Fear of Customs? thread in General

I do not buy custom knives for profit either, just MY enjoyment.

I also do not mind the wait at all.
 
Kevin Jones said:
Yep severed, there's more to life than just $$$.
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no doubt, laidez, partying, taxes. but monay makes it all happen. I just see young makers jump on a forum and make a mediocre knife with shitty designs, but he gets the love fest, next thing u know his subpar product is selling for $1200+ on the aftermarket. So I look for these guys. If I'm lucky I can find a couple before the love fest starts. Then sell out at the peak of the love. Now we can talk but money talk so lets talk mo bucks.
 
Severed,
You need to take your wiseass homie slang and park it somewhere else, preferably Whine & Cheese where it belongs.
All you ever do is drag your crap in here. :thumbdn:

Sorry STeven.

Doug
 
shaldag said:
Many of my customs were made for me, and are therefore irreplaceable. I do not care to lose them. One of my small sources of pleasure is carrying and using a first-class handmade knife. Perhaps made by someone as crotchety and crabby and old as myself--and possibly just for me. But even if purchased from a purveyor, there is something about using a handmade knife that just does it for me.

Unlike severedthumbs, my little hobby is not about making money. I enjoy all aspects of the knives, including the idea of input on the designs and other interactions with makers. The very large majority of knifemakers with whom I have interacted are exceptional people--and this has, in a sense, spoiled me. I will not buy a knife from a maker that I do not care for.
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No need for me to answer. You would hear the same thing twice. I would also like to add the collectors (as a whole) to the experience. If this was just about the knives, I would not be here.
 
i don't mind paying more to get a custom fixed blade because i have never found a production that can match a custom.

folders on the other hand i would choose a production model. i don't buy many folders but other than looks the production market seems to be on par or better than the custom field.
 
severedthumbs said:
no doubt, laidez, partying, taxes. but monay makes it all happen. I just see young makers jump on a forum and make a mediocre knife with shitty designs, but he gets the love fest, next thing u know his subpar product is selling for $1200+ on the aftermarket. So I look for these guys. If I'm lucky I can find a couple before the love fest starts. Then sell out at the peak of the love. Now we can talk but money talk so lets talk mo bucks.
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I can't speak for anyone else, but I would appreciate it if you stopped affecting that ghetto-inspired argot in your posts. The language is not appropriate to a general-category thread, either.
 
Sharp Phil said:
I can't speak for anyone else, but I would appreciate it if you stopped affecting that ghetto-inspired argot in your posts. The language is not appropriate to a general-category thread, either.
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Ok ok, I was just attempting to be goofy by quoting Jay-Z. I will do my best to be more conformist from now on. Why so serious?

Sorry STeven.
 
Kevin Jones said:
I think you just like getting everyone riled up.
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That's just a symptom of him being a zero wherever he shows up.

Back to the thread......Some of the best times I've had are those times that I was lucky enough to spend with the friends I made in the knifemaking and collecting world.

There's not a better group of folks alive to hang around.
 
severedthumbs said:
Ok ok, I was just attempting to be goofy by quoting Jay-Z. I will do my best to be more conformist from now on. Why so serious?

Sorry STeven.
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No apologies necessary to me, man....you make yourself look foolish with the responses....while I look like a genius, comparitively speaking.;)

It's a serious subject.....there are many reasons why people DO or DON'T buy custom knives....if it is just about the money, you could look at Randall Knives, there is coin to be made there, and personal interactions can be kept to a purely business level.

Guys, we need to keep sight of the fact that this post was NOT directed at those who are already passionate about custom knives....Suz, I'm pretty sure that you are one of those who have spent the rent money on customs, fairly atypical....:thumbup:

We need to actively address, educate and SELL the advantages of the custom made knife...for those that don't already see it, these advantages are not readily apparent.....not at all saying that this is not happening now, saying that more needs to be done.

crossada said:
folders on the other hand i would choose a production model. i don't buy many folders but other than looks the production market seems to be on par or better than the custom field.
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See, right here is a great opportunity for education.....let's take a CRKT Crawford Folder and the same model from Pat as a custom.....better steel used, better handle material, and the ability to customize....maybe if we were able to show Crossada the two side x side, he would embrace custom folders as much as fixed blades, and in my opinion, this is a great way to use production knives to our advantage.

Thanks for participating.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
severedthumbs said:
Ok ok, I was just attempting to be goofy by quoting Jay-Z. I will do my best to be more conformist from now on. Why so serious?

Sorry STeven.
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No one is asking you to "conform." You are simply being asked to conduct yourself as a rational, educated human being. This is not the first time this request has been made of you; it isn't the case that this refers to a single post or even a single thread.
 
