What do you guys think about CUSTOM KNIVES..

[22-rimfire]

I did look into custom knives for a while, and don't mind paying for a quality piece, but most seem more designed towards being photogenic rather than actual usage.
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No, until the custom market starts to focus on actually delivering the best possible knife in the best possible steel for its intended use, I have zero interest in most custom knives.
Some experienced, and even relatedly educated makers do exist, and their products are to some extent interesting to me.
It does appear to me though, that the majority of customs are made out in the shed by a maker that started out because their regular career went down the drain with the US economy.
I will not accept those as an upgrade to most any mid-tech knife.
Quite the opposite in fact.

For those that started to make knives as a career change, more power to them. It does take some skill and it certainly takes a serious interest in making something that is marketable, practical, and effective.

Reading between the lines, I guess you expect a knife maker to have a MS in metalurgy?

Just admit it, you are comfortable with factory knives, but you don't need to put down the custom knife makers in general.

There are a lot of customs available that are fairly cost effective, practical, and useable. Someone mentioned JK knives. They're good. Bob Dozier's knives are also good and primarily geared toward what I consider the blue collar owner who wants a good custom knife that works.

The folders are generally too rich for my blood, but I keep looking and in general have been pretty happy with factory folders. One needs to experiment and learn. You might be surprised with what you learn by experience.

 

[stabman]

People in the market for Cold Steel blades are most likely not in the market for custom blades - hence the generic videos.

I like both.
I have customs.
I have Cold Steel.
I have lots of other production knives.
I make knives.
I like knives. :thumbup:

 

[JParanee]

I think everyman should own one custom knife and one custom rifle. A knife and rifle that will be the only ones of their like in existence as they were made made specifically for that man. That's the "uniqueness factor". There's a difference between handmade and custom. While a custom will be handmade, not all handmades are custom. Neither a custom knife nor a custom rifle need be either fancy or prohibitively expensive.

Here's my custom knife from Tom Mayo in the mid-late '90s. ATS34 and micarta. Ain't fancy and wasn't very expensive, but it is MY (custom) knife.

Here's my custom rifle from a Steyr M1903 Mannlicher Schonauer 6.5X54MS action from 1909 I rescued for $80 in 1998 from an idiot who was wanting to modify it for the 7.62X39mm cartridge. By 2000 I had a rifle built on it. The stock blank was about a third of the rifle's cost. Then having the stock made put the stock at half+ the cost of this rifle. The barrel was custom turned and crowned from a Krieger blank. The barrel and metal work made up the remainder of the cost. I could have saved much in the stock and barrel but wanted what I have.

Nice gun

 

[JParanee]

To me high end production or mid tech knives does everything I need, and want, in a knife.
I can view it before buying, I can read testaments online as to their pros and cons and there is a good chance of actually getting what was described.

I did look into custom knives for a while, and don't mind paying for a quality piece, but most seem more designed towards being photogenic rather than actual usage.
Just look at Begg Bodega's.
The maker even feels the need to inform us, on his web-site, that select models are actually made to be used...

No, until the custom market starts to focus on actually delivering the best possible knife in the best possible steel for its intended use, I have zero interest in most custom knives.
Some experienced, and even relatedly educated makers do exist, and their products are to some extent interesting to me.
It does appear to me though, that the majority of customs are made out in the shed by a maker that started out because their regular career went down the drain with the US economy.
I will not accept those as an upgrade to most any mid-tech knife.
Quite the opposite in fact.

What brought me to custom knives 30 years ago was a quest for higher performance

Yes production and what is now considered Mid Tech have come along way but I have yet to find a production fixed blade that could perform close to a well done custom

 

[BladeScout]

The second part you quoted is something I have come accross a few times when talking to fellow collectors. Knives that are - from an outside perspective of one who has not just spent a few thousand bucks on it - not nearly as "perfect" as they are said to be, are raised virtually to heaven by their owners. This almost always makes me think of people trying not to sabotage the resale value of their knives (especially the ones that are not that great after all; as a matter of fact these very knives did surface on the used market rather quickly). Don't get me wrong, this is not directed at you or anyone here who is reporting their good experience with custom makers, not linked to specific knives. Such good experience definitely is possible, combining good research (for a maker who knows what he is doing), good communication (to get accross what one wants) and some good luck (even JS and MS makers and other master bladesmiths can have a bad day, I know that from my own experience). It is the reason why I tend to take grail-calls with a bit of salt though.

Dont worry, I didnt perceive it as being directed at me at all. First of all, none of the knives Ive posted in this thread cost 'thousands of dollars' and secondly, I really like the knives I had made (can you tell!)and cant see myself parting with them. They are deeply personal and the thought never entered my mind. Further more, what I seek in a knife and what drives me to have it made, might not be what others seek (not that much demand for dedicated huge pig stickers!).
Without appearing to be too much of a custom knife fanboy, I'd venture to say, that if the flame burns bright, the thought of buying customs in order to sell for a profit wouldnt be part of the Picture. It certainly didnt enter my mind. I just like knives period

 

[valkyrierdr]

I started buying customs 30 years ago as collectors. I own quite a few Randals from when they could be had at retail. I own many beautiful knives but many are not very good performers. I like tool steel but in the 70's and 80's everyone was in to 440 stainless because it looked pretty. I don't think it holds an edge and it is hard to sharpen, but it does look pretty on a table. I don't care for high polish knives and am now more into working knives in high carbon tool steel that will hold an edge and is a work horse. Many makers have a generic tempering process that they have done off premises. I would like to find a maker that makes a real tough working knife with a tough blade that really holds an edge. I just ordered a Diving Sparrow knife. I have heard a lot of good things about them and am looking forward to receiving mine. It is a shame but I have a $15 dollar Mora that will outwork most custom knives that I have used in an everyday capacity. I do enjoy the uniqueness of a custom and continue to buy them hoping that some day I will find one that will blow me away. In the mean time, someone has to support our custom knife makers or they will disappear.

