Question for you Custom Nuts

Blasto

Blasto

Joined
Mar 6, 2001
Messages
791
With every post about someone's new custom, I think about getting one for myself more and more. But here's my concern... I won't buy a custom unless I can have it for an EDC. So, when you first lift that new custom out of its box, are you wearing white gloves, or do you beat the sh*t out of it right away? I'll only spend the big money on a custom if I know I'll get my money in use, not a pretty face. A knife that valuable is worth no more to me than a Bear if I can't flip it daily and throw it into concrete on occasion. What have been your experiences?

Thanks guys
 
IMHO, I wouldn't be able to wear out a custom bali, in my lifetime.....I've got two 20 year old Bali-Song USA customs that I use on a daily basis(a utility and bowie blades on skeletonized stainless handles) and I don't honestly think, using them as a knife should be used and flipping the hell out of 'em, I could wear them to the point of uselessness....... Les' original customs, Ericksons, Dobruskis, Mer's re-handles, etc., etc., should out last most any owner if not totally abused. There is absolutely no comparison to anything you can get from Jag, Bear, etc........... I've had wonderful luck with BM's balis and use my latchless 42 whenever I'm not carrying one of my customs. I'm really looking forward to getting my Monarch as it looks to be VERY promising for the money; we'll see..........I will be honest and tell you that there aren't too may of my balis that I flip; I'll do a latch-drop to check the smoothness and feel the action of a new one and then it's into the safety deposit box......I know, what a waste, but these are the 'special' knives that hold a dear spot in my small but growing collection.......;)
 
I only wish i could flip some of my more expensice knives. Unfortunately, because of my (extremely) low income level, the only way i can justify buying them is if i keep them mint and think of it as an investment...When i talk about my collection with friends, i call it my saving account. Like Dawkind said, "what a waste," but i just can't resist! These things are unbelievable handmade works of art, and i know i'll be glad to have them in mint condition somewhere down the road. I flip daily of course, just not many of them.
 
Blasto, you could try a balisong by Mer. I ordered two of them, "just" Jag blades with Mer's handles, and I'll use at least one of them as a "beater".
 
The question of the ages--is it too nice to use? This question arises in the Emerson forum every so often. As you may all ready know Emerson customs go aftermarket for 3 to 4 times what Ernest Emerson charges for them. There is also a 5 to 7 year wait. It is a using tactical knife, but are you going to carry it after all that was involved to get it? If it's mint, I'd probably put it away, but a nice used one I might carry occasionally.
Porsche automobiles, especially the older rare models--all of them performance cars, are often thought to be too rare to drive. Know what the Porsche family says? Porsches are meant to be driven. Get it out of the garage and drive it, all ready.
You should try to keep any object you paid good money for, as nice as you can for as long as you can. There are many different materials a custom knife can be made of (obviously). But stag or wood, for example, dropped on concrete(!) is going to get banged up, whereas micarta would stand up to such abuse, and can be bead blasted back to an almost new condition. The hurkin' skeletonized stainless Benchmades appear to be fairly bullet proof as Dawkind has suggested. They can also be scotchbrite wheel refinished back to an almost new condition. I'd keep my eyes peeled (that's gotta hurt) for an older nice condition used BM stainless, keep it in a soft leather sheath and enjoy yourself. After all, it's a performance knife.
 
I guess it just comes down to the fact that a Balisong to me is just a tool. No more. I get no extra satisfaction from a knife knowing it looks nice. But that's just my priorities. So if you guys had to recommend just one custom maker, based on the fact that function and durability come first with me, who would it be?
 
how much does a custom cost anyway? and how do you get one? do you somehow place your order manually, describing excactly how you want it?
 
Try looking into the Dobruski, you can pick and choose what materials you want, ie wood, micarts, ti., steel, or whatever and his prices are outstanding. Not a 6 to 8 hundred dollar price tag!
 
Speakng of customs, has anyone seen a full damascus stilleto bali? i've been trying to find a cool damascus blade. I've also been hoping for a stilleto from BM (like that will happen!)

Bear MGC apparently has some damascus balisongs , but their handles are trash from what I hear. However, Bear has some really chaep/cool looking damascus folders here:

www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/bearmgc/bearmgc.html



.....but anyways...just sharing my dream bali ;).


-------Newberry
 
Well if I get flamed so be it.. but I didnt get a good impression of Mr. jarvis.. I am sure if I bothered to talk to him longer I woudl have foudn out how nice of a guy he is but I guess I didnt stick around.. in all the shows there is a big sign on the front of his table saying "LOOK DONT TOUCH!" basically.. and I come from a mentality that makers want you to touch their stuff.. I guess I took that as a sign and said okay - see ya pal. On one occation I picked up one of his balis with both hand and he proceeded to give me a lecture on not to flip it and being careful.. (translateion: hey kid you cant afford that put it down - again I may have been overreacting but it was my impression) mind you I was picking it up slow and respectfully..

personaly I think his stuff looks like overebellished FHMS.. not that the design is bad, just not my thing. Clay likes it though.

