The more knives I get, the more it occurs to me that maybe it's a whole lot harder to make them than I ever imagined. Either that, or I'm just way too picky and expect way too much.
So, does anyone know how hard it really is to make a flawless slipjoint?
Would you tell us about it please?
On a small scale, it's not hard at all. Just look at the stuff turned out by the custom guys. But you're going to pay for the time it takes to do that.
On the other hand, the commercial folks don't have the time. They need to only satisfy the 7 or 8 out of 10 people who just want a small cutting tool in their pocket. I suspect that 80 percent of the knife market can be aimed at the Ford and Chevy buyers, as there's just not that much market for the Bentley class of stuff. Most people don't even carry a knife these days, and they the ones who do are happy with a 5 dollar gas station special or a sak from the big box store. People like here on this forum are the small number exeptions.
How flawless does it have to be?
Most people who do go through the trouble of getting a knife to carry, are going to use it. It's going to be cutting everything from twine to wire stripping, to scaping mud off their boots to just opening mail. It's a tool, and they don't care that much as long as it looks "good enough" for them. Sometimes after a year of ownership, the knife looks like its been through a war. After a few years, the knife has a broken blade from abuse, or is just beat, or even lost, then the guy goes and buys another one. And he's not going to spend a bunch on it either. To him, the knife is in the same class as a 1.99 screwdriver.
Then you have the sporting crowd. The hunters, campers, backpackers and such. They don't care about flawless either, just that it works. Whole generations of hunters have been happy with Shcrade sharp fingers, Case little finn's, and folding knives of every sort from Shcrade Old Timers to Buck 110's and stockman's. Moderate price knives that dress that deer just fine. Hordes of backpackers and campers have bought a sak and been happy with it for years. If it got lost, they went and bought another just like it. It did the job, and that's all they cared about. It was good enough.
That's most folks.
Then there's the obsessive knife knut.
He's way way different than most people who buy a knife. He's got an obsession so deep that the knife becomes a cult worship item. It's not just a tool anymore. But they don't need flawless finish either. Give them a blade that been tumbled or bead blasted to cover the big flaws, mount it a molded zytel or other synthetic handle, give it a dangerous name or get it used in an action TV show or video game, and they'll que up in line to spend their burger flipping money on it. A far from flawless knife. Don't believe it? just go over and read some of the posts on the general forum. Jeez, actor Mark Harmon uses a certain knife on a TV show, and 50 posters go nuts, wanting to go buy one.
Then you have the collector who buys a factory pocket knife, and then complains about a 1/16th long little rub mark on the back of the main blade. Never mind that this is a 30 something dollar using pocket knife, and the factory can only spend just so much time on it before loosing money. If he'd just drop it in his pocket and use the heck out it, he'd be happier. He'd be happier because of concentrating on the little rub mark, the knife would be covered in wear marks from good normal use, and then he'd have great memories every time he'd pull his knife out, of the
flawless performance that his knife had given him over that time. Keep it sharp, keep it clean, and many many years from now you'll have flawless memories of all the things your knife cut in the way of being a cutting tool. It would have become an old friend, working companion, and a treasured item, in spite of having some flaws.
The truth is, for about 85 to 90 percent of the knife buying masses, the knife does not need to be flawless, so the knife companies just make sure they are 'Good enough" for most folks.
Carl.
