Why do I have no desire to buy a custom/handmade knife??

[kamagong]

Whatever floats your boat. I have no desire to own 500 knives. I'd rather own a few really nice ones.

How much did those 500 knives cost you? Could've bought some customs with that money.

 

[farokhsidhwa]

With all due respect, that makes it sound as if one cannot buy an inexpensive workhorse custom. Plenty of customs are made to work hard. Really hard. Also, custom does not necessarily mean super high price tag. You can get a custom from someone like Big Chris that uses the most high end steels available and still be in the same ball park as a high quality production.

This is so true. People spending 200$ for production CTS-XHP do not understand the custom market, and people don't understand that "supersteels" in production folders are not even close to custom heat treated supersteels. Big Chris will make you a custom k390/s110v slicer for like 300. There are a lot of steels that just aren't in production....let alone the exponentially better heat treat.

 

[bpeezer]

This is so true. People spending 200$ for production CTS-XHP do not understand the custom market, and people don't understand that "supersteels" in production folders are not even close to custom heat treated supersteels. Big Chris will make you a custom k390/s110v slicer for like 300. There are a lot of steels that just aren't in production....let alone the exponentially better heat treat.

For me, it's more about aesthetics than performance. Yes, I know I can get a $150 custom that will probably outperform my entire collection of production knives. I happen to be the kind of weirdo that prefers the appearance of a CNC formed knife over that of a hand made one. I would rather have my edges chamfered than hand rounded. I like that the design can go through several iterations in the computer before it is made. I totally respect makers that do everything by hand, and I understand that the vast majority of people might prefer a knife that was made that way. Custom handmade is just not my style.

But custom machine made? Now there's a concept I can get on board with

 

[Locutus D'Borg]

rolex, I think the dissatisfaction some have with custom makers stems from 2 causes:

1) They take on too much work, get bogged down, and don't keep up with email. Remember, they not only have to make the knives, they have to do spa treatments and repairs to previously ordered knives. A lot of pressure.
2) Being physically oriented, working with hands, etc., they may be less gifted in the social skills/communications category. Their personality may not be suited to the business aspect of orders, updates, schedules, etc. This is common with artists. The good ones recognize this and hire someone good at the business side of things, and good at customer interface.

Most popular makers have closed their books as they are years away from finishing some orders. I own 2 customs, which are superior to mid-techs, and I paid extra to buy them from dealers. No waiting for years for my order to come up, and no stress over dealing with makers who don't respond. Yeah, for customs, dealers are the way to go, or sales forums like here.

Well, that could be...who are the right ones? Are there makers out there who make titanium frame lock flippers who will work with you on the choice of blade and scale materials and finish? Who are taking orders now and can deliver a finished product in maybe 30-60 days time? Is that asking too much?

 

[evanPGH]

rolex, I think the dissatisfaction some have with custom makers stems from 2 causes:

1) They take on too much work, get bogged down, and don't keep up with email. Remember, they not only have to make the knives, they have to do spa treatments and repairs to previously ordered knives. A lot of pressure.
2) Being physically oriented, working with hands, etc., they may be less gifted in the social skills/communications category. Their personality may not be suited to the business aspect of orders, updates, schedules, etc. This is common with artists. The good ones recognize this and hire someone good at the business side of things, and good at customer interface.

Most popular makers have closed their books as they are years away from finishing some orders. I own 2 customs, which are superior to mid-techs, and I paid extra to buy them from dealers. No waiting for years for my order to come up, and no stress over dealing with makers who don't respond. Yeah, for customs, dealers are the way to go, or sales forums like here.

And I'm gonna completely flip that around...

To me, one of the most important aspects of owning a custom knife is the relationship with the maker. Ive never had one not respond to me in a reasonable amount of time and in fact, they are usually very prompt and love to chat with you as well because that is their business. They work directly with people and depend largely on individuals to support their products.

I strongly urge going straight through the maker. Itll be exactly how you want it and you'll pay less. Sure there will be a wait but thats part of the fun, at least for me (a year plus wait can be hard to live with though). But most importantly you'll develop a relationship with the person making your knife and that is far more valuable than taking delivery a little sooner.

Also, your second "cause" is 100% ridiculous. To make that broad of a generalization about a certain profession or personality is foolish.

 

[Stays Sharp]

In general (there are always exceptions to the rule) custom knives are ground thinner (better geometry) and have a more optimal heat treat.

