Allen, It certainly seems like traditional knifemaking is less and less important or prevalent nowadays. But I am sure you realize their are a lot of makers out their doing it the old fashioned way (e.g. Dan Winkler, Jerry Fisk, Jim Crowell, etc). I prefer knives made the old way. I am also willing to pay for the makers time. I prefer sole authorship to a maker who grinds and fits others steel. I prefer forging to stock removal (understanding that some stock removal is always necessary). But that is my taste. Not everyone's.
Some makers like Darrel Ralph and Steve Mullin make knives by many techniques, ancient and modern.
There was a great thread started by Ken Onion two months ago re laser cut parts. It started a real good discussion involving many well known makers:
www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000504.html
This is what I said near the end of the thread:
I am Not opposed to high tech machinery, CNC milling, CAD design, or technology of any sort. This equipment makes things better, faster, more efficiently, and improves the profit margin, particulary when making a lot of the same kind of thing.
However, in my own collecting, I buy mostly one-of-a-kind fixed blade forged knives. I am willing to Pay for the time of the maker. I think how and why something was made Matters. I like hand-made things created with a minimum of technology.
I don't own any of Ken's knives, but I do have a Kershaw mini-task knife that Ken designed. I love it. I think RJ Martin, and Darrel Ralph, and George Tichborne expressed the ideas I agree with best. Be honest with the customer. If the customer is a crazy like me who wants everything hand-made, then do it that way and charge accordingly. If your customers want really good, precision engineered knives, and you want to sell a lot of them, then use all the technology you want.
I think Both viewpoints have their place. But remember, the Customer is Always right.That's where the money comes from. Just be up front about the techniques that were used if asked.
Paracelsus 26 December 1999