Variety in a maker's work

primos

primos

Joined
Jan 27, 2000
Messages
615
From time to time I've been told or read on various forums that my work was good, but that I need more variety. The first time or two that I heard that it stumped me, and quite frankly hurt my feelings a little bit. After a while I guess I started believing it myself.

I think the thing is that for the last four years or so, the main thing people have seen is the El Camino, the Montero, and the Platypus. There's a good reason for that. I'm doing this for a living and those models are the most requested ones on the order list. The most requested steel is 1084. The most requested handle material is Arizona Desert Ironwood. So yeah, it does make it look like I'm stagnant in a way.

Well, in the last couple of days I've been going through a few hundred photos taken in the last four years. I came to the realization ( or at least the opinion ) that I have more diversity than I thought.

I don't get on the forums much any more because I stay so danged busy trying to chip away at this backlog. I don't want to get stuck making knives in 2007 at 2004 prices. Just for the heck of it I decided to make a post with a few collages of some of the work I've done. I don't have shots of every different thing I've done, but I think these few shots show that there is some variety in my work.

Hunters
hunters.jpg


Bowies
bowies.jpg


Camp Knives
camp.jpg


EDC's / Personal Carries
edc_pers.jpg


Rustic / Tribal
rustic_tribal.jpg


Desk Knives and Miniatures
desk_mini.jpg


Various Damascus Pieces
damascus.jpg


As I got to thinking about the variety of materials I've used in the last twelve years or so, I came up with this:

Steels
  • 10xx ( 1084, 1070, 1080, 1095 )
  • 5160
  • 9260
  • W2
  • O1
  • A2
  • D2
  • 440C
  • 154CM
  • ATS34
  • 15n20
  • L6
  • 12C27 (Sandvik)
  • Damascus
  • Misc. mystery stuff - Cable, leaf springs, railroad spikes, etc.
  • Others? Can't remember. But I've got some W2 modified and 52100 to play with now.

Natural Materials - Wood
  • Curly Maple
  • Spalted Maple
  • Maple Burl
  • Arizona Desert Ironwood
  • Box Elder Burl
  • Black Ash Burl
  • Ring Gidgee
  • African Blackwood
  • Purpleheart
  • Bloodwood
  • Osage Orange
  • Lignum Vitae
  • Other?

Natural Materials - Horn, bone, etc.
  • India Sambar Stag
  • Red Deer Stag
  • Whitetail Stag
  • Elephant Ivory
  • Walrus Ivory
  • Mastadon / Mammoth
  • Giraffe bone
  • White ( cow? ) bone
  • Sheep horn
  • Asian Water Buffalo
  • Mother of Pearl
  • Stellar Sea Cow Bone
  • Other?

Man Made Materials
  • Micarta ( Paper, Linen, Rag, Canvas )
  • G10
  • Other?

Non-Ferrous Materials
  • Brass
  • Aluminum
  • Copper
  • Bronze
  • Nickel Silver
  • Stainless Steel

I'm sure there's more. But the way I look at it, there is variety with Primos Knives. However, you will continue to see people post the same old stuff, because that's what they're buying from me.

Anyway, I'm not really trying to make a big point. I just decided that since I can't participate as much on the forums as I used to, I'd make one big post and see if it generates any discussion. It doesn't matter to me which way this thread goes. Collectors can tell me where I'm lacking if they care to, or other makers can chime in and show the diversity in their work.

I think it will be interesting either way.
 
There is plenty of variety there Terry! It doesn't really take many models and materials to give a lot of combinations.
 
Well, let me say that I have rarely seen so much fabulous eye candy in a single post. Yikes!! :eek: That was a real treat.

A couple of random points.

1) I think variety and diversity are good things as a general rule. It falls generally to a makers credit to be able to produce a variety of knives, and to do so well.

2) There is clearly a variety among each of the sub-sets of knives you have shown. Not just a change of handle materials here and there, but a variety of blade shapes and overall designs. The ivory rifleman's knife and the teardrop damscus Southwest bowie, for example, are completely different takes on the large sidearm-type knife and both extremely well done.

3) I don't think the pursuit of diversity, for its own sake, is a good thing. Stretching your legs in terms of design within the bounds of the type of knives that reflect your outlook as a maker is fine. Deciding that you need to produce a line of tactical folders for the sake of variety alone, probably wouldn't be the best manouver. (not that you couldn't make a cool tactical knife if you chose to do so).

