Is age a factor in being a custom maker par excellence?

[Steve-O]

In the sense of this question, I tend to think of a knife makers age as equivilant to that of a violinists age.

There are always prodigies, and some even go on to be famous but, most of the greats are not great from youth. The great ones usually have paid their dues, studied, practiced, experimented and finally found their niche, using their strengths to hold that niche (or style, if you will).

I just bought (for a friend) a beautiful folding fillet knife from a local maker. He had never made a knife like this before. but he made it...in his style and did a great job of it. It took him three weeks to think about it and a week to make it, much like a musician learning a new piece by an unfamiliar composer.

I have nothing against youth, but I find it hard to believe that a young person would have the depth of knowledge to pull off this feat and have it turn out perfect on the first try.

This knife was the result of knowledge and experience, not talent and flair.

So yes...I do think age should be considered in the 'par excellence' area. (BTW - This maker is 84. )


Steve-O

 

[golok]

Thanks for correcting me, Clark. I misread your posting.

It's actually you who are 29. I am sure you will have many exciting times ahead of you.

 

[Bugs3x]

I believe the top end -- the par excellence -- makers probably qualify to be called artists. Somebody already mentioned prodigies. The fact is that there are prodigies in the arts. Mozart was writing music at age 7 that many composers never equal.

My favorite musician/composer/artist is Chopin. One cannot overlook his ability to play the piano when looking at his music. Only a very few top flight pianists could play his music at the time he wrote it. I believe that his skill at playing enabled him to try things, to "hear" things other musicians before him could not. But then, pure talent isn't always the answer either. Lizt was a phenomenal player, better than Chopin. But, his music has never been so popular. Beethoven writing symphonies when stone deaf has always impressed me as one of the greatest human accomplishments ever. I don't think he could have done that as a young man. He needed all his years of experience to enable that to be possible.

I believe the great knife makers are those with the skills to realize their goals, and a strong drive towards perfection. Those who settle in for the long haul, making variations of a dozen patterns, are not going to become household names, IMO. Frankly, I do believe that the greater makers are, for the most part, going to come from the ranks of the smiths, not the stock reduction makers. The improvement in modern steels do give the stock reduction maker a much better chance than they might have had otherwise, I think.

Personally, I believe it is the makers who are driven towards making the best performance knives, who are also blessed with some artistic/design ability who are going to be the big names in knifemaking history. And, their best knives are likely to come after considerable experience.