"Master Don's" knives, Is this guy for real?

T

T. J.

Joined
Jul 27, 1999
Messages
228
http://jdshaffer.qx.net/masterdon/
Ok,
I read this page, and must say I'm a bit sceptical. Does anybody know anything about him? Has there been any objective testing of his blades at the "hundreds" of knife and gun shows he claims to have demonstrated at? I know that new metals can offer improvements over existing technology, but what are the odds. Is this guy simply full of s***, or just guilty of poor taste in hyping his product. This is just my opinion, but I was instantly turned off by his approach to marketing. Am I alone in this, or is this Infomercial style hype the wave of the future? This may seem suited more for the custom knife discussion forum, but I am looking for a response from other makers on his marketing approach as much as an evaluation of the knife itself.
James
 
i pointed a member in master don's direction, but he should be careful, always be careful when a knifemaker tells you he can cut chunks off an anvil. i'm not sure what to think, i gave him the address becuase, what the maker claims was exactly what he was looking for. i would buy his knife and try it but they're $28 per finished inch of blade. does anyone own one of these that would like to share there experiences.

[This message has been edited by magnum .44 (edited 26 September 1999).]
 

T.J. - I'm really glad you did your posting because I was wondering the same thing. He does make some outrageous claims. My big concern is that he does not allow returns of his knives. What if someone buys a knife and is not satisfied? I hope someone who actually purchased a knife from him will respond.

I'm don't like knifemakers who make big claims and end up doing poor workmanship and having poor customer service.

Maybe this guy is completely for real. Maybe he makes great knives that meet his claims.
 
The old saying,"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.." applies here I believe. I have a friend who bought one of Master Dons "Hunters" took it to the field, killed a whitetail, and could not even get the deer opened up to field dress it. Pulled his trusty spyderco out of his pocket and field dressed and skinned the deer on the spot. When he tried to return it he was informed of the "no return policy" and in essence told "too bad sucker".

My friend then set up a table at the next gun show and put the M. Don on the table with a typed story of his experience and a sale sticker on the knife of $5.00. M. Don hearing of this came over too his table and tried to buy the knife back from him to stop the spread of this story at which point my friend reached out and handed the knife to a youngster with his Dad and GAVE him the $200.00 knife with the admonition that "It would be a good starter knife for the boy because he would have to work really hard to hurt himself with it".

This story I can personally attest to. I have heard several other similar stories, but have no personal knowledge about them.

As for having steel especially made for him, I think probably not. Generally you have to order steel by the rail car load to get a formulation melt custom made. I don't think he or any other maker I know of can afford that.

IMHO this guy needs to be travelling with Barnum & Bailey and sell snake oil on the side. I've witnessed his "side show" at the gun shows, and that was my first impression.

Hope this helps....GaryB
 
I dunno, but to me just the fact that he calls himself "MAster Don" says to me he is full of it. Just an observation. Many Japanese sword makers (if not all) make their own steel, but it is a labor-intensive process that takes a long time to master. It's also why a genuine sword will run you thousands of dollars, if not tens of thousands!

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Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels

 
I just read the website and I don't know that I'd trust some of these claims. They seem a bit on the braggy side, with nothing to back them up. Some pics of these knives doing the absurd things he says they're capable of would be a good start. I'm also curious as to what he is a "Master" of. Don Fogg backs up the title, so does Jim Hrisoulas, even though they're from different sources. But they don't put it at the top of their web pages as part of their names, more present it as facts. Seems pretentious, at best.
As for his proprietary steel claims, he could have a small metal shop mixing his metals, but he makes it sound like he's found the secret to adamantium. Harder than cold stainless at forge temps? Right. The last thing that I noticed was that he seems to be making contradictory claims: "Sharpening and maintenance: "Sharpening" denotes a removal of metal to restore an edge that has been dulled due to wear. This is typical of stainless and carbon steels, where edges wear easily or simply rust away. It is difficult to "dull" a Master Don knife-edge, yet easy to hone an edge, if it ever becomes necessary. A couple of even strokes both directions on an oiled stone or ceramic stick is all it takes to re-hone your edge back to razor sharp."
This claims ease of sharpening on a superhard steel. Can you have it both ways? I'd like to know how. He claims that it's basically indestructable, but a few strokes on an oiled stone will bring it back to razor sharp. Ok, I'll bite. How? Can it be explained chemically or mechanically? If it can't be explained in numbers, then it isn't fact.
Ok, maybe his marketing approached irritated me, too. I just like to see some backup to fantastic claims. Assuming that we'll believe this crap without any proof is assuming that we're morons.