 

[valkyrierdr]

Beautiful rifle.

 

[Faiaoga]

I think the true value of a custom knife is that the owner has knowledge of and respect for the tool, and he or she will use the tool carefully and well. Even if the knife is an inexpensive folder, the owner will use it well because understands more about it.

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[Jon Brand]

this is my everyday use knife, as I keep it on me and cut whatever I can with it. The blade darkened a bit and it still looks pretty but other production blades I had in the past were never sharp enough to cut with such ease as this does.. ALSO this stays sharp much longer then the production knives of my past. Yea its a looker, but I specifically commissioned it as a user. Even included a thicker bottom liner. Its cut through some pretty hard things and still shaves hair. This knife helped my cut off part of my dangling plastic bumper when I got into an accident and was convenient when applying clear red tape to the tail light cap. You know those really hard to open plastic packages that everyone hates? Production knives I have used don't glide through them like this beauty. I like a flat ground blade with a thin edge and you get alot of that with customs, escpecially the forgers.

 

[Blades&Bullets]

I like both.
I have customs.
I have Cold Steel.
I have lots of other production knives.
I make knives.
I like knives. :thumbup:

Knife enthusiast's HAIKU.

 

[spyderco lover]

I was never big into customs until xiuxiu1313 and jim skelton. Now I really want to order a tighe coon and a ramon chavez redencion because I can fully appreciate their product. A tom mayo would be great but thats probably never gonna happen

 

[Birnando]

For those that started to make knives as a career change, more power to them. It does take some skill and it certainly takes a serious interest in making something that is marketable, practical, and effective.

Reading between the lines, I guess you expect a knife maker to have a MS in metalurgy?

Just admit it, you are comfortable with factory knives, but you don't need to put down the custom knife makers in general.

There are a lot of customs available that are fairly cost effective, practical, and useable. Someone mentioned JK knives. They're good. Bob Dozier's knives are also good and primarily geared toward what I consider the blue collar owner who wants a good custom knife that works.

The folders are generally too rich for my blood, but I keep looking and in general have been pretty happy with factory folders. One needs to experiment and learn. You might be surprised with what you learn by experience.

More power indeed, it is just not a given sign of supremeness to me.

And no, I don't expect the knife makers to be metallurgists.
To me there seems to be good things to be said about proper training and experience though.
A few years of apprenticeship, more years of experience as a journeyman sounds to me like a good start to any kind of trade that involves creating products such as a folding knife.

I'll admit freely to enjoying some of the production knives out there, sure.
Wether it is a custom or a production knife really isn't the issue for me, when it comes to folding knives that is.
To me it is all about usability and quality of the tools I use.

As to what one might learn from experience, I totally agree with you.
Here are some of mine that has shaped my views on the matter somewhat.
I currently own around 45 custom straight razors.
Not a single one of those custom razors will shave an iota better than a $10 no-name Solingen razor from say the fifties.
Not one!
all but 4 or 5 of those are made by highly regarded US-makers with experience ranging from a few years to more or less a lifetime.
I for one have no problems telling you that experience and training matters...
What that means is that I have great custom shavers, and quite a few that is bordering fancy letter-openers.
That is $1500 letter openers!
But hey, they are "Damascus" and shit, so they gots to be the bee's knees, right??

I've also played around with a few custom kitchen knives.
Not one of those reached my Japanese knives in comparable size and type to the shoulders.
Should I ever come across one that does perform on par with them, I'll be the first in line, but I'm not holding my breath.

As to custom folders or fixed blades, I'm sure that there are superb products/makers to be found out there.
I'm equally convinced that there are tons out there that are not.

 

[jwblack911]

my personal thoughts on customs: i attend every show in the ny/nj area. I love talking to makers and all the wonderful people at the shows. i love trying to win the lotteries. I especially love talking to the makers on the challenges their knives gave them. things they were so proud to learn and figure out themselves. i really appreciate customs as much more than a sharp object.

but here is my conflict with the custom knives. i along with alot of people have less and less expendable income. i wish i could justify spending 1000$ on a knife. but to me 1000$ = more towards the bills. and whats left over gets put away for the future. i usually can afford to have 400$ or so on knives. i usually have 2-4 depending on the price. i usually carry 2 blades. a very affordable becker bk11/bk14 and my folder. and my folder. i have had a few customs. and while they were so amazing and wonderful i cant see myself buying another on in the near future. because although 1 custom can have the quality of a dozen folder i honestly think i prefer variety. i enjoy having a backlock knife, a frame lock, a compression love, and a axis lock in my collection. im not out searching for new lock types. i just like being able to pick from a couple when i wake up in the morning. And when i owned my custom knives i just couldnt take myself to use them like i do less expensive productions. because they are just so perfect! and they cost me decent money i couldnt see myself devaluing it because i knew i would need to eventually sell it.

my favorite part of the hobby is the journey. the journey of trying new knives. and at this point i own a very small collecting. para2, ak47, endura, grip... and while non of these will be here forever, the fact that i get to slowly change my mind on what i like, what i want, and what i need from my knife keeps me in this hobby.

i have only been in this game for 5 years and i have tried just able every knife from a reputable production company from 50$-300$ and i look back thinking about my favorite one ever. and there is no winner. not one has been the best. because whats best for me changes all the time. and hopefully some day i will be in the financial position to be able to support all of these amazing knife makers besides just watching every youtube video they make