Who could make this knife for me?

[Planterz]

I'm sorry if there's an obvious answer to this question, but I'm not well versed with custom knife makers, and even less versed with traditional style knives.

I would really like to have a traditional style slipjoint knife with the following features:

4" closed, give or take .5"
Large clip blade
Large wharncliffe blade
Bottle opener/flathead screwdriver/prybar
Reamer
Nickel silver bolsters
Black lip MOP scales

The blades would need to be high carbon stainless steel (ATS-34 or similar would be ideal). The reamer and can opener could be cannibalized from a Victorinox Soldier if necessary, but I'd obviously prefer something more serious. Solid half-stops on all the blades. I imagine it'd require 3 backsprings, but extra points if it can be made with 2 (would require angling the two large blades so they fit in one slot). Another thing I would require is that the knife has none of the elaborate embellishments that I see on some of these knives. Stuff like fileworking or fluting. I prefer the understated elegance of clean lines and inoccuousness. The obvious exception would be the black lip MOP scales. Maybe a shield on one side for my initials.

Obviously, I wouldn't want this knife to be too expensive. In other words, I'd rather not pay an exorbitant just because it has a particular maker's name on it; I'm looking for a knife to cut things, not to keep under glass, brag about, and sell later for profit because the maker has a 5 year backlog. This is the kind of knife I'd want a grandson to have in 50 years. So I'm willing to spend all the money necessary for such a knife, since over time and use, the initial cost would greatly diffuse and eventually seem insignificant. It'd be quite a while before I have the cash for this sort of thing, so there's no urgency. It's just something that's been on my mind for a couple weeks.

 

[bobterzuola]

Just a few comments on the construction. If you want a screwdriver and pry-bar with reamer you are going to be torquing that knife pretty hard. i would never put pearl of any kind on the handle, especially black lip which tends to come very thin.Masecraft does have a composite black lip but it doesn't contour well. I would also not use nickel for the bolster. Stainless or titanium with micarta would be the way to go. BOB

 

[Kohai999]

But if I was him, I would take a pass on this project.

It is sort of, well, boneheaded.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[ralph.merlino]

Two blades and four tools, it wont be cheap. If anyone can do it well and reasonable it would be John Howser from KY.

 

[Planterz]

Just a few comments on the construction. If you want a screwdriver and pry-bar with reamer you are going to be torquing that knife pretty hard. i would never put pearl of any kind on the handle, especially black lip which tends to come very thin.Masecraft does have a composite black lip but it doesn't contour well. I would also not use nickel for the bolster. Stainless or titanium with micarta would be the way to go. BOB

I hadn't thought about how the MOP would handle twisting/torquing with the reamer or screwdriver. I like how they work on my alox V'noxs, but these are much more "bangable" and disposable than a $X00 custom. I've always wished somebody made custom SAK style knives, but cost is probably too prohibitive for such a thing.

I poked around and couldn't find any examples of John Howser's knives. However, Bill Ruple's work looks amazing. I've fallen in love with the pictures of this stockman. I'd forego the fileworking myself, but everything is just about perfect looking. Maybe a pen blade instead of the spey blade (I don't do much livestock castrating these days). Cost looks very reasonable too (well worth it for a knife of this caliber). I just wish I had the money now.

I'll eventually get one of your knives too, Bob. I've always liked looking at your work.