Maker's signature

[golok]

Most knifemakers leave their logos or signatures on the blades they make but I know of at least one maker who doesn't do that.

Perhaps it's because his design is distinctly his and easily recognisable.

I understand that any knifemaker would stamp their mark on their own creations because it is great advertisement.

Most knife collectors would love to see a custom knife with its maker's mark. What if the maker doesn't do that, will that affect the value of the knife?

 

[cockroachfarm]

Originally posted by golok
....Perhaps it's because his design is distinctly his and easily recognisable....

Suppose a company came along and made a very, very good copy of that knife?

I think most knifemakers have a big enough ego (as do most artists) that they want to put some kind of 'signature' on their knives. However, a few makers I know have started to put that signature where it's not immediately visible - eg. in a folder, on the underside of the spacer.

 

[george tichbourne]

A knifemaker with a recognizable style is a lucky individual. It is the goal of every knifemaker I know, but until that is achieved, it is necessary to mark our products.

Then again my ego makes me desire some sort of immortality that marking the blade brings.

 

[Ivan Campos]

I really don't care much abot marking my knives. I have done so early in my career, then stopped for a while and started again later, due to customers' requests, and my makr is very completed, including name, city, state and country, plus a dog's head - I have chosen ths symbol since I like dogs a lot and consider then, like good knives, very trustworthy. I also serial number all my knives, by production order, not by model.
Maybe in the future I change my mark for the dog's head alone - I am still thinking about it.
Anyway, I think all makers should strive to mark their knives with their style above all else, and very few can do it. Many makers have a very well defined style but very, very few have the kind of design that can be recognized from a mile away, like, for instance, Virgil England and Brazilian maker Francisco Petean.

 

[Moondrop]

Even fine artists (painters, etc.) with recognizable styles or brushwork will sign their work, why not knifemakers? A well-made knife can be a work of art, no?

 

[Keith Montgomery]

I think that makers should mark their knives. Not only that, I think a maker's mark should be easy to recognize. I have run across too many knives that had a maker's mark that no one recogized, so the mark was of no use.

 

[Bruce Bump]

I think if a maker is happy with his work He should put his name on it, if not he should use it for a throwing knife.

 

[tntbegg]

I agree with Bruce, you don't mark it until you like it
and you don't sell it until you mark it.
just my opinion.


Todd Begg