They are only knives.....

[Kohai999]

So what is it about these simple slivers of steel, and other materials that makes a knife?

If you have ever been to a show, and seen what happens when it opens, when adults push, shove and act like children, when the high volume exultations and lamentations float in the air like molecules...... well, why?

Like many of you fellow custom knife fanciers, I love knives, and have since childhood, probably more than any other single type of object. That would be a starting place, for most regulars to BladeForums, right?

It is the total package for me. Starting with raw or basic materials, the artist-craftsman creates something frequently functional and attractive(to someone). You get to meet, and know this person, maybe, even become friends with them.

If you so desire, you can become a specialist in the work of one artist. Here in BladeForums, we have Joss Delage-Don Fogg, Coop-Hill Pearce, Kevin Jones-Jerry Fisk. One of the fascinating things about this is when the artist allows that the collector knows about as much of their works, as the artist themselves do, and it happens.

The more you collect, the longer you have been around, you learn some of the skills that your favorite makers have, and start practicing them. You learn to select and purchase top quality pieces of wood, stag or pearl. to use on that special piece. I did this a few times, but got some special fossil ivory a few years ago, it will be the only piece of this type in the permanent collection. That was an education in itself. I find myself coveting Don Hanson's fossil ivory, and am not the only one.

Rarity and desireability come into play. It is not a hobby/passion for everyone, indeed the type of personality that collects knives was uncommon to begin with, and becomes scarcer with the passing of time. I lived in upstate New York during the school years, and every male of a certain age had a knife in their pocket, that does not happen anymore, legally. That said, it is an exclusive hobby to begin with, and when you covet a maker who produces less than 15 knives annually, that is pretty exclusive company. Not necessarily high falutin', but exclusive.

Custom knives harken to a time past, current and future. You can use them, collect them, make them....they are often functional art, with something in a range of prices for just about anyone.

Speaking about prices, it is hard not to be passionate about something, when you are of lower or middle means, and just purchased a "non-vital" item in the high hundreds to four figure range. If you didn't believe that it was worth it, and did not feel compelled to purchase it, you would not have. When other people who might not understand/question the purchase/your sanity, like it or not, it stings a bit...for a variety of reasons.

When I think of negativity, bad experience with makers, drama, poor craftsmanship, changing laws, expense, time, frustrations, broken promises, long passed delivery dates.....I question why I continue, but cannot see an end to it either, and always find something new and redeeming in it.

I guess one of the things I like best about knife collecting, is that as I put in time, building my collection of irreplaceable dreams and realities,knowledge of knives, I have also in reflection, been part of, and helped continue to build the community of knife people.

I find myself in good company.

What makes you collect custom knives?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[John T Wylie Jr]

excellent post.

What does it for me is not only the knives themselves , but meeting the makers who create these edged tools from beginning to end. Also meeting people from all over the world , either virtually or in person at a show , who have the same interests and think the same.

While I enjoy buying customs , it means so much more to me to buy it straight from the maker , and in person if possible. The handshake that ( usually) comes with the sale is as important as the knife itself.

I quit trying to rationalize what I spend on buying knives ( and lately on making them ) years ago , my collection is not mainstream for collector value , its more for user for personal satisifaction. I appreciate finely made tools.

I could very well get buy with a production , and sometimes do , but I like the pride of knowing who made the knife I am using.

 

[bluejaunte]

I started with production folders, until I purchased my first custom. Now I'm slowly selling off my production knives to feed my custom habit.

The combination of fit, finish, ergonomics, uniqueness, and personalization to fit *my* needs is what has drawn me to custom knives. Plus the "good ol' made in the USA"--by a gent with whom I may have even personally communicated--yields a sense of awe and pride every time I use, handle, or just look at my custom folders.

Besides, where else is an adamant lefty like me going to get his fix?

 

[jujigatame]

I love that there are so many different knives and makers to appreciate, even within each subsection. You can focus only on forged bowies and have a wide range of choices. You can focus on tactical flippers instead and also have the same kind of range to pick from.

