What started you collecting customs?

I started getting my first nice knives during the early to mid eighties, when I finally started making some money beyond a hand-to-mouth existence. Times have changed - the ones I saw first back then were for sale in a store at the newly restored South Street Seaport in NY. They were the old Timberline, one being a chute knife and the other a hunter. No one I knew bought knives at that time, let alone collected them. I just dug the way they looked and handled. As time passed, I would get the occasional folder from companies like Sharper Image and the like. Then many, many years passed with no knife buying activity whatsoever. It was around three years ago I got bit hard, having been introduced to what has been going on all these years in knives that I've been unaware of. Now, I am ejoying the custom knife world even better, what with all the friends and associates I have come to know.
 
An Ence integral boot knife with a silver wrapped ivory micarta handle. That was in 1975
 
For me I just got bored with factory knives, so I jumped in with both feet and bought a few customs.

But my first several Custom Knife experiences were bad ones - poor QC, bad dealings with makers, makers who made me something different than what I asked for - so I got fed up, sold the knives off and started collecting Microtechs again.

Eventually, I bought a couple high-end productions - Reeve, William Henry - and that got me moving in that direction again.

Now, I know a few humble makers that do great work; who's prices are still reasonable and who don't think their poop don't stink - makers who act like you're doing them a favor by buying their knives instead of the the other way around - and I'm pretty happy sticking with them.
 
I got into it as a young boy hunting. My dad got me a nice hunter(kind of a combination skinner and hunter) and I used it many times in deer hunting through college. Then I stopped hunting but never lost my liking of knives. I started "gathering" production knives and thought that was the thing to do. Every once in a while I would look at that hunter and realize I liked the custom style knife the best. The handmade knife, individual approach, given that special care is what I really treasure. I am hooked as a collector and through these forums, custom knifemaker friends and enthusiasts I value the custom blade even more. Doubt if I will ever be cured. :D
 
I started collecting in 1977 with custom fixed blade knives. Sold them all of in 1985 (big mistake, but I needed the money badly).

Started buying a couple funny looking "Spyderco" folders in 1999. Then a bunch more factory tactical folders. Couldn't get everything I wanted in the factory knives, so I bought an Elishewitz folder in 2001.

And then....unbridled lust took over. :D :(
 
I first bought three custom knives at the Indianapolis Gun & Knife Show several years ago. I was sorely dissappointed when I got them home and actually tried to use them. I was even more disenchanted when I tried to return one of them to the maker at the next show. So much for that maker... and for any maker for a time. Then I saw a nice looking hunter on some forum (probably this one) and agreed to meet some guy who goes by Danbo in a parking lot on my way to a meeting. I wound up not only buying that Hendrix, but also a Dippold... and getting hooked on this knife thing.
 
I've been collecting knives since I was about 10years old. Mostly in secret I must add. I liked the better factory knives, and that passion continued till I started working. My first custom knife could not have been a better experience for me. As Golok said, its about the people behind the knife.

I had the opportunity and privilege of meeting with the late Bruce Crawley at a time when he was already in reasonably poor health. Yet his warmth and knifemaking passion shone through. That moment was also the inspiration for me to start making knives.

I've since gone on to get a couple of early Shawn McIntyre and Steve Filicietti knives.

Heres the knife that started it all for me. Thanks for looking. Jason.

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