Just makes me cringe

Ken, You should do the work that you enjoy. ...If you do choose to modify the knife, you might emphasize that it's a special favor to him and that it is not work that you enjoy or intend to continue in the future. If he were less than 80 ;) ... or the knife was mint, I'd just say no. But totin' around a Maher & Grosh fancy cattle knife type 2-blade would be a treat.
 
kc custom said:
Best of the background story I have is someone got the knife for him and he cleaned
it with full intent of using it. He is 83 years young and I think the leverage is intentional
in the nail nick placement. I'm still going to call him.
Ken.
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In my opinion, it says a great deal about you, that you have misgivings about undertaking this work, irrespective of the circumstances :thumbup:
 
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This really is a business vs ethics conversation at this point IMHO.

It was fairly obvious from the start that the mods were for ease of opening, but knowing its an 83 year old man that has been a good customer makes me have more of a voice on this matter. I think it would be crazy not to make the guys day.

Maybe if you don't do it for him you could refer him to a maker that will or offer to make him a similar knife at a discounted cost.

The words of Robert and David really woke me up out of my daze. Who are any of us to tell some 83 year old man he shouldn't be able to open a knife that was gifted to him?

I don't envy you for having to privately or publicly handle this situation.

If I had the means I would have just kept it between the two of us and done it.

Kevin
 
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Paradiggum said:
I guess you can look at it a couple of ways. I wouldn't mess with it because I like it as it is. But it's not my knife. The owner wants something and apparently bad enough to pay someone to do it. If I were you I would do it. Why? Because if you don't, someone else might. You know your skill and ability to add something in the best way functionally and aesthetically. I'd rather see a mod done right on a nice looking blade over someone with a dremel and no plan.
I guess what I'm saying is, if it's going to happen, it might as well be done right rather than haphazardly.
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Well this pretty well sums up my opinion, especially under the circumstances of this specific customer.
Mike
 
I'd do the work. I don't think a knife is ruined if its used and loved. Much better than Just throwing her in a safe.
 
The only penalty I can see here is if the work costs more than the value of the knife. From what I've read about your relationship with the customer I'd guess that it won't.
Im now wondering how many knives were destroyed in the evolutionary process between chipped flint and todays knives. Probably loads.
 
I'm as much of a fan of pristine old knives as anyone on here, but I'm not sure I understand the dilemma. If the knife is going to be used (and it's already not mint), what's the problem with modifying it to make it more user-friendly for the user that owns it? I've tinkered with tons of old knives to make them better suit my needs.
 
kc custom said:
Best of the background story I have is someone got the knife for him and he cleaned
it with full intent of using it. He is 83 years young and I think the leverage is intentional
in the nail nick placement. I'm still going to call him.
Ken.
Click to expand...

That is a great looking knife Ken. I know most of us here look at vintage knives, and cringe when someone cleans them, let alone modifies one.

Given the info you posted above, I have to say, I don't look at this one the same...
The gentleman is 83 years young, and feels a need for the knife to be modified, because of physical issues ?, so he can more easily use this particular knife.

I think at his age, he has earned the right to make the choice of modifying a knife, even one most would never consider altering. It will probably bring him great enjoyment, to be able to carry a fine knife like this, and at his age ( no disrespect meant ) who knows how much longer he will want, need, or be able to carry a knife.

"Sacrificing" a knife, for a mans enjoyment in his advanced years, is far more important, than one knife. To look at it any other way, would be selfish IMHO. YMMV of course
 
338375 said:
I think at his age, he has earned the right to make the choice of modifying a knife, even one most would never consider altering. It will probably bring him great enjoyment, to be able to carry a fine knife like this, and at his age ( no disrespect meant ) who knows how much longer he will want, need, or be able to carry a knife.

"Sacrificing" a knife, for a mans enjoyment in his advanced years, is far more important, than one knife. To look at it any other way, would be selfish IMHO. YMMV of course
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Nicely said. The age issue is certainly a facet of the issue. I have several older contractor friends that carry knives and have to have one that nearly falls open on its own. Arthritic hands and thin broken nails make it almost impossible to open a knife, even an old favorite.

And in the case of my father, they took his pocket knives away from him when we put him in a facility as they were afraid he would cut himself. In his mid 80s, he had never gone a day without a pocket knife. Never. A couple of Christmases ago I went through every knife they had at a sporting goods store to buy him a new one against the advice if his doctor and the wailing and moaning of my sisters and mother.