Also, finding the knife is always a great feeling. You can have it for your favorite slipjoint, skinner, automatic, necker, etc. The only limits are really the time, effort and money you want to invest. However, at any level you can find something that makes you happy and that's never a bad thing.

 

[Bill Siegle]

For me it started when I was a little kid. Dad would take me to Zorro and Sinbad movies. Seemed every weekend had some hero getting the job done with a blade. Really bitten by the custom bug right off but they were as rare as hen's teeth where I lived. Bought every book I could on them(what parent could deny a child who wants to read?) and wore many copies out thumbing through and dreaming. Heck, it's why I started making knives myself Now I make some and buy some. Been a lot of interesting places because of knives and met a lot of great folks because of knives. I know nothing is perfect but to me a knifeshow is just a room full of steel and friends Oh and I do get more than a little thrill from the occasional "find".......kinda like a gambling addict hitting jackpot!!! Always searching for my Excalibur. Someday I'll either make it or buy it and then I don't know what I'll do

 

[Kevin Jones]

Why do I collect custom knives? Good question. I have always held a fascination for them.

It’s a lot about the heritage and history of knives. They are among the very first tools / weapons made by man. One of the first items man decorated as art and demonstrated skill and creativity as he made various styles of knives suited for different tasks. All through history knives have been among man’s most precious possessions.

Custom knives are among the few modern items made to a high standard by hand similar to the way they were a thousand or years ago. I love the way a fine knife feels in your hand. The appreciation for, and satisfaction of owning a expertly handcrafted tool made of the finest materials .The fact that they are functional tools yet can be beautiful art.

I have found knife makers and collectors to be some of the finest and most diverse individuals I have met in my life and have developed many friendships through knife collecting.

As there are so many styles, types and variations of knives to collect you don’t lose interest as with some other collectables. It’s a hobby where you can get a return or at least recoup most of your money if needed as opposed to some others where you just blow money. There will always be a more beautiful or more interesting knife to enjoy and always more to learn about them.

STeven, great example of a positive thread :thumbup:

 

[Keith Montgomery]

My love of custom knives is as much because of the community as it is the knives. The makers, dealers and other collectors are a big part of what makes it interesting. Sure, I have loved custom knives themselves since I saw my first Loveless in the 1960s, but I never got into collecting them until I became part of the community, and I probably never would have.

Nothing makes me collect custom knives. I do so, because I have a fascination for them, and because I enjoy the whole experience.

 

[Don Hanson III]

My dad gave my brother age 5 and me age 6 each a pocket knife after dulling them real good. A couple days later he asked to see them and was surprised to find them pretty sharp, we found a flat rock and started sharpening cause a dull knife ain't no good. He still tells this story today I've been a knife nut ever since. Great thread STeven!

 

[delander]

Early onset senility? No, no way!

I do, however, greatly admire a skilled artisan's work, be it Tribal Persian Rugs (semi-antique or antique), or, a Custom knife.

Pleasing to MY OWN sensibilities is a major criteria for me.

Then, add in the opportunity to "play", and you have my own rational.

And, factor in the building of my display case (yes, I did cut a 3' x 7' hole into one wall!) and built it myself, I taught myself Dreamweaver and created my own web site, and, I am working on improving my photography skills and teaching myself Photoshop.

A very significant bonus is all the fine folks I've met.

Del
www.dknifeplace.com

 

[silenthunterstudios]

I mainly carry productions, my favorites being Benchmade and Spyderco. I also carry some Chris Reeves, and Striders. But I like my customs because I know the makers, either meeting them face to face or over the net. I have met Scott Gossman and Larry Nowicki, both Baltimore area makers. I know Ivan Campos from Bladeforums, and he seems like a genuinely good guy, and a great knifemaker to boot. Scott and Larry are very talented makers too . Both of them do it because they enjoy to do it. Everyone on here knows the feeling when they get that custom they commissioned, the excitement, that not only are you getting a custom made knife, but one that you helped design. Well, I bought some really nice ironwood slabs for a custom Scott is making for me, and am really excited to see how the knife will turn out.

