Newbie Buying Experience

S

sing

Joined
Jan 31, 1999
Messages
1,613

In another post about a less consciencious maker, keith said the "great info" here is what keeps him coming back to the forum. I agree.

I've been buying production knives for over a year but was seriously eyeing a Crawford. Lots of money for one knife and the thought that I may get ripped off. But various posts indicated that Crawford was a great to deal with and puts out great knives. I emailed him about the KFF and got a quick answer. Turned out he had just finished a batch and got one with bolsters and a maroon scale. I called him and got the maroon KFF in three days with priority mail.

Awhile back, I emailed Pat some quick questions about about a Carnivour and got a quick response. Last week I called about the Carnivour. Pat said he was sold out but was making more. I asked him various questions about the blade geometry, handle colors, tip up or down configuration. Mostly, he was going to make black handles with tip up but was going try other colors. I immediately asked for blue scales and asked about tip down. No problem he said but it would take about 6 weeks. I gave him my credit card number to put the order in.

Yesterday, I received a letter from him confirming the order I made. The letter explicitly stated he is not asking for money. Said he would notify me when he begins on my knife and will bill my credit card when the knife ships out. The knife will cost no more than his standard model and is expected to be done by May 15th.

Pat Crawford puts out a great product and is very professional in how he deals with a customer. I am glad I dealt with him first as opposed to a less professional dealer. Otherwide I probably be soured on the expense and time with a knifemaker. Instead, I feel pretty good about the experience and the maker.

This is where the forums excel and the knife mags will never be able to replicate. The participation of forumites -- users and makers, from all over will keep makers honest by providing good info to the users. The damage of the bad will be minimized they, hopefully, will be weeded out over time.

sing

[This message has been edited by sing (edited 30 March 1999).]
 
When we buy from someone we haven't purchased from before, I guess we all get a bit nervous. I know I do. I almost always can get good purchase/not purchase advice here on BladeForums from people who have gone before me and who enjoy sharing their experiences.

In addition to the purchase/not purchase information, I see really good practical advice on performance and quality of knives I'm interested in purchasing. I like to see both the objective, scientific knife info and the subjective, real using info from other knife nuts. Really helps me decide on whether I want to purchase a specific knife.

Good thread sing. It highlights one of the big features of BladeForums.
 
sing,

I agree 100% with your comments on Pat Crawford. I have three Crawford knives with another due in May. Pat made me a great KFF trainer to my specs. I can't imagine that very many makers would take the time for that. Pat has also accomodated my many requests for non-standard features. His warranty service is also first rate.

Pat also answers his phone calls and emails. I have had many experiences with makers' answering machines and calls which were never returned.

It is so hard to get in touch with some makers that I will often go through a dealer like Les in order to purchase a knife. Pat is such a pleasure to talk to that I go directly to him.

Axel

[This message has been edited by Axel Yup (edited 31 March 1999).]
 
Axel, I had that experience - no return communication -- from some other makers. No big deal (shrug)... They don't have my business either.

I understand that the makers can get very busy. It's nice to have dealers who have the makers' products on hand. Problem is not all the dealers carry every maker's products. I would think for such a maker it would be that much more important to return communication with a prospective buyer.

sing
 
I have 2 Crawford knives: one of his little neck knives and a french fighter folder. The french fighter is really a pleasure to open. I think Pat Crawford is a gentleman who's honesty is beyond question. I've never heard any bad remarks about him at all. Did I say I really like that french fighter? :-)

------------------
www.wilkins-knives.com


 
I've been reading this thread which is full of well deserved praise for Pat Crawford. I agree that he is always a gentleman and cares deeply for his his customers. I am pleased to call him a friend. I have shared a room with him from time to time at various shows and I must say that his only 2 flaws are that he shows up with bags of candy bars ( which I really don't need!!!) and that he snores =
smile.gif

Luv Ya Pat! BobT
 
Another dynamite individual maker to deal with is RJ Martin. Not only does he make fantastic knives, but somehow finds the time to return e-mails promptly and is a super guy to deal with.

