What is a knife designer??

Bobby Branton

Bobby Branton

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I have been studying the other thread for a couple of days and I am confused with some of the names on the list who I will not name for fear of hurting ones reputation or ego. We have to be careful and not get into the name my favorite maker or makers. My question is simply, what is a knife designer??
If you had a company or were going to start one, what would be the job description?
Would it be someone who drew a few nice flowing lines to come up with a fixed blade design or someone who drew up some crazy designs that some people think is cool. Would it be someone who took an historical design and brought it up to meet today's standards with modern materials and great craftsmanship?
Is it some one who can do it all? Someone who can draw nice pleasing lines and add that something special to the piece, such as the use or modern material or be made utilizing modern technology such as CAD and CNC machines. Does he or she have a track record and not be a flash in the pan or a one trick pony? Has he or she been innovative throughout out their career? Can they do it all, flowing lines, modern materials and mechanisms etc?
After I re read this thread it came to me that I posted a couple of names that I would like to change because of the criteria that I have attempted to establish in this post. To give you an idea of where I am heading, here are a few that I think are true knife designers.
This list is no where complete, but you should be able to see where I am going.
What say you???

Bob Loveless
Bo Randall
Ron Lake
Ken Onion
Grant and Gavin Hawk
Michael Walker
Blackie Collins
Mel Pardue
Allen Elishewitz
David Broadwell
Wolfgang Lerchner
 
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Bobby you ask Great questions and this should be an interested thread.

What is a knife designer and even what are the components that make up knife design is where I was going with my couple posts on the other thread.

IMO, these questions are relevant in determining the best designers.
 
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For me a knife designer is someone who draws knives that get to be built.
An exceptional knife designer comes up with designs that are so good they not only get to be built, but also are easily recognizable and influence a lot of other designers/makers.
 
flava said:
For me a knife designer is someone who draws knives that get to be built.
An exceptional knife designer comes up with designs that are so good they not only get to be built, but also are easily recognizable and influence a lot of other designers/makers.
Click to expand...

Very well said Flavius...my only caveat might be that some work from one maker would be inspirational, but PRACTICALLY impossible for another maker to replicate, such as the dendritic knives of Boye or the Zipper blades of Michael Walker.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
When you say designer what comes to my mind is someone who designs a knife for someone or a co. When someone designs and then executes a knife to me that is an artisan a craftsman. Not that a designer can not be a true artist but to do all aspects is something special. The greats are the ones that there work does not have to be signed you just know who made it. There are different gendre's of knives but for me even though I do not care for art knives Wolfgang Lerchner's work is undeniable a stand out
 
"Knife designer" is a very subjective term. I consider it analogous to being a songwriter.
You have to be able to make knives that are suitable for production. I guess if a manufacturer contracts to produce a custom maker's design, that maker would then become a designer.
I don't feel that being able to draw a knife makes one a designer.
Bill DeShivs
 
Bill DeShivs said:
"Knife designer" is a very subjective term. I consider it analogous to being a songwriter.
You have to be able to make knives that are suitable for production. I guess if a manufacturer contracts to produce a custom maker's design, that maker would then become a designer.
I don't feel that being able to draw a knife makes one a designer.
Bill DeShivs
Click to expand...

If a individual draws a knife plan that hasn't preceded them built or not they are a designer. You certainly don't have to make to design.
 
If you want to take it literally, a knife designer doesn't actually have to make knives. Someone like Joel Pirela comes to mind.

To me a designer is one that comes up with designs that are immediately recognizable, though this doesn't have to be the case. There are people that work for manufacturers that design knives that fit with the company's look, not their own.

Designers can take well known themes and make changes to them that make the look of the knife synonymous with themselves.
 
flava said:
For me a knife designer is someone who draws knives that get to be built.
An exceptional knife designer comes up with designs that are so good they not only get to be built, but also are easily recognizable and influence a lot of other designers/makers.
Click to expand...
I couldn't agree more!
 
here's a good example of where thread necromancy can be a good thing!
Obviously a subject near and dear to my heart.
I hope this thread gets some traffic! Lots to learn out there.
 
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