The difficulty in using your irreplaceable user customs

Walkabout

Walkabout

Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Messages
637
Hi all,

I realize that there are some custom knives that perhaps aren't intended to be taken out to the woods and made all dirty (eg. http://www.customknifegallery.com/rybar1f.html ). However, many customs have it in their soul to be used, but are essentially irreplaceable... at least exactly as the one you've got.

I have a some nice Dozier customs in stag... in particular, a small Folding Hunter, a Wilderness, and a ProGuide (I use the Wilderness, and my wife uses the ProGuide). With the scarcity of stag these days, I doubt that they could be replaced by Bob (I like to think that he used his best stag on the ones he made for me!). The small FH is the only knife I've ever had that I would call "perfect" in every facet that my obsessive/perfectionist/neurotic personality could scrutinize. I would absolutely hate to lose it.

Of course, if it stays locked up in a safe, then it won't be lost or damaged. However, I have this vision of my great great grand-kids holding my stag Dozier FH and being told that "your great great grandfather carried this with him every day, and took it with him on every adventure".

Does anyone else find it challenging to use your one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable customs that are intended to be users? I find it hard to resist the temptation to reach for the cheap production knife as I head out the door on a canoe trip, or head to the airport for a hiking holiday with a nice knife in stowed luggage.

Mike
 
Only hard the first time. Kind of like obsessing about not getting a new car scratched, until it finally happens, and then you can start enjoying the service it provides you and not worrying about it. Usually, when I get a new knife, I set about finding a task for it, so it can get over being new and I can get over being worried. Tie yourself a good lanyard loop in it, and let it have some fun! :)
 
I have been in an ongoing struggle over using one of my customs and although I have several customs, I've never used one of them! To make matters worse, two of them I specifically designed and had made to be used once they were finished! When the maker delivered the goods, I couldn't make myself use them, because even though they were affordable, the wait and the outstanding craftsmanship, forced me to keep them pristine. I did carry one last fall in deer season, carefully wrapped in it's sheath, but reserved it for a trophy and just used my regular production knife for the three deer I took. Some folks look at customs differently, and take pride in using an expensive or rare knife. I sold a mid-range folder that truly was irreplaceable and has/had great potential for increase in value....he put it to immediate service. I really am going to use one of my customs this fall...right!
 
thats why i carry a spyderco delica to use for a utility knife so i dont scuff up my emerson spec war CQC8/crawford perfigo or kasper/ralph talonite maxx/nealy amoeba, use the customs for SD only.
 
I wouldn't consider any of my customs "irreplaceable", but I did find it hard to start carrying them. I finally realized that the joy I get from having a nice custom knife in my pocket everyday is so much greater then having that same knife stored in it's little pouch in my knife chest. I got over it and now I carry a custom folder with me every day. I have some that I never intend to carry, mostly due to there size. Others are perfect EDC's in size and style so some of those get carried. I'm ok with keeping some put away as long as I have one I truly enjoy in my pocket every day.
 
My first response would be: use them, use them all. But I like what slide13 said: "I'm ok with keeping some put away as long as I have one I truly enjoy in my pocket every day." I've got a few that do not see much daylight, but my usual carry knives tend to be pretty expensive, CRKs and customs. It's like jewelry. Why bother wearing a plastic ring?
 
"I'm ok with keeping some put away as long as I have one I truly enjoy in my pocket every day."
Click to expand...

I agree, you have the perfect outlook on custom knives, and even though I haven't started carrying one of my customs yet, I truly enjoy the knives I carry...and my EDC is fairly scarce and old ;)
 
To me, buying a knife and not using it is an insult to the knife. From the junkiest $10 throw-away to a $500 custom. Like buying a 911 Turbo, one of the finest, most meticulously crafted, brilliantly engineered machines with four wheels, and never driving it.

Which is why you'll never see me buying a knife and not using it. Either I'll use it, or I'll not buy it.

Pictures are for looking at. Knives are for cutting things. You want to admire something and look at it, take a picture of a knife.

But that's just me. I see nothing wrong about other people buying knives (or whatever) that they never use. Whatever floats your boat.
 
My first "custom" was a Randall Model 1 I bought in 1966 in preparation for a tour "in the green" with the USMC. They had other plans for me so the Randall sat pristine for years while Ka-Bar's did the duty.

I decided to start using the knife in the early 70's and never looked back. I actually modified it to fit my personal likes and totally destroyed the collector value at the same time.

Now when I get a knife, I allow a few days to assure I like it, then either sell it or start using it. I recently recieved a new Dozier PGK and after a day of hesitation, took out my Dremel and sanded the finger choil deeper to fit the knife better to my hand. Then put a grinder bit on and put some "no slip" thumb grooves in the top of blade near the handle.

