WHat support materials do you like to see come with a knife?

Chiro75

Chiro75

Joined
Feb 4, 1999
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I'm curious what type of support materials you'd expect/like to see come with a handmade knife? Brochure, certificate of some kind, instructions for care, details about the knife (steel, handle, etc)?
 
Great question and an excellent topic!

I wish more makers would provide a little documentation with their knives. It really is not something I insist on or ask for at all nor does it influence my purchase/ordering decisions, but it is something I prefer.

At a minimum I like to see something with the maker's name, style, model or name of the knife, all materials used and the completion date. It does not have to be time consuming or expensive, but I do very much appreciate the effort.

Some examples that go the extra mile:
One of my favorite slipjoint or multiblade makers (Richard Rogers) includes a laminated card with a picture of the knife and the above info along with his original price. That effort is a classy touch that falls right in line with the work Richard does.

I just took delivery of Ray Kirk's test M.S. dagger last month. Talk about over the top - he had a 2 page "certificate" with pictures of him making the knife (as well as the finished dagger) and several paragraphs on the steps he took. It also describes the day it was comissioned (five years ago!) (who commissioned it - me). Of all the knives in my collection Ray Kirk and Dellana have provided the most complete 'documentation' that I have. I am not saying every maker should go as far as they do, just using Ray and Dellana as an example of the most maker documented knives I own.

Dellana documented every aspect of the folder she made for me from the pinstock to the grade and size of each individual stone inlay and setting not to mention the blade, bolsters, "Dellana Dots" and filework. there was a four or five year wait on the knife and during that time she sent pictures of the knives she was making. When she started work on this one, she would write about her progress/challenges etc. This knife was being made when she had a flood in her shop and it was finished up in the late Jim Schmidt's shop. I would have never known it if she had not told me and it is kind of a cool aspect.
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I document the purchase of each piece in my collection, but years from now the documentation provided by the maker will be something that I will enjoy reading a heck of a lot more than a cold database of dates, prices etc.

I also keep letters, drawings, christmas cards and anything else connected with the knife that a maker sends me.:D
 
Support is always good, especially when you shell out large money for something that is very personal, something that will be by your side for a long time like a knife. I mean what type of knife someone carries says a lot about them. Choosing which knife is bought is a very personal choice and should be respected, especially if someone chooses one of YOUR knives. Try to identify with your customer. Small instructions for care are probably a good idea as well as a description of your philosophy as a knife maker. A warranty (although seldom exercised) always leaves me with a good feeling that the fellow who made my knife will stand by it and take it personally if the blade should ever fail me.
Hope this helps. Do you have a website?
All the best,
-c.
 
When I spend over $500 on a knife (which has not been often) I have gotten a minimum of two things, 1. A certificate with materials used, care instructions and born on date as well as some kind of lifetime care promise. 2. A sheath or zippered pouch of some kind. Some full custom, some mid tech, and some full factory.

So that has been my experience and would be dissappointed now if "baseline requirements" were not met.
 
I take what ever is given. In my price range sometimes that is not much. I then always ask for the maker's business card and for them to write the materials on the back, the date and if it was forged, to add that. I then ask them what is the best method/angle for sharpening. Sean Perkins used to include a care and sharpening sheet with his knives and so does David Boye. Since I use all my knives, and often like to maintain the original edge, I find this a nice touch. Randall does it too.
 
I have a bunch of Sean's knives and I remember those sheets well. Mine always smelled like cigarette smoke and were soaked through with the oil he used on the sheaths and blades, but I loved the information!

Thanks for the info, guys. Until now I've been so focused on getting my knives done and in the mail on time that I have neglected this aspect of things. I'm coming up with a package that will be a nice surprise for people who order my knives (particularly since all my stuff is sub-$200).
 
I would have to say that Victorinox has a PERFECT brochure. I love the company history, tool list, maintenance information, warranty information etc. Very detailed. Benchmade also had a good one IIRC. It's been so long since I've bought a production knife that wasn't Victorinox :o 1 1/2 years.....
 
Chiro75 said:
I'm curious what type of support materials you'd expect/like to see come with a handmade knife? Brochure, certificate of some kind, instructions for care, details about the knife (steel, handle, etc)?
Click to expand...

As much info as possible! I'm not a technical kind of guy so something that may be "obvious" to a more seasoned collector may not always be obvious to me. I really appreciate knowing even the tiniest detail regarding how my knife was made and the materials it was made from.
 
certificate of some kind, instructions for care, details about the knife (steel, handle, etc)?
Click to expand...

Exactly. Especially great would be specific things about construction, handle material, balde material, grind type and heat treat (RC if tested, clay tempered like you do, etc).

A neat thing, but probably not done by anyone, would be a concise statement by the maker of what the intended scope of work is for a particluar piece.
 
A good brochure is always nice. I always like knowing a bit more about my knife, who made it, etc. Care instructions (including things like the edge angle) are a good idea. In traditional knives, a little about the history of the knife canbe included.

I agree that Victorinox has a very good brochure. A couple of my old Spydercos also came with a very neat mini-catalog with lots of info about materials and lock mechanisms.
 
Sharpening instructions and some information on the steel used for the blade, including hardness and what the steel should be used for, such as utility etc, and for customs, information on the handle materials used too.

Basically, for the $5 Moras, I need sharpening instructions :(
 
After a fiasco a long time ago I am just happy to receive the knife itself in a relatively short amount of time.Some knifemakers you know ahead of time have a long waiting list,it is not these I refer to.Sorry if this sounds harsh,I am just jaded from experience.
 
Some good info here and something I too have neglected to do. Thanks for the topic! :cool:
 
I just bought a Strider a month ago & my wife and friends thought it was strange that for all that money nothing else came
with it no paperwork, no zipper case, nothing just the knife. now
that really did not bother me, but I have bought knives from makers
here and received sheaths, pouches, thank you notes, care instructions:D
oh well.

just my thoughts
Zoo
 
A quality sheath or at the least a zippered pouch. Knife care and basic description is always nice.
 
I try to comunicate all info I can as the knife is being made. I just dont have a brochure or literature to send with the knife. I do want to get a care sheet put together but right now I rely on email and phone calls to fill the customer in on what there getting and how to care for it.
 
I've read that Sebenzas and other CRK folders come with a wooden presentation box, do Strider folders come in any type of box?
 
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