Should You Buy a Handmade Knife?

[Vargold_Blades]

Greetings everyone!

Seeing as how I enjoy writing about things that interest me, I whipped up a short article regarding a question many folks find themselves asking before forking over the cheddar on a custom blade. Perhaps it will help you in future interactions!

Without further ado, check out: Should I Buy a Handmade Knife?

 

[unwisefool]

Greetings everyone!

Seeing as how I enjoy writing about things that interest me, I whipped up a short article regarding a question many folks find themselves asking before forking over the cheddar on a custom blade. Perhaps it will help you in future interactions!

Without further ado, check out: Should I Buy a Handmade Knife?

I'm curious how you see a small knife with a cordwrap handle being the tool that saves your little survival group.

 

[Vargold_Blades]

Well, a knife alone is not enough. Developing knife skills is essential to survival. Rather than have a handle that is glued to the tang, the cordage can be used for a multitude of scenarios. I actually linked some videos of the knife being used in the product description. Not Hollywood quality, but I think I offer some good suggestions.

Does it save the group? Not necessarily. But it does give the survivors the potential to save themselves.

 

[Dr Rez]

 

[beeinak]

Just food for thought- referring to selling your knives as a ‘side hustle’ has negative connotations to me. People ‘hustling’ never sounds good when promoting a product, so if you are sincere about selling your products, you might consider how it comes across.

 

[DeadboxHero]

Depends on the makers skill, experience, knowledge and execution. Not all handmade knives are created equal.

 

[eveled]

As far as cord wrapped handles go in a survival situation. After you take the cord off the handle is bad.

A bad handle makes hot spots hot spots become blisters blisters get infected. Infection can kill you without medication.

Even if all it does is slow you down and weaken you. That could be very bad.

There are better places to keep emergency paracord than knife handles.

Just my thoughts

 

[Vargold_Blades]

This whole thing reeks of self-serving borderline spam.

I hate to be the one to break this to you, but all business is self serving (that includes every Maker on these forums). It could be argued that everything we do is fundamentally self serving, even on a personal level.

But rather than go down the bottomless rabbit hole of marketing tactics, or the subjectivity of the definition of “spam”, let’s try to help each other succeed by discussing how we can communicate how great handmade blades are.

 

[Vargold_Blades]

As far as cord wrapped handles go in a survival situation. After you take the cord off the handle is bad.

A bad handle makes hot spots hot spots become blisters blisters get infected. Infection can kill you without medication.

Even if all it does is slow you down and weaken you. That could be very bad.

There are better places to keep emergency paracord than knife handles.

Just my thoughts

Great thoughts! This could be a great segue into a discussion about what would make an effective intermittent handle should the paracord be used or a glued and pinned handle breaks. On my site, I made a video about how to use the Arming Knife. In it, I use the paracord to turn the blade into a spear. This might avoid infected hand injuries, but there must be many other ways.

 

[unwisefool]

Great thoughts! This could be a great segue into a discussion about what would make an effective intermittent handle should the paracord be used or a glued and pinned handle breaks. On my site, I made a video about how to use the Arming Knife. In it, I use the paracord to turn the blade into a spear. This might avoid infected hand injuries, but there must be many other ways.

Put on a real handle and have paracord wrap around the sheath. Also, instead of directing away from this site, maybe you should just have posted your whole essay here.

 

[GmpaJim]

Please, please, please don’t make a spear using your knife…unless you have one to spare.

 

[Vargold_Blades]

Just food for thought- referring to selling your knives as a ‘side hustle’ has negative connotations to me. People ‘hustling’ never sounds good when promoting a product, so if you are sincere about selling your products, you might consider how it comes across.

Thank you for this! I can see your point of view, but I would argue that the term side-hustle is a common term to describe a way to make a little extra money. The word hustle itself can sometimes be used to describe moving quickly, which can be a positive. At least I’m not trying to make it a side swindle.

Put on a real handle and have paracord wrap around the sheath. Also, instead of directing away from this site, maybe you should just have posted your whole essay here.

Well… I did pay Blade Forums to be able to direct people to my products and site… but I digress.

 

[Vargold_Blades]

Please, please, please don’t make a spear using your knife…unless you have one to spare.

Not even for a survival situation?

 

[J. Doyle]

....let’s try to help each other succeed by discussing how we can communicate how great handmade blades are.

There is a whole "custom & handmade" subforum here that would probably be a better place for that. And that's a pretty general statement. Not all handmade blades are equal......or even good, much less great.

Not even for a survival situation?

No. Can you think of a legit survival scenario where tying your knife to the end of a stick is advantageous?

 

[Vargold_Blades]

There is a whole "custom & handmade" subforum here that would probably be a better place for that. And that's a pretty general statement. Not all handmade blades are equal......or even good, much less great.

No. Can you think of a legit survival scenario where tying your knife to the end of a stick is advantageous?

Hunting an animal for food. Cutting something from a high place that is too dangerous to climb. Spear fishing. Worst case scenario defense. I certainly wouldn’t rule it out as a potential option.

 

[J. Doyle]

Hunting an animal for food.

A sharp, fire-hardened wood pointed spear is probably preferable to that. It's more rigid and you don't risk breaking your blade (which is likely).

Cutting something from a high place that is too dangerous to climb.

Possibly.....but this is vague and the likelihood of encountering that scenario is extremely low.

Spear fishing.

Terrible idea. A whittled, multi-point fish spear is far superior and again, won't damage your blade.....which is extremely likely.

Worst case scenario defense. I certainly wouldn’t rule it out as a potential option.

See above answers. A fire hardened wood spear is a far better option than lashing your knife to a stick. You need to protect your blade at all costs in a survival situation. It is your most important tool and literally could be the difference between life and death.

Have you spent much time outdoors?....actually practicing these skills and pondering these scenarios?

 

[scdub]

Please, please, please don’t make a spear using your knife…unless you have one to spare.

Agreed.

Not even for a survival situation?

ESPECIALLY in a survival situation, unless , as Grandpa Jim notes, you have extras.

As others have pointed out, in a real survival situation your knife can be your most important possession and it’s very likely to be broken or lost if used as a spear.

Please don’t do that with your last knife - even if it’s designed to be made into a spear…

 

[Blues]

shane45-1911 You need to stop arguing and causing an uproar in every thread where you disagree with a post or the poster. You know how to use the report button...leave it at that. I hate giving infractions to people I consider friends, but this is the second time you've forced my hand. It's time to stop.

And that goes for everyone. Discuss the topics, not other members. Use the report button if something needs reporting or warnings will follow.

 

[Vargold_Blades]

A sharp, fire-hardened wood pointed spear is probably preferable to that. It's more rigid and you don't risk breaking your blade (which is likely).


Possibly.....but this is vague and the likelihood of encountering that scenario is extremely low.


Terrible idea. A whittled, multi-point fish spear is far superior and again, won't damage your blade.....which is extremely likely.


See above answers. A fire hardened wood spear is a far better option than lashing your knife to a stick. You need to protect your blade at all costs in a survival situation. It is your most important tool and literally could be the difference between life and death.

Have you spent much time outdoors?....actually practicing these skills and pondering these scenarios?

My mistake! I guess all those ancient cultures that attached sharp metal or stone to the end of long sticks should have just used a fire hardened wood spear

 

[David Mary]

My mistake! I guess all those ancient cultures that attached sharp metal or stone to the end of long sticks should have just used a fire hardened wood spear

Stone is clearly superior to hardened wood in terms of cutting power and available in abundance.