Special Custom Knives @ Exceptional Values?

Kevin Jones said:
Shane, you provide a very nice knife at great value as well as evident by piece below I purchased from you:
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Thanks for the compliments Kevin, and thanks for posting this one up. I still have the sister blade sitting on my bench, yet to finish it up.
 
I went to the knife expo in Belleville a couple weeks ago, and Victor J. McCrackin had a table set up. I was immediately struck by his low prices, for an established ABS Mastersmith. The knives he had on the table were not very fancy, but sure looked like they'd perform well, based on the grinds, thin edges, distal tapers, etc. One caught my eye in particular- a drop point camp knife with an 8" or 9" convex ground blade. I'm struggling to remember the price now, but it was pretty cheap... I think it was only like $300? Maybe Danbo will correct me if he sees this.
 
They're not sexy, but I think that Finnish puukkos offer exceptional value. Eminently practical, they also come with outstanding sheaths.

I picked this one up a couple of years back. The maker's popularity has soared since then, with an attendant increase in prices, but there are plenty of other Finnish smiths who fall within your budget.





 
I saw this custom oyster knife listed in the Maker’s For Sale Forum and knew it would be perfect for my good friend with whom I spent hours roasting/shucking/eating oysters with around the fire. He moved away some time ago and we don’t get a chance to visit much anymore.

After receiving it I was so impressed that I had Wayne make another for myself. Great little oyster knife and sheath for under $100. One of the nicest pieces of Ironwood I have seen on a knife handle.

Blade is 440c stainless steel, rc57-59
Premium desert ironwood handle
Handmade mosaic pins and a gold lip pearl inlay,
Black and yellow liners, yellow, red, blue and orange paracord lanyard with medal beads.
Leather sheath is also by Wayne.
OAL: 6”
BL 2-5/8”



 
I bought this forged fighter from Gerry Drew more than five years ago and it has been an excellent user. Forged from 1/4 inch 5160, Wrought iron fixtures from an old wagon wheel, hand sanded to 400 grit, Cocobolo handle, Overall length: 11 inches, Blade: 6 1/4 inches with a hand sewn leather sheath.

$250

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3V steel, tested 62 HRC, .188” thick at ricasso, total length 9.75”, blade length 4.625”, weight 8.0 oz, 3D machined micarta scales, black oxide treated 18-8 stainless steel fasteners

$225

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The Virginian said:
3V steel, tested 62 HRC, .188” thick at ricasso, total length 9.75”, blade length 4.625”, weight 8.0 oz, 3D machined micarta scales, black oxide treated 18-8 stainless steel fasteners

$225

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Here's a fighter, also by Nathan "The Machinist" Carothers. Pricing around $300 including sheath, give or take. Great value, well made, similar materials, 8" blade.

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The first one in the photo- from Nick Wheeler around $100 got me a near perfect pocket fixed blade that has seen years of consistent use

 
The Virginian said:
I bought this forged fighter from Gerry Drew more than five years ago and it has been an excellent user. Forged from 1/4 inch 5160, Wrought iron fixtures from an old wagon wheel, hand sanded to 400 grit, Cocobolo handle, Overall length: 11 inches, Blade: 6 1/4 inches with a hand sewn leather sheath.

$250
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No offense and I don't know what current pricing is like but if we could use 5yr old pricing, this would be a very different thread!!
 
For many people, like me, 5 years is like yesterday, givaguyabreak! :)
 
Scurvy092 said:
No offense and I don't know what current pricing is like but if we could use 5yr old pricing, this would be a very different thread!!
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No offense taken.

I only mentioned the five years to show that I had a lot of experience with this knife by which to evaluate its value.

I agree with you to the extent that some knife prices have increased in the past five years. You gave some examples of makers who are very hot today, so of course their prices are higher (although if history is a guide, perhaps not forever ;)). For every Tom Mayo, I am sure that we could find one whose prices went the other way. Although I do not know what Tom Mayo knives you think you were going to buy for $250 five years ago, which is the price range we are talking about here . . .

Anyway, it is not like we have been experiencing some kind of Jimmy Carter years knife inflation the past five years. The overall inflation rate the past five years has been miniscule . . . and I would bet that for these kinds of knives, it is even less than that. And for this particular knife, I could be wrong but I doubt that Gerry would charge much more than that price today.

So no, I do not agree that "if we could use 5yr old pricing, this would be a very different thread!!" No offense. :)
 
Touche. Again, I was just thinking of what prices were like 5 years ago. The knife you posted is very nice and a fantastic value.

I don't know where you are in Virginia but I would love to pick your brain and learn some stuff over a beer some day.
 
Scurvy092 said:
No offense and I don't know what current pricing is like but if we could use 5yr old pricing, this would be a very different thread!!
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Kevin Jones said:
Perhaps, perhaps not!
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Prices for which I purchased then sold knives for over the last 5 years indicates prices have headed up. However that's probably more a reflection
of select maker's having a healthy secondary market as opposed to how much knifemakers in general have increased their prices during the period.
 
I know I'm always impressed with the incredible value you can find from many of the makers here. Every time a DW Childress knife goes up on the forum I'm amazed at what a great value they are. Josh Gallardo does incredible work in this range. Josh Mason's grinds are just so freaking clean. Those of course are just a few.
 
Hello!

Great idea for a thread and some very nice additions and interesting thoughts allready!

Most standard users by my buddy Milan Mozolic will fit the bill - I have used quite a few of his knives over time and they perform flawlessly. Also, Roman Blaha is to be mentioned - moving up 50-100 from Kevin's original post, you can get fully custom made to order pieces in his own damascus that shine as users and are also very pleasant to the eye (at least for me):

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Roman's own damscus paired with Bog Oak - a Puukko he built for me a few months ago.

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Roman's own damascus and desert ironwood - a fabulous user!

All the best,
Alex
 
erik markman said:
I had that piece of Gidgee in a dry place for at least 5 years and bought it from a dutch knifemaker who sells really nice handleblocks.
What happened to that handle is still a mistery to me but it is the last time I used unstabilised wood.
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Erik and Jon, that is a mystery. You hear that ringed gidgee and ironwood woods do not require being stabilized. I really like gidgee and ask Shawn McIntyre at the Little Rock show if he used it unstabilized. He said he did not. His reasoning was more from the makers stand point, less dust when finishing the handle if stabilized. Sounds like stabilizing it is a win, win.

On to these value custom knives at a quality production knife price range, there are many great makers out there for these. I have bought and used several GL Drew knives with high success. After Kevin's post about Matt Bailey's work, here are the ones I have picked up from him. I love it that he uses a lot of Don's W2.

Also a good way to share with family and friends, introducing them to custom knives.

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- Joe
 
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