So I'm new-ish to this forum, and I've been going through some of the past threads reading complaints people have with some of the less-scrupulous makers around. I just thought it should share a positive experience.
I ordered my first custom knife in 1988, from a maker I've not heard anything about since. Its delivery was timely, but it was not as presented in his catalogue, specifically the clip on the back edge (it was a bowie type) was not there. Not simply unsharpened, just not there AT ALL. There was a properly shaped dip, but then it was as if he'd simply gotten lazy and decided not to grind an edge on it.
A little less than a year later, I ordered another specialty model from a maker after speaking to him on the phone and being told that there was a six-month delivery time. Over three-and-a-half years and many, many excuses later, my knife arrived. By that time I'd learned a lot more about blades and steel and it was no longer what I wanted.
After this, I vowed not to purchase any more custom blades, at least not through the ordering process. I have picked up a few over the years that have turned up on knife shops.
I think I first read about the Rob Patton/Bob Kasper Grande around eight years ago in Tactical Knives. I wanted one, wanted the hell out of one, but the delivery time that the article specified was longer than I cared to wait, and my past experiences put me off from ordering.
This past February, I contacted Rob and was told that there was around a four-to-five month delivery time, so I sent him a down payment, less than half the price of the knife. A few months later he sent me an e-mail informing me that he was about to start my blade, so the balance was due. I sent off a money order and within a couple days he let me know that he had received it and begun work on my knife.
Even with a couple time-consuming events going on in his life, I received my blade a couplethree weeks ago, and I am very, VERY pleased with it! I was originally considering a knife from another maker that was for sale at a local shop, but after researching said maker and finding him to be a controversial character who marketed his knives through a hyped-up BS background, I'm glad I went with Rob. I got a better knife for less than half what this other... um... rabid canine's knife was going for.
Rob was a gentleman and a pro to deal with, and he makes a very good blade. I can't recommend him enough to anyone looking for the type of blade he specializes in.
I ordered my first custom knife in 1988, from a maker I've not heard anything about since. Its delivery was timely, but it was not as presented in his catalogue, specifically the clip on the back edge (it was a bowie type) was not there. Not simply unsharpened, just not there AT ALL. There was a properly shaped dip, but then it was as if he'd simply gotten lazy and decided not to grind an edge on it.
A little less than a year later, I ordered another specialty model from a maker after speaking to him on the phone and being told that there was a six-month delivery time. Over three-and-a-half years and many, many excuses later, my knife arrived. By that time I'd learned a lot more about blades and steel and it was no longer what I wanted.
After this, I vowed not to purchase any more custom blades, at least not through the ordering process. I have picked up a few over the years that have turned up on knife shops.
I think I first read about the Rob Patton/Bob Kasper Grande around eight years ago in Tactical Knives. I wanted one, wanted the hell out of one, but the delivery time that the article specified was longer than I cared to wait, and my past experiences put me off from ordering.
This past February, I contacted Rob and was told that there was around a four-to-five month delivery time, so I sent him a down payment, less than half the price of the knife. A few months later he sent me an e-mail informing me that he was about to start my blade, so the balance was due. I sent off a money order and within a couple days he let me know that he had received it and begun work on my knife.
Even with a couple time-consuming events going on in his life, I received my blade a couplethree weeks ago, and I am very, VERY pleased with it! I was originally considering a knife from another maker that was for sale at a local shop, but after researching said maker and finding him to be a controversial character who marketed his knives through a hyped-up BS background, I'm glad I went with Rob. I got a better knife for less than half what this other... um... rabid canine's knife was going for.
Rob was a gentleman and a pro to deal with, and he makes a very good blade. I can't recommend him enough to anyone looking for the type of blade he specializes in.
:thumbup: