Opinions on Custom Makers Please

HERBIEDUKE

HERBIEDUKE

Joined
May 19, 2002
Messages
1,108
I'll open this to the collector, and the expert knife makers alike.

I see many threads about what great workmanship on the knives that are being shown on the Forum as to design, and craftsmanship. Almost 100% of the time it's praise, and I hear members talking about great grind lines, etc. I started looking at my customs with a magnifying loop, to see more of what they are looking for.
I know some hand grind, and some use jigs.
I would like to hear from you as to your favorite makers. The ones you have first hand knowledge of there work, and consider the top craftsman around.

Yep! your right it's only a picture, so first hand knowledge is what opinion in this case I would be looking for.
 
HERBIEDUKE,

While I can't answer the "Who's the best of the best?" question I'd like to address something else in your post:

>> Almost 100% of the time it's praise I hear

There's a very good reason for this (in my opinion). First, there are many makers here that are just beginners. Pointing out obvious flaws really doesn't do any good - even a novice maker knows them. Encouragement for the good points are worthwhile.

The next point is that it's only a photo. You really can't tell for sure. Sometimes what looks like a flaw is a bad reflection or lighting. Sometimes a knife looks perfect at one angle, but is horrid at another. So, honest criticism is impossible. I suppose you can criticize the photo, but not the knife.

The only real way to evaluate a knife is in person. So, it's right and proper to limit the comments to the positive.

My $.02,

Steve
 
I make sure my pictures are all bad so you
can't see how good my Knives< really are
I wouldn't want to get too much business
at one time now you know, :D :D :D
 
I would agree that it is better to point out the good points to a knife. However as long as it is not laid down as law opinions can have a place. Sometimes a new maker just does not know what is wrong he just knows it is not right so telling him your opinion of how a line should flow or some small thing can be of benifit to him.

Please if I ever offer an opinion it is just that. It is what I like.
If I say I like a knife I mean it.

Back to the Question who is good. From the local Western Australia scene David Brodziac is the stand out maker. Great detail to hand painted scabards and scrimsaw handles. Sorry I don't have a link to his site its worth the ride. (professional maker)

Peter Delrosso SOORY for the spelling guys, Is from the other side of the country completly different style just as good.(proffessional maker)

From you Local guys on the forum Dave Larsen puts out very nice crisp work I have one of his. Its a keeper.

A big improver I have been following is Hill Billy Chuck he makes a good working knife. He has got a good product from very limited tools. Hand forged blades. I get a kick out of his style.

By the way I am not an expert but I know what I like the look of.
 
I certainly wanted this thread to have comments on the knife makers that you thought did excellent work. I'm no expert, and just know what looks, and feels good to me. Recently I have tried to see in my custom knives what I here people discussing that know more about the craftmanship that goes into the making of a excellently made knife. There are experienced makers out there that have the skill, and experience that I would like to hear about, and get your opinions. Certainly can't give a detailed opinion on a picture, but I'm sure we have looking a alot of knives a shows up close, and been impressed with the many fine makers that are out there. Really wasn't looking to hear your single best, but some of the many that people feel are the top craftsman.
 
I'm with Reg. If I do comment on a knife here, I mean it. However, I do limit myself to the positive.

(Sometimes people ask what's wrong with a knife or how to fix a mistake - that's when you hear the other side of things.)

Thinking about it I suppose I have a maker that I know produces QUALITY - Michael Vagnino.

BTW Any guy with a Master Smith title earned it!!! It's a label you can count on. I wish the stock removal world had something like that.

Steve
 
Steve,
We do. The Knifemakers Guild.

That's my answer and I stand by it.

Personally, I feel the internet just covers a small percentage of the top notch makers out there. There is a great number of extremely good makers that don't post pictures on this venue and an equal amount that have not had pictures in the magazines.

Visit the Knifemakers Guild show and you will see some outstanding knives.
 
-------------------
Originally posted by Bruce Bump:
There are so many talented makers that it would be a disservice to try to list them.
-------------------

I agree completely with Bruce on this point. We are currently blessed with a multitude of great makers whose work is available to us just now. The internet has helped greatly in this regard. We can use it to get exposure to makers' work we'd otherwise never see and often are able to order/buy from the maker's website as well. While I have my favorite makers, a completely total list would kill the bandwidth allowed "per post" here. :D

When I comment on knives, it'll usually focus on the positives I like about the knives. After all, if I didn't like good knives I wouldn't come to these forums, eh? ;) I try to be specific in my comments. But sometimes I get lazy and will just tell the maker that I think the particular knife is pretty/beautiful/gorgeous depending on how it strikes me at the moment.

When makers request criticism, my intent is to give both the things about the knife that I like, things I'd change (offer alternatives?), and why. If it is just a personal preference I'm stating, I try to remember to hang the usual YMMV qualifier on the comment.

(edited to add) One of my core beliefs regarding knives is that they are so subjective that my opinion or anyone else's is hugely secondary to what your hand tells you when you pick up a knife. It's easy to get caught in the snobbishness of maker names, "steel of the month" fads, or flashy designs. If you've got a 10-cent garage sale knife that does your job and feels good in your hand, IMHO you have the right knife. Over the years, there's been plenty of deer and fish that have been dressed out with really cheap and ugly knives that did the jobs asked of them. ;) That said, I do still appreciate the artisanry and craftsmanship that goes into making a design that is both functional and beautiful at the same time.

When I was into stereo gear and friends would ask me which speaker was the best one to get I always told them, "Listen to your own ears, not the hype from the saleman or what the price tag says." Some of them found they liked cheap speakers and I'd say they got the right ones FOR THEM.
 