Waldo
 
While I work for a cutlery magazine, I also dabble in making knives once in awhile, but more importantly, I buy knives, too. I agree with what many of you are stating here, about being a newbie and buying knives. Pat's a good friend of mine, I've known him for a dozen years at least, and he's very honest as you guys say. But, so are many other knife makers. My suggestion to any new collector is to not only listen to other guys on the list, but to attend shows and meet these makers face-to-face. Get to know them, check out the quality of their knives, talk to some of their customers, ask a lot of questons, maybe question guys you know. Buying from someone by mail, someone you don't know personally, especially from a different state, someone you've probably never heard of before, can be nerve-wracking. If you have any doubts, don't buy. If you feel you can trust the maker, then ask him for the names of some of his customers. Naturally, makers won't give out customer names where their knives are going for a few grand apiece, but most will if the price range is $200 to maybe $500. Doesn't hurt to ask.
 
Bud,

I think it would be nice if possible to attend the shows and to meet the makers in person and to actually see (touch, perhaps) their work . But, as Les pointed out in another thread, attending a show is not always possible and could be very costly -- more than the amount for a custom knife -- for some. Personnally, I wanted to attend the ECCK this past month. I was willing to drive from Boston down to NYC but couldn't because of a scheduling conflict.
frown.gif
As for getting references, great idea. That's the beauty of this forum. You can put out a general call for references and get the "good, bad and ugly". In many ways, it beats trying to reach the individuals a maker provides as references and who are sure to give "good" references only...

Hey, BobT, does this mean you are willing to work for candy bars....?
wink.gif


sing

[This message has been edited by sing (edited 01 April 1999).]
 
Read my post sing.. with my weight I don't need candy bars!!! Send Money instead ! I have two teenagers, two dogs and two cats all of whom think it grows on trees :=)
 
I sympathize with anybody who has teenagers - particularly teenagers going to college! ARRRRGGHHHH! All that money I could have spent on knives and knife-making gear and vacations and on-and-on-and-on...

Right now I'm just anticipating the time when both mine finish college - hope I live that long!
 
Bud brings up a good point. The large majority of makers are honest and trustworthy. I have never had a problem when I have met a maker at a show or through a friend and have asked them to make a knife. In most cases friendship is the end result as well as a knife that I enjoy owning.
 
It has been an equal pleasure of mine to deal with a variety of truly good knifemakers (in the professional & personal sense). Those mentioned here as well as Warren Osbourne, Darrell Ralph, Greg Lightfoot, John W. Smith & David Broadwell. Howard Viele has also been good to work with, although a bit slow due to some Damascus problems on my most recent order. He was very responsive in adjusting 2 of his folders & changing his logo so all my Viele Folders match. All done in a week at no charge.

I would have not come into contact with any of these great makers however were it not for Les Robertson & Robertson's Custom Cutlery.

Another wonderful resource in working with makers is supportive dealers like Les. He has been instrumental in his recommendations, advice & truly outstanding service. We have collaborated on several knives now & his expertise has been immeasureable in designing some of the folders makers have worked with us to create.
 
As long as you guys are singing the praises of your favorite knifemakers I thought I mention mine. Timothy Wright - a worthier candidate for knighthood in the knifemaking community does not exist and I defy you to find a more meticulous one. Tim doesn't follow fads so a lot of you probably have never heard of him. Besides probably 2/3s of what he makes winds up in Japan where cutlery is practically a religion, Tim way of offsetting the lopsided balance of payments but if I knew my LIFE depended on a knife I'd take a Chute knife Tim made out of D5 to any of the hundreds of knives I own. I like a lot of knifemakers but Tim Wright took the time to make kitchen knives for my wife when she complained about hers and engraved her name on them "Made for Louise" . Those knife get a hundred times the use of any of my outdoor knives and they take it and come back for more. He made one of his signature folders for an engineer friend of mine - 10 years later the blade chipped out, who knows how or why. Tim made and installed a new blade, and salvaged the old blade one and turned it into a straight knife as a gift. He's the epitome of courtesy and knowledge. Everything the craft of knifemaking values in a PROFESSIONAL. You should check him out.
 
Sharpsteel ,

With credentials for sainthood like that - you should have posted contact info for Tim Wright. I don't see any info on him in the BladeForums links section, so I guess he doesn't have a web site.
 
May I add.... Johnny Stout, Kurt Meerdink, T.H. Rinaldi & Fred Perrin to this august list. I've had dealings with all of these gentlemen and No complaints with any. Each and every one a stand up guy!


------------------
JerryO
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top