Using Expensive Custom Knives

cpirtle said:
I fall in to the side of the users. If I won't use it I won't buy it or keep it, I certainly can't take it with me when I die (if you know how please tell me!).
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Indeed.. and I look at it this way... I'm now 60 years old (behave like a 30 year old though - growing older may be mandatory, but growing up isn't) and I want to use that engraved Busfield for as long as I can!

Ever eat a $50 steak dinner? The next day it comes out the other side and you have nothing to show for it. I can carry a $500 custom every day for 3 years and sell it for $200 in a heartbeat, that's a heck of a return on investment in my opinion.

:)
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How about beer... it doesn't build body, and you only rent that stuff :D

Cheers
Rod
 
cpirtle said:
Ever eat a $50 steak dinner? The next day it comes out the other side and you have nothing to show for it. I can carry a $500 custom every day for 3 years and sell it for $200 in a heartbeat, that's a heck of a return on investment in my opinion.
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The right knife and you could use it every day for 3 years and then sell it for more than you paid! lol!

BTW, I'd gladly accept an offer of a half-price knife if I promised to use it. I don't think I'd go for Mr. Fowler's break-in method though.
 
I don't know how I missed this thread, but Ed Fowler suggested I read it before I take possesion of my new Gent's Pronghorn. He asked if I wanted him to break it in before sending it out, and I said, "Sure!" Now after reading what Ed considers breaking in I say, "Sure!"

My knife will be pretty close to the knife that Ed carries EDC.
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Ed wanted me to have a knife I could carry EDC, and that is my intention.

I'm not sure if Ed still remembers that before I got my first Pronghorn back in 2001 that I was very concerned that me owning one of his knives it wouldn't see the hard use that is was made for. Ed eased my mind and said if I wanted one of his knives he'd be glad to make one for me. I have carried and used my Pronghorn. Not to skin a elk or dig a hole or chop down a tree, but I'd bet my life that it could.

Ed, break it in however see fit. It's your knife until you ship it, then it becomes My Knife. You know I'll treasure it, carry and use it.
 
If this thread taught me one thing, it's: "Mr. Fowler, you stay far away from my knives please." :)
 
cpirtle said:
I think one point that's been touched on lightly but is very important is that "expensive" or "collectable" is very relative to the person who owns the knife.
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There's a lot of truth in Mr. Pirtle's comment.

Myself, I'm in the "user" camp, but I make good money, have no kids, and have no intention of selling any of my knives, so potential resale value doesn't concern me. No doubt, my attitude is also partly a response to growing up in a household where anything "nice" was kept in a cabinet and never used.

Good thread, folks. Tom, I hope you decide to use the knife, but when all is said and done, what's most important is that you do what makes you happy.
 
dsvirsky said:
No doubt, my attitude is also partly a response to growing up in a household where anything "nice" was kept in a cabinet and never used.
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It's interesting how our chilhood influences our buying decisions when we grow up.

In my family my mom never worked and my dad was the sole income for our family. I grew up watching my dad suffer having to work around the house or on the cars with junk tools that always seemed to fail when he needed them the most.

When I was young I always thought "why doesn't he just buy better stuff" and teased him for being cheap. Now that I'm older I realize he bought cheap stuff so us kids could have everything we needed/wanted, funny thing is all of our friends called us "rich kids".

One of the many things that taught me was the value of having quality tools. Now that I'm older almost every Christmas/birthday etc we buy my dad good tools, funny thing is when he has really dirty work to do he drags out the $25 Black & Decker instead of the $175 Milwaukee we bought him because he doesn't want to "mess it up"... ;)
 
Megalobyte said:
If this thread taught me one thing, it's: "Mr. Fowler, you stay far away from my knives please." :)
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I'm right there with you. I don't have anything against using a custom knife ... as long as it's a user. But even a user I will never forcefully abuse just so I can feel more comfortable using it. I have nice kitchen knives too, but I take the best care of them I can. I use them, but they look new and I like them all the more for it.

Now, admitedly, my mini-Seb' is in need of a clean up... :D
 
Phil,

Just have to say that was a great post. I seriously doubt that there are many people who will ever get the satisfaction of ownership that you will with your Fowler. Good luck with it!
 
I generally put myself in the "user" category, but a while back I did aquire an Osborne folder with Lytton engraving that will probably see more use as jewelry than as a knife. I'm fine with that; it's what I got it for. I have other knives in the $400-$600 range that see downright abuse, and again, that's what I got them for.

Something has recently happened to make me revisit this issue. I wrote this interesting story here in the general forum. An advanced collector friend may someday leave me a fancy dagger, that cost him at least five figures. He wants me to use it- take it hunting, or something. The scrimshander said the oils on our skin would be "the kiss of death" to her artwork, and my friend wants me to get some blood on it. I told him I'd do whatever he wanted me to in regards to the knife. But hopefully, you won't be reading the review for many years.
 
cpirtle said:
It's interesting how our chilhood influences our buying decisions when we grow up.

