Where production and custom $$ overlap

Boink

Boink

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Jun 6, 2002
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For some time now, there have been production knives with prices approaching or equalling that of custom, and custom knives approaching the costs of some production models. So there is a dollar figure range in which a person could choose either a custom or production knife.

If someone had limited funds and just wanted to get one knife, what would be the advantages or disadvantages of getting eigher type of knife?
(this discussion for the moment disregards any particular knife, be it a fixed blade or a folder, nor for any particular use)
 
It all depends on the particular knife in question. I've seen customs that were no where near as cool as some production knives and vica versa.
 
With Custom knives you can have a "One on One" with the maker. Making changes in a design is easy! Try that with Buck, Cold Steel, Busse Etc.
 
Most custom makers will stand behind their work as much or more than a production company will. There is no "limited lifetime warranty" ,they do whatever they can to make things right, and if you did something wrong they will usually fix it for little or no cost. And you can bet that any edge they send out they are willing to resharpen. Some production companies don't offer a sharpening service,and some of the ones that do, won't sharpen serrations.
So theres alot to be said for having a handmade knife. You also get something different. You can pick out your style, and usually have modifications made so its exactly how you want it.
 
A lot of time you can get features on the custom that you can't get on the production, due to limits in automation. One is the "lengthwise" scratch pattern created by a hand rubbed finish, while machines produce a scratch pattern going across the blade. There are many "little" things, like rounding over corners, having a bit more curve to the handle, special handle material, etc. that make the customs worth while. Ultimately, you should buy the knife that appeals to you, as buying a custom just because it is a custom isn't a good idea.
 
Boink, I think that if you decide to get a lower end custom, the best way to insure a good purchase is to deal directly with the maker. It has been my experience that often, the lower end customs offered over the net may not have the best fit and finish or solid lock up. Of course, this is not true of all makers. For instance, P.J. Tomes and Mike Obenauf make great knives for under $300. That said, factory knives in the $175-350 range almost always have great fit and finish.
 
I must say that there is almost no reason to go for a high end production knife when you can get a quality knife from Mike Obenauf. As the son-in-law of Kit Carson his knives are suppossed to be very good. I'm getting a framelock from him in a couple weeks. Sebenzas are great knives too and will have the quality of a custom.
 
When it is possible to get fixed blades from makers like George Tichbourne, Geno Denning, Sean Kendrick and BOB Dozier (there are many other fine makers that produce knives in this price range as well) for the prices that you can it would seem to me that custom makers offer a great alternative to manufacturers, even when it comes to knives that are under one hundred dollars. These knives offer variety and because you can work with the maker, you can end up with a knife that is more to your personal taste.

Top end production knives can be awesome. I love many of the knives from Chris Reeve, William Henry, Busse, Randall, Fehrman, Strider and the like. There are many even lower priced production knives that offer tremendous value for the money. They are consistant in their build quality and often use very high quality materials.

My preferrence is for forged fixed blade knives. It is important to me to have some input into the knife that I am going to end up owning. For these reasons I work with custom makers. Getting to know and quite often become friends with the person that makes my knives is also one of the reasons that custom knives appeal to me so much. The world of custom knives has much to do with the personal relationships that take place between the future owner of the knife and the maker.

Become as educated as you can about the knives available in the price range that you are interested in; both custom and production. Handle as many as you can. Get a good idea for the quality that they offer. If you can attend knife shows, do so. At the bigger shows you will get to see and handle the knives of both custom makers, and the manufacturers of high quality production knive. At the smaller shows you will quite often get to see many of the less well known makers. That means that you will see many good quality, low priced custom knives. You will also sometimes get to see lower quality knives and will learn to be able to easily tell the difference.

One disadvantage of custom knives is that generally you will have to wait a while to get one, though not any longer than you will have to wait to a knife from Randall. Other companies such as: William Henry, Busse, Chris Reeve, Marble's and Strider will sometimes have quite long waits for knives as well. Generally though, production knives are available faster than custom ones. If you are going to need to save up some money to get the knife, then this can be a good thing.
 
