When is a production knife better than a Custom?

golok

golok

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Somewhere along the line, or sometimes during a conversation about our favourite subject, someone will start comparing the attributes of a finely produced production to a custom knife.

With technology and other superior materials, production knives have climbed several notches up the quality ladder.

I for one don't frown on production knives at all. I am constantly amazed how good they are becoming.

Is it possible to focus on those areas where a production knife can surpass a custom knife in quality?
 
They can produce far more knives that any custom maker (or all of htem). While this is self-evident, it is important because when they do something good, they can increase awareness and interest in high-quality knives more broadly and quickly than the entire custom knifemaker market. All boats rise on that tide.


I think that while the production companies can't really do better than the best or very best custom makers, the small shop production companies easily make knives of more consistent and higher quality than most custom makers. This is likely more true in folders than in straight knives.
 
Well said Architect! Sometimes I buy a custom knife that might have some flaws just to support a new maker. One thing I have noticed though is that for multiblades (or slip joints) the vast majority of custom versions even by makers just entering the genre are heads above the factory ones.

As far as other folders there are quite a few (much more than a handfull of makers) that consistantly out do even the small production companies, but the companies such as William Henry, CRK, Lone Wolf and others coupled with midtech Lines from Simonich, Onion and Branton have certainly raised the bar for many makers. Also many of the maker/factory collaborations have had a strong influence on quality coming out of the larger companies. It is a great time in the knife industry, there is a lot of quality out there at all the price points (both custom, semi-production and production).
 
There are two areas that a production knife will outstrip a custom. First, you can lose or destroy a production knife and not have a major financial upset to replace it. This is an important consideration to many people. Second is service. A custom knife will be serviced only as long as the maker is still working. If you purchase from a company with a long history, you can be better assured that you will get service for the long haul.
 
I have to agree with Architect. Chris Reeve and William Henry are great examples of smaller companies that make knives that are better in fit and finish that 95% of customs.

Frankly, many factory knives are better than many
custom knives. Remember, not all customs are made equal. I have handled many custom knives that would have never gotten past CRK&T's quality control, let alone higher end factories. A custom by a good maker is a great knife just like a factory knife by a good factory is a good knife. It's the shaky makers and factories that you have to watch out for.
 
I would say that a factory knife is better than a custom when it delivers equal or greater performance for less cost.

Things such as "relationship with the maker" and "soul of the blade" may be important to some people, but in an onjective functional sense they are quite worthless.

If you show me a $70 factory knife and a $300 custom and the factory knife can do everything as well or better than the custom can then I think that it is clearly better.

If a $20 hammer drives nails just as well as a $50 hammer, which one is better?
 
One place that production knives are superior is in consistency of construction. Due to the automated production techniques used all the production knives of a certain model will be just like the next, within accepted limits. This would be impossible for a custom maker to do without the help of laser or water cutters, CAD programs and CNC machines. Most custom makers can't afford these tools.

Another area where production knives have an advantage is in cost. Due to economies of scale, production knives can be made for less than custom knives. When you are buying your materials in small quantities, they cost a lot more.
 
You know Keith, I think it's those very imperfections that draw us to certain makers.

I think of it as each maker putting a piece of themselves into the design and the steel itself. Just as each person is uniquely flawed in their own way, each knife holds it's own set of characteristics.

Care and precision, and much patience, turn steel into a blade, and from a blade to a piece of the knife maker's sprit.

Knives with sprit are fine knives indeed.

Ahh, the beauty of function.
 
Originally posted by Nic Ramirez
You know Keith, I think it's those very imperfections that draw us to certain makers.

I think of it as each maker putting a piece of themselves into the design and the steel itself. Just as each person is uniquely flawed in their own way, each knife holds it's own set of characteristics.

Care and precision, and much patience, turn steel into a blade, and from a blade to a piece of the knife maker's sprit.

Knives with sprit are fine knives indeed.

Ahh, the beauty of function.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more.
 
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