Roger

P.S. - If you have larger-size versions of these images please e-mail them to me.
 
The diversity a maker has speaks a lot about his/her skill. In my opinion, being able to make folders, fixed blades, swords and hawks and do all well is not easy, and shows me a level of skill that few have. Being able to make pattern weld steel; the ability to engrave, carve, scrim or do intricate file work all add to the diversity that a maker can show. It is not just having a multitude of models and materials that shows that a maker has diversity.
 
Good post Terry! If You dont ring your own bell once in a while people will use it for a spittoon. :D

BTW the last knife is still my favorite.
 
Terry, those knives all look the same to me ;). They all have a blade, a handle, and a guard (well except two of them) :).

Seriously that is a hell of a lot of variety, and I'm the proud owner of one of those bowies, I'd love to own more of them.

Honestly, I've always bee inspired by your work and amazed at the diversity of designs, finishes, and materials. Keep posting your work, I love seeing it.
 
Well at the risk of making myself look silly, here is my .02 worth.
The variety is there , no doubt, the differant styles are there, no doubt.
But, as the highest form of flattery, you could take the name off every one of those knives , and know Terry made them all. There is just something about a Primos knife.....the best. :thumbup:
jc
 
Some of those knives look pretty familiar, Terry. ;) :)

A lot of those, I've not seen before, so thanks for posting this thread.
 
the only thing missing in the variety of your work is that there aint one in my house!

Terry, i dont think you have anything to worry about in any capacity.
 
Terry-

A GORGEOUS body of work my friend!!! :D

You don't see a post with so many killer knives very often (if ever).

I think it's a great range.

If thinking along the lines of a really broad spectrum... you could broaden it with some daggers, hawks, folders... heck even a sword(s).

But I am in the same boat. I would like to add those, but I still feel like I'm working toward "perfecting" hunters, camp/bowies/fighters, and daggers... I am not in a hurry to add any cogs to the wheel. And like you said, as full-time, we need to make what will sell with near certainty.

Overall... I'd say these photos show a GREAT DEAL OF VARIETY!!! :cool:

Thanks very much for the great post Terry!!!!
 
Yep, Terry, anyone with half an eye can see that you are in a rut. That rut is so darn wide it is a rival to the Grand Canyon. ---Sandy---
 
Terry
Great eye candy outstanding work i need to get one order from you
Sam Fogler
 
RMLamey said:
the only thing missing in the variety of your work is that there aint one in my house!
Click to expand...

Couldn't have said it better if I had a team of writers working for me. :thumbup:
 
I don't really care whether a maker has lots of variety in his offerings. If I'm looking for the perfect hunting knife, and he makes one, I don't care whether his bowies fit my ideal as well. Lots of folks in this industry specialize, which I don't view as a bad thing. I can understand that some customers just enjoy working with their favorite maker on a number of projects, but if I'm looking for several radically different designs, I'd probably seek out someone different who specialized in each style. I think a well rounded maker should of course study and learn from all kinds of different sources, because new ideas can often be modified to improve existing design. But I wouldn't expect someone who is known for art folders to make a sword that performs as well as one from someone who specializes in swords.
 
Neat pictures, Terry! Owned several of your knives myself, from a small personal carry to one of the biggest bowies you've made, I can attest to your broad range in knifemaking abilities, but these pictures do a nice job of highlighting some of that as well. From classy S-guard fighters to rustic blacksmith knives to cutlass inspired bowies and even a mediterranean dirk style fighter, you've covered a LOT of bases.

But the neat thing is, that all the way through they each still look like a "Primos knife".

You can cover the range and still maintain your own style and identity. That's a rare quality, my friend, but you've certainly displayed it here.
 
Terry,
I think variety finds it's greatest value in function, and those pieces
demonstrate both quite clearly.
 
I would'nt let that comment worry you any, Terry. Personally I've only ever cared that a knifemaker makes a good knife to the best of his ability whether its one or 50 models they make. Just make whatever it is you want to make :) Having said that, I would like to see a Primos tomahawk someday.

Terrific pictures by the way - my new wallpaper for my PC. Everybody but the wife thinks I'm looking at porn the way I stare shamelessly at the pictures on bladeforums. The wife knows only too well the synthoms of "knife lust"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top