When/how did you transition from production to custom slipjoints?

C

Cheeseburger

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I understand the "why" aspect of customs, but at what point in your life did the transition happen? Was it a natural progression with each knife being a bit nicer then the last until you're into customs? Did someone you know jump start you down the custom path?

As a father of two small children, I don't see this realistically happening for me until they're out of college. Honestly, knife collecting is fairly low on my priority list right now taking a back seat to having fun with the family (camping, boating, fishing, hiking, traveling, etc). Maybe that's how it will always be for me, but I'd like to hope that I will own one or two custom slipjoints.
 
I just came on Blade Forums, started looking around and decided that I wanted some customs. I contacted various makers and got on their lists.

As far as cost, there is plenty out there in the $300 range. I would rather have one really nice custom than four or five production knives.
 
For me it was kind of like the progression in the appreciation of an art form or the similar appreciation of automatic (self winding) watches vs. battery operated.

As you begin to accumulate, use and enjoy a variety of well made production knives it just seems natural over time to become attuned to the higher end handmade knives by artisans such as we are fortunate to have here in abundance on the forums.

Through interaction and burgeoning friendships one develops an appreciation for not only the artistry and craftsmanship but the dedication and character of these folks.

After that it's just a matter of time (and available funds) until you find yourself traveling the path to custom knife ownership. Each knife then becomes not only a functional work of art but a token of something larger including enduring friendship. It's also a rewarding feeling to support a craft that might otherwise become a dying art.

Owning your first custom is very rewarding but as you say in the OP it must be tempered with the responsible and judicious use of funds for meeting all family obligations and commitments first. Maintaining that hierarchy is paramount. I think you've got your priorities in order (imho) and I hope you'll find yourself the owner of some great custom knives down the road. :thumbup:
 
Good question. I'm guessing some just progressed into nicer & nicer production slip-joints until their "wallets" got into a comfort zone to spend the $ for a custom.

For me, I trade alot & basically stumbled onto an offer of a custom Trapper (By Ty Montell & a knife I'm sorry I let go, too). From there I traded into a Case/Bose collaboration knife ('03 Dogleg Jack), which is close in price/value to some customs & then it grew from there.

I only have 4 custom slip-joints (& I still have the Case/Bose, too), but I only bought one of them. The other 3 were from trades & typically a nicer modern folder or folders for the custom slip-joint.

It was definitely gradual, that's for sure.
 
I only have one custom knife and it is by a maker from CA. I bought it on a whim while visiting a Knife/Cutlery Store in Costa Mesa, CA. It is a beautiful knife and while I appreciate it immensely, I cringe at how much I spent for it because I could have sunk that money into a gun and that's where my money goes -- antique/19th Century Winchester lever action rifles but that's another topic for another thread.

As far as knives go, I am satisfied to have only my lowly production and a couple semi-custom (worked over production) knives for EDC and working knives.

There have been quite a few pictures of custom knives in several forum threads over the last week and I gotta say many of them are spectacular. I'd like to have a few of them myself but that original .38-40 Model 92 Winchester on Gun Broker is calling me more than any knife at the present time.
 
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Modoc ED said:
As far as knives go, I am satisfied to have only lowly production and a couple semi-custom (worked over production) knives for EDC and working knives.
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I don't think you'll find many folks on this forum characterizing production, semi-custom or mid-tech knives in that manner, regardless of their collections.
 
Blues said:
After that it's just a matter of time (and available funds) until you find yourself traveling the path to custom knife ownership. Each knife then becomes not only a functional work of art but a token of something larger including enduring friendship. It's also a rewarding feeling to support a craft that might otherwise become a dying art.
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I think the OP posed a very good question and I as a maker feel especially proud and thankful that many members here on BF feel the same was as Elliott does.

I also firmly believe that production slipjoints CAN be extremely beautiful and functional tools and can hold their own to customs.

I wish you luck and good fortune with your family(yes you have your priority's correct IMHO) and in your collection be it production or custom!
 
For some folks it happens when you have purchased just about every dang production slipjoint that is on your wish list. In order to get the "buzz" of ordering and receiving a new knife, and to feed the beast that lives within, you pull the trigger on a custom slipjoint. JMO.
 
I first got into custom slipjoints in May 2009. I got married that month and I wanted to have something special in my pocket that day -- a knife that would both commemorate the event and also become a trusted tool in the years to come. So I contacted fellow forumite and my now friend Kerry Hampton and asked him to work his magic. Kerry made me one of his infamous KHnutbusters and it's been in my pocket ever since.
 
Years ago I used to have some fun selling higher end production knives. Mostly slipjoints. I collected them mainly so it was not about making money, it was just about going to shows and meeting people. Sometimes I actually did make some money and brought more knives.

Back then the Blade Show was in two different exhibition rooms each year. One room for production and another one for Custom knives.

I made the "mistake" of wandering into that big room full of custom makers and have not come back out since.

As far as production VS custom knives. I still love them both over 20 years later, but I enjoy the people involved even more.

