I found a new custom maker.

Most forget that a lot of early technology in steel was developed in that part of the world.
India, Syria, Pakistan etc.
While they can make some excellent steel there. It just being from there isn't a guarantee of a quality made Damascus, nor will any of those Pakistani knives ever really appreciate in value.

I focus on supporting craftsman in this country. When I want quality Damascus for a knife commission I buy from Devin Thomas or Chad Nichols just to name a few.

When we support USA made products with our purchasing dollars it keeps the money here in the USA and provides jobs for other here that may reciprocate and purchase my USA knives and other products made in the USA.

When Henry Ford was asked why he raised the daily rate for his auto workers to a whole $5.00 a day?
He replied, so my employees can afford to purchase one of the cars they make!
 
The pictures are good enough to show that he achieves at least decent fit & finish but as others have said my main concern would be with the quality of the steel, as well as the heat-treat, compared to that from a reputable first-world maker.
 
Pakistani knifemakers are flooding facebook right now.

If find their designs poor, and have BIG doubts about the contents of their damscus steel.

I would not buy a knife from them if they were the last knifemakers on earth.

That being said, there will undoubtedly be good Pakistani knifemakers, but the spammers & scammers that show their stuff in every knife related group on facebook spoil it for the good guys.

Kind regards,

Jos
 
BePrepared said:
By the way, it's certainly not a joke.
Sorry, but it sounds like one.
I risk almost nothing by giving him a shot, and if it turns out that he's as good as others who have ordered from him say,
They say so on his webpage?
i'll have a nice piece at a bargain
Click to expand...
Odds are you wont.

As others have mentioned; the many ruin it for the few. Im sure some there know their craft, but they get lost in a deluge of 'carp.'
 
I think you are going to find that they look better from across the globe than they do up close and even then are way more show than go. I also believe in supporting the custom makers here in the forum.
 
Bobby Branton said:
That is nice if you like your knives made from old refrigerators and washing machines.
Click to expand...

- that good! And I thought it was drain covers and old ships.

Have to say, there's an obvious skill-base there - if they tried, they could likely produce something very decent...
 
I their defense, they probably do very well with what they have available. I'm sure they are used to getting by on very little. Things that we take for granted.

Chui-888 said:
- that good! And I thought it was drain covers and old ships.

Have to say, there's an obvious skill-base there - if they tried, they could likely produce something very decent...
Click to expand...
 
I completely respect getting by on very little, but it isn't appropriate to list 1095 and 15n20, when the source is not that. Hell, in a pinch a mild steel edge is better than a sharpened rock or stick, but don't advertise it as a high carbon steel.
 
I didn't realize that they were doing that. My bad.

Willie71 said:
I completely respect getting by on very little, but it isn't appropriate to list 1095 and 15n20, when the source is not that. Hell, in a pinch a mild steel edge is better than a sharpened rock or stick, but don't advertise it as a high carbon steel.
Click to expand...
 
My understanding is that "Pakistani Damascus" is made from mostly found metal IE: Nails, tire rims, rake tines anything the kids can dig out of the dump or find.
Just sayin
When you get the knife post a video of it's performance. Say cutting rope or cardboard using the same spot on the blade. If i'm wrong would really like to know!
 
Hankins said:
My understanding is that "Pakistani Damascus" is made from mostly found metal IE: Nails, tire rims, rake tines anything the kids can dig out of the dump or find.
Just sayin
When you get the knife post a video of it's performance. Say cutting rope or cardboard using the same spot on the blade. If i'm wrong would really like to know!
Click to expand...

I was already planning to do so. I've talked to him about where he gets his steel from, and it doesn't sound like "found metal" to me... we'll see
 
I would be very curious to see the video review of your knives when you get them.

As other's have stated, I doubt very much that the blades are made with any form of high carbon steel.
 
BePrepared said:
I was already planning to do so. I've talked to him about where he gets his steel from, and it doesn't sound like "found metal" to me... we'll see
Click to expand...

What exactly does he say? I would very much like to give this guy the benefit of the doubt, but historically, these types of knife makers rarely turn out to be completely honest or forthcoming about the source or composition of their steel.
 
The's a subforum on BF that makes their knives from old leaf springs, and a lot of people swear by them. Still, damascus is a whole different animal. Let us know that your finding are, Be Prepared.
 
From what he has told me, he gets his damascus from a company called Y R Associates. The company is real, and he seems to have a clue what he's talking about.

I'm not saying they make steel of the same quality as what makers here in the states produce... i'm sure they don't, but it's a lot better than some crappy junkyard steel damascus
 
It's possible the maker is on the up-and-up and his rates are low because the value of his time is low in $USD compared to American costs and standards of living. This is the theory that supports outsourcing/offshoring. All else equal, I'd expect the cost of a custom knife from Pakistan to be lower to reflect the cost of labor in that country. Once demand for that maker's work rises in the global market I'd expect his prices to rise toward whatever the market will bear for his work.

-Daizee
 
I believe that most knifemakers that we have on BF are greatly underpaid if you consider their time, equipment and supplies. Not a day goes by that I don't have my sights set on at least one knife in the exchange. I have yet to have one of them make me a custom to my specs as my needs aren't too much different than anyone else's and most designs are pretty good. Every knife that I have purchased on the exchange has been well worth what I paid and I see no reason to look any where else.
 
I've got a decent number of knives made from mysterious steel, some of which are of composite construction, and I have found that their performance is tied mainly to the ergonomic interface, bevel geometry, balance, and a hardness somewhere appropriate for their given use. Apart from the odd handle snapping off, these knives are generally at least on par with a lot of factory stuff at the same price, and you get that uniqueness of design to boot.

This seems like a pretty decent opportunity to job out your dream design- from paper to finished knife in under $200. Not much in order to ensure the design is workable. Then you could send the knife to your favorite knife maker as a template, and, well there you go! Pakistani prototyping!
 
"Apart from the odd handle snapping off, these knives are generally at least on par with a lot of factory stuff at the same price"

I've never had a factory knife snap off, much less a custom, even if the factory knife cost as little as $20 instead of $200.

Sure have your caricatures of knives "prototyped" in Pakistan, however the fit/finish will probably give you a knife that is not worthwhile as a prototype.
 
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