Why do makers name their knives?

K

Kim Breed

Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
388
I can understand that your knives are like children to you but some of the names are way out there. I use model numbers on every thing except when I do a high end custom order. Why do you name your knives? :cool:
 
It's much easier to refer to something I make by name, rather than description.

I dont make the same thing twice, so a model number wouldn't work.
 
Kim-

Personally, I think it's pretty silly. I had to start doing it for Bladegallery, as they always wanted a name for each knife.

Sometimes it's just kind'a fun... like naming Randy Morgan's big camp knife the Morgan Valley Camp knife :)

There are a lot of guys that I think are doing us makers a disservice with their choice of names. You have men like Don Fogg that has been struggling for years to get the general public to recognize knifemaking as a mainstream art.... then some guy with a chip on his shoulder comes along and sells the Mall Ninja Murderous Death Star... :rolleyes:

Of course those guys proll'y care less about knifemaking being accepted in any form...

But it's still my opinion :)

It's pretty easy to names knives around here for outdoor use, there are so many creeks, bluffs, and ridges around the mountains here that you just borrow their name :D

-Nick-
 
I just enjoy naming knives, and I'm too stupid to remember model numbers. :D
 
Like Mark, every knife I make is different. I don't use patterns, although I guess I will make similar knives in a pattern, but they're all freehand. I think it's a lot easier for someone to remember one of my knives based on the goofball names I give them than by a model number. "Tactical Orange Peeler" just sticks with you better than "Model 4" I guess. I like the names to be a little off the wall and a little weird, which is how I am, I suppose. I would like to make a knife called the Super Tactical Death Ninja, but it just hasn't come up yet. :grumpy:
 
I like to make ethnically-inspired knives...so I use the traditional names whenever I can. That, and "functional" names...hunter, sticker, fighter, etc.

It does feel strange to me to try to come up with a name....I have a hard time with it. The ones that do have "given" names (in my lineup) where created by the owners themselves (thank goodness).
 
I am not particularly creative faor names but have found that a name is good for reference. Most of the time, I stick with a name that relates to the knife´s shape or relates to its making in some way. For my Spartan line, I have chosen to use Brazilian wild animals names according to the knife´s characteristics.
Every now and then, a customer who orders a special knife suggsts a name for it and I am always glad to accept.
But of course, maybe I am wrong and "Psycho Terminator on Steroyds" may fit well my next creation and make its sales skyrockets, even though for the non-iniciated in the Mall Ninja secret arts it looks like a plain utility knife...
 
Because nobody told me it was stupid to. Now its too late and I'm still stupid.

I am pretty good at naming cats though. Of that Gizmo is my latest. Hey, I never wrote it to see what Gizmo looks like in print. I think I'll name a knife that.

RL
 
Chiro75 said:
Like Mark, every knife I make is different. I don't use patterns, although I guess I will make similar knives in a pattern, but they're all freehand. I think it's a lot easier for someone to remember one of my knives based on the goofball names I give them than by a model number. "Tactical Orange Peeler" just sticks with you better than "Model 4" I guess. I like the names to be a little off the wall and a little weird, which is how I am, I suppose. I would like to make a knife called the Super Tactical Death Ninja, but it just hasn't come up yet. :grumpy:
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How about KIM'S knife???????? :cool:
 
Kim, that knife is going to be called the "Mañaña." Or WIP (Work In Progress). No real excuses, but a host of ones that add up to make sense. Soon.
 
Chiro75 said:
Kim, that knife is going to be called the "Mañaña." Or WIP (Work In Progress). No real excuses, but a host of ones that add up to make sense. Soon.
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It just gives my something to bust your cookies with. Maybe the next MI show. :D :cool:
 
Maybe a better name would be "Don't Hold Your Breath." :rolleyes: Hopefully at that next MI show I'll have a table. At the rate I make knives maybe I can sell yours there! :D
 
A lot of the knife names I see seem to be artificial. Why would a "Sangre de Cristo Hunter" for instance, be a drop point with a specific type of handle, other than for some omaginary reason? I would feel like some kind of phony If I started that. I just make drop point, clip point, trailing point, or whatever, knives and tell how long the blade is and what tpye of tang, etc.

It may have something to do with what part of the country you are in. I think out here it would be excessive and turn off the average person who looks at my stuff.
 
I tend only to name those knives that are high end customs, or ones that have taken on a special meaning to me.

Generally when I do name a knife, the name either comes from something related to making the knife, or a memorable event that occurs during it's production.

For example, one of the first knives I ever named was a high end bowie...which I named "Prairre Storm". It's name came about because of the huge storm that hit just about the time I completed forging the blade. Another was "Ice Out", which got it's name because during it's completion I was having problems, stopped working to take a walk, and ended up on the river bank behind my shop....the ice was breaking up, and the pattern in the blade looked very much like the ice in the river....hence the name.

I think that if a maker plans to make a specific knife a "standard pattern" in his/her line up, it pays to carefully name the knife. This makes that specific pattern more recognizable to the public, and if the correct name is chosen, it can increase the appeal to possible customers.

I'll admit, there are a lot of stupid named knives out there, and those are generally knives that someone tried to "spice" up interest by labeling it with an odd name. It's kinda like the guy who has to buy a Corvette when he turns 40.......... He's compensating for something! :eek:
 
I try to come up with names for models I make on a regular basis that include my business name Razorback. I don't have many. The two I have so far Razorback Camp Beast and Razorback pocket hunter/EDC. The only other one would be the Razorback Big Game Hunter. here lately most of my orders are custom. The knife I made for Ron Hood is still in limbo for a name. Right now Ron calls it The "Buffalo Blade" he used it in his latest video series that has to do with the buffalo hunters of the 1800's.
Scott
 
Ed Caffrey said:
"Generally when I do name a knife, the name either comes from something related to making the knife, or a memorable event that occurs during it's production."
The indians who roamed the west, hunting bison in the 17 & 1800's thought along these same lines. They would recall the years past by the memorable events that took place and would keep that history insribed on bison robes. So , 1831 might be known as the year of the five big snows or the year of the great drought, when many people died. They did not know or care that it was 1831. In the same vain , using Ed's approach to naming his knives; In my shop a Bowie made in 1999, might be known as; The slightly warped, ground uneven piece of crap that I can't sell Bowie. Or that little drop point, I made in 2001, that I forgot to harden before I put the handle on it and still have it stuck in the wall, Hunter. I believe I'll stick to the basics and not get into naming my knives, at least not yet. Fred :D

I'm like you Steve, any thing I think up usually makes me laugh.
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same reason why Nissan, Landrover, Ford and everyone else name their car models.....so people know what they are talking about.....ya ofcourse a few name them numbers or combination with letters....but it is much easyer to remember a name than model...besides it is not stupid...its cool...!
 
I've got one named the "Fraser River Sandbar Bowie" which has only local significance. A few years ago, a really good sockeye bar was closed to due crowding and altercations, including a reported assault with a filet knife. The sandbar portion is obviously significant with the Bowie, and I suspect the sight of a fifteen inch Bowie would deter anyone coming at you with a six inch rapala. Of course, none of my knives are designed or sold as weapons, but a large edged tool can sometimes be an effective negotiating device....
 
I thought of a name for tic-toc's new knife... I wonder if he'll use it :confused:

maybe we should vote!??

m
 
Hey ill take that name! I hardly ever name knives and would prefer a name that someone else came up with!

My screen name was given to me as my thru-hiker name while hiking from mass to canada some years back. I had a loud watch and it kept others up in the dead of night, and I was blessed with the hiker handle TikTock.
 
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