Why are hand made knives not as good?

RED-DOT

Well-Known Member
I have a few hand made knives that lose thier edge and finish when used in the field but my factory stuff last and stay new longer... I use Buck, Benchmade and Puma but the dear kit is useless when used as the sellers say they should?
 
it's because the factories have the kit to process harder steals and they have the necessary kit to harden the steal. custom knife makes don't necessarily have the kit to deal with or harden steal to 59-60HRC plus... I'm sure it a custom knife maker tried to grind a D2 steal billet into a good knife he will have got through a good few girding belts.

Jase.
 
Agree - it comes down to the material and practicality of working it.

Handmade though can cover a vast range - Dougster on here sources some superb blanks from people that are basically obsessive, he provides the design and finishes off. Expensive only in a relative term - my RWL34 blade from him has been a work horse for years and variations are dangling from various bits of webbing in Afghanistan etc.

But working such steels isnt fun in even the best kitted garden shed!
 
Just like there's 'mass produced' and 'mass produced,' There's also 'hand made' and 'hand made.'

I have had 3 hand made knives, 2 from Bob Dozier in Arkansas which I sold to fund my Charles May OSK-1.... the doziers were better than any of the mass produced stuff I have ever come accros, including Falkeniven and the like... the Charles May makes the Doziers look like £ shop rubbish! :cool:
 
How much have you spent on handmade stuff? If its less than about £140 for a decent sized one in carbon steel and less than £200ish for stainless I'd not be surprised if its not much good.

To get one for less than the above means either cheap materials, cheap labour or both.

There is cheap tat for sale at every game fair throughout the summer.

Cheers,

Bob
 
I may be a bit rough on my handmade knives which are heavier than the shop bought but i think a lot are for show and not for go.
 
Evening folks, first post and all that.

I too have a stalking knife made by Dougster on here and the steel takes and holds an exceptional edge. Its most definately designed and made to be fit for purpose.

A knife's ability and long term useability is entirely goverened by edge geometry, steel type, hardening and ultimately sharpening technique and honing.

Thanks for a great forum.... lurked for way too long!
 
sorry, but it sounds like a grizzle from the people who havent got or used a quality knife, as said above you cant expect to pay less than £200 - £250 for a TRULY handmade knife, theres plenty of so called knife makers everywhere, but beware i bet that less than 1 in 5 do not start and finish a knife without having to send the blades away for tempering sharpening etc, thats why a Proper handmade knife will cost a few ££££, there is a lot of labour hours goes into making a truly handmade knife!!!!!!!!!
regards
 
I think the best knife I've had is one of those French named one with wooden handle,it was a folder,the names gone out my head
 
Here's a little number i tossed off recently in the carribean:

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This one's for me, done it in 154CM Stainless steel. Sadly, i can't do the heat treating yet. The gear to do it is blasted expensive. One day though!

I don't know why it seems that hand made knives are worse than factory ones. But i find there's a more personal appeal to a hand made knife whereas a factory knife is just one of thousands.
 
That's it mate opinel,that held its edge better than any other knife I've had,not the best thing to keep sterile though
 
Like everything else, it isnt always black and white and also very personal thing.

We sell Mora - lots of them. We use them too ( or wouldnt sell them ). Their steel is actually very good - its the grind that is both the pro and in some ways con. I also use my Dougster because I love it lots - at the end of the day, both do same job - but differently ( I confuse myself at times ).

If your budget stretches to a custom knife, they can be a joy to own far beyond strict specification lists.
 
it's because the factories have the kit to process harder steals and they have the necessary kit to harden the steal. custom knife makes don't necessarily have the kit to deal with or harden steal to 59-60HRC plus... I'm sure it a custom knife maker tried to grind a D2 steal billet into a good knife he will have got through a good few girding belts.

Jase.

Your correct, well if you were to use normal belts, but most makers uses belts most will never have heard of, Ceramic belts. I use them and they are going bloody fast, I grind my blades at rockwell 59 or 60, hence they are cut blanks that are hardned in then tempered to exacty the rockewell hardness required. The thing is as I have said before, most folk think they can get a handmade knife for peanuts, sure you I can find you a thousand on the net that are 'hand made', yeah right :rolleyes:. It grips my s:confused:it that folk are being ripped off,but theres always folk who dont know, so these leeches carry on ripping folk off. The blades come from places such as China and are dire, you wont realise until you come to use them and the edge rolls, or they are so damn hard you wont be able to re-sharpen them. There is alot of money goes into making a handmade knife, I know as I make them, my intial outlay to make just 5.....round about £1500 to £2000...and alot hour hours.
 
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