Moving on from production knives

[tomsch]

I can completely afford a custom and I've had them in the past (Tony Bose) but right now I don't see a maker that I'm really gravitating to. I'm with you as I also don't abuse my knives. When I'm working in the yard I tend to grab an every day fixed blade. I do need to take a look at Jerry Fisk for sure. Thanks!

 

[tomsch]

So I looked at Jerry Fisk knives and WOW! I need to hunt one of his knives down.

 

[hkssr20det]

My EDC’s are mostly heavily modified factory stuff.View attachment 2183841

I totally agree. I really like the fact I can get a Laconico design and then do what I want with it, since it is a production knife. Custom knives are like custom guns to me. When I buy a custom I want the actual designers ideas, their vision is the point to me. But with the wealth of higher end materials (Titanium, bearings, etc) on production knives I can add my stamp to the knives I carry without worry.

 

[P.C.E.]

The difference here is between art as a noun (an object of art) and art as a verb (denoting skill in a particualr endeavor).

I went to art school where I studied industrial design, worked in architecture (family business), and later had my own design/build company before I became an artist. As an architect and woodworker I was a craftsman, everything I made was functional. That was design, not art.

As an artist my work does not have any practical function. Art may incorporate elements of craft or be 'well crafted' but it is not design. The practice of a craft is often considered an art - the art of architecture, for example, although buildings are not art. A building that is considered ‘a work of art’ is still a building; what is being recognized is the talent of the architect - one who is highly skilled in his craft but is not an artist (one who makes art).

I wholly agree that 'art' should not be elevated to be unobtainable. Typically the people who collect things that are unobtainable for most of us - be they cars or art or whatever - have no appreciation for their intrinsic nature and only value them as investments.

The Japanese aesthetic of wabi sabi recognizes and values the wear and tear of age and use. Think of a knife with a cracked handle that has been sharpened so many times that the blade has acquired a completely different shape; that is wabi sabi. Collecting worn out knives could be interesting, each one completely unique and with a different story to tell.

I also studied art in school, but feel the years I spent working in "art" related fields taught me much more than what I was told\taught in an academic setting. I still believe art is functional, which is only reaffirmed when I visit a musem or look at the Walt Disney concert hall or The Broad. There's endless interpretations on this topic...

Not to derail the thread any further.

I still like some production knives but have more than enough, I'm more interested in using what I have than getting more. Customs are great if you're willing to spend the money, and even use them. I have a hard time justifying the cost if I'm not going to use it, they're still tools to me first and foremost and I already have enough pretty things sitting on shelves.

 

[K.O.D.]

I also studied art in school, but feel the years I spent working in "art" related fields taught me much more than what I was told\taught in an academic setting. I still believe art is functional, which is only reaffirmed when I visit a musem or look at the Walt Disney concert hall or The Broad. There's endless interpretations on this topic...

Not to derail the thread any further.

I still like some production knives but have more than enough, I'm more interested in using what I have than getting more. Customs are great if you're willing to spend the money, and even use them. I have a hard time justifying the cost if I'm not going to use it, they're still tools to me first and foremost and I already have enough pretty things sitting on shelves.

So one of the coolest knives I ever owned was a custom Brian Tighe mini Tighe Rod. However, a number of factors made me sell it:

Financial constraints (failing marriage)
It was slightly too small for my hands
I was afraid to use it, and therefore couldn't justify owning it
The fluted blade just isn't practical

I sold it back in 2016 I believe.

I had the opportunity to buy a medium recently, and it took a lot not to. I knew I would never use it. Its great as an art object and a fidget toy, but not really great at cutting. My new Alan Davis is great at cutting, flips great, and is beautiful. I have no hesitation to use it, and therefore could justify it. I won't be abusing or using it hard, but as an edc in my world, its fine. Heavier tasks I'll always reach for my Manix 2 or GB1.

 

[LunaticK3nnels]

Waiting patiently for someone to shout out a custom auto maker. I’m in the market

 

[P.C.E.]

