Meditate on this...

Epsilon

Epsilon

Joined
Jan 15, 2002
Messages
430
Jason here...

Okay guys, I'me gonna ask all you to put down your hammers and turn off your grinders and answer some questions. When you are all done at the end of the day and made customer after customer happy. What about you? You're a maker. What do you like? Basically, if you were to ever get to make yourself a fixed blade knife (or two). What would it be? Would you take it with you everywhere? Would you display it on the wall? Leave it in the desk drawer? If your were to make yourself a knife how would you do it? Stock removal? Forged? What kinda steel? What kind of heat treatment? What kind of finish do YOU like? Why? Want the edge to shave? Coarse? Toothy? Something in between? What kind of handles? What kind of tang? Do like knives with some real weight and girth (sp?) or perhaps a sharp feather? Something in between? Would there be any personal embellishments? Maybe something nobody else seems to like? Something minimal, something gaudy? :D What kind of sheath.

I'm curious in whatever detail or reasoning. This is a maker asking other makers. Money and time aside, what do YOU like? Tell me why?

Oh and one more thing. How many of you make the knives you really like as opposed to the ones your customers do? Do you just enjoy making knives regardless or do you feel you must at least have some philosophy of design behind your knives you offer? Its not a trick question. I also really want to see what motivates individual makers.

-Jason
 
I barely qualify as a maker, but if I could make the ultimate knife for me, it would probably be a large fixed blade, maybe a set, with rwl 34 mirror polished blades (I have yet to see a large blade made of this steel), damascus bolsters(not sure what type) and bluish purple timascus handle scales with an inlay of chariote.

But right now at my skill level I will stick with cheaper stuff like 1084, and burl woods, because the chances of me screwing up are way to high to start on an expensive blade like that.

Kyle Fuglesten
 
I forgot to mention It would hang on the wall, I wouldn't even touch it, just use it as decoration.
Kyle Fuglesten
 
making steak knives can almost be like having a real job!:yawn: but it lets me do all the other stuff:) i have been working on a piece of bruce evans froniter damascus that is turning out great, upswepted with swedge that will be all biz when i finish it for the B.A.K.C.A. show!i dont plan keeper knives, they just happen!
 
It's not possible. It depends on what you are doing and how you feel. I live fighters but don't carry them very often (like never) I love pocket canoe folders but can't make them. I hate wall hangers, if I can't use it I don't want it. I carry a Sog powerplier all the time (no exceptions) I have a ton of utility type fixed blades that I make and carry. When I'm hunting I carry a field knife. When I'm fishing I use one of the fishing utility knives I make....Gee, you can't have just one knife.
 
Making customers Happy :D
when I make one for myself I end up selling it, I get more joy
and kicks from the customers joy of them.
I still use one I made 28 years ago, my 2nd one.
that and the first will go to my two boys.
I don't like doing the samething over and over.:(
shaving sharp on all knives to be used
I carry the one I just made and get to know it
then the same with the next one, a part of myself is in it
and will be with someone else soon:( :)
it's a happy sad thing but we need to eat too.:(
I like making a knife the customer says make me something...
that's to cool just do it..:D
the customers designs?? it depends, some should be making
knives themselves they know what they're doing,
I have one guy that makes wooden models for me to go by
he should be making, he's all most there anyway,
others don't have a clue what can and can't be
done (time verse money)
getting to know the other makers is COOL I've always been to
myself and a loner mainly because of different interests
I'm not good with words so I shy away, some will look
at this as stuck up until we get to know each other if they allowed
it to happen.
most makers I meet are like the brother or friend I didn't know.
then you have some that need bigger hats but few of them I've met,
I don't think I'll ever put one on the wall I use them that's what I make them for.
I may a sword or something in those lines.
I do keep the first ones I made in my display case when I'm
not using them. I JUST LIKE IT..:D
 
The knives that I make for myself are eather examples
that I have made and are ones that I realey like and
are those knives that are JUST RIGHT thay just come
togather that way.
The other kind are prototypes and are often EDC knives
Gib
 
So far I've been fortunate to make knives I'd like to have - but haven't kept any. When I get an order it's usually something like "Make me a tanto with rayskin handle" and I get to do whatever I want and make up a [fair] price. I haven't had to work within a budget, and I'm not sure how I'd react to that since I just do this for fun.

As to materials, O1 for most, 440C for kitchen knives; wood, horn or micarta for handles. I like micarta a lot, but it's not appropriate for everything. I'm not confident enough to use any expensive materials yet. :o

I have a lot of stuff in my "accumulation" (as opposed to a "collection", which would have a unifying theme) that would not get used but that aren't wallhangers either. And I have a number that I use all the time. Most of them are folders, but I only make fixed blade knives.

I like knives that feel good when you hold them, and hand made knives feel the best. My wife does not understand why I get them out and handle them all the time, but I bet you all do.

Dave
 
I will only make what I like. I do not take "custom" orders any more.
And I like it that way. :D
 
If I were to set out to make a knife (or two or three) for myself this is what I'd make.

(1) A bowie along the classic lines of Jerry Fisk's blades, forged from 1084/15n20 with a river "pool and eye" pattern. I'd want understated damascus furniture on it or possibly mokume with highly figured desert ironwood or dark, highly figured cocobolo.
(This would be a knife I'd keep at home, carry to the office to look at and wow people with.)

(2) A Nordic style knife, blade around 3.5" made from 1084/L6 twist damascus with a handle using stabilized amboynia burl, ebony or caribou horn and nickle sliver spacers. (This would be a using knife.)

(3) A large tanto/small wak, made in the Japanese tradition but with western materials, clay treated 1084 or L6, blade 10" to 14" long with mokume furniture and cast steel/bronze tsuba with a heron, rayskin/silk wrapped handle. (Just to have around and look at!)

(4) A large "Viking" style pattern welded dagger with composite twist core and 1084/15n20 random pattern damascus edges. Bronze guard and pommel with black leather covered hilt. (Also just to have and look at.)

Aside from the Nordic knife these are all rather far off in the making, if ever. I'd be really happy to just have a large camp knife/Bowie made from forged 1084 or L6 with either forged steel or cast bronze guard with a full tapered tang with mosaic pins and figured cocobolo or ironwood. I could probably manage that in the near future or whenever the increasing overtime at work allows me to finish the projects on hand.
 
There was a period of time when guns or at that time they were called "hand cannons" were first invented. They were very unreliable because the barrels were forge welded and the gun powder was just a un-measured mixture of charcoal, sulfur and saltpeter. The daring shooter was in more danger almost than the target. These early gunmakers were excited about the new inventions but still attached them to a short sword or knife because if the gun misfired the blade would do the job. Makers were wild at that time.! There were no barriers or limits on designs and creations because there was no TV to kill their imaginations. Anything would go as long as it looked fearsome and scared the enemy into retreating. For my own personal carry? I think a wheelock 65 cal. pistol with a 10" folding damascend saber and carved ivory grips would satisfy my cravings for a while.
 
I have made a lot of knives that I thought were the right ones, until I looked at them the next day or got a different picture in my head. I think the answer to this question is pretty much a never ending story. If you ever find the perfect one, quit. Don't see many of these old boys quitting. Terry
 
One of the conditions was the enjoyment of the maker. I admit that helping a young man make his own knife, then watching his face after I had choped a 2 X 4 in 3 pieces and the knife still shaved hair from my arm was on of the top in satisfaction.
Lynn
 
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