The Knife or the Maker

Here is how I look at it.
I like to know who the maker is (self promotion) and know that he/she knows what they are doing before I spend my hard earned money.
I will not go to somebody that I can not trust and is not easy to work with because I don't need to deal with someone who does not appreciate me wanting to spend what I work very hard for on something they create.
I am buying a maker! Every knife is art to me and I would like to tell people that see it who made it and how much of a pleasurable experience it was and how professional the maker was/is! It is not something I could do if the maker was rude or unkind!
I will not recommend someone if they are an ass and I would personaly avoid them just to not have to deal with the additional hassle since I get enough in daily life as it is!

I have to say that so far I have NOT met anybody on this board who has struck me as rude or unkind! For that I am appreciative, as it is nice to be treated well which is what anybody wants.

Just my .02
 
Kevin Jones said:
This subject has ignited some heated discussions here in the past.
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SBranson said:
This has been very informative.

The idea seems to be much along the lines of the "I collect the maker, not the knives."

It makes good sense that a respected and liked maker should have greater longevity assuming the quality is in his work; and with this a better and safer investment.
As I have yet to build the relationships many here have and am only the position of holding a few knives at any one time, my approach has been quite different than that of a collector.

My approach has been much more visceral as I learn what I like and what is good. I am beginning to appreciate the investment side of knives now.
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Sorry for the negativity in my first post, however this subject of maker vs. piece (knife) vs. price has come up many times in the past with the majority of collectors admittedly stating that the particular piece is the most important consideration in purchasing a custom knife.

So I'm surprised to see that the sentiment seems to have shifted a bit in the last year or so towards the selection of the maker now being most important.

I can't help but think that perhaps the poor economy and collectors having a rude awaking in having to sell knives at a loss has played a part in this swing of opinion.

It's always been my opinion that choosing the right maker (one who is honest, skilled, good in business, promotes himself and industry), then the right right knife (a knife that many collectors will like and appreciate regardless of there personal taste) and then at the right price will most always result in a good investment or being able to recoup or make money if a quick sale becomes necessary.

Good thread Branson. :thumbup:
 
Kevin Jones said:
So I'm surprised to see that the sentiment seems to have shifted a bit in the last year or so towards the selection of the maker now being most important.

I can't help but think that perhaps the poor economy and collectors having a rude awaking in having to sell knives at a loss has played a part in this swing of opinion.

It's always been my opinion that choosing the right maker (one who is honest, skilled, good in business, promotes himself and industry), then the right right knife (a knife that many collectors will like and appreciate regardless of there personal taste) and then at the right price will most always result in a good investment or being able to recoup or make money if a quick sale becomes necessary.
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Very interesting point.
 
I have purchased knives from several custom makers.

I look first at the work that he has put out. Whether it meets my criteria.

I have been turned of by only a couple makers. Mostly by their inability to return communication in a reasonable period of time, or at all. These weren't lengthy questions but such simple matters as could they produce xxx pattern in yyymaterial instead of whatever they were using.

I do look at whether the maker is one who uses knives in the outdoors regularly. Folks who do have a better instinctual grasp of what makes a good working blade.

My other pet peeve is honesty. If I think a maker is feeding me a line of BS then I'm finished with that maker.

The makers I've met on these forums overall have been a pleasure to deal with and most exhibit a great amount of integrity in their dealings.
 
Kevin Jones said:
Sorry for the negativity in my first post, however this subject of maker vs. piece (knife) vs. price has come up many times in the past with the majority of collectors admittedly stating that the particular piece is the most important consideration in purchasing a custom knife.

So I'm surprised to see that the sentiment seems to have shifted a bit in the last year or so towards the selection of the maker now being most important.

I can't help but think that perhaps the poor economy and collectors having a rude awaking in having to sell knives at a loss has played a part in this swing of opinion.

It's always been my opinion that choosing the right maker (one who is honest, skilled, good in business, promotes himself and industry), then the right right knife (a knife that many collectors will like and appreciate regardless of there personal taste) and then at the right price will most always result in a good investment or being able to recoup or make money if a quick sale becomes necessary.

Good thread Branson. :thumbup:
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I think that it is inaccurate to suggest that the questions as phrased here, and that which gave rise to "heated" discussion in the past are effectively the same, and to extrapolate that there has been a "shift" in sentiment or "swing" in opinion.

As phrased in the past, the question was which was MORE important - the piece or the maker, in the hierarchy of piece / maker / price. Several expressed that the piece was MORE important, but clearly still felt that the maker was AN important factor.

The question here is to what degree the maker's personality matters. BOTH camps from the previous discussion would agree that it matters, so unsurprisingly, none here have suggested that it doesn't. Where the difference lies is whether it is THE MOST important factor.

I see no shift.

And for the sake of clarity, I still maintain that the piece is the MORE important factor. Since I don't buy from makers that are $$%##%% *&&^^, they are simply not part of the purchase decision, being effectively disqualified from consideration. What primarily informs the purchase decision amongst makers from whom I would buy a knife, is the piece itself.