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Oz

"When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt."
- Henry J. Kaiser
 
Well,

I sent a fairly polite request to the email contact listed on the webpage, requesting some concrete proof of the claims made. I requested the contact information for the "mil test" facility, as well as the independent laboratories he quotes. I also asked for a patent number for his exotic alloy. I also asked if his no return policy covered documented failure to perform to specifications or just abuse. I'm awaiting a reply, and will pass it along.

James

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I love my country! I just don't trust my government!
 
i think he should have his own forum on the "other forum" right below you know who..
 
Why does that happens all the time in the custom knife business? Does these guys think we are all fools or what? Yes, we have our own "secret steel users" "and anvil cutters" over here.

Ivan Campos
 
A friend mine made a knife that would punch through a kevlar helmet. He made it on request, because he didn't think the heat treat was practical for a knife. The buyer insisted, and my friend delivered it, already sharpened. He advised the buyer that it would be very difficult to sharpen again once it goes dull. Privately, he referred to it as a tent stake. We all know that making a blade superhard does not make it a good knife in and of itself. Combined with some of his other claims, though, he's making superblades. I look forward to seeing that response, T.J.

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Oz

"When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt."
- Henry J. Kaiser
 
i feel kinda stupid now, i fell for that b.s., at least i didn't buy one of his "super blades". i haven't yet been attacked by an anvil, until til' then i don't beleive i'll buy one.
 
Isn't this the reason we have guilds? I bet if you look he is not the member of one!

jj
 
Some of the things he claims are quite possible with a very hard blade, 66 RC. It would be hard enough to cut through softer metals (which would probably be anything else). Vices for example are generally soft (the ones I have seen anyway), and I would assume anvils are similar for high levels of toughness. What I would be curious about is the impact strength of his ultra hard knives.

-Cliff
 
yeah, i also noticed "master" don isn't on the blade forums. also he claims his blades with bend 45 degrees, not very likely with a chromium alloy.
 
Maybe just a hot headed idea, but this guy says things that seem absurd, at least to a new knife maker...maybe someone who's qualified to test these things should do so, document it with a witness, and sue this guy for fraud, fals advertising, etc.
smile.gif
If of course it lives to the reputation it seems to have already.
 
Cliff,
Get him to send you one to test.


Cliff can break it.......he can break anything.
 
Guys, guys guys:

The folks who post here and at that other place are ether well grounded or trying to be well grounded in the fild of knife making. There is much good stuff passed around here and for me, I am much better because of you folks. Why are we worrying about some quack, or not, who dosn't see it our way ethically or technically. We have better things to do and learn! And good folks to do it with. He will get what he deserves!

Doug
 
Magnum,

I'm not skeptical of that 45-degree claim, though I am of many others on that page. I put a couple of my knives (ATS-34, RC~59) in a vice with only 2" exposed before the handle. One bent about 20 degrees, the other about 25 before snapping. I'm sure over a greater length (like 4"-6" exposed) 45-degrees would be no problem. This isn't a brag, I just wanted to try breaking them and that's what I saw.

I'll say one thing - those knives don't knock my socks off but they sure don't look lousy, either (as far as pics can show). And the grind does identify them as all of one make, so I don't think we're being fooled. I don't believe the hype, but this fellow does know how to put a knife together, at the very least.

-Drew
 
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