Why buy factory knives?

A lot of divergent views have been expressed on this subject so far. I can see wanting to support the makers who frequent this board, and that's a good thing. I've tried to express, however poorly, that I support good custom makers, too ... at least in spirit. But I've also tried to point out that many people, no matter how much they may like knives from the custom makers, simply can't support them from a financial standpoint.

I like knives that do the things I require of a knife: beauty is a bonus. There are many great custom knives out there, and many great production knives, too. We each have our reasons for choosing one over the other and, for the most part, we're happy with our decisions. For me, at the moment, any knife that costs over around $60 is out of the question. With luck (like if I start getting some work in), that will change. I have to say though that if I'm going to spend $100 or more on a knife then, yeah, it would probably be a custom. There is no way on earth that I would spend $400 - $500 for a production knife because of a maker's name. Even when I have money, value is important to me. A famous name/cultist/elite knife won't do any better job than a Becker, IMHO.

One thing is clear, though: we all love our knives.
 
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I find it strange that quite a few people here have bought up about flaws on some cheaper custom knives, surface scratches,scuffs and blemishes ! That kinda cosmetic flaw is one of the things that attracts me to these knives, it gives them a hand made, traditional, rustic kinda look that sets them apart from the machine polished blades of the production knives !
Now if you are talking about uneven grinds etc then that's a different matter as that will affect the performance, with that regard I have had more uneven grinds on my production knives than on my customs !!!!
 
pitdog said:
I find it strange that quite a few people here have bought up about flaws on some cheaper custom knives, surface scratches,scuffs and blemishes ! That kinda cosmetic flaw is one of the things that attracts me to these knives, it gives them a hand made, traditional, rustic kinda look that sets them apart from the machine polished blades of the production knives !
Now if you are talking about uneven grinds etc then that's a different matter as that will affect the performance, with that regard I have had more uneven grinds on my production knives than on my customs !!!!
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There is no art, without flaws. I agree with you that it is those very irregularities that give a knife — or any art — character. If I were buying a custom, hand made knife, then I would expect to see those things as proof of the hand that made it.
 
dawsonbob said:
There is no art, without flaws. I agree with you that it is those very irregularities that give a knife — or any art — character. If I were buying a custom, hand made knife, then I would expect to see those things as proof of the hand that made it.
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Some of my favorite knives are ones that are "as forged". I love the hammer marks and the finish. I'm picturing Magnussen's knives as I'm typing this and I don't think there are many flaws but there are a lot of tool marks.
 
protourist said:
Some of my favorite knives are ones that are "as forged". I love the hammer marks and the finish. I'm picturing Magnussen's knives as I'm typing this and I don't think there are many flaws but there are a lot of tool marks.
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Sorry. When I said flaws, I was thinking in terms of less than perfect finish — all those things that occur when you're making something by hand. Forge marks would certainly qualify.
 
No apology needed. I agree with you in many ways.
 
Personally I have stopped buying mass produced knives.

My first rule is to buy knives made in America.

As close as I come to “production” knives are knives from Bob Dozier and Bark River, and most of those are “custom” in one way or another.

I really dig one-off knives from the smaller makers, and most of those guys will tailor a knife just for me.

When it come to price, I have just purchased fewer knives as money has got tight, even selling off the ones I don’t use; better to have a few great knives then lots of so-so knives.

Lately I have become my own favorite maker, nothing like cheap knives made just the way you want them.

But the one thing I don’t skimp on is heat treatment. That’s where I spend a few extra bucks, whether I buy a finished knife or send a blank out for treatment, the most important thing for me is how it performs.

There is lots of talk about this steel and that steel, but no blade is any better then the quality of it heat treatment.
 
I own and will continue to buy both. But I don't like getting characterized as a Nan in a shed, or the insinuation that my work is home baked. Use knives you're comfortable using, but why try to paint an honest professon with unnecessary prejudices.
 
And as to flaws, I have always been able to find them in every knife. Both custom and production. Barkies, Busses, Kabars, all of them.
 
Fiddleback said:
I own and will continue to buy both. But I don't like getting characterized as a Nan in a shed, or the insinuation that my work is home baked. Use knives you're comfortable using, but why try to paint an honest professon with unnecessary prejudices.
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Just admit what a sorry excuse for knives your work is Andy and send them all to me ASAP for disposal....especially your EDC models !!!!:D
 
Got one in Cocobolo I'll be finishing next week.
 
Fiddleback said:
I own and will continue to buy both. But I don't like getting characterized as a Nan in a shed, or the insinuation that my work is home baked. Use knives you're comfortable using, but why try to paint an honest professon with unnecessary prejudices.
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? I don't know which posts you're referring to, but certainly not to mine. Just because I can't afford anything of your caliber doesn't mean that I look down on it.
 