Both of these because they can take more risk in heat treating a blade. If a custom maker messes up he loses 1 blade in heat treat. If a factory messes up they lose hundreds.

THAT is why most custom knives will out perform most factory knives.

Yes, and another thing with custom thin grinds, offering such thin grinds can become a liability to companies. Example is the Spyderco SouthFork, Phil Wilson was willing to have the edge ground thinner on it like his custom SF's but as much as thinner geometries make more sense for what knives are meant to do, they chose to have the grinds thicker to make it more idiot proof.

 

[sodak]

Keep in mind that it's a lot easier to criticize a knife from a company rather than from a custom maker. Especially if that maker is a member of this forum. People get offended real quick when you criticize their work, and once friendships are built, their buddies tend to pile on top of the person with the complaint as well. That is a serious disincentive around here. Plus, it's viewed as a personal attack on someone's livelihood.

I've even had forumites tell me privately that even though the heat treat is messed up, they won't say a word because they are friends with the maker, and he's a good guy.

I've had both good and bad experiences with customs. These days, there are only a couple that I deal with (and have dealt with for a long time), I'm just not interested in opening a can of worms with somebody that I don't know.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Keep in mind that it's a lot easier to criticize a knife from a company rather than from a custom maker. Especially if that maker is a member of this forum. People get offended real quick when you criticize their work, and once friendships are built, their buddies tend to pile on top of the person with the complaint as well. That is a serious disincentive around here. Plus, it's viewed as a personal attack on someone's livelihood.

I've even had forumites tell me privately that even though the heat treat is messed up, they won't say a word because they are friends with the maker, and he's a good guy.

I've had both good and bad experiences with customs. These days, there are only a couple that I deal with (and have dealt with for a long time), I'm just not interested in opening a can of worms with somebody that I don't know.

I can't speak to that directly, because I've never had it happen or noticed it. The logic sounds totally plausible though because the foundation is based on human nature.

What I HAVE noticed with the makers here that present their work for peer review is a fairly brutal tendency to offer criticism, constructive, and sometimes not. The makers that I respect most roll with the punches and take the constructive criticism to heart. The makers that I've seen do this want to make the absolute highest quality pieces that are available at any price.

Take Aaron Gough for example. That guy makes beautiful knives at a fair price and he tests the crap out of, well, everything. He'll break a blade just to see how well the scales stay attached with a certain epoxy or fastener. It costs a lot in time and materials to do that kind of stuff.

Asking for who does the best work, or who does the most testing, who is most trustworthy... I could give you MY opinion, but that would rob you of the fun in researching it for yourself.

A good place to start is by looking at the hosted knifemaker boards. Those guys pony up the cash for those because they want you to see their work, want to get to know you, want to give you a really easy way to find them, want to be asked all of these questions you're asking from the wrong people... It will take you just a little while to see who makes titanium folders, who makes a killer bushcraft knife, etc...

There's nothing wrong with a thread like this. I sample the opinions of my peers constantly. Just remember that grievances are often an isolated case. More often people are happy to share their negative experiences rather than the good ones. That too is human nature.

 

[KnifeyMcStab]

I've had customs and most of the time there are flaws. Take price out of the equation and more often than not I'd rather have a small micarta 21 over most customs.

 

[blame it on god]

So many great production knives at a reasonable price.

Though if funds permitted I would love to have an exact replica of the predator machete made of INFI.

 

[HwangJino]

I've had customs and most of the time there are flaws. Take price out of the equation and more often than not I'd rather have a small micarta 21 over most customs.

My stand on this issue as well.

 

[Firestrike]

I'm very much into cutlery. In fact, I just made a list of all the knives I have had in my lifetime and it is nearing the 500 mark. Of all the knives I have had, and of all the knives I want to own in the future, I seem to have no desire to buy a custom/handmade. Why is this? I can see the draw, to have a knife made exactly to your specs, to have something no one else has, or to get a knife that someone put a small part of their life into making....but I'm still not sold.

Frankly, most production knives serve my purposes well. Some of my favorite knives are lightweight FRN handled folders and I see very few, if any, custom makers produce these type of knives. Also, many production companies test their knives in various ways before releasing them. If you have a one-of-a-kind custom made, how can you be sure of the quality? Then there is the price. With newer steels, tighter tolerances, and modern manufacturing technology, I feel I can get a comparable factory knife for a lot less than a custom knife with a warranty (usually) to back my purchase up.

