Hi. I'm new. Seeking HELP!!!

K

-Kiku-

Joined
Aug 13, 2020
Messages
138
Hello, everyone. I just decided to start a knife collection as a new hobby. And as expected of anyone new to this hobby, I am in need of help. So here it goes...

I've been browsing online for kwaiken and kiridashi. Then I came across these two on someone's blog:
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Both knives are designed by Jerry Brouwer in Netherlands.

I am interested in contacting either the knifemaker or the person who posted this on his/her blog. But I am unable to find any contact info of neither person.

As far as I can tell, both knives appear to be custom-made. I say this only because neither appears to be production knives. If they were, they'd be for sale somewhere else.

It would be much appreciated if you guys can help me track down and/or obtain the contact info of either the blogger or the knifemaker.
 
Very cool knives I might add! You may be knew but you have good tastes. :thumbsup:

Props to Aflac for the help :thumbsup: (Damn, now I have the quack and his voice in my head :eek:)
 
Check out the knifemakers "For Sale" sub forum here.
There's a lot of talent at good prices. You may find something you like.
Welcome to BF.--KV
 
I looked at the "For Sale" forum. Narrowed the search to "Kwaiken" and then browsed several pages worth which took a very long time. Couldn't find the ones I like. Couple of them came close, but they weren't using the materials I was looking for, and their designs didn't quite strike me.

I think perhaps it'd be much more efficient for me time-wise if there was a forum where I can post "WANTED" ad of what materials and design I am looking for and let the knifemakers decide for themselves if they want to take me up on the offer. Is there a forum for something like this?
 
-Kiku- said:
I looked at the "For Sale" forum. Narrowed the search to "Kwaiken" and then browsed several pages worth which took a very long time. Couldn't find the ones I like. Couple of them came close, but they weren't using the materials I was looking for, and their designs didn't quite strike me.

I think perhaps it'd be much more efficient for me time-wise if there was a forum where I can post "WANTED" ad of what materials and design I am looking for and let the knifemakers decide for themselves if they want to take me up on the offer. Is there a forum for something like this?
Click to expand...

Stick around here a bit and read around, ask a few questions, etc. You’ll find a maker that can make something exactly like what you are looking for.
 
The Aflac Duck said:
Stick around here a bit and read around, ask a few questions, etc. You’ll find a maker that can make something exactly like what you are looking for.
Click to expand...
The Aflac Duck The Aflac Duck : Would you be able to provide me with contact info, preferably email address, for the following individuals? Normally I'd PM for this sort of request but I don't know how to send PM in this forum. Being a new member, and a non-paying member at that, perhaps I don't have such access? In any case, here are the folks I would like to contact:

Sebastian Berenji (Borka Blades)
Lucas Burnley (CRKT)

Thank you so kindly.
 
-Kiku- said:
The Aflac Duck The Aflac Duck : Would you be able to provide me with contact info, preferably email address, for the following individuals? Normally I'd PM for this sort of request but I don't know how to send PM in this forum. Being a new member, and a non-paying member at that, perhaps I don't have such access? In any case, here are the folks I would like to contact:

Sebastian Berenji (Borka Blades)
Lucas Burnley (CRKT)

Thank you so kindly.
Click to expand...

You definitely have good taste.
Both those guys are on Instagram
UNFORTUNATELY
Both makers are extremely popular and are not currently taking new orders for custom builds. If you look around you can find their stuff on the secondary market, but it will not be cheap.
 
-Kiku- said:
The Aflac Duck The Aflac Duck : Would you be able to provide me with contact info, preferably email address, for the following individuals? Normally I'd PM for this sort of request but I don't know how to send PM in this forum. Being a new member, and a non-paying member at that, perhaps I don't have such access? In any case, here are the folks I would like to contact:

Sebastian Berenji (Borka Blades)
Lucas Burnley (CRKT)

Thank you so kindly.
Click to expand...

Yep, I’ll echo what NorthernSouthpaw NorthernSouthpaw said. My post was more about getting yourself involved with the community and finding a maker (or makers) that you’re comfortable with and are taking orders. Honestly, going after the really popular makers is going to lead to disappointment because 99/100 times their books are full and your order won’t even be considered. I’d say browse for a while, a month, year, however long it takes, and learn as much as you can about the hobby and different makers, then place your custom order. One other option for getting knife makers info is picking up a copy of Knives 2020, and in the back of the book there is contact info for almost every maker out there. In the book, you will most likely find makers who you’ve never heard of and it will be like a whole new world :D:cool:

This is a big, diverse hobby. Take time to slow down and enjoy it, these guys ain’t going anywhere ;)
 
I know exactly what I want. The hard part is finding myself a knifemaker who specializes in M390.