Roger
 
I have purchased many knives of makers that I have not met, their personality had no impact on my decision. My primary criteria is and has been the knife. That being said, I have met many knife makers and have subsequently changed my purchase/retention decision about the makers knives. Those that I like and respected usually find me purchasing additional knives or perhaps making a first purchase from that individual and promoting them to others. With respect to those who I have not felt comfortable with, whether on a personal and/or business basis I will likely not make subsequent purchases and perhaps divest myself of knives currently in my collection.

My 2 cents. Good thread.

Regards,

Mark
 
RogerP said:
I think that it is inaccurate to suggest that the questions as phrased here, and that which gave rise to "heated" discussion in the past are effectively the same, and to extrapolate that there has been a "shift" in sentiment or "swing" in opinion.

As phrased in the past, the question was which was MORE important - the piece or the maker, in the hierarchy of piece / maker / price. Several expressed that the piece was MORE important, but clearly still felt that the maker was AN important factor.

The question here is to what degree the maker's personality matters. BOTH camps from the previous discussion would agree that it matters, so unsurprisingly, none here have suggested that it doesn't. Where the difference lies is whether it is THE MOST important factor.

I see no shift.

And for the sake of clarity, I still maintain that the piece is the MORE important factor.
Roger
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For those that know....it is always piece/maker/price.:D

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
For me it depends what my intentions with the knife are. If I am buying a safe queen, then sure a maker with bad business practices may not be the best choice. I want my knife to at least retain its value and maybe more.

If I see a knife that screams to be used based on my taste, then I don't think I would care too much about the maker. I mean I probably wouldn't buy it direct but if its on the secondary market and the DEALER is nice then why not?
 
Kohai999 said:
For those that know....it is always piece/maker/price.:D

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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Okay..
My original post suggested that in my case the maker trumped the piece and that I suspect in very few circumstances would the piece always trump the maker. Or at least that seems to be the sentiment mostly expressed here.

Some of you deal with the best and most expensive knives and have significant investments and influence in this realm so is it often that the work can really be more important than the maker? How about influential pieces or turning points in a maker's career; even if they aren't to personal taste, would they still fall under the heading "piece" or would that qualify it as "maker" as in relation to the body of his work?

On another note could not the abrasive maker deal through an agent and still be their abrasive self?:p Does this actually happen?
jonathan brand said:
If I see a knife that screams to be used based on my taste, then I don't think I would care too much about the maker. I mean I probably wouldn't buy it direct but if its on the secondary market and the DEALER is nice then why not?
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**edit: I was typing while this was put up so I guess that's answered


I understand the piece/maker/price. I guess I am interested in situations where this general rule is broken for whatever reason.
 
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SBranson said:
.....even if they aren't to personal taste, would they still fall under the heading "piece" or would that qualify it as "maker" as in relation to the body of his work?

I understand the piece/maker/price. I guess I am interested in situations where this general rule is broken for whatever reason.
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The only time I will buy something I don't like is when I can FLIP it immediately, or within 14 days or so.....otherwise pretty much have to at least strongly "like" it.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
For those that know....it is always piece/maker/price.:D

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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I find it ironic that often those who contend most that they support the piece/maker/price philosophy for acquiring custom knives often have the most "maker" influenced collections. ;) :D
 
Kevin Jones said:
I find it ironic that often those who contend most that they support the piece/maker/price philosophy for acquiring custom knives often have the most "maker" influenced collections. ;) :D
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Maybe for others Kevin, but mine is HIGHLY piece influenced.

I plan on collecting a piece a year from Burt Foster and am 1/2way there, but the individual styles of knives are key.....as are the pieces in my chute knife grouping....no Loveless, no Johnson(yet) and no Kressler....some of the biggest names in chute knives.

Best Regards,

Steven Garsson
 
SBranson said:
Okay..
My original post suggested that in my case the maker trumped the piece and that I suspect in very few circumstances would the piece always trump the maker. Or at least that seems to be the sentiment mostly expressed here.

Some of you deal with the best and most expensive knives and have significant investments and influence in this realm so is it often that the work can really be more important than the maker? How about influential pieces or turning points in a maker's career; even if they aren't to personal taste, would they still fall under the heading "piece" or would that qualify it as "maker" as in relation to the body of his work?

On another note could not the abrasive maker deal through an agent and still be their abrasive self?:p Does this actually happen?

**edit: I was typing while this was put up so I guess that's answered


I understand the piece/maker/price. I guess I am interested in situations where this general rule is broken for whatever reason.
Click to expand...

Not often in my opinion. Though we would like to think it's all about the knife, the more the price rises the more it's about the maker and his/her position in the market. When collectors purchase knives in the +$2000 range, they usually want it to be by a blue-chip maker.

On the other hand, I don't buy a knife just because it's by a certain maker or just because I'm drawn to it. There's a specific list/criteria I follow for adding knives to my collection.
 
From the other side of the retired table..... there are some buyers that I would never sell a knife too no matter the price. There are plenty of buyers that aren't worth dealing with no matter the cash at stake (of course I can say this as a part-time maker.)
 
As a maker I enjoy these discussions but they always worry me as well. I am not a real people person. There is a reason I am most comfortable alone in my shop making knives. Have I ,at some point, inadvertantly antagonized a collector and if so How would I ever know it? Just another perspective.
Steve
 
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