I now do most of my buying by ordering knives from makers, buying the occasional factory knife that says take me home and the Blade Show. I have already started saving for next year. The hobby for me has always been enjoyable, I think the key to that are some wise words from my brother.

Owning your first custom is very rewarding but as you say in the OP it must be tempered with the responsible and judicious use of funds for meeting all family obligations and commitments first. Maintaining that hierarchy is paramount. I think you've got your priorities in order (imho) and I hope you'll find yourself the owner of some great custom knives down the road.
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I remember the that feeling when I purchased my first two custom knives over 20 years ago. It was a little odd.

I also remember the feeling when I sold those two knives (a forged bowie by Howard Clark and a pretty fancied up folder by Mel Pardue). They actually turned out to be excellent investments. I turned them in order to buy a few custom slipjoints for the first time.

Last year I decided to go into business. Took a look around at what I could do to handle the start up costs and realized I had a good bit of cash tied up in knives. More so than a sane person should have, but I was happy with them. I sold about 1/3 of my collection. In one way I am glad since it helped me gain some independence after 30+ years of writing software for companies. In hindsight, I wish I did not have to sell them, but it was better than going into debt to start things up. They turned out to be excellent investments, but I wish I could have kept them.
 
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:rolleyes:Congratulations on your independence.:thumbup::)

Even though I only know you from an electronic distance, I strongly suspect you will do just fine.:D

As to Customs, I've never really left production behind. I still buy the ones I like. Plus, of course, you can do things with production knives you'd never attempt with a Tony Bose custom.
 
I blame this infernal website for my launch into customs. I was perfectly happy with productions. Now I get the shakes when its been too long between purchasing customs. :o
Is there a 12 step program?
 
I buy both. My second slip joint was a Bret Dowell in a beautiful green canvas micarta the knife I bought right after that was a Michael Morris pocket edc fixed blade that I had him do in a green canvas micarta to match, but then I bought more production slips because I found ones that caught my eye. Buy what makes you happy. Whether production or custom its just a tool until you create memories to go with it.
 
comoha said:
I blame this infernal website for my launch into customs. I was perfectly happy with productions. Now I get the shakes when its been too long between purchasing customs. :o
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Yep, I was perfectly happy buying a new Case or Schatt & Morgan from time to time, then I found this place. Oh well...
 
comoha said:
I blame this infernal website for my launch into customs. I was perfectly happy with productions. Now I get the shakes when its been too long between purchasing customs. :o
Is there a 12 step program?
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Agree with comoha as well. Stay away from the Makers forum...you may be able to hold out for a while...but not forever :D
 
Let's just face it, few of us actually need an expensive knife. It is an indulgence, we enjoy the tool and in many cases, knives aside, we enjoy the interaction with the makers at one level or another. As time passes, what the knife costs takes a back seat to the enjoyment of it.

I think that is the key to really enjoying collecting or using more knives than you really need. There are enough sources of stress, knife ownership should not be one.

A good knife, is a good knife. I know some guys with some great collections, they are still into good knives factory or custom. There is a guy that lives near me that has been collecting customs since the early seventies. He still gets excited over production knives.

I have Case's, Queens, Canal Street, Great Eastern, Schrade, Camillus and adnausium knives that I carry. A couple that I carry a lot are the Case Swayback in cv and a Queen/Burke in BG 42. Older knives sometimes find the way to my right front pocket. Then every once in a while there is a knife that was built by someone I might know pretty well or maybe just met. They all are knives that I enjoy using. They never caused a problem, they just cut a lot of stuff and are handy.
 
Almost all of my collection is production knives. Like a kid with ADHD, I am fascinated by patterns and explore them.

That being said, My youngest son is two, coming up on three. When I was in a sodbuster phase, I began peeling apples for him. Soon he was asking for me to peel the apples with my "yeddo" knife. With that in mind, I asked one our talented makers to make a custom sodbuster for me and Mr. Johnson did a delightful job. The ivory micarta is a little softer thatn the Case yellow.

A little while later, I saw a single blade knife made mr. Mr. Alsdorf in the makers area. It had a black Onyx sheild against an ivory micarta background that some did not appreciate. For me, it reminded my of the Onyx promise ring my girlfriend (now wife) had given me back in the 80s. The stone had fallen out of the ring somewhere in the Yakima Firing Center when I was on a field exercise. It sits in my drawer, minus the black stone. The knife had triggered some very pleaseing memories, so I had to pick it up.

I know, mushy and long winded, but you asked...
 
For me, I blame you guys with all the nice customs, you know who you are........ kidding. Actually I went straight into custom slip joints without getting into productions first. I kinda wish I did coz I would've learned a lot more about slip joints as a lot of the custom ones are built based on the designs of the old productions. I used to collect production tacticals and after handling a custom tactical, there was no turning back to production knives. I still do buy production slip joints here and there but they just don't quite satisfy after getting spoiled by a well made custom one. That's just my personal opinion and I'm sure some here will disagree. But I must say, I got into slip joints in general only after lurking around here and appreciating the beauty of these knives. Thank you all for this lovely addiction.:)
 
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