Custom Knifes - what is a custom knife?
- Thread starter johnnytheboy
- Start date
Both copies or at best an 'interpretation' of a recognised knife design. One is factory produced and the other from a well-known UK Knife Maker:
Custom?
K
Custom?
K
I love an opinel for a picnic, would not personally be my choice for processing large quantities Of deer..
pic from when the @Stuart Mitchell p120 was under development
Attachments
David Barker
Well-Known Member
That in my opinion is what a custom knife is. All the rest are just nice knives and made in bulk.
doric_prince
Well-Known Member
Not wishing to belittle any of the craftsmen on here that supply very individual knives, which I would recognise are artisans.
However tbf to spyderco, some of their blades are finished to a high standard even those out of tichan Taiwan. I have around a dozen of them and fit and finish is remarkably good for a “mass produced” knife. All have been sharp and excellent grinds out of the box. Although the “flash batch“ knives are not strictly what I would call “mass produced” as limited in quantity to the hundreds.
But yes a “custom made” one would expect better than you received.
nath_
Well-Known Member
I recently ordered one from the same maker, whilst I wasn’t happy with the quality of the product, I must give him his due with regards to how he handled it.
He offered me a full refund if I send
It back to him. His communication was good and fair. The knife is currently on it was back to him. Will update once I have received the refund.
I think I was naive as to the cost of a true custom knife (no fault of this particular chap).
TringSaint
Well-Known Member
Dietmar Kressler Knives - Arizona Custom Knives
Dietmar F. Kressler has been counted as an internationally recognized luminary among knife makers.
Loving that Alan Wood Sheath! Never seen anything like that before
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Custom to my mind is something that is unique specifically made to the customers requirements and measurements.
Knives are a very old piece of equipment that has been made and used over the centuries/ millennia. Most of us could take a piece of steel and grind out a knife and put a handle on it. It would be sharp enough to cut but………
The real skill is choosing, forging, making the right blade material, making into the right shape and the heat treating it so that it can be sharpened and maintain a good edge.
But most importantly it has to balance and fit the user properly. Like any tool or machine there is some innate, unquantifiable properties that make a tool part of you, or just a cumbersome implement. A knife is no different. Personally whenever I buy a tool I want to handle / feel it before I buy. Internet buying doesn’t allow this.
In Edinburgh we know have a very good speciality cooks knife shop. They only sell top end hand built knives - mostly catering to professionals. My daughter treated herself to a beautiful Japanese made knife the other day. It is a thing of utter beauty and wickedly sharp. But for me it is far too petite, I have long hands, but it fits her perfectly. But the shop owner made her try lots of knives until she found the right one.
My challenge with a stalking knife, is that they take a lot of abuse - wet, blood, bone etc etc. I would love a really good knife, but at the moment I do find the Mora Companion just works for me.
Knives are a very old piece of equipment that has been made and used over the centuries/ millennia. Most of us could take a piece of steel and grind out a knife and put a handle on it. It would be sharp enough to cut but………
The real skill is choosing, forging, making the right blade material, making into the right shape and the heat treating it so that it can be sharpened and maintain a good edge.
But most importantly it has to balance and fit the user properly. Like any tool or machine there is some innate, unquantifiable properties that make a tool part of you, or just a cumbersome implement. A knife is no different. Personally whenever I buy a tool I want to handle / feel it before I buy. Internet buying doesn’t allow this.
In Edinburgh we know have a very good speciality cooks knife shop. They only sell top end hand built knives - mostly catering to professionals. My daughter treated herself to a beautiful Japanese made knife the other day. It is a thing of utter beauty and wickedly sharp. But for me it is far too petite, I have long hands, but it fits her perfectly. But the shop owner made her try lots of knives until she found the right one.
My challenge with a stalking knife, is that they take a lot of abuse - wet, blood, bone etc etc. I would love a really good knife, but at the moment I do find the Mora Companion just works for me.
He doesn’t make the knives himself they are made in Pakistan ( or similar country ) have seen lots of bad posts about his knives lately where they can’t even cut paper. There is even a video of a guy running the blade across his hand to show how dull it is.
Marketing strategy is clever as they fetch around £200 a knife and cost approx 1/4 of that to be made and shipped to the UK
Sonicdmb73
Well-Known Member
Definitely, carefully worded FB page the idea you're getting something at a good price.
To be fair once sharpened they seem ok, good value that's yet to be seen. My lad seems happy enough with what he got for the money.
doric_prince
Well-Known Member
What’s the shop In Edinburgh? Might pay them a visit next time I’m in. Thanks
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Can’t remember the name but on St Stephens Street.
RifleTuner
Well-Known Member
Loveless pattern knives are works of art. His eye for detail was highly refined over the years. But to be fair, Loveless called himself a "bench maker" not a custom maker, because he gave customers very little input into the knives he made. For example, in an interview he mentions how people ask for different coloured liners, but he tells them "no, Loveless knives come with red liners".
Have to say Johnny, I mind seeing a post from someone else on one of the Facebook groups saying that they were sending off a JN knife for steel testing.
Can't find the post now though! Was wondering if you were in contact with the chap and could share the results?
Can't find the post now though! Was wondering if you were in contact with the chap and could share the results?
Scarpa
Well-Known Member
Some great knives there. When I wanted a lifetime stalking knife I decided to buy a quality blank and shape the handle myself, it took a lot of time doing so by hand with diamond files. I then picked out a pair of stabilised birch scales and mosaic pins and put it all together before shaping the handle to my hand. The blade was the Fällkniven F1 in Japanese laminated VG10. I've had it a gereat many years now and love it, it's a little thicker than most stalking knives as it is essentially a survival knife for the Swedish air force so it is tough enough to baton firewood with.
Attachments
What is a custom knife ?, to me it does not have to be made to your specifications, although it has to feel right in your hand, made from scratch by the same person( obviously not the steel) . It needs to be made for a purpose I.e bush craft, filleting, etc or even just looks.
Similar threads
