Productions vs. Customs Discussion

G

gofastalot

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
332
I ended up in the custom knives for sale forum today and saw some nice knives at what I thought were good prices. I normally buy nice production knives like Benchmade, BRKT, and Bussekin. One reason I buy those is because there are a lot of reviews and opinions and they seem like "known entities". However, I really like some of the customs and they come with some exclusivity, which I consider a benefit also.

Please discuss benefits/drawbacks to the customs.

Should I be worried about a catastrophic failure, can they take some hard use (like the Busse knives), is there a way to determine the quality before a purchase is made?

Thank you for your time. If there are some good threads on the subject, please point me to them.
 
There are some tremendous bargains on custom knives here. Any maker worth his salt will fix any problems that may occur with their knives but I find most are built to last a lifetime and should not give you any hassles.

I happily buy custom knives even though I'm on the other side of the world and returning them can be an expensive exercise. Never had to do it yet.
 
There are a ton of great cutom makers that can make you a knife that will hold up great. :D
 
I buy customs almost exclusively and have not had a single problem yet. Never run across a custom maker that doesn't stand behind their product 100% either.
 
Lately, I have been going for custom fixed blades and production folders, both tacticool and slippies. I have three friction folders on order right now, and I am thinking about getting rid of the rest of my folders to pay for a custom slippie. The only production fixed blades I have are some Cold Steel economy line Taiwan made fixed blades, a few Moras and a Spyderco Bushcraft 2ND. There are some really great production models coming out right now, but I appreciate the ability to email/call/meet with makers to go over what I want in a knife. I use all of my knives, and have gone for the bush blades, choppers etc.

I would have to say customs right now as my preference.
 
I will be getting my custom fixed blade real soon, my custom knife maker has been busy making knives for the movie coming out with Harrison Ford. All I have to say is, it is custom for this reason it is a special knife.
 
Glock26 said:
I will be getting my custom fixed blade real soon, my custom knife maker has been busy making knives for the movie coming out with Harrison Ford. All I have to say is, it is custom for this reason it is a special knife.
Click to expand...

Indiana Jones 5? Don't leave us hanging man :eek:.
 
I used to collect production knives. (You'll see I'm selling some currently if you look.) I've found that custom makers make a better quality piece, and often at prices that are extremely competitive with higher end production pieces. And when I can get it made the way I want it for the same price as something everybody else is going to have the choice is pretty obvious.

I've been saying for some time now that the custom makers are really a bargain. As noted, most offer lifetime guarentee's on their products, many will recondition and sharpen for a minimal cost, and usually the service is superior to the production companies. I've only had one issue with a maker, and since he's so busy he's not even taking orders for the next 5 years I figure he doesn't need my business.
 
I like customs myself and own a couple already but there are a lot of very nice production knives out there that I want to get. I can't afford to go all custom and still get what I want. I will eventually get knives from the guys on my wish list but it will take a while.
 
I have gone completely to forged/custom blades myself. The only exception being a couple high end folders. The biggest reason being that a custom maker will make me what I want. Whereas I have to be happy with someone elses design with comercial stuff.
 
I own customs and really enjoy them. They are different, they are prettier, and its fun to get to know the knifemakers. Some of the best customs I've bought have been from the least known makers. The most basic things you need to know is how to recognize quality and learn about pricing. Learn about knife construction, go to shows so you can see and feel what "good" is, use the internet, read books, go to shows, go to hammer-ins, join a knife club, etc. I'd suggest you do some serious homework if you are planning to spend what you consider "serious money."

There are a lot of custom makers. They range from great to con artists. Some are full time, some are part time and some are hobbyists...and some won't tell you. Be prepared for them to go out of business at the drop of a hat. Some will be upfront about how your knife is made, some will tell you if you ask, some will be disingenous, and some will lie. The ABS and Knifemaker guild memberships are no guarentee of quality and knifemakers who are not members make great knives. Beware of buying custom knives from unknown makers using only internet pictures. Never give a deposit, unless you are asking for some really expensive materials (e.g. gold). If the deal is too good to be true...it probably is, especially nowadays with the internet.

Customs are great, but production companies can offer things that custom makers cannot. First is business continuity. Buck is three generations old. Second, some specialized knives are not available as customs, such as the Paul lock sold by Lone Wolf and the cast cobalt knives of Boye. Third, many production companies equal the quality of custom makers and surpass the low end of customs by a long shot, such as the Case Tony Bose slipjoints and many if not most products made by Chris Reeves.
 
brownshoe, you've highlighted some things I was concerned about. I think with a custom I am rolling the dice a little. I may get something that surpasses most production knives in rarity and quality or I may get something that's useless and/or can't be resold if I don't like it. I am just going to have to keep my eye on the custom stuff for a while to see what's what. I notice some makers items go within hours of posting while others have been bumped for months. I wonder if that is an indicator of the quality of the items.:confused:
 
gofastalot said:
brownshoe, you've highlighted some things I was concerned about. I think with a custom I am rolling the dice a little. I may get something that surpasses most production knives in rarity and quality or I may get something that's useless and/or can't be resold if I don't like it. I am just going to have to keep my eye on the custom stuff for a while to see what's what. I notice some makers items go within hours of posting while others have been bumped for months. I wonder if that is an indicator of the quality of the items.:confused:
Click to expand...

