Total newbie seeking advice...

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superdup

Joined
Feb 23, 2017
Messages
6
Hi everyone,

I've always loved knives but have never really been in a position to start stepping up to custom pieces until now. I'm really not a collector per se - in other words the knives I have see use, I dont buy them for display only. I have an opportunity to buy a basically new custom integral knife for several thousand dollars. The maker is Edmund Davidson. The only thing holding me back is that I am a lifelong hunter, and the knife is a hunting knife and I intend to use it as such, and pass it down to my son, and so on.

Am I foolish to spend that kind of money on a knife that I assume will lose much of its value through use? Am I better off spending a few hundred on a Boker, etc and calling it a day?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions!
 
^this, you can get a high end production or many custom options for far less than a few grand. If it was me, I would find something in the few hundred dollar range and put the rest in an education savings plan for my kids. But if you're in love with the knife you're talking about, you might just end up with it anyway. If you can afford to be "foolish" go right ahead and enjoy!
Oh, and if it's going to get passed down, the value is in the memories and bonding moments and all that mushy stuff rather than its monetary value anyway 🤧🙂🤑
 
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TKC -- me too with two caveats -- right knife and right price. Hey, Edmund would always say "use the darn thing". Sure if you have lots of $ go ahead. However if you want to have a nice knife that will cost less money for a son to use there are many out there. As a collectible, one of Edmund's pieces is on my still to own list but would never be used.
 
You know now and will know latter that no matter what you pay for one of Edmunds knives, you will not only be more than 100% satisfied, but for sure you wont ever be able to break it!

He will tune it up at your request anytime you think it needs it including sharpening. Which if you need that you definately have some stories to tell.

You should know that Edmund is a personal friend, but having witnessed him working in his shop personally I can attest to all I'm saying.

Bigjohn
 
as a guy who greatly enjoys using top quality knives for their intended purpose, aka; best tool for the job (I don't hunt and process game, just so you know) I'd encourage you to follow your heart on this one

that being said, an integral knife is going to be much heavier than the standard alternatives. Depending on how it is that you hunt, ounces might matter. Bears ruminating on, imo. (no pun intended)

now, if you go and purchase this knife, you might get it in your hand and decide it's too heavy, in which case- welcome to custom knife collecting!
 
Knife value + Makers Name value = Price of knife.

A knife of Edmund Davidson for a few thousand dollars would go into my collection to cherish and preserve his body of work just like any art piece hanging in a museum.
Totally worth it.

If you want a field knife you can spend a lot less and still have a great knife.
 
superdup said:
Hi everyone,

I have an opportunity to buy a basically new custom integral knife for several thousand dollars. The maker is Edmund Davidson.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions!
Click to expand...


"basically new"......it is either new or it is not. Which it is, is a determining factor on both asking price and whether or not it would be wise to use it or not.

Ed Davidson's work,..... any of it will stand up to any hard use I can think of and as such is worth about the same as any top quality "using"or production knife, but the difference in price then goes to Ed's reputation as a maker, and the fact that a very very large part of his production is just too beautiful and valuable to be subjected to the scars of use and as a result devalued from the original price.

In my opinion, Ed's work stands tall among the custom makers and it would be a hard choice for me to use any of his work unless it was really budget priced and very plain by his own standards. For instance, either of the knives below could and would stand up to hard use......but I don't think I'd subject them to it.;)

Paul
 

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superdup said:
Hi everyone,

I've always loved knives but have never really been in a position to start stepping up to custom pieces until now. I'm really not a collector per se - in other words the knives I have see use, I dont buy them for display only. I have an opportunity to buy a basically new custom integral knife for several thousand dollars. The maker is Edmund Davidson. The only thing holding me back is that I am a lifelong hunter, and the knife is a hunting knife and I intend to use it as such, and pass it down to my son, and so on.

Am I foolish to spend that kind of money on a knife that I assume will lose much of its value through use? Am I better off spending a few hundred on a Boker, etc and calling it a day?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions!
Click to expand...

Not foolish at all IMO!
Your assumption is correct regarding loss of value as the knife will lose +/- 50% of it's "monetary" value through average use as a hunting knife.
However, as you stated, you will enjoy the knife then pass down to your son to enjoy, so monetary value is not really important as I see it.

Besides, Edmund (as most knifemakers) will appreciate one of his hunters being used for it's intended purpose. In addition to being an all-around great guy and
as interesting a person as you can ever hope meet, he's a heck of a knife maker and his hunter will serve you very well. And if you take care of it and ever decide you want
to bring it back to "basically new condition" I'm sure Edmond will be happy to do it.

Now if you were contemplating using one of his $50,000 Art Knives as a camp knife I would probably offer you different advice. ;)

Hope this helps.
 
There is a whole lota room between a multi thousand dollar knife and a few hundred dollar Boker.

But at the same time, I'd say buy what you like and use it if it makes ya feel good.
 
Lorien -- I really have to question your remark that an integral is heavier as I have a few and don't see any weight difference based upon a comparison between them and similar sized knives that are not integral but of similar construction. DF Kressler, Ricardo Velarde, Ted Dowell and Ron Best all come to mind for hunters.
 
The knife sheathmaker posted above looks like it would only become more beautiful with use. I say DO IT! Pull the trigger on that bad boy, definitely looks like a heirloom worthy piece. Others have noted above, if you're planning on passing it down, $ depreciation really shouldn't be a part of the equation.

Happy hunting
 
Murray White said:
Lorien -- I really have to question your remark that an integral is heavier as I have a few and don't see any weight difference based upon a comparison between them and similar sized knives that are not integral but of similar construction. DF Kressler, Ricardo Velarde, Ted Dowell and Ron Best all come to mind for hunters.
Click to expand...

I haven't had much opportunity to experience integral knives, other than handling three of Dr. Darom's integral Edmundson hunters 5 or 6 years ago, and remember how hefty and solid they felt for their size. I wasn't thinking about an apples to apples type of comparison, wrt features, I was thinking more about the comparison between a simple 3 piece knife vs. a full integral with front and rear handle bolsters
 
Congrats if its your first custom. They are like potato chips, and you will end up with more then one! I would personally check out ABS knife makers. They forge their own steels and while forged carbon steel may not last AS long as a stainless steel integral from Edmond, I think they cut MUCH better then any stainless steel blade I have used. Carbon blades can keep a thinner edge which is sharper (but also needs to be maintained and sharpened).
 
Well, I've got the knife, and it's incredible, but I have tried every way I can to attach a pic and can't figure it out. Apparently I have to have a subscription to upload a picture? I've followed the faq and can't find the opiton to create an album anywhere in my settings...
 
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