To quote an email I sent my dad when he asked "Why JK?".
"I wanted a knife that was unique to me. Something that the kids would think of as "Dad's knife". And that years from now (hopefully 70 or so) when It gets passed down it is a family heirloom. Not because of any intrinsic value, but because of the years of memories. Cheesy I know, but it helped me justify buying a new knife.
So, that meant either get a production knife and customize it with a unique handle or get something custom. I started searching for custom knife makers. Many were immediately removed from consideration due to cost and/or wait time. I wasn't willing to pay $500 or wait several years or both. Others makers only make what they want and you can't specify any details. And others were to "pretty".
In my search I ran across JK and found his area on Blade Forum. His reviews were great and he has a loyal following, wait time was reasonable, and the price was in line with what it would cost to buy a production knife and have it re-scaled.
I sent him an email about making some tweaks to a knife of his that I had seen, which was itself a variation of a standard model he makes and what sort of deposit did he require. Within an hour I had a reply that whatever I wanted wouldn't be a problem and I didn't need to send any money until he was ready to start the knife. He got my business."