Kohai999 said:
See, right here is a great opportunity for education.....let's take a CRKT Crawford Folder and the same model from Pat as a custom.....
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No, let's take a CRKT Crawford folder and a Sebenza. There are high-end productions that provide pride of ownership, too, and instant gratification with no need to interact -- which some people do find intimidating.

I suggest they would be much less intimidated if they would at least browse this forum and others where knifemakers post. They would find out quickly who is easy to talk to and who does make a fine knife at a reasonable price without an inordinate wait.

High art and investment value may take some investment of time and research on the buyers part, but that buyer can start with a more utilitarian approach. The question is how we advertise this to our own membership. Bladeforums has all levels available.
 
Kohai999 said:
We need to actively address, educate and SELL the advantages of the custom made knife...for those that don't already see it, these advantages are not readily apparent.....not at all saying that this is not happening now, saying that more needs to be done.

See, right here is a great opportunity for education.....let's take a CRKT Crawford Folder and the same model from Pat as a custom.....better steel used, better handle material, and the ability to customize....maybe if we were able to show Crossada the two side x side, he would embrace custom folders as much as fixed blades, and in my opinion, this is a great way to use production knives to our advantage.

Thanks for participating.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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Steven I have had the opportunity to do this many times over with friends and family. My father used to think it was NUTS to buy anything more than a Buck 119 for a fixed blade or a 110 for a folder. He got to see some of my stuff from Jay Neilson, who my fathers brother is a good friend of an Jay often gets wood/steel whatever from. He was very impressed by the work and went to the Chesapeake knifemakers show with me many years back. He got to pick up and hold customs. Next thing you know he's ordered 3 custom fixed blades and bought a folder.

It just took SHOWING him the difference in quality in workmanship and when someone understands those things it makes more sense to them to spend the time and money on it. A friend of mine bought a lightfoot from a show for the same reason, he always carried a Kershaw Storm...nothing wrong with that. but he saw the quality and time that was put into my custom folders and when we compared the differences, he really wanted to own a custom and see what COULD be had. He has bought a few since and now "gets it" so to speak.

Not that people who dont buy customs dont "get it" many understand and just dont want too. But many are just not educated to the benefits like you mentioned.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
No, let's take a CRKT Crawford folder and a Sebenza. There are high-end productions that provide pride of ownership, too, and instant gratification with no need to interact -- which some people do find intimidating.

I suggest they would be much less intimidated if they would at least browse this forum and others where knifemakers post. They would find out quickly who is easy to talk to and who does make a fine knife at a reasonable price without an inordinate wait.

....... The question is how we advertise this to our own membership. Bladeforums has all levels available.
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1. Also a useful approach, Ed, and thanks for that!:thumbup:

2. I find it vexing the amount of pre-concieved resistance that many in our own membership have towards knives outside of the direct realm that they are interested in at that immediate moment....acceptance of other types and styles seems to come with time AND positive exposure....that is the best I can come up with, currently.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
It is the same with custom guns I have many friends that do not understand why for the last 20 years most of my rifles have been built why would any body spend three times the amount. As time went on and they started spending big money on hunts alot of them saw the need for that special rifle so I helped them get orders in and there thoughts have changed. Back in the day if you wanted an ultra light ultra acurate or heavy weight bean field rig you had to go custom. Today factory stuff is aproaching custom rifle performance and with some tweaking they can be great. A guy that does not love steel can not see the reasons to spend big money on a knife and some cost is the decideing factor. When I first got into custom knives I had to go custom because factory stuff was just not what I was looking for. To alot of us god is in the details and once you have fondled a custom knife or gun that speaks to you it is hard to go back.

I do agree with crossada that there are alot of nice prouduction folders compared to fixed blades so when I buy folders I buy prouduction. I am not a folder guy but I am sure if I was there would be a bigger difference to me.
 
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Charlie and I host the Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild meeting at our shop each Feb. We make a point of inviting people that we think might be interested in knives, not just makers or collectors, to attend. It is a place where makers and collectors of all different levels can get together and get to know each other. Makers that were present are members in the ABS, and The Knifemakers Guild, some makers that are still working on their first knife and some that have been making knives since the early seventies. Collectors present represented collections started in the 60's to the guys that just bought their first knife and those that are just curious.

State Guild meetings are a good way to spread the interest to people just getting interested in knives in a manner that is not nearly as intimidating as a visit to a major knife show. They will find a great group of people both makers and collectors/buyers. I would encourage the makers and collectors to support these organizations and encourage people that they think might be interested in knives to attend. If you don't have a State Guild, why not start one? It is not just another way to enjoy knives and the people that make and buy them, but a great way to spread the interest.
 
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