Makers -VS- Collectors

Dale Baxter

Dale Baxter

Joined
Sep 16, 2003
Messages
171
I feel Knife Makers and Knife Collectors are both rare breeds that have similar desires.
Collectors feel a certain amount of prestige when they add a knife from a certain maker to their collections.
On the other hand, Makers feel the same prestige when they know they have a knife in the collections of certain collectors. I for one love to have a knife in the collection of high profile collectors. It adds a sense of pride to my working all these hours, trying to make that elusive perfect knife.

I don't think it is a "money thing" on either part, I have lost money on knives that went to high profile collectors and I am sure some collectors had top roman for dinner a few nights after buying a knife ... it's all in the blood and the soul of the knife.

How do you feel when you get that knife, or find out that one of your knives in the collection of a high profile collector?



Dale Baxter
www.baxterknives.com
 
This is a good post Dale,,
What I like is knowing that I have something unique, or that is at least a very limited run.


B.G.
 
When a collector tells me he is going to put my knife in a case with the rest of his collection I feel a little disappointed....that knife was made to high performance standards first and foremost then dressed up, in a case the new owner will not have a chance to apperciate how well the knife was designed and built.
 
Some collectors use the knives in their collections and some do not. As makers we make every knife with the belief that it will be at someone's side in the mighty tundra and possibly be the thing that saves their lives.

I have several knives in the collection of a high profile collector in the Baltimore/DC area. When we (my wife Stephanie and myself) were invited to his house for dinner after the Baltimore show last year.

I seen some of my knives stuck to this long magmatic bar in his kitchen. I thought...there goes the 2000 grit finish I labored to put on them. LOL Then he showed me his collection of non-working knives in a custom made cabinet. He opened a few doors and my heart stooped, one of my knives was displayed between a Bill Moran bowie and a Harvey Dean bowie. I have never felt so much pride and been so honored as I did that night.

After asking him about it, his answer was:
"Some knives are art and some are tools, it's the collectors who decide this"

I am sure that there are different views as well?
Dale Baxter
www.baxterknives.com
 
One dirty little secret about custom knives is that many look better than they feel in the hand - I'm not talking about 5mn handling, but day in, day out carrying and using. For example, I'm a city boy who hikes quite a lot. I've got some pretty good ideas as to what a hiking knife should be like, and it simply doesn't exist outside the production world (I think Fallkniven are near perfect for that). I got one made on my specs by Terry Primos, which is a superb example of functional beauty. But it's not as pretty as a 10" damascus + ivory bowie....
 
Being a new maker and having my first job just get in the mail was an honor for me. My customer is a collector of many makers. I feel lucky he thought enough of me to want what my hands could make, be it that my skills are new was also a pluss. He knew these are "my early works" so to speek. I hope my skill grows as well as buyers who think my knives are worth their time and efforts.
 
Dale,
What an adrenaline rush that must have been to see you knife exhibited by your collector between a Moran and a Dean. The whole story about what has got to be a very important collector to you was really neat. Thanks for sharing!

The majority of my higher end folders are sold by one of the 3 dealers who carry my knives, so I often don't know who is buying my particular knives.
At BLADE a year ago a couple walked up to my table, the kind of folks who are just naturally happy and high on life type of folks...and announced "We own Five Blue Eyes". That is the name of a one-of a kind that Daniel O'Malley
sold for me some months prior to that time. Getting to meet those folks was a bonus on top of the sale.
 
Thanks,

The shows are like Christmas for me.
I get so excited that sleeping is impossible the night before. I tend to walk into the show room before the doors open and just absorb the energy in the room. The first collector that approaches my table kind of scares me a bit, but when the talk leans towards knives I feel like I have known this person all my life. There are names of prolific collectors that float around the knifemakers world much like the collector world. When Danbo approached me in Little Rock and said "I finally get to see one on person" I had no idea what to say and just studdered. Hahahah He must have thought I was a freak or something? After a few seconds I kind of slowed down and we talked a bit.

I can be a bit introverted and not so talkative with some people, I guess this would be considered a flaw in the knifemakers world, but as most of you know my wife Stephanie has no trouble saying hello to anyone that shows her a smile. lol

Thanks,


Dale Baxter
www.baxterknives.com
 
Hi Dale,
Interesting discussion Dale, :)

I myself view this issue in a different way.

If I were a bladesmith it would be okay to be selected by bow tie, black limousine chauffer driven collectors. They would have pleasure in buying 50 knives at one go.

But if one guy spent one year saving to buy one knife he has been drooling for, and if I were a maker I would be very proud to be the one that humble person chose to make it. :)

Just another modest contribution to the thread :)
 
John R. Fraps said:
Dale,
What an adrenaline rush that must have been to see you knife exhibited by your collector between a Moran and a Dean. The whole story about what has got to be a very important collector to you was really neat. Thanks for sharing!

The majority of my higher end folders are sold by one of the 3 dealers who carry my knives, so I often don't know who is buying my particular knives.
At BLADE a year ago a couple walked up to my table, the kind of folks who are just naturally happy and high on life type of folks...and announced "We own Five Blue Eyes". That is the name of a one-of a kind that Daniel O'Malley
sold for me some months prior to that time. Getting to meet those folks was a bonus on top of the sale.
Click to expand...

and vice versa it is nice to see and talk to the maker of the knife for the collector. Recently I purchased a knife at a show and talked at some length to the maker and it made it more special and I understand the maker's philosophy on knife use more.
 
Antino,
Hello my friend.

I agree 100% It would be a honor to have my knife selected as the one that a person saved for. I guess your making me think that even though a knife collector or maker can contribute to the others vanity, but for other makers/collectors the purity of it all is what matters?



Dale
 
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