Production vs. Custom

brand new member, with an age old question. The only advice I'll offer, is to work with both, and make your own decision as to what fits your needs and wants.
 
JamesofArc said:
Is there any reason to get a custom made knife if I can find what I need in a production knife.

Lets say a BK7 is all I need. Is a custom knife going to do me any better?

Why do I need a custom knife when I can find a production knife that will fit my needs?
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If a production knife meets your needs then no need for a custom... But a properly made custom from a skilled maker will out last and out perform a production knife in every way. Heat treat, geometry, materials, all of which make a knife that cuts better and easier and stays sharp longer than any production knife. SO then its up to you to determine f that gain is worth the extra cost... To me it is because the extra cost can be very small... Especially if the custom is from a little known maker, or has been previously owned/used.

Before I had this figured out I paid more for some production knives than for some customs... Now I don't have a single production knife that is not basically customized... I select my production folders for heat treat and have them reground and rescaled. Not much different than a custom at that point. :) Same for cost. But mostly I have and use customs only. Production knives just aren't worth it to me, except for disposable beaters.
 
OP - You're answering your own question, with your question. If you're cool with a BK7, then you don't want/need a custom right now in your knife loving arc. I used to be there, and now I'm here - 100% custom fixed blades or bust. Folks have made some great points in this thread regarding the superiority of customs. I'll only add this - When I think about this topic, I ask your exact same question, in reverse. Why would I buy a production knife when I can buy a custom for the same/similar $$, with superior materials, design, soul, & exclusivity?
 
I'll never tell anyone that they have to get a custom. There are many capable production knives out there. Any increased performance in a custom would be minimal compared to a quality production knife.
What you do get is something unique made just for you. Probably some premium materials and a level of attention to detail and care that you simply don't get with a production.

Look at a real woodlore vs a custom woodlore clone vs a spyderco woodlore. They're more or less the same knife. Generally the same handle shape, grind, steel.
 
Is there a need for a custom or handmade knife over a production knife? If you are speaking purely in terms of ability to cut and perform everyday tasks you might need a knife for, in all honesty there isn't really a need. However if you have some very specialized specific needs, or just prefer a very specific combination of features, then maybe yes.

I think as has also been mentioned there is a distinction between a true custom knife (I specifically requested fairly specific parameters for blade steel, length, shape etc., handle material, and overall design) and a handmade knife (I buy a ready to go knife off a makers table). Both have merits and distinct advantages/disadvantages when compared with production knives. Me personally, I just like knives of all sorts and can appreciate all types, and my collection include examples from all categories. I am still willing to carry and use every knife I own from the most affordable production right on up to a top of the line custom spec knife. If you can afford and appreciate something "better" than the BK7 give it a shot. If you are perfectly with the BK7 then keep on using it, I have one and it is a heck of a knife for the money.
 
^
What he said. Trust me.
 
I do not own a custom yet but I will say that I believe when one purchases a knife, whether custom or production, they will possess a knife. In many cases neither is practically better than the other. However, when you buy a custom knife, it not only carries the name of the maker but his pride as well. As technology and manufacturing quality have progressed, there are fewer and fewer creations that carry the pride of its maker no matter who possesses it. A custom knife may be in your possession and you may choose to use it how you wish but it is, and will always be, his creation. If it needs care beyond your abilities, the maker will accept it, care for it and return it to you carrying more pride than when he first made it. Like a child returning home after they've grown, they are always welcomed with open arms. pampered and leave with parents beaming.

Hold a production knife in one hand and a custom in the other, close you eyes and say the words "Labor of love". Which one enters your mind?

If you think this post is entirely too emotional for a knife forum, stick with production, you won't be missing anything.
 
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If we were talking about a custom greatly exceeding the performance of a nicer quality stainless folder like a Spyderco, I would say go with factory.

For a carbon steel fixed blade, I do not believe you are getting the best grind or heat treat from something like a Becker. Many custom makers take heat treat very seriously and do not use it as a production short cut, but a goal unto itself. There's no reason for Kabars to use the steel they do and HT it to 56-58 Hrc.
 
IMO kabar/becker knows what they are doing with their knives. They sell a lot of them, have been doing so for many years, and have a huge following. Are they custom level of quality? Of course not. But actually, that would depend on the custom. Making these sort of broad comparisons is difficult.

JamesofArc said:
Why do I need a custom knife when I can find a production knife that will fit my needs?
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You don't. There is no wrong way to do this so long as you are satisfied.
 