Don't be afraid of customs... There are many makers who are more than excellent. I don't see it as rolling the dice if you do homework but be prepared to send some hard $$ and a long wait for your knife to be made iff the maker wants to make it. A Life time warranty is a standard for customs and many makers will take a knife back if you are not completely satisfied with it.

If you go on the 'knife makers for sale area' and see whose selling fast then look at the exchange forums for the same maker and you see that many people are buying the makers knives and none are on the secondary market then that means something.... you can always email the people who buy the knives and ask them what they think of them or ask the maker for references and/or ask all the hard questions... I went custom for Bowies and fighters and never looked back.
 
It's not a crap shoot if you do your homework. You can readily find honest knifemakers who produce reliable work that will fit your needs, style and price.

The price of custom knives has as much to do with popularity as it does with quality. For example, Hinderer is popular and his knives sell quickly above the makers list price, but if the price goes too high, they don't move. Other makers are popular, but not so much, and their knives sell for makers price or little less. However, many if not most makers are relatively unknown and their knives will be substatially discounted in the aftermarket. This final category can be fun. I've got more than a few knives from relatively unkown makers, bought used, but great bargains...and more to the point, great knives.

Remember customs are often hand made and thus less than perfect. For "budget" customs, don't expect CNC quality of a production, but the quirks can be just as fun. I have one folder that has a titanium frame, 440C blade, giraffe bone handle, and file worked back spacer. It is flawed, the blade is not centered, The fit is not perfect, but the finish is excellent. The file work is different and cool. The blade is perfectly flat ground to an almost zero bevel (it's a master smith's second folder). The heat treatment is excellent (I dropped it on concrete and the tip bent little and did not break, but it holds a good edge and was rockwell tested by the maker). The knife was only $180. It's a flawed knife, in that it's not perfect, but it has inate quality, it's pretty and IMHO its a bargain.
 
Is there custom made knives that doesn´t look like their props for The Lord Of The Rings? I would like to have a well built, normal looking folder that is way stronger and better (to actually use) than a production knife. Is there such a knife, or do you pay the extra money for damascus blades, horn handles, magic karma and a one of a kind design?
 
I wish I new more about custom knife makers a few years ago, or been on the forum longer.
Would have opted for customs instead of about half of my production knives.
Live and learn.
 
Is there custom made knives that doesn´t look like their props for The Lord Of The Rings?

Absolutely. You can find every type and style in customs...plus makers will make what you want. Just look at the three forums with custom knives on this site, customs by individuals, folders by makers and fixed blades by makers.

Do you pay the extra money for damascus blades, horn handles, magic karma and a one of a kind design? Only if you want it. The first custom I ever bought was a small fixed blade from an Amish man at our local city market. It is made of sawblade steel, walnut handle, copper harness pins and it holds an edge forever and is so handy, it morphed from a camp/skinning knife into a kitchen tool. Cost $25 about 15 years ago.
 
Slowstarter said:
Is there custom made knives that doesn´t look like their props for The Lord Of The Rings? I would like to have a well built, normal looking folder that is way stronger and better (to actually use) than a production knife. Is there such a knife, or do you pay the extra money for damascus blades, horn handles, magic karma and a one of a kind design?
Click to expand...

Plenty
IMGP0525.jpg

P1020149.jpg

IMG_7824.jpg

attachment.php

DSCN0530.jpg

newfolder2010004.jpg

slipjoint146.jpg

edmonsterhunter008.jpg

attachment.php


Some of these are for sale in the makers forum right now.
 
I buy some of both. Higher end production knives, and customs.

There is often/usually more attention to finer detail on custom knives, little things like clocked mosaics etc. that take the little bit of extra time that production manufactures often can't afford to put into their knives.

I was disappointed with one custom knife I purchased. I bought from a relatively unknown maker. The blade was good, but the handle was crap. This particular fellow had some learning to do. Buying from established makers would all but eliminate this risk.

I find the 1 - 2 year (or longer) wait for some customs to be a bit discouraging. However if you are shopping here and looking at "available to buy" knives, this isn't an issue.

As stated many times already, if buying from an established maker, I would not be too concerned about quality or support for the product. The vast majority of the customs I have purchased are top notch quality and a pleasure and delight to own.

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