So one of the coolest knives I ever owned was a custom Brian Tighe mini Tighe Rod. However, a number of factors made me sell it:

Financial constraints (failing marriage)
It was slightly too small for my hands
I was afraid to use it, and therefore couldn't justify owning it
The fluted blade just isn't practical

I sold it back in 2016 I believe.

I had the opportunity to buy a medium recently, and it took a lot not to. I knew I would never use it. Its great as an art object and a fidget toy, but not really great at cutting. My new Alan Davis is great at cutting, flips great, and is beautiful. I have no hesitation to use it, and therefore could justify it. I won't be abusing or using it hard, but as an edc in my world, its fine. Heavier tasks I'll always reach for my Manix 2 or GB1.

In a perfect world I'd keep them all but totally understand why you sold it, especially the monetary reason. When I have to many things (knives) sitting around that aren't being used, that money is better spent elsewhere, or saved.

After so many production knives going custom is a natural progression, if that's what you really want. More power to you. We all gotta choose and we're not taking anything with us when we reach our expiration date.

 

[K.O.D.]

In a perfect world I'd keep them all but totally understand why you sold it, especially the monetary reason. When I have to many things (knives) sitting around that aren't being used, that money is better spent elsewhere, or saved.

After so many production knives going custom is a natural progression, if that's what you really want. More power to you. We all gotta choose and we're not taking anything with us when we reach our expiration date.

I agree, and so I try to buy things that I can hand down to my nieces and nephews. Upon meeting my half-sister in April, I gave her, her husband, and two kids each a knife. All in very very good condition that I just didn't want or carry. All had the original edge, and were barely used. It was a gift that I have not heard the end of. I had found out she carries two pocket knives in her purse, plus she and her kids had late April/early May birthdays. I didn't need to do it, I had considered selling them, but a gift cherished is far more satisfying to me than a sale.

My "full" sister has four kids, 3 boys and a little girl, and they will inherit everything I own when I leave this world. However, I'm hoping to have a full cybernetic body by the time I'm 80.

 

[WValtakis]

Inbound production knives

 

[tiguy7]

So one of the coolest knives I ever owned was a custom Brian Tighe mini Tighe Rod. However, a number of factors made me sell it:

Financial constraints (failing marriage)
It was slightly too small for my hands
I was afraid to use it, and therefore couldn't justify owning it
The fluted blade just isn't practical

I sold it back in 2016 I believe.

I had the opportunity to buy a medium recently, and it took a lot not to. I knew I would never use it. Its great as an art object and a fidget toy, but not really great at cutting. My new Alan Davis is great at cutting, flips great, and is beautiful. I have no hesitation to use it, and therefore could justify it. I won't be abusing or using it hard, but as an edc in my world, its fine. Heavier tasks I'll always reach for my Manix 2 or GB1.

The Tighe Rod is great for strike anywhere matches.View attachment 2187334

 

[K.O.D.]

The Tighe Rod is great for strike anywhere matches.View attachment 2187334

That Tighe Rod is nice. As much as I love the look, feel, I've realized that fluted blade is not the best for slicing, and it's more of a collection piece than something to both collect and use.

I had the opportunity to buy one recently, snd I'm happy I passed on it.

 

[ShitsInaBush]

I can understand the lack of interest in the knives designed here and made elsewhere. Havent bought a Chinese knife in some time but own Chinese flashlights. It was never a patriotic kick kind of deal either but I sold off my Chinese knives just because I grew over their style. The Chinese are coming out with some high quality stuff to give credit where it's due. I think for some of us, our taste inevitably narrows down in production knives over the years. Russian knives are very appealing to me at this point in time as well, lots of great stuff out there. Been also thinking of having an Olamic tailor made, one of these days.
Russians are on the radar

 

[K.O.D.]