I have to say, I'm partial to custom knives. Espescially these days where some production knives are common and yet still cost so much.

Cost aside though, its almost like many production knives have no soul to themselves, no originality. I dunno, but for the price of a LOT of custom knives these days...I dont think you should have a hard time choosing. Plus a custom is something you can be proud to own, or hand down to your son.

Of course, I'm could be a little biased. :)
 
Good question....answer = it depends! Quality fit and finish on many high end production knives, is easily equal to most middle and lower end custom folders I've seen. The difference is in the ability work with the maker to personalize the knife the way you want it, with different handle materials, blade materials, shapes, specifications, decorations, etc... I think if a high end production knife fits your needs, and has options that satisfy you wants, (for example, to my way of thinking the Microtech LCC D/A, and Sebenza come pretty close to my vision of what an EDC folder should be), then you should buy these. I bought and frequently carry both of those I've mentioned above. When ordering one of these, you don't have to wonder what you'll wind up with, and most have worked out significant deficiencies, and refined their design in advance, through repetition, until the end product is about as close to a commonly accepted vision of "excellent", as a knife can get.

If you want art, or something different or unique, as I want a slightly smaller folder, with conservative clip or spear point blade, but with extensive and well executed file work and stag handles, perhaps even engraving. Then custom is the way to go! It's important to choose a knifemaker who's tastes match your own. Commissioning a custom knife, is a real leap of faith. After all, even if you can interact with the maker directly, they are starting with a pretty much blank palette, and have only their perception, of what you say you want, to direct them. It's their vision, and their experience, not yours, driving their creative process, and exerting complete control over every stage of production. You can't, and even if you could, shouldn't, try to exert this kind of control. All you can do is pray the hundreds of small decisions he will make while creating your knife, will result in a knife that will suit your tastes. For example, Striders and Terzuola's are excellent knives, and highly prized by their owners, but many of the one's I've seen just don't suit my tastes, W.D.Pease's or D.Heathcoat's work or even a small Carson #4 Clip point would come much closer to satisfying my personal tastes.
 
I'd go for a custom almost every time. The only time I wouldn't go custom is if I greatly wanted a specific feature that happened to be patented by a manufacturer. Say, if I really wanted a Spyderco round opening hole or Benchmade Axis lock. Unless a custom maker licensed that feature, I’d have to go production, which isn’t really all that bad. There are also some features that custom makers just really don’t do, like a saw blade if you wanted them to make a custom SAK style knife. I’d guess that not too many custom makers have experience at making small saws.

But, for the most part, I’d aim for a custom.
 
After Vegas Classic I have a hard time even handling productions...being able to actually TALK one on one with the makers is an added bonus . From the show I can tell I have to get another Blackwoood , Rinaldi , Simonich , Ferret , Irie folder , Cook Hunter , and some of Eric Blairs cool toys before this year is up.

Thank god there is VISA ! :D

Only costs a bit more to go first class....( though I think I will keep my Sebenza though for now since I already have it , but if I didnt have it before the show I would have went custom instead ) .

just one mans opinion.
 
This is a very good question. As a fairly new (about 5 years now) bladesmith, I think both the customer and the maker benefit from the current state of the market.

Production knives are getting very good and pretty inexpensive. This forces knife makers to do one of two things: offer good knives at a reasonable price in order to compete with the factory knives, or make knives so excellent that they justify a large gap in price between their own work and the factory knives. The customer may choose either one,but either way s/he wins.

On the other hand, since their are so many good new makers, factories cannot sell average knives at high prices. If they try to do this, educated customers will opt for hand made knives. Thus they must either lower their prices or up their quality. Again, the customer benefits.

I would always go with the hand made knife, all other things being equal. But that is just my personal preference. You have many good options from which to choose.

John
 
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