I managed to track down Sebastian Berenji on Instagram, but I am sure he is a very busy man and I am not expecting any replies. Then there's kwaiken being outside of his mainstream, although his SBK design comes somewhat close...

Lucas Burnley's Obake and Obake Skoshi designs are very similar to what I want, but he seems to work only with 8Cr14MoV...

Perhaps I'll pay a visit to a magazine stand and see who I can find. But with my luck, I am not expecting much.

Thank you for the advice, NorthernSouthpaw NorthernSouthpaw and The Aflac Duck The Aflac Duck .
 
-Kiku- said:
I know exactly what I want. The hard part is finding myself a knifemaker who specializes in M390.

I managed to track down Sebastian Berenji on Instagram, but I am sure he is a very busy man and I am not expecting any replies. Then there's kwaiken being outside of his mainstream, although his SBK design comes somewhat close...

Lucas Burnley's Obake and Obake Skoshi designs are very similar to what I want, but he seems to work only with 8Cr14MoV...

Perhaps I'll pay a visit to a magazine stand and see who I can find. But with my luck, I am not expecting much.

Thank you for the advice, NorthernSouthpaw NorthernSouthpaw and The Aflac Duck The Aflac Duck .
Click to expand...

A lot of guys are using M390. I have a Kwaiken made by Peter Martin, and I believe he is accepting orders. Mine is in 52100 with a hamon, but I don’t see why he couldn’t use M390. Send him pics or a sketch of what you’re looking for and see what he says. Wouldn’t hurt to ask.
 
-Kiku- said:
I know exactly what I want. The hard part is finding myself a knifemaker who specializes in M390.

I managed to track down Sebastian Berenji on Instagram, but I am sure he is a very busy man and I am not expecting any replies. Then there's kwaiken being outside of his mainstream, although his SBK design comes somewhat close...

Lucas Burnley's Obake and Obake Skoshi designs are very similar to what I want, but he seems to work only with 8Cr14MoV...

Perhaps I'll pay a visit to a magazine stand and see who I can find. But with my luck, I am not expecting much.

Thank you for the advice, NorthernSouthpaw NorthernSouthpaw and The Aflac Duck The Aflac Duck .
Click to expand...


I'm pretty sure Burnley hasn't ever used that steel in his customs. What you are seeing is knives made by CRKT that were designed by Lucas Burnley. His custom stuff is infinitely better.

The Aflac Duck The Aflac Duck has it right. Spend some time looking around here. Especially on the custom subforum and customs for sale by maker in the Exchange. It may take a few months, but you will absolutely find what you're looking for.
 
There's something I've been meaning to ask, and I don't know if I am being paranoid here but ...

When I purchase a knife from a major dealer and/or a retailer, then I think I can be reasonably assured that the material, out of which the blade is claimed to be made, is indeed what it is. But when it comes to a knife made by a small-time knifemaker, what guarantee do I have that the blade is really what the seller claims to be?

What's to stop the seller from passing off a CPM S30V blade as an M390?

I suppose I can test the blade for metallurgical/microstructural composition but the very nature of those tests are destructive and therefore ridiculously impractical.

I think the safest bet would be for me to find a knifemaker who has worked exclusively with M390 (and not much of anything else). That way, I can be reasonably sure that the finished product is true to the claim.

Even if the blade material is really M390, then there's the issue of proper heat treatment. How do I know that the knifemaker has quenched and tempered the blade under optimal conditions? The only way out of this dilemma is for me to find a fairly reputable knifemaker. But those individuals would be next to impossible to get a hold of, sort of like the current situation with Berenji and Burnley.

Reputable knifemaker = virtually impossible to contact
No name knifemaker = Am I really getting what I want?

What a headache.
 
You’re definitely overthinking it. A competent knife maker will be equipped to heat treat M390, and if not, in some cases they may outsource their heat treating to places like Peter’s Heat Treat to have it done professionally. I don’t think there’s a need to have someone that “specializes” in M390, I don’t even think that’s a thing?

As far as getting what you pay for, it makes no difference if you buy the knife from a retailer or a knife maker. For example, if Blade HQ sells you a knife made of M390, they really don’t know for sure themselves if it’s actually M390. They aren’t going to test their knives for chemical structure. They sell it as M390 because the knife maker told them it was M390. Which to me, is no different than the maker selling it to me direct:D
 
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