Les Robertson
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 10, 1998
- Messages
- 3,565
Hi, this post is just a thumbnail history of custom knives in the US and my thoughts on why I buy custom knives. This is fairly long so please feel free to hit the BACK Button and escape!
The term custom knife was probably coined long ago. When in fact handmade knives were made only for the wealthy or warrior classes.
These edged weapons of warfare or ornamentation were infact custom made to order.
There have been knifemakers in the US as long as it has been the US. The most famous of the 1800's is probably James Black, purported to be the maker of the Knife for Jim Bowie.
The 19th century brought William Scagel, a reclusive knifemaker who was the inspiration for Bo Randall, who in turn became the inspiration for hundereds of knifemakers since. Others included Richter, Nichols, Ek,Ruana and others who carried the load through the 40's and into the 50's. Here several of the Giants enter, Moran, Loveless, Pete Heath,Gil Hibben,Merle Seguine and Walt Kneubuhler and others. The 60's brought even more recognizable names. George Herron, Jimmy Lile, Ted Dowell, D.E. Henry, G.W. Stone, Ralph Bone, H.H. Frank. The 70's saw, Frank Centofante, Buster Warninski, Ron Lake, Herman Schneider, Steve Johnson, Corbet Sigman, Jess Horn, Harvey McBurnette and several other very talnted knifemakers who are still making today.
Its at this point that the term "custom" knife starts to become generic for any handmade knife. The United States Knifemakers Guild is Formed in 1970 in Tulsa Oklahoma. Rules for what is considered a handmade knife that is acceptable to gain entry into the new guild are put in writing.
So the term Custom is probably antiquated at this point. The term handman or perhaps manmade is more appropriate. However, people still do order unique knives that makers produce one of for that customer, hence that knife is truly a custom knife. This is truly the literal sense of the word and not the figurative sense that word Custom now holds in handmade knife lexicon today.
So the word Custom has basically taken on a Genric term to describe the handmade knives being produced today, most within the guidlines the US Knifemakers Guild has set forth. This is not the only set of guidelines out there, the American Blade Smith Society has their Guidelines as does the Professional Knifemakers Association. The one thing all three of the organizations do have in common is that the maker must do the majority of the work on the basic knife (not to include such things as engraving, scrimshaw, etc.).
At this point, you are allowed to insert all of the guidelines you feel are appropriate to support your opinion. This is an endless debate.
Why do we buy custom knives. I purchased my first custom knife because I had a bad experiece with a factory knife during my Officer Basic Course at FT. Benning. So my first purchase was to fill a specific need. I bought a hollow handle survival knife with serrated top edge from Robert Parrish. The cost of this knife in 1983 was $175.00. Why do I remember the cost so well, two reasons. First, I had never spent more than $40 for a knife before and secondly, my lovely wifes voice still ringing in my ear, "You SPENT HOW MUCH". Being a newlywed, I had not yet come to appreciate the fact that the apartment should have things like furniture, washer/dryer, etc. As I spent 7 months of my first 12 at Ft. Campbell, I really had not grown accustom to furniture, a washer/dryer, a shower, a bed, hot food, well you get the idea.
Fortunatley, I got to use all the Army's "toys for boys", M-16, M203, LAW's, Dragons, TOW's, Mortar's, Howitzer's, etc. Strangely though, I was always more drawn to my knife.
It was shortly after I purhased my first custom knife, a fellow Lieutenant, now Major Fletche Crews, informed of something I had never heard of before, The BLADE SHOW! Never, make the Blade Show your fisrt knife show.
I like many of you, was forced to hide my new knives from my wife. I would slowly bring them out, one every couple of weeks. Usually, I would show here as I was headed to a 2 week deployment. By the time I got back she wasnt nearly as upset.
But the habbit grew, with no end in sight. Once again a Crews gets involved. This time it was Fletcher's wife Karla who uttered that fateful sentence, "If you were a dealer, you could right all of your expenses off." Being a grunt and not really understand what she was talking about, I got a business license. All, I knew was that this was an excuse to buy more knives.
We obviously know the end to this story, I got out of the Army almost 4 years ago. I went into the Individual Ready Reserve, was promoted to Major and I resigned my commission in December.
So to say that custom knives is my profession is an understatment. It is my passion. I want others to gain the same enjoyment I do from this wonderful hobby. This also explains, in part, why I try to defend and define what is and what is not a custom knife. The other part has to with being an Infantryman, we love to argue! As the saying goes "Aruging with a Infantryman is like wrestling with a pig, everyone gets dirty but the pig loves it"!
I have been fortunate to buy and sell well over 1 Million Dollars worth of custom knives. Additionall, I have looked at Millions more. While I make no claim to know everything about cutsom knives, I have a pretty good start. I have judged at custom knife showes, I have designed custom knives that have won numerous awards, my custom knife displays have won numerous awarded. With my Bob Neal, my partner in LDC Custom Knives we accomplished what no else ever did. Design and sell a set of knives by 10 different custom knifemakers. To date the only ones to duplicate this feat, are Bob and I. By the way, the cover of the next issue of Tactical Knives will feature knives for the 3rd LDC series. The F5 Series, 5 different fixed blades! Hell, we've even promoted a couple of custom knife shows.
I write all this to show you that I am not a casual observer. I am into custom knvies about as much as one can be without being a knifemaker! No, I have never tried it, nor do I want to. I have no mechanical aptitude and the last thing the custom knife market needs is knifemaker with no talent.
If you read all this, you are obviously into custom knives. I appreciate it and look forward to helping further the appreciation of custom knives for many years to come.
