Older customs

[silenthunterstudios]

I was lucky enough to get a few older copies of Blade, ranging from the 80's to the 90's. Several makers I know today were featured in ads and articles, some I've never heard of. Doesn't mean they're not well known, or not still active today, but I've never heard of them. It got me thinking. I appreciate customs more than productions right now, and have several on order, and I'm placing custom orders right now too. It is also refreshing to meet makers and learn why they make a knife the way they do. Even though what I am about to ask would fly in the face of my current pride in custom knives, I will go ahead.

Several months ago, a gentleman in my local knife club was selling his customs. These were made of carbon steel, and stainless steels 440C and ATS34. They were very well made knives, and they were for sale at a much cheaper price than a lot of custom knives today. Granted, he was a collector selling them, and circumstances necessitated his selling them unfortunately. But it got me thinking, are older knives still on the market, or are they all scooped up? Do makers today just produce more than makers ten years ago or more? Most of the customs I see at shows are fairly recent, same as production knives. As customs get older, they increase in value, and most people are not using them anymore. I get that. But on the market, I only see custom knives ten years old or younger, and barely anything older than 8 years at that.

To the customs lovers on here, do you leave your older stuff in the safe? How old is the oldest custom that you have bought? That you kept?

 

[Keith Montgomery]

You will find lots of older knives on the market. The oldest custom that I have gotten was about ten years old. I traded for it on this forum.

By the way, though technically cabon steels, 440C and ATS-34 are stainless. I'm sure you know that.

 

[Les Robertson]

The oldest custom knife in my collection was made by George Herron in 1966. It was the first Bowie he ever made.

WWG

 

[Steven Roos]

I've got a Buster Warenski Half-Scale Samuel Bell Bowie from 1976. That is my oldest custom, and naturally it stays in the safe.

 

[Bigfattyt]

I have a Glen Hornby full tang hunter with African stag horn scales. I believe I bought 20 years ago. Won't ever sell it, or use it even since he is passed on. I will pass it on to my son. Glen is my uncle. I am sad that I did not more while I had the chance. I was only 10 years old when I bought it, and that was a lot of scratch to come up with at 10 years old (mowed a lot of lawns).\

 

[Doug C]

I picked up Don Hanson III's first Bowie,pic says 1992,and first forged,pic says 1994,right here on the forums at the end of '05.
Don was having a sale for the widow of a collector friend.

Doug

 

[Kevin Jones]

My oldest custom is a one of a kind FISK boot knife which is just over ten years old.
It has a damascus blade, fluted antique elephant ivory handle and a silver boot sheath which is extremely rare for a small Fisk knife.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

You see older custom knives for sale all the time.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

You will find lots of older knives on the market. The oldest custom that I have gotten was about ten years old. I traded for it on this forum.

By the way, though technically cabon steels, 440C and ATS-34 are stainless. I'm sure you know that.

I see how it looks like I was taking 440C and ATS34 as an example of carbon steels. It should be read as they used carbon steels, and stainless steels such as 440C and ATS34. I'll go back and edit it.

 

[TinyDee]

I started buying knives when I was with Jimmy Lile, who was president of the Guild, twice, and they are quiet old. I did not see ATS34 until after Bob Loveless changed to it from 154CM. A lot of 440C, D2, A2 and 154Cm though. I have knives from Ed Henry, Buster and of course Jimmy. Keep 'em put up...

 

[SharpByCoop]

I have a number of older pieces and they continue to provide enjoyment.

Bob Ogg folder from 1975. Strongest backspring I've handled!

My entire collection of 12 Hill Pearce knives were made in the eighties. Here's a folder:

Gary Barnes, MS from the eighties. Brass and bone...

Bob Conley, boot-style folder. Not sure, but probaly mid-eighties.

Coop

 

[T. Erdelyi]

I have quiet a few old knife mags, there was this one guy, H. H. Frank,(Who? Just kiddin').

At $6500, this 1974 H.H. Frank Slipjoint is a classic example of old style customs, now this guy could make gorgeous knives.

or

 

[Joss]

I suspect that many pieces old cannot be sold at anywhere close to their original price. The exceptions are those you can find here and there.

Every once in a while you do see things pop up at a decent enough price, on eBay.


My oldest custom is a 14th century wakizashi (it's actually a naginata that was later cut down):

OK, that's cheating. My next oldest custom is a Kemal (Don Fogg + Murad Sayen) damascus piece. It was one of the first pieces they created together and it dates back from the early 80's:

Then there is this san-mai, early mosaic damascus goblin folder made by Steve Schwarzer in the early 80's:

 

[TALON158]

Im veering towards older vintage customs for my collection. They just have a different look and feel.. Older customs I have are by Merle Seguine, Harvey Draper, Pete Heath, Clyde Fischer, Jim Barbee, George Stone, Loveless, etc.
Oldest blade I have is probably a Seguine hunter made in the early 60s.

 

[canineforge]

Here is an older Harvey Dean (JS camper) I picked up from Randy M.

And some early carbon steel and damascus work from Don Hanson (pre-Sunfish Forge). These were made available in late 2005 from a collector's estate, as Doug mentioned.

- Joe

 

[commodorewheeler]

The oldest piece I have is a Russ Andrews D2 skinner that I picked up from Danbo. From what Dan told me this piece was made in the '70s or '80s. I think it is a great collector's piece.

 

[HTMD]

There are some nice knives in this thread. I like knives that by now have a little mileage on them. Someone said you might not be able to sell the older customs for what they're worth or what you paid for them. Maybe, but one thing they're really good for is trading. I got this Bernard Sparks big game hunter in a trade and have always liked it a lot. Bernard Sparks served as an officer in The Guild for some years. He had a college background in art and wound up teaching high school but also worked for the state and trapped/skinned beaver for ten years. He also skinned thousands of animals for feed on the mink ranch he and his father owned. Naturally he grew up outdoors, hunting and fishing. He made both fixed blades and folders.

This one is burly for sure. OAL is 10 1/4 in. Handle is 5 in. Blade is from 3/8ths stock. There's something about it that I like a lot - the word 'authentic' comes to mind. I believe it was made in 1972.

 

[HTMD]

This one may not be a full on custom knife but it is definitely customized. It's an early Gerber Paul folder with some very nice scrimshaw. This one is from the early eighties.

 

[jjtjr]

I'm not sure how old this is. It's the second folder made by Jerry Fisk. Jim Treacy

 

[Ebbtide]

HH Frank had a table at the March show here in NYC IIRC.
One immaculate knife

ETA:
Also, one very nice gentleman to talk to.