Unless it is an art-knife or a special blade specifically intended to be passed down as an heirloom, I just don't have any interest in buying a custom/handmade, regardless of price. Am I crazy ,or does anyone else share the same opinion?

I appreciate the detail and time going into a custom, but honestly (and I feel really bad about saying this) most production companies will get a blade to you much quicker, sometimes (most times) with better materials at a better price.

 

[Pete_H]

Original post made me think "Why are you even writing something like this?", then I thought of Fry....

 

[WRGreen]

Of course, one cannot take the aesthetic choices of a few forum thread jockeys to get a true cross section of demographics, but it almost makes me wonder if certain aspects of the '1984' scenario have slipped into our subconscious collective. While it can be argued that there has never been a greater level of quality, design, function and instant availability of factory produced knives in our history, it makes me sad when I feel that the world is taken over by mass production, mass consumption, the reliance on the latest geegaw and tech, or the newest, faster, superstuff-lined ne-plus-ultra object-du-jour comes a-knockin' and don't worry, cause if it sucks, you can just bitch and dive into warranty land, and achieve a hive-like comfort and happiness level from it. To me, a real knife, made by hand, even batch-made by a group of craftsmen still has a more meaningful projection of the relationship between the tool use activity and its spot in our journey through life experience than a blank cut from a machine. The personal touch of the craftsman gives an extra intent, providing a more readily projected animism to the inanimate object of the tool, and, to me anyway, a more visceral relation to the tool use event. Handmade and custom knives are also better and more easily obtained than ever in history, and one of the last bastions of the everyday man to actually own and use something truly unique and special. The factory job can be 'made yours' by 'custom' grips,etc., and of course battle scars, resharpening and refinishing with patination, but it still only carrys the corporate name. I'm sure Big Brother loves you, as long as you keep feeding him money and working on your next '500'. Anonymity through commonality seem to be a by-product of our age, and fantasies of apocolypse prepping and doomsday heroics become reaction events in our psyche. We become the zombie hoard, through our anonymous, faceless submission. Cheers! now go cut something!

 

[sunandsteel]

I wouldn't consider buying a custom knife until I become proficient at sharpening a knife, understanding different steels, materials, and what type of knife works best for me. If you can't sharpen a knife properly, what's the point of buying a custom? That's like buying a Harley Davidson before learning how to ride a motorcycle. I'm happy with my production knives at this time and have alot to learn before the word custom enters my mind, if it does at all. My wallet dictates a lot.

 

[mmarkh]

I'm very much into cutlery. In fact, I just made a list of all the knives I have had in my lifetime and it is nearing the 500 mark. Of all the knives I have had, and of all the knives I want to own in the future, I seem to have no desire to buy a custom/handmade. Why is this? I can see the draw, to have a knife made exactly to your specs, to have something no one else has, or to get a knife that someone put a small part of their life into making....but I'm still not sold.

Frankly, most production knives serve my purposes well. Some of my favorite knives are lightweight FRN handled folders and I see very few, if any, custom makers produce these type of knives. Also, many production companies test their knives in various ways before releasing them. If you have a one-of-a-kind custom made, how can you be sure of the quality? Then there is the price. With newer steels, tighter tolerances, and modern manufacturing technology, I feel I can get a comparable factory knife for a lot less than a custom knife with a warranty (usually) to back my purchase up.

Unless it is an art-knife or a special blade specifically intended to be passed down as an heirloom, I just don't have any interest in buying a custom/handmade, regardless of price. Am I crazy ,or does anyone else share the same opinion?

You aren't crazy at all. There are many extremely high quality production knives being made. That said, usually maker reputation will indicate quality. The new guys on the block are usually reasonably priced but the more reputation lots of times equates to more $. Myself, I just love some of the offerings from some of these guys and will get a few when money allows.

 

[McVeyMac]

In my knife evolution, I began with folders, predominantly because of my workplace. I then started thinking about what if I slide off the road and I am placed into a survival situation? So I started getting into mor expensive folders that would be able to perform better. Then it dawned on me that even small fixed blades are far more capable than even the beefiest, most expensive folder made, and mostly at a fraction of the cost. Now I use and EDC only fixed blades.