------------------
Les Robertson
Robertson's Custom Cutlery
http://www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com/rcc/makers.shtml
It is easier to get things done with a kind word and a knife, than with a kind word alone!
The term custom knife was probably coined long ago. When in fact handmade knives were made only for the wealthy or warrior classes.
These edged weapons of warfare or ornamentation were infact custom made to order.
There have been knifemakers in the US as long as it has been the US. The most famous of the 1800's is probably James Black, purported to be the maker of the Knife for Jim Bowie.
The 19th century brought William Scagel, a reclusive knifemaker who was the inspiration for Bo Randall, who in turn became the inspiration for hundereds of knifemakers since. Others included Richter, Nichols, Ek,Ruana and others who carried the load through the 40's and into the 50's. Here several of the Giants enter, Moran, Loveless, Pete Heath,Gil Hibben,Merle Seguine and Walt Kneubuhler and others. The 60's brought even more recognizable names. George Herron, Jimmy Lile, Ted Dowell, D.E. Henry, G.W. Stone, Ralph Bone, H.H. Frank. The 70's saw, Frank Centofante, Buster Warninski, Ron Lake, Herman Schneider, Steve Johnson, Corbet Sigman, Jess Horn, Harvey McBurnette and several other very talnted knifemakers who are still making today.
Its at this point that the term "custom" knife starts to become generic for any handmade knife. The United States Knifemakers Guild is Formed in 1970 in Tulsa Oklahoma. Rules for what is considered a handmade knife that is acceptable to gain entry into the new guild are put in writing.
So the term Custom is probably antiquated at this point. The term handman or perhaps manmade is more appropriate. However, people still do order unique knives that makers produce one of for that customer, hence that knife is truly a custom knife. This is truly the literal sense of the word and not the figurative sense that word Custom now holds in handmade knife lexicon today.
So the word Custom has basically taken on a Genric term to describe the handmade knives being produced today, most within the guidlines the US Knifemakers Guild has set forth. This is not the only set of guidelines out there, the American Blade Smith Society has their Guidelines as does the Professional Knifemakers Association. The one thing all three of the organizations do have in common is that the maker must do the majority of the work on the basic knife (not to include such things as engraving, scrimshaw, etc.).
At this point, you are allowed to insert all of the guidelines you feel are appropriate to support your opinion. This is an endless debate.
Why do we buy custom knives. I purchased my first custom knife because I had a bad experiece with a factory knife during my Officer Basic Course at FT. Benning. So my first purchase was to fill a specific need. I bought a hollow handle survival knife with serrated top edge from Robert Parrish. The cost of this knife in 1983 was $175.00. Why do I remember the cost so well, two reasons. First, I had never spent more than $40 for a knife before and secondly, my lovely wifes voice still ringing in my ear, "You SPENT HOW MUCH". Being a newlywed, I had not yet come to appreciate the fact that the apartment should have things like furniture, washer/dryer, etc. As I spent 7 months of my first 12 at Ft. Campbell, I really had not grown accustom to furniture, a washer/dryer, a shower, a bed, hot food, well you get the idea.
Fortunatley, I got to use all the Army's "toys for boys", M-16, M203, LAW's, Dragons, TOW's, Mortar's, Howitzer's, etc. Strangely though, I was always more drawn to my knife.
It was shortly after I purhased my first custom knife, a fellow Lieutenant, now Major Fletche Crews, informed of something I had never heard of before, The BLADE SHOW! Never, make the Blade Show your fisrt knife show.
I like many of you, was forced to hide my new knives from my wife. I would slowly bring them out, one every couple of weeks. Usually, I would show here as I was headed to a 2 week deployment. By the time I got back she wasnt nearly as upset.
But the habbit grew, with no end in sight. Once again a Crews gets involved. This time it was Fletcher's wife Karla who uttered that fateful sentence, "If you were a dealer, you could right all of your expenses off." Being a grunt and not really understand what she was talking about, I got a business license. All, I knew was that this was an excuse to buy more knives.
We obviously know the end to this story, I got out of the Army almost 4 years ago. I went into the Individual Ready Reserve, was promoted to Major and I resigned my commission in December.
So to say that custom knives is my profession is an understatment. It is my passion. I want others to gain the same enjoyment I do from this wonderful hobby. This also explains, in part, why I try to defend and define what is and what is not a custom knife. The other part has to with being an Infantryman, we love to argue! As the saying goes "Aruging with a Infantryman is like wrestling with a pig, everyone gets dirty but the pig loves it"!
I have been fortunate to buy and sell well over 1 Million Dollars worth of custom knives. Additionall, I have looked at Millions more. While I make no claim to know everything about cutsom knives, I have a pretty good start. I have judged at custom knife showes, I have designed custom knives that have won numerous awards, my custom knife displays have won numerous awarded. With my Bob Neal, my partner in LDC Custom Knives we accomplished what no else ever did. Design and sell a set of knives by 10 different custom knifemakers. To date the only ones to duplicate this feat, are Bob and I. By the way, the cover of the next issue of Tactical Knives will feature knives for the 3rd LDC series. The F5 Series, 5 different fixed blades! Hell, we've even promoted a couple of custom knife shows.
I write all this to show you that I am not a casual observer. I am into custom knvies about as much as one can be without being a knifemaker! No, I have never tried it, nor do I want to. I have no mechanical aptitude and the last thing the custom knife market needs is knifemaker with no talent.
If you read all this, you are obviously into custom knives. I appreciate it and look forward to helping further the appreciation of custom knives for many years to come.
------------------
Les Robertson
Robertson's Custom Cutlery
http://www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com/rcc/makers.shtml
It is easier to get things done with a kind word and a knife, than with a kind word alone!