If you enjoy admiring expensive knives do so but using them is really necessary to understand the total experience of a great knife.
 
I also have a problem carrying my customs. I want to carry and use them but I simply cannot. On the other hand, there is something to be said about "pride of ownership" with a knife collection. Not every knife has to be a "user".

I find that I do carry my fixed blade customs more than my custom folders. I pretty much stopped buying any custom folders. Why? When you do need them fixed, it takes too long. The last time I needed a custom folder fixed, it took 10 months. I will not go thru that again. It was not worth the wait.
 
What if the HT was screwed, and your knife is no good? Better use it, and find out...
 
I went through the whole "hard to get" "one of a kind" "collector's dream" type of knives and have slowly sold them all off. They were all beautiful, but I could not reconcile the cost of the knife if it were a user. I tired of safe queens and wanted to carry all my knives in rotation. Too dam perfect a finish tranlated into "I don't want to screw up the looks" - even normal pocket carry imperfections drove me crazy. I have since gotten into high quality custom / production knives of a type that look even better with the abuse they get and getting them refinished or fixed doesn't take a year and a day.
 
My customs are actually hand-made production knives rather than customs -- Randalls, Doziers and a few LE Benchmades. These are good knives which were built to be used. What's the point in having a big piece of O-1 tool steel if you won't cut stuff with it. That said, most of my Benchmade collectors are just that, they sit around in a drawer waiting. I also have a few Randalls that don't get out much, but then there's those that do...

My Randall 14 was parkerized 20 years ago (am I repeating myself) and the micarta handle was modified with a file to fit me better. The knife has seen use and it still has an extremely sharp edge.

A Dozier PGK has found its way into my BOB and a Dozier K-1 has become a favored belt knife. These are good knives; they're okay to look at but they're great to use.
 
I think of it like this... The great Samurai warriors of Japan honored their swords and the swordmaker by carrying and using their sword in their daily life. It is hard for me to imagine one of these warriors thinking "this sword is too nice, I think I will carry one of my cheap ones".

It's ok to use a custom, just don't "abuse" it.
 
Hi,

Just want to clarify... I'm not concerned about scuffs and scratches; all of my knives have seen active duty :)

It's more the possibility of loss while in the bush, or theft from airline luggage when traveling. For example, we'll be traveling soon to visit family and probably do some hiking, and I would love to bring my stag Doziers with me. I'm just a bit nervous about lost luggage, theft from luggage, or if I were to mail or courier them there's still a chance of loss. I'm quite sure I'd have trouble replacing them.

As far as EDC, I always have my small FH with me.

I still will bring them when I'm out canoeing etc... it's just that I'm a wee bit worried.

Mike
 
I wish more people would use their custom knives...It will make mine more valuable in their unused condition :rolleyes:

Seriously, there is another facet of knife collecting that lots, in fact probably the majority of folks enjoy, and that is an occasional profit from a wise purchase. I'm not talking about dealers either...a lot of collectors also seek profit from at least some of their knife purchases. I do it, and I see others doing it! When you buy to resell, you know you ain't gonna use it...but you still get to enjoy the knife for a while before turning loose of it.
 
Irreplaceable to me is the fact I may not be able to afford to replace a lost high dollar knife. But I bought them to use. I've already scratched my Cumming and my Sebenza cost more than it did and gets used. I cant afford not to use a high dollar knife.
 
Mike Harlos said:
It's more the possibility of loss while in the bush, or theft from airline luggage when traveling. For example, we'll be traveling soon to visit family and probably do some hiking, and I would love to bring my stag Doziers with me. I'm just a bit nervous about lost luggage, theft from luggage, or if I were to mail or courier them there's still a chance of loss. I'm quite sure I'd have trouble replacing them....
Click to expand...
ahh, personal choice, all yours. If it were me and I had a functional substitute, I'd take the sub. Stag is nice, but I actually prefer Micarta in the field, it's relatively bulletproof.

You may have a valid rational to justify a new knife. You need to call Wendi and see what they have left over from Blade ;)
 
Some knifemakers I've talked with are thrilled to hear that someone is carrying and using their knives. One even told me if I ever lost one of the user-grade knives he makes or had it stolen out of my suitcase he'd make me a replacement. I don't hesitate to carry those.

Other knifemakers have told me that they know their knives dont get carried, and they make them to be collected, not carried (pearl, gold pins, etc.)

Still other knifemakers and some very serious collectors who have the ability to carry some of the finest customs ever made have told me to pick one or two, carry those, and put the others away. One guy I know with a huge collection, said that when he travels to Europe, he buys a swiss army knife when he gets there, uses it and then brings it home in his suitcase.

I'm starting to get more comfortable with limiting my EDC selection, and putting the really valuable ones away in the safe, but its tough. I'm down to rotating between 7 or so.
 
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