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Went to knife show. Got whole new RESPECT for "production" knives.

L

Lavan

Joined
Nov 8, 2000
Messages
2,301
Back from Solvang. GORGEOUS knives. My first ...real.... exposure to really fine customs.
But...... I must be a Philistine. I came close.....REAL close.... to poppin a pile for a folder gorgeous enough to go dancin with. Then...between saliva and checkbook...the realization that all I would do with it was ...LOOK...at it.
Then I'd worry about opening and closing and putting MARKS on the blade and there it would sit. In all its splendor, wrapped in its ...POUCH... all pretty and UNOPENED.
I spose I shud be richer so I wud use it even in DEFIANCE of rational concern about wreckin it.
But.....man, it shore put my nice PRODUCTION knives in a brighter light. It is truly AMAZING how nice the stuff us ...animals.... buy truly is. Sure, they aren't as glitzy, but then neither were a lot of VERY much higher priced and very SIMILAR ....customs.
I can see the charm of the fixed blades for putting behind glass and admiring with no intent to ever use. I guess I can even see the beauty of a nice polished and gleaming folder.
But I guess it's just not my "cuppa."

:)
 
Customs blur the line between art and tool. Some more than others. There are plenty of cutoms that are meant to be used and abused, and in ANY case they should be ABLE to be used and abused. Many collectors use their customs. To each his own! I dont know many people that drive their porches at 160mph on a regular basis, but thats no reason not to buy a porsche.
 
What was interesting to me was that it looks like another few minutes on finish and buffing could change many production knives into "dead ringers" for ...some.... of the "customs."

I still have a new found respect for the amazing engineering and finish of what we have come to expect from very reasonably priced daily users.

:)
 
That is why I like Ontario RAT knives. They are pure function without dwelling on appearance. I do not have to worry about marring them.
 
redhawk44p said:
That is why I like Ontario RAT knives. They are pure function without dwelling on appearance. I do not have to worry about marring them.
Click to expand...
Hey, My TAK-1 resembles that remark. yuk yuk.:D
 
There is a difference between user customs and art customs.

I would use any custom knife. But I cannot see myself paying a high premium on a knife just because it looks fancy. I would, however, buy a nice user custom like a Hinderer Firetac or a Martin Avenger. And I would use the poop out of it, too.

I also like "fancy" knives that are not too expensive, such as my Mcusta Kasumi, Kershaw Nakamura, and William Henry Titan. I use them all. I also want a Mnandi and a Willian Henry Attache. I will use them. They look good and perfom well. And they are nit whimps.

But I see the $1000+ customs with damascus, gold, and ivory blessed by virgin blood as too expensive and over-the-top to really fit my needs and price range. You pay for the rare materials, the workmanship, and the name, which is fine, but I would get more use out of a couple less expensive users or gents knives.

Everyone has a price barrier, and for me it is around $600-700. Some people won't spend more than $100 or $200.

I will buy a fancy gents knife if it isn't too expensive. But I won't want to feel like I am paying out the butt just for looks. I will pay for looks, but not out the butt.

But I saw this now. 5 years from now I might have several $1000-2000 fancy art knives. Right now I can't justify it because there are too many knives under $700 that I want. Most of them are "boring" users, but some are very beautiful gents knives like the WH Attache.
 
I've owned a few beautiful customs(Sawby) that I just couldn't bring myself to use so I sold them to collectors and am happy as a pig in poop using my Benchmades.
 
I use my Customs: My Atwood Solar Arc& Hinderer Firetac. And I WILL use my Xm-18, 2 DDR's, as well as my Lochsa. I too can't see spending $1,000 on a knife that is just art and not a user! I like to use my knives!
 
I saw an ad for the Solvang show in Blade magazine. I thought about going but I figured it would all be pricey customs. Looking is always fun though. Lavan, did you take any photos?
 
Didn't take any pix. Many did. My camera woulda been intimidated.

Gorgeous stuff. TOO gorgeous. Fer...me.

:)
 
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