He was delighted, thrilled, to have a knife again. To his huge embarrassment and disappointment his poor hands couldn't get it open. But he enjoyed carrying it so much he rarely went anywhere without it. When he was sick and couldn't get out of his chair for a few days at a time, he would have my mother open the main blade and set it next to him so he could see it and get to it "if he needed it". Since he couldn't walk and was confined to a wheel chair in the end, "if he needed it" meant opening mail when he was having a good day.

I would have done anything to any knife to allow him to be able to open his own pocket knife. And along those lines, if he wanted to someone to modify any of his old knives to make him happy, I certainly would not have cared what it cost.

I guess we all have different priorities.

Robert
 
midnight flyer said:
Nicely said. The age issue is certainly a facet of the issue. I have several older contractor friends that carry knives and have to have one that nearly falls open on its own. Arthritic hands and thin broken nails make it almost impossible to open a knife, even an old favorite.

And in the case of my father, they took his pocket knives away from him when we put him in a facility as they were afraid he would cut himself. In his mid 80s, he had never gone a day without a pocket knife. Never. A couple of Christmases ago I went through every knife they had at a sporting goods store to buy him a new one against the advice if his doctor and the wailing and moaning of my sisters and mother.

He was delighted, thrilled, to have a knife again. To his huge embarrassment and disappointment his poor hands couldn't get it open. But he enjoyed carrying it so much he rarely went anywhere without it. When he was sick and couldn't get out of his chair for a few days at a time, he would have my mother open the main blade and set it next to him so he could see it and get to it "if he needed it". Since he couldn't walk and was confined to a wheel chair in the end, "if he needed it" meant opening mail when he was having a good day.

I would have done anything to any knife to allow him to be able to open his own pocket knife. And along those lines, if he wanted to someone to modify any of his old knives to make him happy, I certainly would not have cared what it cost.

I guess we all have different priorities.

Robert
Click to expand...

That's a very touching story Robert.

Jack
 
midnight flyer said:
I would have done anything to any knife to allow him to be able to open his own pocket knife. And along those lines, if he wanted to someone to modify any of his old knives to make him happy, I certainly would not have cared what it cost.
Click to expand...

Well said Robert........

My Dad is in his 80's and if he wanted this mod done I would arrange it for him in a heartbeat. Even one day of good use and enjoyment by the owner of this classic old knife is worth the sacrifice of a collectors item. After all what is it all about if not enjoyment and ease of use.

The reality is that some traditionals can be a bugger for older folks to use particularly if they have a negative physical attribute. A more modern knife like a Spyderco UKPK is far easier to open and close.

Ken, do the mod and let the owner enjoy it.......and be proud that he has someone like you to trust to do the work correctly.
 
Thanks for all the comments guys. I'm not in the knife repair bidness but once done
I'm glad I did it. Made a radical difference on the way the knife opens.
Ken.
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Looks like its always been that way, and not an obvious mod. Nice work Ken.
 
Very nice job kc and frankly they look pretty good. I have a few that came from the manufacture with a long pull on the blades along with a separate, standard, kick on the forward part of the blade.

I think what set everyone off initially was the magic-marker indicators on the blades.

Again, good job.
 
Doesnt look bad at all. Its very tastefully done. Im sure the elderly gentleman will enjoy the knife more now.
 
Permit me to offer some perspective from someone for whom this is not a theoretical discussion.

Four years ago I came down with a rare neurological disease that left me a hemiplegic (paralyzed left side). I am in an electric wheelchair; though I just got past 60, my mind is fine, and I was back to work in a year.

This happened around the time I was getting into knives, and that interest and affection has only grown. Even more, I appreciate, purchase, and use many different styles.

Because of my physical situation I have certain requirements. The knife must be opened with one hand, for obvious reasons. Because I sit down, and carry everything in a vest, it must have a pocket clip.

With my sebenza, the answers are obvious. But I also very much enjoy traditionals. What is one to do?

The answer is: a lot. I have a craftsman modify slipjoints in a variety of ways: since I only need the main blade, the others are removed. The spring is loosened up substantially. Upon return, I add a one-armed bandit and voila, I can open it easily. As for carry, I have a variety of pocket sheaths with clips.

I have not done this with any vintage knives, only new production. I also have a custom made mid-folding hunter, crafted to my specifications.

Just some perspective. There are a lot of reasons for doing all kinds of things.
 
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