I have four kitchen knives that were hand forged and hand made in the Japanese tradition using White #1 or Super Blue. I have not paid more than $500 on any of them. But these knives are excellent cutters designed for the kithen. And they are very good at whet they are designed to do. Better than anything i have used previously, by far. I now own more than 10 hand made hunting, bushcraft, and survival knives, and each one has a story behind it. A maker who imparted the heat treatment, the grind, the handle and fit everything together to exacting tolerances. And these knives did not cost appreciably more than some of the higher end fixed blade makers. They are every bit as capable to thump on, and they all have a story to tell. I will probably never purchase another production knife, not that they are not good, they are just not for me. I have come to love the stories too much. And I am not talking about the stories regarding stealing designs, lying about military service, jail time, and fraud that the production community seems to tell over and over. This is my evolution. I will continue to use my production knives until they are no longer serviceable, or I will give them to family and friends. But, I cannot envision a situation where I will purchase one for personal use again.

 

[22-rimfire]

With custom folders, I find it difficult to research custom makers very well. But I guess it depends on what you call research. I see pictures and people mostly saying how wonderful they are, and that is about it for the most part. Actually choosing a particular maker to build you a knife is a tough choice for me and one I feel like I'm stepping off into the unknown ultimately. Some call that fun, I call that "nervous" when you're spending $500 or more for a particular knife. It is a lot about your financial ability, how close you guard the coins you have, and experience.

It has been only in the last couple of years that I have been willing to spend $100-$150 on a GEC knife. Consider that when trying to decide to spend $500 or more for a single slip joint.

 

[CRKDMike]

I'm very much into cutlery. In fact, I just made a list of all the knives I have had in my lifetime and it is nearing the 500 mark. Of all the knives I have had, and of all the knives I want to own in the future, I seem to have no desire to buy a custom/handmade. Why is this? I can see the draw, to have a knife made exactly to your specs, to have something no one else has, or to get a knife that someone put a small part of their life into making....but I'm still not sold.

Frankly, most production knives serve my purposes well. Some of my favorite knives are lightweight FRN handled folders and I see very few, if any, custom makers produce these type of knives. Also, many production companies test their knives in various ways before releasing them. If you have a one-of-a-kind custom made, how can you be sure of the quality? Then there is the price. With newer steels, tighter tolerances, and modern manufacturing technology, I feel I can get a comparable factory knife for a lot less than a custom knife with a warranty (usually) to back my purchase up.

Unless it is an art-knife or a special blade specifically intended to be passed down as an heirloom, I just don't have any interest in buying a custom/handmade, regardless of price. Am I crazy ,or does anyone else share the same opinion?

You seem to be a quantity over quality type person, maybe that's why you're not sold on customs. There is nothing wrong with that, but that is likely why you have owned 500+ knives, and have no interest in custom knives.

Knifemakers can test their products just the same as larger companies can. There are lots of videos of users testing knives on youtube, and Lon Humphrey has several videos of him testing his products. You can be sure of quality because of the reputation of the maker, and his history of success. There would be no reason for people to keep coming back for more if the product wasn't of high quality.

You can definitely get the same materials from a production knife, at a cheaper price than a custom. That is because of the amount of overhead combined with the amount of knives that a production company can spit out. Simple accounting. However, as stated earlier, all production companies started as smaller companies, and if no one supported them in those earlier stages then they would not have grown to be a huge company. There is a certain amount of pride that comes with owning a custom knife that you just cannot get from owning a production knife. I will choose to give my money to the local artist who makes comparable quality products over the big companies anyday when it comes to certain things that I appreciate. For items or industries that I don't care about, I usually turn to the big companies.

Oh and most if not all reputable makers will offer a warranty that is comparable if not better than most larger companies.

You likely have no desire to own a custom because you havn't exposed yourself to that world yet, or you havn't accumulated the palate for it. It is an acquired taste for sure.

Why do people buy Ferraris when they can get from point A to point B with a Ford Focus? Because they can afford and justify buying a Ferrari.

Your income, and ability to spend will dictate your preferences and purchases.

 

[Lee D]

I cant really compare customs to production knives simply because I only own a couple customs and that's a very small sample of the market out there. BUT what I will say is that I have had several conversations thru emails/phone calls with some of the makers on here and it has been nothing but a positive experience. ive made it clear that I wasn't ready to buy anything yet, but all of them were more than willing to answer any questions I had and even shoot the breeze a bit. im sure there are a-holes out there, but im yet to find a maker who was.