My first real knife show, last years Chesapeake knife show, was a real treat, and made me rethink what I carry, yet again. I got to meet makers like J Neilson, Bud Nealy, Pat Crawford, Al Polkowski, and the lesser known, but no less artistic makers there. Getting to talk with these guys, or just stare at their masterpieces, was most of the treat (especially since I couldn't buy anything, paupers really can't afford customs).

So, I don't think I'll ever give up production models, but when you get to talk to the maker about what you want your commissioned knife to be, that is most of the treat.

 

[wewaslim]

For years I only had production knives: Case, Buck, Spyderco, and, dare I say, Cold Steel. Then one day I discovered Blade Forums. Not long afterwards, I found that I could buy a custom for about the same (or less) than some productions. At last count, I'm at 20 customs. I've sold or traded 90% of my production knives, and have not time set to return to their camp. I've been introduced to, and bought, the work of Eddie White, Nick Allen, Jim Wharton, Al Alexander, Charles May, Gene Ingram, Terry Barkes, and others. Their artwork is why I collect only customs, and support custom knifemakers. Bill Jones.

 

[Dan Delavan]

I grew up in the business but loved knives from an early age. Gordon Provonka, Ken Luke's and some of the other collectors from the early 60's remembered me trying to look at the Case knives they were buying from my Dad back then (my father was the Case Rep here in SoCal). Gordon and Ken always got a kick out of it. From there just stuck with me and always received a knife upon graduating through my school years. Have done the same for boys. Then after opening the store in 1974 Herman Schneider came in the shop one evening to try and sell Dad a few knives. I had a rare night off as Dad was in town and not on the road. Dad told Herman "Dan would love these". I meet Herman later on, Don Richard's introduced me to custom knives up at the old "Great Western gun Show" in 1975 and I was hooked from then on. Started off with collecting unusual openings knives and different fixed blades. Not to much of a collector any more but collect knife maker friends!
Thanks!
Dan Delavan

 

[shaldag]

I have loved knives since I was a small child. I always carried one, and my nicest was always one of my prized possessions. Of course they were production models.

In adulthood (if I can be said to have reached that stage) I also carried a knife--and I remember being astonished at $100 production knives.

Once I started making a little more money, I bought some of those higher-end knives, and felt the difference in performance was worth the money.

I decided to go to one of the NYC knife shows (I lived on Long Island then).The vast majority were beyond my price range. The makers and purveyors at the show were happy to let me handle the knives (even though I had apprised them of my financial situation).

An aside--recnetly we had a thread about whether custom knives are "worth it". Well, when I handled those customs, the difference between them and the production knives that I was accustomed to was apparent right there from the git-go. The beautiful workmanship, the tight tolerances--everything. I decided that should there come a time when I could afford to do so, these would be the knives that I carry.

And now I can do so. So it's as simple as that. I don't do it for investment purposes, although I have learned a lot from reading those kind of posts from some of the folks on these forums. I simply really like knives, and I like to have the ones with the best workmanship that I can afford. It is especially nice to carry a piece by a guy that is a good human being, and knowing that he put a little of himself into that blade.

 

[mohd]

I appreciate knives since young age but I started collecting them at the late age after buying the 1st custom knife (i.e. a 15" Ang Khola Khukuri) from Uncle Bill of Himalayan Imports.

I like custom knives just as I like home made foods I know who make it and why he make it. I know who the person behind it whenever I appreciate it's quality. Some custom makers make knives as a hobby while some others make knives for living. Sometimes looking at their knives I can see their faces, their minds, their families, their countries, their sweats, their tears, their bloods and their struggles. Sometimes I can hear their songs, their prays, their whispers, their swears, their curses, their cries and their sigh. I believe any custom knife is not just a piece of steel but a blend of everythings that belong to certain individual maker.