Fiddleback said:
I own and will continue to buy both. But I don't like getting characterized as a Nan in a shed, or the insinuation that my work is home baked. Use knives you're comfortable using, but why try to paint an honest professon with unnecessary prejudices.
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I can't imagine anyone seeing your work and characterizing it as anything but beautiful. What you do with wood and steel is amazing.:thumbup:
 
I buy factory knives such as busse and bussekin b/c they simply ROCK, and for the warranty. Same goes for Rat Cutlery. Theres also no waiting list.

I also am planning to buy customs. So, I buy both!
 
There's alway's gonna be a Market for both, Custom Knive's and Production Knive's, Even Custom Maker's buy Production Knive's, To me a Forged Knife by a Blacksmith Is Truly a Work Of Art, And from an ABS Blacksmith a Knife Is Not gonna be Cheap, Even a Stock Removal Made Knife Is a Work of Art and I agree that a Knife not properly Hardened & Tempered Is gonna be a Bad piece of Steel, The Hand Made Knife has been around Longer than Any Production Knife, And If our Economy keep's going Down Hill, The Hand Made/Custom will be around when all Factory's are Broke and Done Dealing, I'll keep Buying Both, As far as Custom Folder's there Nice but I agree I'll stick with a Good Case XX or another Maker which was Old Timer Uncle Henry Untill they went the way Of China ! As far as Fixed Blade's I'll Buy Both, But prefer a Good Well Made Custom when It come's to Fixed Blade's, But I'll still buy a Production Fixed Blade, We all have different Taste In Knive's In both Style & Manufacture, Go with what you like, What Is the sence In Arguing over something like this ? Buy & Use what you Like "That Is The Whole Thing In The Nut Shell !" But for a Knife Enthusiest/User & Collector's to get In this Topic and Cut Down a Custom Made Knife because It Doesnt Cost as Much as a Prodution Knife, Or a Knife Makers Standard's arent as High as other Maker's, Just aint right, That's why we have ABS Master's and Apprentice Knife Maker's and People/Knife maker's who do Work In the Shed/Garage and make there Knive's, That's what Home Made & Good Ol Fashioned American Craftsman Made Product's are all about, I personally like Hand Made Good's Forged Steel & Beautiful Wood just make a Beautiful Combination, Hand Made Bow's/Primitive I'd Buy any Day over a Compound Bow, To Each there own, Buy What You Like, And Enjoy and use what you Buy ! All the Custom Knife Maker's I Deal With Stand Behind there Knive's 110% And I Trust them over any Corporation Who Is In It "Just For The Money" They Say If It Break's Send It In We'll Give you a New One ! Hell The Shipping Cost more than the Knife Is Worth ! Just Buy another one and your Good to Go !
 
I find that I'm selling or giving away my production knives. I use my 'custom' or shop-made knives more. I don't think they are that much more expensive than good production blades. They have character. They are well made. If I have a problem, I can call the guy who made it. How many things in this world are like that anymore? How cool is it to be able to send Christof an e-mail and ask a question or suggest a change? Custom knife: $120.00, shipping: $7.50, talking to the maker: priceless.

Production knives tend to be a bit more robotic. My RC-4 is a heck of a nice knife, but it doesn't hold a candle to my Brian Goode 4" companion. Sorry. I love my Izulas, but there is something special about my JK EWOK or Newberry EDC. A knife is a knife, but a knife with soul.....

 
plumberroy said:
I wish a lot more people on the web got this point. More on the gun forum than here. some one gets on to ask about a inexpensive gun or knife , most of the time you can tell their young. and some (excuse my french) asshole born with a silver spoon stuck up their ass tells them it is a piece of crap and not worth having instead of trying to help them work with what they have. they get the it doesn't take that long to save to buy the $500 one :mad: when saving $30 for a knife or $60 for a used single shot took months
Roy
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:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Had both, used to own a knife shop. I use Fallkniven exclusively now and a little Case Canoe in C.V or a GEC That my girl bought me.

Customs are nice, but I am fussy as hell and if it looks like the maker didnt pay as much attention to F&F as I would have liked them to, well, I am going to have a sense of humour failure.

If I have a failure with a Fallkniven, it goes to Peter the owner, who, will make it right immediately.

On the other hand, I had a handmade from David Mosier and ended up through my own stupidity, taking a nickle size chunk out of the blade. I mentioned it to him in passing and damned if he didnt send me a new one for a silly low price, I mean so low that he had to have worked for free or less.
 
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