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What makes a knife "custom" made?
- Thread starter Gunner
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 4, 1999
- Messages
- 5,786
Well, unfortunately the answer isn't 100% clear-cut, but in my opinion, a custom knife is a knife which is made especially for a single user. The knife will be made to fit the customer's hand well, it will be balanced according to that customer's wished, it will have a blade shape that the customer chose, whatever grind they want, the dimensions will be chosen, etc etc.
In short, a custom made knife is like a custom made suit...it is made to fit the customer and it is produced from whatever materials that customer chooses. Here's how I draw the line, at least. For examples from my own collection, I can say I have three true custom knives, all made by the late Madpoet. I have four of his knives, though. One is a drop point hunter that many would consider custom because Mel made eAch knife freehand, so all were a little different. I don't consider it a custom knife, though, because he didn't make it with a specific person in mind. The other three, though, were all made for me based on drawings I sent to Mel. The differences are subtle, but that's my opnion of what a custom knife is: a one-of-a-kind knife made to the customer's specs or based on what the custom will be using it for. It is a made-to-order knife. Oh, and as far as actual differences between customs and production knives? I would say that a well-made custom knife will always be better than a well-made
------------------production knife because it, in theory, is the perfect knife for the user in the application they are using it. I'm sure that there have been poorly-made customs, though, that are not as good as an off-the-shelf piece. It all depends on the maker.
My Custom Kydex Sheath page:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
agocs_s@dd.palmer.edu
Madpoet (Mel Sorg, Jr.) Tribute page:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/madpoet/main.html
[This message has been edited by Chiro75 (edited 17 October 1999).]
In short, a custom made knife is like a custom made suit...it is made to fit the customer and it is produced from whatever materials that customer chooses. Here's how I draw the line, at least. For examples from my own collection, I can say I have three true custom knives, all made by the late Madpoet. I have four of his knives, though. One is a drop point hunter that many would consider custom because Mel made eAch knife freehand, so all were a little different. I don't consider it a custom knife, though, because he didn't make it with a specific person in mind. The other three, though, were all made for me based on drawings I sent to Mel. The differences are subtle, but that's my opnion of what a custom knife is: a one-of-a-kind knife made to the customer's specs or based on what the custom will be using it for. It is a made-to-order knife. Oh, and as far as actual differences between customs and production knives? I would say that a well-made custom knife will always be better than a well-made
------------------production knife because it, in theory, is the perfect knife for the user in the application they are using it. I'm sure that there have been poorly-made customs, though, that are not as good as an off-the-shelf piece. It all depends on the maker.
My Custom Kydex Sheath page:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
agocs_s@dd.palmer.edu
Madpoet (Mel Sorg, Jr.) Tribute page:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/madpoet/main.html
[This message has been edited by Chiro75 (edited 17 October 1999).]
- Joined
- Feb 4, 1999
- Messages
- 5,786
Atilla, that's where I draw the line. if it isn't made specifically with a person in mind or with the customer's input, but the knife is 100% made by a maker and is a unique knife, then I consider the knife to be "handmade" rather than "custom". You can get all sorts of handmade items that were made with no particular person in mind. I guess they would be considered small scale production pieces, sort of. Custom implies that the knife will end up in the hands of a specific person for whom said knife was designed for. I don't know if this definition is "right" or not, but it is the one I use in the bike shop when I am explaining the differences between production frames, handmade frames, and custom frames.
------------------
My Custom Kydex Sheath page:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
agocs_s@dd.palmer.edu
Madpoet (Mel Sorg, Jr.) Tribute page:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/madpoet/main.html
------------------
My Custom Kydex Sheath page:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
agocs_s@dd.palmer.edu
Madpoet (Mel Sorg, Jr.) Tribute page:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/madpoet/main.html
- Joined
- May 5, 1999
- Messages
- 318
Chiro75,
Yep. I know what you mean. Custom should be made for a specific indivdual, the way that individual asked for the item to be made. It's just that we tend to toss these terms around so frequently, that sometimes I for one at least get a bit confused! There are some GREAT makers who only offer their customs their way; in effect these are not custom pieces, but handmade. But the majority of ppl still call these pieces "customs". I say it's a case of apples & oranges...
------------------
Attila
Yep. I know what you mean. Custom should be made for a specific indivdual, the way that individual asked for the item to be made. It's just that we tend to toss these terms around so frequently, that sometimes I for one at least get a bit confused! There are some GREAT makers who only offer their customs their way; in effect these are not custom pieces, but handmade. But the majority of ppl still call these pieces "customs". I say it's a case of apples & oranges...
------------------
Attila
- Joined
- May 13, 1999
- Messages
- 1,926
I'll echo Chiro75's thoughts. Handmade and custom are two seperate things. Custom should be uniquely crafted to order for an individual, only worked by individuals who will be leaving their personal mark on the knife.
To this end, a custom knife made by one person and engraved by another is still a custom, provided they both mark the piece (consider it a personal artistic "work" rather than some labor they have performed). If the knife has been "jobbed out" for any work, only carrying the single maker's mark, it is a semi-production piece.
I do see a grey area on steel, like damascus. Many makers will use purchased damascus, crediting the smith, but not offering any mark on the knife to denote this.
Additionally, very few smiths, like Darrel Ralph, will actually create one-of-a-kind patterns, ie. custom steel. I'm willing to "allow" this exception, looking at the steel like any other "raw material", like ivory or wood that needs to be worked by the maker to produce a "finished" product. To this end, stock removal makers are not "punished".
I do, however, value a knife more if the maker is also the smith, and especially when the steel is a "designer damascus" as produced by craftsmen like Darrel.
To this end, a custom knife made by one person and engraved by another is still a custom, provided they both mark the piece (consider it a personal artistic "work" rather than some labor they have performed). If the knife has been "jobbed out" for any work, only carrying the single maker's mark, it is a semi-production piece.
I do see a grey area on steel, like damascus. Many makers will use purchased damascus, crediting the smith, but not offering any mark on the knife to denote this.
Additionally, very few smiths, like Darrel Ralph, will actually create one-of-a-kind patterns, ie. custom steel. I'm willing to "allow" this exception, looking at the steel like any other "raw material", like ivory or wood that needs to be worked by the maker to produce a "finished" product. To this end, stock removal makers are not "punished".
I do, however, value a knife more if the maker is also the smith, and especially when the steel is a "designer damascus" as produced by craftsmen like Darrel.