In my family my mom never worked and my dad was the sole income for our family. I grew up watching my dad suffer having to work around the house or on the cars with junk tools that always seemed to fail when he needed them the most.

When I was young I always thought "why doesn't he just buy better stuff" and teased him for being cheap. Now that I'm older I realize he bought cheap stuff so us kids could have everything we needed/wanted, funny thing is all of our friends called us "rich kids".

One of the many things that taught me was the value of having quality tools. Now that I'm older almost every Christmas/birthday etc we buy my dad good tools, funny thing is when he has really dirty work to do he drags out the $25 Black & Decker instead of the $175 Milwaukee we bought him because he doesn't want to "mess it up"... ;)
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same with my dad. He scrimped and saved on better stuff so that he could put me through school. now that he's retired (and doing a spot of travelling - actually enjoying himself) he still won't use good stuff. when I buy him better stuff, he just puts them into the drawer and says not to "waste" the good stuff...
 
My Gent's Pronghorn arrived yesterday and if Ed dragged it around with his truck to "break it in" she is no worse for wear. She's a beauty! Ed said she's as close to his EDC as he could make it. As a die-hard Ed Fowler fan what else could I ask for?
 
PhilL, that yearling is incredible. It is exactly what I have been looking for as far as an EDC Fowler. I have a larger Pronghorn but it only does hunting duty for now. A Yealring like that would be with me most every day. You are a lucky man.
 
originally a $800-$900 handforged knife, that I will be lucky to get a fraction of that back if I sell it...also note how few even bother to reply to the query....
 
Hey all,

Good thread. Tom, it sounds like your knife rides the edge between a using and art knife so you have no easy choice. Since your knife isn't made with any delicate materials it should be ok if you decide to use it. As long as you're careful you should be able to use it without damaging it. My own feeling is that part of the appeal of buying a "using" knife is to actually use it. Until you do how can you really know what you're working with? Here's a link to some of mine in use, it felt GOOD! http://www.fototime.com/inv/37CF2A1236FB7A0

Congrats Phil, I'd like to see it, please... :)

-Jose
 
Jose,
Good to see you back.. Remember the knife Ed wore on his belt, that old Pronghorn. Seeing it years ago was one of the reasons I became so interested his knives. It was like a revelation. All beat up and well-worn, scratched to high-heaven, it fit like a glove and had the appeal of an old pair of boots. He would drop it on the concrete floor for people to demonstrate the toughness of sheephorn... I can't think of another knife that ever made the same impression on me, new or used.
David
 
Jose Reyes said:
Congrats Phil, I'd like to see it, please... :)

-Jose
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Jose, only because you asked. ;)

Now I don't have a Fowler collection like you and David, but I decided while I was taking a pic I should get the whole family in there. Of course not all of these were made by Ed.
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The top knife was made by me in wood in 1998, before I ever handled a real Pronghorn. I met Ed at the NYCKS in '98 and showed him that knife. Much to his credit he didn't laugh, just told me what I did right.

The miniature was made by Earl Witsaman and I bought it at Blade 2001. I went right over to Ed's table and said, "I've got a bone to pick with you." all serious, and Ed said, "What's the problem?" I said, "I bought this Pronghorn and when I washed it....it shrunk!" I showed him the mini and said, "Now what are you going to do about it?" :D

My real Pronghorn I bought off Ed at that same 2001 Blade show.

The Gent's Pronghorn as you can see has been getting some use. I guess I should have photographed it when it was all pretty and new from Ed, but I didn't.
 
Phil,
Nice group you got there! I've been wanting to see that wooden knife you made, I carved out a similar Pronghorn out of wood, for my boy (he's 6 yrs old). Your new Yearling really does show a lot of similarity to Ed's EDC. Thanks for the pictures, Phil.

(Don't forget about the "virtual" knife I want to see... :eek:
David
 
I'm at work.......so I had this thread all printed out to read later at home....then nature called and all of a sudden I found I had time to take it all in, so to speak, tonight. Ed Fowler's tale of the anal (no pun intended) collector really made me think...life's too short for me to sit around "collecting" knives I never even carry, let alone "use". This shall call for a major re-evaluation and possible inventory adjustment (how much is a Gold Membership again?) prior to Atlanta in order for me to face that sea of steel with a more defined destination in my sights!:confused:

Thanks to all who've posted to this thread for aiding in my rebirth as a more purposeful knifeknut!!:cool:

PS...As I reread that first sentence, I now realize I was at least partially under the influence of some outside force similar in makeup to "The Spirit of VG"!! Scary stuff, that!!:eek:
 
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