busy for a fairly quick turn around. What are your experiences?</font>
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I used to have a related fear, didn't want to send my brand new Joe Kious gent's to a sheath maker so he could make a well fitted, soft leather pouch. I got over this by carrying it for a while until the new-ness wore off, and by BUYING MORE CUSTOM KNIVES so that I didn't miss the one shipped out too badly! This is the best solution, by far.

Right now, I miss my two Kit Carson folders...they are getting ironwood handles in lieu of the green micarta. That reminds me ...


[This message has been edited by rdangerer (edited 02-07-2001).]
 
I'm fairly new to the forums & was reading the old topics & felt I had to testify. I have carried 1 of Bob Terzuola's TTF-3 since around 1990 every day. I bought it from Phil Fallon of Nashoba Valley Knifeworks & it was sold as having been carried but little used. {In other words I must be about the 3rd owner} I called Mr. T last year to get it tuned up & expressed my concern as I wouldn't know how to act without it. Anyway I dropped it off @ Fed-EX at 1900 Monday night (just before they closed) I couldn't beleive it when it was delivered Wed. morning around 1000. That's 39 hours including transit time. I can't say its always like that but I can say it doesn't get any better.
 
Been carrying my Terzuola ATCF since November 1999. Paid $450. It's approximately 485 days ago. So at this point, it's cost me less than a dollar a day to carry a fine handmade knife. Worth it? You bet I am!
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I carry my Tom Mayo TNT everyday. I don't have to worry about corrosion because of the Talonite and Titanium. The finish that Tom puts on the titanium frame seems to resist scratches. My Sebenza that I carried before I got the TNT has some marks on the titanium but my TNT for some reason looks like it did the day that I got it. I use the blade every day and when it gets dull I sharpen it. And it it ever needs servicing I'm sure that Tom will take care of that too. In fact, he already has once. I stupidly rounded off the tip slightly when I had a slip while sharpening. Tom fixed it up good as new in no time.

It gives me pleasure every time that I use this knife. Wouldn't get nearly the same enjoyment out of taking it out of a display case occasionally just to look at it.

-Steven
 
Every knife mentioned I would have no problem using.But what about "art"knives.I have a Barry Davis pearl handle damascus or a Jot Singh Kalsa pearl folder liner lock,or Lynn Sampson Mastodon folder.Now I know each maker built these knives so they could be used but I'm just not comfortable using these folders.The handle material is just too delicate.Pearl or ivory does'nt look to good scratched up.Same with a damascus or mirror polished blade.What about a one of a kind like a Micheal Walker?
I do'nt have any problem using a tactical working knife but how many people really use a knife costing over $1000 ?I think very few.
Also as Les says 90% of knife buyers eventually trade or sell their knives for what ever reason.Use an expensive knife and watch the price drop.
 
I agree completely with Robb. Most of my customs are “art” knives that obviously weren’t intended to be carried and used. IMHO, scratching up a 2K+ knife is disrespectful and wasteful. Most damascus (especially mosaic) is not geared toward performance, and when coupled with many high-end natural handle materials, you get a knife that is way too fragile to qualify as a practical tool. If I’m going to carry a knife, I don’t want to worry about protecting the finish. I wanna use the sucker. I leave art at home where it belongs, and carry a Ken Onion Ti Vapor, or Brian Tighe Pinnacle. When it comes to art knives, I believe we have a “caretaker obligation” to keep them pristine. They’re going to be around a lot longer than I will.
 
<CENTER><font size="12" color="#FF0000">Buy from those you trust... Skip those with "great" marketing plans... They may not have time to touch up your edge when you need it.</font></CENTER>
 
Sorry, C4, I couldn't read that last reply. Could you find a larger font? LOL

I'm glad I picked up this thread. I just took delivery of only my second custom, a folder from Dale Reif. When I expressed concerns about "using" it, Dale's advice was "USE IT"! It's going into my pocket when I leave the house today.

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Holger The Writer
:c{{{&lt;
 
What's the point of having a custom knife and not using it? That's almost equivalent to having fine looking women and not being able to sleep with her.
 
I carry two Bill Siegle knives to my design, I call them the "Daily's". I designed specifically so that I could carry a fixed blade daily, all the time.

Why carry a production knife, when you can carry a well-made, fits you just right custom?

Like Chefget said
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">"Life's too short not to carry a fine knife"</font>
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Now I just get to wait for my Blackwood, the next Siegle I finished drawing this morning, and maybe a Cooper. Then, I am trying to figure out how to milk enough out of the budget for a Carson, Thomas, or Ralph frame-lock with a Spydie hole.

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Thank you,
Marion David Poff aka Eye mdpoff@hotmail.com

My website, guided links, talonite/cobalt alloy info, etc....
http://www.geocities.com/mdpoff

&gt;&gt;---&gt;Bill Siegle Custom Knives&lt;---&lt;&lt;
-http://www.geocities.com/siegleknives-

"To wait for luck is the same as waiting for death." -Japanese Proverb

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Lao Tzu

"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.
 
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