I think if you need to ask this question the answer is probably no. Most customs won't function any better, I think its just more about appreciation.
 
Comes down to what one wants or needs.


Here is the Production and Custom versions of the South Fork just for general information.

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Custom on Top

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craytab said:
^same steels?
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Ah, no....

The Custom is a Steel that was in development.... Not available due to major issues rolling it out.

One of very few knives in the world that used this steel.
 
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Stick with the BK7 if your portfolio is a bit on the anorexic side. If you have greenbacks to spare, dive in to the custom world of knives. With a custom knife you can get one that has been crafted to your specs/desires. Will they cut any better than my Fehrman knives? Probably not.

To answer your question: no, you don't need any custom knife. Then again, you don't need a .300 Win Mag either if you already have access to your pop's old 30-06. Of course, you may just benefit from the extra FPE when crossing that narrow mountain ridge and you spot that massive wapiti WAY down range...
 
The knife market is awash with every kind to temp the buyer, just like the watch market. Quality has never been better, at all levels of price. There are a few rotten knives not worth having at any price and the custom knives can be a leap of faith, but with such competition its rarer. The difference between custom and factory has closed both in outright finished quality, and price. Whereas custom used to demand a high premium over factory, now factory offer high ticket priced wares too. Whereas custom could often out perform factory, now custom struggles to better the best factory.

Where factory fails is that however many models are offered, at whatever quality, they just can't do a personalised made to fit. When going custom its now really bespoke for "you"; or you just fancy it with the story behind it.

The rest is taste, just like watches, and as its your money then spend it on things you enjoy. There is a hobby in knife collecting which is done because there are interesting parts to it all and fellow enthusiasts to share with. Knives aren't that expensive when compared to cars, jewellery, and what the tax man wants. Your disposable income, enjoy.
If it was just "knife" then that would be a dull world.

The vast majority of my knives are factory, quality factory. The vast majority I use and some have given me sterling service for 20 years. Mainly factory because thats my disposable income and secondly I wanted them to be repeatable if lost. If I could then I might have bought more custom ones, and now custom has more appeal as my knowledge has improved, more than ever. I have enough knives so it has to be something special now.
 
First of all, "custom" or "hand-made" does not automatically equal "high quality". I've seen many people on this forum over the years present valid complaints about the poor quality of the custom knives they commissioned. Of course the good makers who cared about the satisfaction of their customers, and their own reputations, made it right. But it's somewhat mind-boggling that a custom knife maker would send out a knife with clear and unacceptable flaws (uneven grinds, bad fit and finish, etc).

One issue with going custom is that you have to deal with the personality of the maker, and his personality can change. He might be nice and friendly in the beginning when your talking about commissioning him to make you an expensive knife, but after he has your money his personality might change, and suddenly he isn't so nice and friendly.

And then there's communication. Same as above- communication can be great in the beginning, and then after awhile you can't get in touch with him, and you have no idea what's going on, how long it's going to take to finish the knife, or if it will ever be finished.

And that leads me to the risk involved. When you are dealing with a one-man operation, if anything happens to him (health problems, family problems, fire, natural disaster, death, etc, etc) you may never see the knife, or get your money back.

And then there's the wait time. And wait times can have a way of getting extended. Six months could turn into a year, then maybe two years. Again, this is the unpredictable nature of a one-man operation.

And even if the maker is a stand-up, honest, great guy with a long list of satisfied clients, sometimes stuff just happens (like the stuff I mentioned above), and you might not ever see the knife.

Over the years I've seen more people on this forum than I can remember who had unpleasant experiences with custom knife makers (like the things I described above). I believe that those experiences do not represent the norm, but they happen, and it can really suck when they do, especially if you paid big bucks in advance.
 
Some really thought provoking points killgar. Back in the day, I too stepped up to the plate and ordered my first custom. There were problems when the maker moved and later even more of a twist following his divorce. His phone number was changed twice and I had to jump through more hoops to reach him.

The elated attitude that he had pushed my way soon diminished into a sarcastic growl. The knife did finally make it to my hands: after two years of waiting. There were countless twists and turns but I pushed on, choosing to believe that the maker was going to be good to his word. I am fully convinced that had I not kept trying to bug the hell out of him...there would be no knife and no refund.

As pointed out, hassles akin to mine are most assuredly not the norm. Buyer beware!
 
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