I can understand the lack of interest in the knives designed here and made elsewhere. Havent bought a Chinese knife in some time but own Chinese flashlights. It was never a patriotic kick kind of deal either but I sold off my Chinese knives just because I grew over their style. The Chinese are coming out with some high quality stuff to give credit where it's due. I think for some of us, our taste inevitably narrows down in production knives over the years. Russian knives are very appealing to me at this point in time as well, lots of great stuff out there. Been also thinking of having an Olamic tailor made, one of these days.
Russians are on the radar

I'd been considering Olamic also. In spite of my disdain for titanium handles, I strongly considered a Swish I saw online, gray with mokuti inlay and purple anodized hardware. It's still for sale, price was reduced $70 recently. I also looked at a Wayfarer when they had the quick build thing online (which disappeared from their site a few days later. Purple carbon fiber, gray AR lock side, bronze hardware, and wharncliffe blade.

 

[353]

I have never been in it for the collecting part of it.

Ok tell me how many knives you have.

And I'll tell u if u are collecting or not.

Been a "collector denier" 4 years myself..

 

[K.O.D.]

Ok tell me how many knives you have.

And I'll tell u if u are collecting or not.

Been a "collector denier" 4 years myself..

Well I use all of my knives, they are just there for looks, which makes them not collectors items.

I have 20 folders and 3 fixed blades. I also have 2 knives that I inherited that are traditionals. I do not like traditional knives and don't consider them part of my obsession as I would never buy them normally.

I generally sell some before I buy some, to make room in my case.

 

[353]

Well I use all of my knives, they are just there for looks, which makes them not collectors items.

I have 20 folders and 3 fixed blades. I also have 2 knives that I inherited that are traditionals. I do not like traditional knives and don't consider them part of my obsession as I would never buy them normally.

I generally sell some before I buy some, to make room in my case.

Congrats as a collector.

Who on earth would need 20 folding knives if it was not some sort of collecting?

 

[Matthew Gregory]

Carothers is a more hand worked mid-tech. David Mary is mainly a made to order custom maker.

I’m not sure why you would think that. ‘Mid-tech’ implies that processes are outsourced. That’s simply not the case with CPK. Nate and crew do every process in-house, with the sole exception of heat treatment. In fact, an argument could be made that they do MORE than your example of David Mary, as, if I’m not mistaken, he has things waterjet cut and heat treated by a third party,
Hell, Nate doesn’t even rely on sheet material processing. Meaning, he receives descaled sheets of steel and surface grinds it in-house. Most shops will at least have their material Blanchard ground or otherwise cleaned before purchase.

If, what you mean by ‘mid-tech’ is that the bulk of his work is done via CNC, well, his handle is ‘Nathan the Machinist’, not ‘Nathan the Bladesmith‘ or ‘Nathan the Grinder Monkey’. Utilizing a CNC doesn’t make something mid-tech, but it may allow it to fall more into a category of ‘production’, if that’s what you meant.

 

[KVT]

So what exactly defines a custom or semi-custom knife, vs a production knife?

Are CRK, Hinderer, Medford etc considered production knife companies? Does origin come into play?

Is it number of employees? Number of CNC machines (or NO CNC machine)?

 

[Matthew Gregory]

So what exactly defines a custom or semi-custom knife, vs a production knife?

Are CRK, Hinderer, Medford etc considered production knife companies? Does origin come into play?

Is it number of employees? Number of CNC machines (or NO CNC machine)?

Age old debate. Don’t think there’s any clear way to ascertain it, really, as the lines blur.

Mid-tech, however, means someone else is doing the heavy lifting, and my point was merely to address that this isn’t the case for CPK.

 

[K.O.D.]

I never took midtech to mean outsourcing the work. Many "custom" makers outsource their heat treatment.

I always thought of midtech as being higher end knives made in a small factory with smaller output than a traditional production company. The smaller production numbers means higher quality as the knives are hand inspected instead of mass produced, which is why you never hear complain about CRK having uneven grinds or being off center.

Basically, something more expensive with fewer made.