Should I have any concerns about mid-level custom fixed blades?

[ivanhoe]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to get a nice fixed blade for hiking/backpacking.
Light-medium duty use; even a Mora could do, but where's the fun in that?

I boiled down the options to this:

1. Production: Fallkniven F1/S1.

2. Custom from some local knifemaker. Nothing fancy, but with an added unique/personal touch to the blade.

I'd be looking at 4-6" blades, full tang, maybe longer rat tangs.
Steels I'd consider are D2, N690 and Elmax (though last one will cost slightly more).

Prices are similar, at least between the ones I had in mind.

Are there any red flags I should be looking for, as I don't know if the work of these knifemakers is really tested?
Are there any common problems with this "mid-level" custom fixed blades?
E.g. heat treatment, false steel, etc.

Sorry for the newb questions.
I know it's just a slab of steel but there won't be a company backing it up, and I don't know what can go wrong.

Tell me straight if I shouldn't be worrying about these things

Thanks!

 

[Ryouchijtx]

Are you looking for makers to be suggested more so? I'd suggest looking up on the forums reviews on their work for custom makers, there are plenty of well established makers that fit your criteria, LT Wright, Dan Koster, etc. For a production I would have also suggested Bark River with their warranty considering you seem to be willing to spent around the 180-200$ mark on a fixed blade.

 

[afishhunter]

Buck Custom Shop does fixed blades. They don't use "super steels" though, SV30 is about it.

 

[dalefuller]

The custom makers on BF have usually been around a while, though some are fairly new. I'd suggest going to the Fixed Blades F/S subforum and looking at their work. If you want, you can check the GBU subforum to see if there are any complaints about the ones you think you'll like.

OTOH, if you want it fast, I've had nothing but good service from a dozen or more Bark Rivers.

 

[ivanhoe]

Thanks for fast replies guys. I should have been more specific - when I said "local knifemakers" I meant physically around me in Europe, not the ones on the forum.

I basically wanted to know if it's a good idea to order a custom, if I don't know much about custom fixed blades.

 

[Joe58]

Your location indicates Europe so an American maker could be problematic should you have issues. I have makers local to you, it is a lot of fun to visit the maker and see, as well as handle, his work. Even via email is still enjoyable. And I believe all makers stand by there work, as not as it isn't abuse, for their lifetime.

On the other hand, Fallkniven makes a heckuva knife and is backed by a large company that is not going anywhere. And also have a great warrantee. I enjoy customs as well productions and for the Fallkniven, their knives are very nice.

But if you can support your small local maker, it's a good thing.

 

[knarfeng]

Thanks for fast replies guys. I should have been more specific - when I said "local knifemakers" I meant physically around me in Europe, not the ones on the forum.

I basically wanted to know if it's a good idea to order a custom, if I don't know much about custom fixed blades.

I would certainly recommend checking out the reputation of a custom maker prior to ordering. For information about European makers, that would probably best be done on a European knife forum.

 

[brownshoe]

Thanks for fast replies guys. I should have been more specific - when I said "local knifemakers" I meant physically around me in Europe, not the ones on the forum.

I basically wanted to know if it's a good idea to order a custom, if I don't know much about custom fixed blades.

I would say learn about fixed blades first. You can't buy something unless you know what you want and what will define quality for you.

See what makers are near you. If there are any knife or gun shows where they sell. If you are interested in someone, contact them. Ask how they make and test their knives. If local, ask to come and see their wares. Ask them about how they build their knives, why they will last, how or who does their heat treating.

Do not pay up front for any knife. If you can't see the knife in hand, only buy if you can return for the cost of shipping.

 

[Macchina]

I'm going to go against the grain and say go with a Fallkniven. They are incredible fixed blades when it comes to function and I believe you’d be hard pressed to find a more FUNCTIONAL knife out there (including customs). The knives are expensive for a no-frills production knife but you get consistently excellent quality, design, and materials.

Blade: A nice thick slab of very easy to maintain laminated VG-10. The soft stainless sides are ultra-corrosion resistant and very easy to sharpen both at home and in the field. Every one of my Fallknivens have come very sharp and ground consistently (thin) in a way that allows them to be easily sharpened on a flat stone for years before needing to be re-convexed.

Handle: The plastic handles are grippy, durable, and fit most hand shapes. Great both with gloves on and when covered in blood. They look plain but they perform better than G-10, wood, or micarta in my opinion.

Sheath: The plastic sheath’s are some of my favorites for user sheaths. They are small, light, and hold the knives with both a mechanical retention in the hard body of the sheath and a snap that holds the knife tight. You can easily place and draw the knife from the sheath repeatedly with one hand as you perform tasks such as skinning big game.

 

[ivanhoe]

I would say learn about fixed blades first. You can't buy something unless you know what you want and what will define quality for you.

See what makers are near you. If there are any knife or gun shows where they sell. If you are interested in someone, contact them. Ask how they make and test their knives. If local, ask to come and see their wares. Ask them about how they build their knives, why they will last, how or who does their heat treating.

Thanks, after some thinking this is what I will do. It was easy to get excited with beautiful blades, but I'll have some research to do before buying.

Do not pay up front for any knife. If you can't see the knife in hand, only buy if you can return for the cost of shipping.

Great points, I could fall for paying upfront for it just because I didn't think about it. Thanks again!

 

[okbohn]

In my opinion a "mid-level" custom could be a great value or you could be terribly disappointed.

New makers sometimes work extra hard to make sure everything is perfect and their knives look and perform really well. The flip side is that they often make rookie mistakes and end up with a knife that is sub par (it is just part of the learning process).

So with makers with no reputation it is a crap shoot, but often worth it.

With a Fallkniven, it is a known quantity. They are world renowned for being excellent blades. You might also check out Bark River Knives.

 

[eisman]

If you were in the USA I could give you a dozen good makers; no problem.

Europe makes this a bit more difficult since, not being Federalized, each country has it's own particularities. I have knives from several good European makers in Germany, Italy, and Austria. All are very well made and were (in my opinion) a good deal. If you know what you're looking for (pattern, scales, steel, etc) and what the makers can (or will) do, you can easily make a knife of a lifetime with a good custom. This will require research, and the custom knife sub-forum on this board is a good place to start.

You may want to be a bit more specific as to the price point you are looking at because, depending on who you talk to, a "mid-level" custom knife usually starts around $1000 and can easily run over $5000. Truly high end stuff will start at 10 times that.

 

[ivanhoe]

In my opinion a "mid-level" custom could be a great value or you could be terribly disappointed.

New makers sometimes work extra hard to make sure everything is perfect and their knives look and perform really well. The flip side is that they often make rookie mistakes and end up with a knife that is sub par (it is just part of the learning process).

So with makers with no reputation it is a crap shoot, but often worth it.

With a Fallkniven, it is a known quantity. They are world renowned for being excellent blades. You might also check out Bark River Knives.

Thanks for good advice, it makes sense.

You may want to be a bit more specific as to the price point you are looking at because, depending on who you talk to, a "mid-level" custom knife usually starts around $1000 and can easily run over $5000. Truly high end stuff will start at 10 times that.

Thanks for the message; the amount can be under $200, max $250 if it's something really great.
Custom fixed blades that are being sold on local knife forums start from ~ $50, and under $150 there are already some beautiful options.

I'll do my homework and research local knifemakers. Hopefully I'll land a first custom after that