Looking for my first custom!

Comeuppance

Comeuppance

Fixed Blade EDC Emisssary
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
4,765
Enough piddling around with productions and cheapies. I think I'm ready. I'm selling all but a couple knives (My Tuff Lite and my Gayle Bradley aren't going anywhere), and I'm looking for something truly amazing. Now, my hunt would be over if Tim Galyean still took orders, as the Pro Junkyard Dog is literally everything I'm looking for. Can't have everything, I guess.

So, I'm looking for a bearing pivot flipper with fantastic steell(at least something as good as CPM154), a blade length around 3.5", and a utilitarian blade shape (not recurved or heavily curved back. Wharncliffe/sheepsfoot is ideal.) Where should I be looking? What are your suggestions?

My budget is about 450. I know that's not a huge amount in the custom/mid-tech world, but I can't really afford more nor could I ever bring myself to use anything more expensive than that. Just to be clear, mid-techs are fine if they fit what I'm looking for.
 
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If you can stretch your budget there are a ton of options in the $550 range. $450 is still firmly in midtech territory IMO.

Pohan Leu, Jason Clark and scot matsouka make fantastic blades around $550 and will deliver the true custom experience.

A high midtech option would be the Wilson combat eagle designed by Les george. Cts-xhp bearing flipper ti framelock. However you may not care for its blade shape.
 
evanPGH said:
A high midtech option would be the Wilson combat eagle designed by Les george. Cts-xhp bearing flipper ti framelock. However you may not care for its blade shape.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

The Wilson Combat "EAGLE" by Les George is more like a semi-custom. Best I have (for me). Remarkably thin and fluid titanium-framelock Teflon-bearing flipper. Blade is CTS-XHP Stainless (RC 60) with a length of 3.6" and 0.125" thick. Weighs just 4.8 ounces.

Here's mine:
e526f22e-6c7c-45bf-bb8b-448304fc921a_zps0c301d6a.jpg
 
Don't know any customs off hand in the $450 range, that is mid tech territory. If you can save up another couple of hundred I would recommend looking at Jeremy Roberston's knives. I own a couple of El Patron's and there as nice as anything being offered. I got an order in for his new Mod 4 before he closed his books, looking forward to getting it. If you can lay your hands on one I don't think you will be dissapointed. If you don't like it they are easy to sell and ususally at a markup.
 
I'm not opposed to midtechs if they fit the bill. Post updated.
 
I was looking to get a Jason Clark for my first custom but he is backed up for 6 months.
 
Manu le brun was taking orders last time I checked but the wait would be pretty long by now he has a upswept sheepfoot blade its his rhino flipper
You might try an eddleman or a doc shiffer a cucchiara mid tech a blount surge if you can find them anyways
 
RamZar said:
Agreed.

The Wilson Combat "EAGLE" by Les George is more like a semi-custom. Best I have (for me). Remarkably thin and fluid titanium-framelock Teflon-bearing flipper. Blade is CTS-XHP Stainless (RC 60) with a length of 3.6" and 0.125" thick. Weighs just 4.8 ounces.

Here's mine:
e526f22e-6c7c-45bf-bb8b-448304fc921a_zps0c301d6a.jpg
Click to expand...

keep in mind though teflon bearings should by modern definitions be replaced with Teflon washers. I know this knife is smooth and has little to any blade play and will probably give many true bearing systems a run for its money but it does still matter to some collectors. The wilsons pivot has more in common with an xm-18 than it does a bodega.
 
Clanton said:
I just got a Curtis F3 I think it is one of the best knifes in the $500 range.
Click to expand...

The Curtiss F3 is also a great choice. They come in three blade sizes: 4", 3.5", 2.3". I have the medium and compact. Titanium all around with some great finishes like frag pattern. Great IKBS flipper action.
 
I'd include the Zero Tolerance Limited Edition Manual Flippers in the mid-tech arena.

Already released:

  • 0560CBCF
  • 0600
  • 0600BLK
  • 0777
  • 0777-M390
  • 0777-M390BLK

Upcoming:

  • 0888
  • 0888MAX
  • 0801CF
  • 0454
 
I recently picked up an Allen Elishewitz custom folder at a reasonable price. My first and delivery will be this week so no hands on impressions just yet.
 
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