What is YOUR definition of a custom knife?

[LorenzoL]

Damn, I just blew your undercover identity, sorry about that .
Now all we know is your CC and SS number...

[Manganr]

Les is not a Mod.



He is a legend though.

[tf8s]

Les is not a Mod.



He is a legend though.

I thought he was the mod of his own forum. Just to set the record straight, I red repped him asking if he "had a learning disability." I thought that he was a mod so I just didn't sign it, because I thought it said for him, and I was lazy. Sorry folks.

[AnthonyTheAbyss]

Most of the custom knife makers I've worked with have certain limitations to what they do. Every maker has specific styles that distinguish them from others but it would be nice to get a knife to be exactly what I want or how I picture it in my mind (a true "custom"). When I do find somebody willing to step outside their comfort zone, the price skyrockets.

*** My opinion on reds...if you red somebody, man up and sign it. This is JD, not Facebook.

[tf8s]

Most of the custom knife makers I've worked with have certain limitations to what they do. Every maker has specific styles that distinguish them from others but it would be nice to get a knife to be exactly what I want or how I picture it in my mind (a true "custom"). When I do find somebody willing to step outside their comfort zone, the price skyrockets.

*** My opinion on reds...if you red somebody, man up and sign it. This is JD, not Facebook.

The problem with that idea is that you'd have to work very closely with the maker for a while to get everything right. Everything down to the placement of the screws and the stop pin would have to be thought out very carefully, as if the maker were designing a new model. I'd bet if you drew something up in CAD and shopped it around, you'd find someone willing to do it.
If only you could red rep on Facebook. I think even everything on there is signed.

[Buffalohump]

First off, I think 'custom' is a misnomer to begin with. Custom in the true sense of the word would mean made to your specifications. That's not the case with most 'custom' knives.

I think 'handmade' is a better word to use. This is my idea of what a handmade knife should be:

To my mind, a real handmade knife is one where the guy stands over an anvil and bashes a piece of steel with a hammer until it looks like a knife and then grinds it into shape and puts an edge on it and then makes the handles, pins them on, shapes them and finally sews a leather sheath for it, ALL by hand. In the process he gets steel splinters in his fingers, serious back-ache, sweats buckets and generally busts his hump like a coal miner. Now THAT is a handmade knife.

I realise this puts a lot of people into the 'non-handmade' category and they probably wouldnt appreciate that. I would still like to obtain knives from a lot of those people so I dont want to upset them.

So I guess if its 50% or more made with direct contact from human hands, then it should be considered as handmade. Happy now?

[Clydetz]

I know this gets sort of redundant but my original idea of a 'CUSTOM' knife was one that is made to yours/someone's specs and is a one of a kind (one off). Here are some that I would consider custom knives... maybe not pretty but they were forged in my head...











And for the best idea of what I think is a custom knife is, view Ariel Salaverria's WIP of my damascus ringed fighter... http://aescustomknives.com/docs/knifemaking8.htm

[tf8s]

Since we're posting pics, and I mentioned before that I think the word "custom" is a misnomer, here's a knife I actually customized. I sent Neil Blackwood a picture I had photoshopped, described the type of grind I wanted and the back spacer design, and he made it come to life:


To me this is absolutely, "customized."