I would like to hear from anyone who has beat up their dobruski.. I have been trygin to free up time to wreck mine but have been busy :p the precision of the dobruski is perfect thoguh.. maybe too perfect.. (in terms of handle alignment) that it is hard to flip and I sometimes cath the blade with my palm.. dangerous.. I hope to losen it soon and get some imperfection in there :) )

and Blasto, per your original question.. it is really up to the individual on what he wants to do with his or her knives.. I am slowly geting tired of having REAL pretty nice knives and just looking at them, i try to carry some of my gem pieces when I can, and recently carry an Onion in my pocket.. yeah peopel slap me aroudn but you know I have been feeling like an old anal fogie and want to enjoy my knives =)

(is this the NEXT stage of knife collecting maturity?) I guess having a steady income helps too.. but yeah customs liek the old BM and PC customs are worth the money and are tanks. it seems as if you have made up your mind to use a custom.. and if you think you deserve it then you do :). Go flip and prosper.. if you and I die tomorrow then wont that be a shame.

it also HELPS BIG time if the custom I get is LNIB then I'm liek to hell with it let's flip! I cant make it any so much worser :p
 
I like getting user balis.
Then I don't feel guilty by flipping it.
I would hate to be the idiot who puts the first scar on a mint collectable knife.... wait... what am I talking about.... I use my BM42 70/500 as an every day cary, and have fudged it so you can barely make out the numbering....

Oh, have fun!! And flip the hell out of your custom.. It's hard to say if there is going to be anyone else you know (besides us!) who will appriciate its quality, and besides, You're worth it!!!:D
 
There really is only one reason to buy a custom knife: because you can't find what you want in a production knife.

Custom knives are just that: custom. They are made to your specification. If you choose the right maker and communicate your desires well, you can have your knife just about any way you want.

Some custom knives are deliberately made more as works of art than as practical knives. You'd be a fool to carry one of these knives around and beat it up in daily use.

Some custom knives are made to be extremely strong and durable. They are made for brutal use.

Consider, for example, a kris blade. It's not the best blade profile for the tasks that most of us use our knives for day-to-day. And it's a nightmare to sharpen. But, they are an excellent fighting knife and they're also wonderfully attractive and artistic. So, if you're looking for a great fighting knife or if you're looking for a great piece of collectible art, then maybe that's something you might like to think about. Unfortunately, there aren't any good ones in mass production. So, you'll probably have to have it custom made.

Somewhere on my site there's a picture of a Pacific Cutlery custom tanto. It's been its owner's daily carry for utility purposes for getting on twenty years now. And he tells me it's in excellent shape even after all of that use and abuse. Of course, it has classic skeleton handles in Titanium. He ordered it specifically with the intent of using it as a daily-carry utility knife.

On the other hand, only a fool would plop down $800 for a BM49SPL and then use it as a daily-carry utility knife. Aside from the issues with the kris blade which are amplified by the zero-bevel grind, the highly polished surfaces would be quickly scratched up and the wood inserts would also suffer nicks and dings and scratches.

So, the point is that you can go either way on custom knives. If you don't see what you want in an off-the-shelf knife, whatever that might be, then you should consider a custom.

If what you want is an exceptionally rare or exceptionally beautiful knife to add to your collection, then go for a custom.

If what you want is an exceptionally durable knife with the exact blade profile and exact size, weight, and latch configuration that you prefer as the perfect daily-carry utility knife, then go for a custom.
 
i came up with an 'idea' for a custom yesterday. probably not the best knife that would be made, but i think it would be quite original (if at all possible to make). the main idea is plexi glass handles. hehe, what do you think of that? see-though handles? most likely with some kind of patterns in it though, so it won't slip right outta your hands. but still, the glass prolly have to be laser cut or something... and i don't know how strong it really is (even though i've heard it's supposed to be real strong - perhaps too strong to make this real :p )
so, what do you think, would it be possible to make such a knife?
(another factor is that it might be too light... how heavy is plexi glass, really?)
 
Originally posted by Gollnick
There really is only one reason to buy a custom knife: because you can't find what you want in a production knife...

...If what you want is an exceptionally durable knife with the exact blade profile and exact size, weight, and latch configuration that you prefer as the perfect daily-carry utility knife, then go for a custom.
Click to expand...

You hit the nail right on the head! My 2 BM42's are EDC's, and they're great. But they're not perfect (for me that is). I want to buy one or two customs, buy them once, and flip happily until I turn gray with them. So, again I ask, could anyone recommend a custom maker who can make a knife for function, and for life. Seeing as how I only plan on doing this once (as I'm sure all you collectors said at one time), I want to do it right. I'll worry about the price only after I've found the knife I'm looking for. This is my quest. Longevity and function are at the top of list. I'd rather use it than look at it.
 
After buying my first custom at a gunshow about a year ago I've been hooked on them since. Currently I'm into collection Benchmade, Pacific Cutlery, and Balisong Cutlery Customs. Since they are no longer in production I don't manipulate them. A second reason for not manipulating them is the cost.

When I'm ready I am going to have a current custom maker make what will become my every day carry for a long time. If I find the right maker the cost will be less than half of what an old BM or PC custom costs.
 
Originally posted by Gollnick

Is that why you bought that 49SPL??? ;)
Click to expand...

most definitely.. i am going to wear it on my neck arounf work (latched open mind you) and use it as daily carry.. I figure if I can daily carry a 49SPL and use it to pry open windows then I can carry any knife I please (break that mental block) :D
 
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