I hand forge knives. Meaning I make them with only charcoal and fire, shaped with nothing but a hammer. I take video's and pictures every step of the way to show the peice was truely hand made. I also before giving it to the customer. Hack a 2x4 in half 3 times, and shave my face\head\or leg to show it retains a razor sharp edge.
If your looking for a machine grinded or machine manufactured knife someone else may be of interest to you. If you want a 1 of a kind, durable, tough bowie that will be put to work I'm your guy. At your price I would make you a very large and durable knife from world known 5160 leaf spring steel. (This is metal that must be pulled from a vehicle and is NOT available anywhere else). Amongst knife makers it is arguably the best steel for a large bowie and is known for it's use by sword smiths. Holds a razor edge, and tough as tough gets! If you want silver inguts the price will be on your higher side in which you mentioned. If your not looking for an artistic peice, but all importance placed on the durability of the knife (I give replacements so long as I am alive!) then the price will be ranged around your lower end area. Wood handle, large bowie with hammer marks, and pictures and video's of the entire process every step of the way I will charge about 250$. This is a cost of a working knife and not something you put on your shelf and look at.
If you want silver inguts to go over the tang, rings over the handles, exotic wood, silver rings recessed onto the handle, and then the but cap pinged to hold the entire handle together (As they did in mid-evil days). The knife will cost at minimum 450$ with a 100$ of that 450$ as a deposit. (This is for the silver costs should you back out and I have to be stuck with such a fine metal).
Here is a picture of a knife not so artistically crafted, and not so much a bowie hand forged from a ROUND 01 steel bar that I would charge 160$ for. Bone handle. For this EXACT style, but in the size of a bowie.. I would charge you 200$. This is not a "Fancy" knife, but a work knife! E.g skin 20 buck's and it's still razor sharp!
-The black tar looking material is to emulate buffalo horn charcoal sap glue used by indians to seal and glue their arrow heads. The difference being this simulation art glue is at 3 ton epoxy strength! This is to make the knife look older, and also fits a usable purpose.
I sold this knife before they let me make the sheath for 125$ to a neighbor who absolutely had to have it. Otherwise I would price this knife at about 150$ with a sheath.
A video of it a small scale straight razor sharpness test!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2pg7kBfl0M
Here is two hand forged knives I am currently working on!
-These have not had a handle yet made for them. I am actually working on them today!
I will do a drop test to ensure the tip is very tough. An abuse test to show the blade retains a razor edge. As stated every step of the way will be pictured\video'd, and a video burned on a DVD of the entire process will be provided with the knife to retain a very high custom made value should you ever re-sale the knife to someone of interest.
The price escalates upon the artwork required for the handle. It so happens that aside of this being like a job to some. I have a OCD disorder, and manually hammering difficult metal into a weapon is like a calming drug to me. So I charge mostly for the artwork in the handle as others charge for the week\two weeks they spent in just hammering out the blade itself!