Well are you looking for an outstanding knife for resale or personal enjoyment, since this is a question about collecting. There are a lot of makers who's work could use improvement, especially me, but if there work is unique or has a certain characteristic's that really sets them apart how do you judge it then. If you are looking for flawless work I would start by looking at the knifemakers guild home page and the abs mastersmith's links on there websites. But it is really going to come down to why you are collecting the knives. For resale, or just because you just can't walk away from that style of knife. Once you have decided that it will be easier for you know that I like this style, with this quality of work, for this price and go get it.
 
You all have given me a lot more to consider, and greatly appreciate you for taking the time to comment.

Curious how makers are selected to the Knifemaker Guild?
I see many knives out there that in my opinion are works of art, and the maker isn't in any guild.
 
Originally posted by HERBIEDUKE
I certainly wanted this thread to have comments on the knife makers that you thought did excellent work
Click to expand...

They all do excellent work, Herb. This forum is a brotherhood of knifemakers. That's why the energy is so positive here. We thrive on good feedback because its so important to our craft to stay enthused, especially for the full-timers. Its all about trust, loyalty, congeniality, reverence, and graciousness here. You'll never find a better bunch of folks than right here, right now. Maybe that's why your questions were treated with such ambiguity?
 
I certainly wanted this thread to have comments on the knife makers that you thought did excellent work

OK, I'll bite. It depends on the knife (or other edged weapon) and what you are looking (art, user, fighter, etc)

There is a ton of talent out here and there are so many good makers on this site alone, it's impossible to point out who is the best.

My Favorites are:

Real world user swords,
Howard Clark, with Jerry Hossem a close second.

Art and using knives,
Bruce Bump with a close second to Bruce Evans.

Kitchen and chefs knives,
No question but it goes to Laurence.

Forged using knives with the early American feel,
Mack the Knife.

Most aggressive and improved maker,
Dan Gray.

Folders,
Kit Carson

These are my favorites based on what I like. For instance, I don't like fighters so I didn't list them. That doesn't mean that the fighter makers don't make fine knives, they just aren't my taste. I don't get real excited about neck knives but I've seen J. turn out some stunning ones.

The list goes on and on and does not include my favorite hawk makers or the unusual stuff!
 
when I see a hand made knife, and the maker asks me, "What do you think of it?"

I treat the question like it was the same as "So what do you think of my mom?"
 
It's hard to think of top makers without considering the design issue. I mean, quality is great, but if it's to get the Nth iteration of the Loveless drop point ... well, what's the point?

My absolute favorite maker is Don Fogg. I have several of his pieces, and all but one are impeccable. That one is a small shiv, and the grind on the reverse side isn't absolutelly perfect. But the design and the personality of the piece is so unique, so "Don", that I don't ever plan to sell it (unless it's to buy another Fogg!)

On the other hand, I have seen some highly rated makers - including some named in threads such as this one - with fit and finish mistakes (or sloppy work) which in all honesty I can only understand as poor work ethics (because the flaws are so obvious that I had no problem seeing them). Some people (including myself) get caught in the hype.
 
As it has been pointed out by several of our knowledgeable members...
1. Depends on the type of knife or it's uses as some makers have a specialty like say Hunters, Skinners, Fighters, Subhilts, Integrals, Liner locks, lock backs, double edges, singles edges, Tactical knives, Balisongs, Karambit, Japanese style knives, etc...
2. What makes a knife gret is not just the grind lines and the fit and finish but the design as well. So some people may collect a polur ad not so popular makes knives because they appreciate the design flair and or user quality of the knife, even though the grind liners are not absolutely perfect.
3. The user or collector will go far what they "would use" even if they might never use it and lock it away in a safe. SO, that harkens to points 1 and 2 that it is depebdant on the users mentality as to what is useful and or artistic or collectible or carryable or tactical in a fight or what have you.
4. Types of grinds....most makers have a type of grind they use regularly. Who's best ? who knows exactly, it is again a personal preferance based on style of knife, design, obvious custom hand grinding and or jig useage, etc. Coupled with which grind is sought after by the individual customer. Some customers love chisels, some love hollow, some love flats and some love convex, etc...on and on.

My point is that yes there are sooo many knife makers and alot of them are excellent makers but maybe some of those excellent makers well known or not, they don't get the grind perfect 100% of the time, maybe they don't get the fit perfect 100% of the time but it's thier style and their work and their vision that you find interesting and or useful and want to collect or carry and use. I have owned knives by a hundred well known knife makers at the top of the game and absolutely great each one but I can tell you that when observing the knife closely, they weren't flawless but they were fantanstic pieces of art and or tools that I loved owning and carrying or collecting because i appreciated that skill, talent and time that went into making them. The usefulness and vision that the maker had to put that knife together. I know this also form my own knives and having customers throwing compliments at me about certain aspects of one of my knives and I think to myself "sure I make a good knife but that is ridiculous" Why ? do I question the customer in my mind ? because I know my flaws all too well, I know where I am lacking in my knifemaking ability so it's hard to digest certain compliments, you just take them as encouragement and try and improve continually. Then you start to realize, it' not just the hard work that went into the knife that the customer liked so much, it was the style...my style the same way I felt when I bought that knife made by so and so, it was beautiful because it did this or that and felt so good in my hand and had such balance or whatever. Cool thread....Rich
 
If you are just looking at a custom made knife, there are a lot of great makers - top notch.

If you start buying them, or even more so, ordering direct from makers - bedside manner, charm, reliability, timeliness all become a very important part of the picture.

The list gets smaller when you throw in that criteria.

You also need to think about what you are interested in.

Do you like makers that break new ground, experiment with new technology, textures, steels, grinds?

or...

Do you like makers that focus on flawlessly executing time-proven techniques?

Like both? - the list gets very small at that point.
 
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