Have you ever bought because of the maker

I have bought because of the maker a few times. Emerson was one. Found out that wasn't my thing. A custom strider in Rex 20. Similar situation. Phil Wilson on the other hand was a very positive experience and I ended up buying another.
 
Yes, more than I want to think about. My only regret is that when I did meet Bob Loveless I couldn't afford his work. But there's only a couple makers on my "someday" list any more.
 
And that reminds me, while you don't have to be a cowboy to get one of his knives or have him make you an excellent sheath for your knife, he will make sheaths for knives other than his own and they are quite nice. The fellow I'm speaking about is Horsewright Horsewright aka Dave Ferry and I had a very nice small knife a few years back, but like most things I move on from one to another, not many stay very long, always searching, but, I have been tempted to pick up another one of his knives,
1. because I like the style of knife he makes, very no nonsense and they just work!
2. because he is as down to earth hard working cowpoke you're ever likely to meet up with, I can't hold a candle to the work load he carries about every day

Here's the knife he made and I used in this tutorial I video'd about tying a diamond knot, the knife was quite sharp!


Thanks again Dave!
G2
 
Yes

Sal Glesser - I met Sal in 1982 and was impressed enough to buy the entire Spyderco catalog at that time - a Worker and a Mariner. Still own both, and have purchased many Spyderco since. Sal never disappoints.

PJ Tomes. Met PJ at a show and bought his knives based on his philosophy of knife and blade design. PJ makes them thin and sharp. And very reasonably priced for a custom. He’s the anti-tactical maker. No fat slabs or thick blades. Everything is well thought out and razor sharp.

Gene Shadley. Almost criminal that most collectors have never heard of Gene, who is a slip joint master. He’s also one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. He’s a past President of the Knife Guild and very active for Knife Rights. A testament to his work is the fact that Bob Loveless carried a Gene Shadley slip joint.

Others include Frank Centofante, Bob Dozier and Walter Brend.
 
There are several makers that I like quite a bit and I generally like the knives they make but every one of them has models that I just don't care for. I would not buy a knife unseen just because it was made by a certain maker favorite or not. There are also knife makers that I either don't generally like or don't even know about that have made certain models that I have really liked.
 
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I try to figure out who the designer of every knife I own is, both for my reference records and my interest in the hobby. That also goes for knives I'm interested in, but haven't yet bought.

Finding out who the designer of a knife you really like can lead you through a series of new knives you like and you start to gain a real appreciation for their work and style. Designers like Jesper Voxnaes, Andrew Demko, Jens Anso, and Ken Onion have resulted in multiple purchases that they've designed or collaborated on. A good proportion of my knife collection was purchased to a significant degree because of who designed the knife, because I wanted to either have at least one representation of their work or buying something else I'll likely enjoy having.
 
Gary W. Graley said:
And that reminds me, while you don't have to be a cowboy to get one of his knives or have him make you an excellent sheath for your knife, he will make sheaths for knives other than his own and they are quite nice. The fellow I'm speaking about is Horsewright Horsewright aka Dave Ferry and I had a very nice small knife a few years back, but like most things I move on from one to another, not many stay very long, always searching, but, I have been tempted to pick up another one of his knives,
1. because I like the style of knife he makes, very no nonsense and they just work!
2. because he is as down to earth hard working cowpoke you're ever likely to meet up with, I can't hold a candle to the work load he carries about every day

Here's the knife he made and I used in this tutorial I video'd about tying a diamond knot, the knife was quite sharp!


Thanks again Dave!
G2
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Thank you sir!
 
I think the maker absolutely factors into my purchases. I go to knife shows that have forged in fire contestants to check out their products, if I like what they offer I’ll buy it. Same with makers without big national attention, if I like the product, I’ll buy it.
It goes along with my feelings of “purchase local” whenever I can, trying to support small businesses.
 
I'm drawn to aspects about makers that I see as good, and drawn away from things that seem bad to me. For example, not being able to disassemble or sharpen without losing warranty I view as bad. Treated hardware that won't fail is good. Getting heat treat to non-optimal levels is bad, getting it right is good. I try to seek out makers that practice making knives correctly to preform as best as they can. Also, I am drawn to makers that encourage and assist in maintaining and extending the lifespan of a knife. I also am drawn to makers that make knives with a purpose in mind, so that they can be performers in the job they are designed for.

I don't really care what a maker is like in terms of personality, political beliefs, or whatnot. If they can make a good knife that lives a long life then I will be drawn to them.
 
I came across Bless Knives on videos from Blade Show West. I liked his knives and he’s very much a start up. I saw he was selling pry bars in his local store. I ordered two, mostly to help support a new maker. They turned out far cooler than I imagined and perfect for key ring. Magnacut!
 
I really like the Hinderer ZT knives, specifically the 0562 variants. I ended up buying a Hinderer XM-18 3.5” slicer and a Jurassic as well. They never get any pocket time, just aren’t the knives for me so they just sit in their boxes.
 
Gary W. Graley said:
Morning folks, I was thinking about the number of times that I have bought a knife because of who made/designed it and figured that might be a common thing that others might have done as well.

A few examples
David Boye knives, I’ve spoken with him and his wife and daughter on the phone and they all were just down to earth kind of people that I could appreciate and of course the book he wrote has started a lot of knife makers over the years, which I bought directly from him and he signed it for me.

Warren Osborne, I had admired his designs and one year my work took me to his home town. So I called him and asked if I could stop by and visit his shop. He said he was just packing up for a trip but he had a little time and said sure. I had a great visit he showed me his shop and the tools he used in making his folders. He has past away but a major influence in the industry. Very kind of him to make time for me.

Gayle Bradley, his designs are no nonsense and are directed to the person who uses a knife day in day out. I have had the folders several times and this morning I was thinking of getting one again. From the video interviews with him on YouTube you get a sense of how down to earth he is.

Many more out there that have inspired me to buy, post about who might have caused you to buy because of the person behind the knife

G2
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I met Gayle at a Texas custom knife show. He is down to earth in person also.
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