knife makers blasphemy?

I collect hand made mostly forged knives. To me a production knife has no mojo.
Even mid techs to me have no mojo. A custom knife has the spirit of it's maker embedded in it.
To stay on topic... I like what John and Jerry have said. Roger's right too!
 
it's a very diverse world and to say i only use my own is tunnel vision i know what my knives are capable of but i sure do like all the other makers and some factory knives . when im out among people i carry my own folder and when i hunt i carry various knives it just depends , my wife carry's and uses and loan's her knife at work that i made her .
 
I have been forging for over 15 years and collecting got me involved in the ABS and forging. I still collect custom knives but from just a select few. I carry factory knives for every day use. I carry a custom fixed blade for daily use at the present time and always a Wade Colter at shows. Factory or custom I enjoy using whatever I am carrying at the time.
 
I have purchased other makers blades, often when I started and recently a damascus sword from Jim Hroulalas (sp), in order to see and learn from their work. If I buy right, it is often not hard to sell it for as much or more than I paid for the "lesson".
 
I like what Jerry Fisk said. I think every knifemaker should proudly display a "user" on their table, at shows. This will invite a great opportunity for conversation- buyers to see/hear what the knives are made to do, or are capable of doing. And, will also show what the knives look like with "a few gray hairs" so to speak. We all know what a "mint" knife looks like.. Sheer perfection, ..a relic to be stared at.
I dont buy the arguement "i cant afford to use my own knives", if a maker cannot explain the testing and use of his own knives, what good is he?
 
I like to carry my own stuff around because it helps me learn what my customers feel like carrying my stuff around. Helps me learn to become a better knifemaker.
 
I've only been making knives seriously for about 2 years now and i still buy some factory and semi-custom fixed blades, mainly because i just like knives, mine and everybody else's :). The real question is how do you answer the Wife when she says "why did you buy another knife when you could have just made one?" I don't know the correct answer to this question, but if i mention the number of shoes in her closest, all goes back to normal .... in about 4 hours when she starts talking to me again. :)

randy
 
2knife said:
I like what Jerry Fisk said. I think every knifemaker should proudly display a "user" on their table, at shows. This will invite a great opportunity for conversation- buyers to see/hear what the knives are made to do, or are capable of doing. And, will also show what the knives look like with "a few gray hairs" so to speak. We all know what a "mint" knife looks like.. Sheer perfection, ..a relic to be stared at.
I dont buy the arguement "i cant afford to use my own knives", if a maker cannot explain the testing and use of his own knives, what good is he?
Click to expand...

I do various forms of cutting/comfort/carry tests on almost every knife before it leaves my shop(got to make sure it works) since most knives I make are meant to be "users". The "show-ers" I make don't always receive that treatment if the customer just want a showpeice, it doesn't need to be scary-sharp or able to cut down a forest and pry steel doors open, etc. That all being said I would love to be able to keep a knife or two for myself, but bills come first. Most individual makers(vast majority) are not bringing in hordes of profit from what they make, and often it is a secondary(very secondary) source of income. More than half of what I make in profit go straight back into the shop for supplies, sometimes much more. On top of that I have factory knives that I have had for years and used for years that are not going to stop working anytime soon, I dont replace my users if they are still working or I have the funds to get something better(which I don't at the moment). I know my knives work, and I would love to keep them all and use them myself. But I can put them to better use by selling them and use the money to keep the shop running...and keep the heat on for the misses:rolleyes:.
 
Dave Behrens said:
I do various forms of cutting/comfort/carry tests on almost every knife before it leaves my shop(got to make sure it works) since most knives I make are meant to be "users". The "show-ers" I make don't always receive that treatment if the customer just want a showpeice, it doesn't need to be scary-sharp or able to cut down a forest and pry steel doors open, etc. That all being said I would love to be able to keep a knife or two for myself, but bills come first. Most individual makers(vast majority) are not bringing in hordes of profit from what they make, and often it is a secondary(very secondary) source of income. More than half of what I make in profit go straight back into the shop for supplies, sometimes much more. On top of that I have factory knives that I have had for years and used for years that are not going to stop working anytime soon, I dont replace my users if they are still working or I have the funds to get something better(which I don't at the moment). I know my knives work, and I would love to keep them all and use them myself. But I can put them to better use by selling them and use the money to keep the shop running...and keep the heat on for the misses:rolleyes:.
Click to expand...

I can't speak for your customers, but I know I want my showpiece knives to be just as scary sharp as my users. Otherwise I'm in complete agreement with what you wrote.

Roger
 
I've been making knives full time for over 20 years.

And I still buy factory slip joints and customs from other makers.

I do not see a problem at all, :D
 
RogerP said:
I can't speak for your customers, but I know I want my showpiece knives to be just as scary sharp as my users. Otherwise I'm in complete agreement with what you wrote.

Roger
Click to expand...

If they request it (and I always ask)to be razor sharp, or have a "tough as nails" HT, I'm happy to do it, even if they don't want to use it.:):thumbup:
 
Last edited:
Dave Behrens said:
If they specifically it (and I always ask)to be razor sharp, or have a "tough as nails" HT, I'm happy to do it, even if they don't want to use it.:):thumbup:
Click to expand...

Hey Dave - I'm reluctant to sidetrack the thread, but please consider that even if your client doesn't specify (or even doesn't care) that his knife have a keen edge and 'tough as nails' heat treat, that knife may not remain in that client's hands forever. But it will bear your name / mark forever. It will speak for you going forward. What would you have it say? Is there any downside that you can see to making a keen edge and proper heat treat core aspects of every knife that bears your name?

Roger
 
RogerP said:
Hey Dave - I'm reluctant to sidetrack the thread, but please consider that even if your client doesn't specify (or even doesn't care) that his knife have a keen edge and 'tough as nails' heat treat, that knife may not remain in that client's hands forever. But it will bear your name / mark forever. It will speak for you going forward. What would you have it say? Is there any downside that you can see to making a keen edge and proper heat treat core aspects of every knife that bears your name?

Roger
Click to expand...

strongly agree with this because what if he passes away and his son gets it and decides to do some chopping or hard work to the knife and if he is suprised by the quality of it he may buy another one from you :)
 
well as a very new knife maker i carry a manufactured knife with me at all times UNTILL!!!!!! i get my on duty done and a nother one that will be a thread here soon

i carry a benchmade rift most of the time if i know i am going to be beating it up a little i will switch out to my cold steel recon 1 and for church it is my benchmade 525
 
I almost always carry one of my own knives when hunting, fishing or camping. I think is important to not only test a knife in the shop, but in the field using it for what it is designed to do. I have some old handmade knives that I have owned for many years that are very comfortable and awful hard to not use from time to time though. Even though we do make folders at Twin Blades, I carry a factory folder as an every day knife, mostly because I know that I will lose it. I almost always purchase a knife or two from a maker at the Blade Show and the Knifemaker's Guild Show. Many times it is because I want one by a particular maker, but often it is because a knife just snags my eye. I have no problems using another maker’s knife and many of the knives in my collection have been used over the years.
 
I carry a knife that I made, as well as knives that my friends have made. I also own many production knives. The term blasphemy seems a bit emotional for response emoted for the use of a tool, in my book.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top