Your first custom knife!

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Elgatodeacero

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until around 5 years ago, it never occurred to me to buy a custom made knife.

I carried a Gerber general purpose fixed blade knife for many years and it was my only fixed blade knife.

Then i found the bladeforums maker's for sale area, and things went a little sideways.

Anyway, my first custom blade is still one of my favorites. It is a super sharp Gaiden tanto in 154cm with double copper wash hamon from Victor Gray, who i cannot locate anymore. I hope he is doing well.

What was your first custom knife?
 

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I started collecting in 2017 and decided to start collecting customs, but the prices were pretty high for what I wanted so it took me some time to make a decision. I want to collect Bob Loveless style knives, so my first custom order had to be in that direction.

I worked out an order with Neill Schutte in South Africa via email after seeing his blades in pictures and for sale around the web. Neill will be attending the 2018 Blade Show and at that time will be bringing my finished 8 inch dagger in M390 with Black Micarta handles. I'll have the knife in early June.
 
In 1988 I went to an art exhibition in Charleston. One of the venues had local artists, a few were knifemakers. I bought a knife from Sam Cox, I still have it. Up to that point I was a fan of Gerber and specifically their collaborating with Loveless. George Herron was another exhibitor, wish I knew my makers back then!

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I started collecting knives in 1975 after getting a tour of the Grohmann Knife Co. in Pictu, Nova Scotia. My first custom was a mint condition Jimmy Lile Big 7 with maroon Micarta handle scales. Paid $90 !!!! Wish I still had it, it's worth about 10 times that now.
 
First custom is a stag hunter from Glen Hornby (custom maker out of California, my Uncle).

He passed unexpectedly in the mid 90's I bought this one from him when I was 12 or so (1989 or so)

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I really need to take a few better quality pictures.
 
this hunter, made by Bob Lay, was my first custom knife, and I just gave it to an old friend of mine a couple of weeks ago.

I got it from a local guy who's collected all sorts of shit during his life, including knives, and now has a little shop where he's 'selling' it all, (more trading for other junk likely, lol). I think I traded some bike repairs for it.

Very shortly after I got this knife, I discovered Bladeforums, and the rest can be pretty much figured out over the course of nearly 16K posts, lol!
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My first is long gone but it was made by a local Cutler, Melvin Dunn of Dunn Knives, circa 1981....it has become a ‘sickness’ since then, says my wife! :D
 
My first and only custom is Roland Lannier “spring heeled jack” covered with pages from an art book I sent him of El Greco’s painting: “View of Toledo”. It is a great knife and Roland is a great guy to work with.

Edit: forgot the pic! It’s on the left.043B2538-C094-4D8F-BC02-B024788ABB84.jpeg
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black mamba said:
My first custom was this John Howser lockback in gnarly stag and damascus, bought from John at the 2010 Blade Show.
RIP John!

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I remember that one. As I recall, I brought you over to John and introduced you that day.

My very first custom knife was built by my good friend, the late Kit Carson back in the late 90's.

(In fact, I attended my very first Blade Show at his invitation and helped man his table that weekend. Kit is greatly missed, along with some other dear friends like Rob Simonich, who have passed along the way.)

Model 4 with S90V and red bone covers. Kit did some engraving on the back spacer and clip as well. One of my most treasured possessions. (Forgive the old image, taken back in the day.)

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You're right Elliott, and later on I ran into you at Jerry Halfrich's table talking to Jerry and his wife. I think you bought a carbon fiber Rounder from him that was as light as a feather! Good memories of my first BLADE. I love the grind on your Carson.
 
The first and only custom knife I ever bought was this Dan Grave's knife, 4" drop point hunter stag handle and rain drop pattern damascus handle. Dan does fantastic work for the prices he charges.

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My first was a Rainy Vallotton Sidewinder in '96....So delighted that a childhood want of a 'switchblade' could actually be bought!!

Durn thing would pop open sitting on a desk, so Jay and Karen (remember them?) took it back for trade on this Elishewtz auto that I still have

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1 of about 15 or so customs, my first was an Aikuchi from a local knifesmith Bud Nealy. Here it is with the original box and paper work from 27 years ago.

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This was the most recent custom, a JD Ellis Lanny's Clip.

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Here's another, a R. Cover Drop Point with the other 2 customs.

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I bought this back in 1987. Chris Reeves was just starting to look at selling his knives outside of South Africa and in the USA specifically. He came to the States, and the manager of Pachmayr's retail store had him into the shop for a visit. They ended up designing this knife off something Chris was already working on. He made less than 50 for the company, approximately half of which were pre-sold and are not only numbered, but also have the original buyers names on the blade. This one is mine. First knife I ever bought that cost more than $100 too. I used the heck out of it, and took it to the Blade show back in 2009 to show to Chris. I can still remember him calling over a couple people to show it to, including Bill Harsey. They "refurbished" it for me and I got a new sheath (still have the original).

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