Custom Knife makers, are there any left?

[jeremyctry]

Nothing against the fine makers here in the U.S. or in the U.K. but when you have a set group of knives that you make, and you only make those knives, why call your knives Custom? They aren't custom they are limited batches of your brand of production knives they may be high end, but when you don't allow for customization beyond handle material and blade steel they aren't really in custom in my book. A lot of makers seem to not even allow that anymore some of the best have reached a point where they make what they want to make you either buy it or don't. And don't get me started on the makers who don't have enough respect for others to respond to messages. If someone contacts you wanting to spend $200-$400 dollars for one of your knives. Pull your head out of your forge and have enough class to respond. There are some fine makers/craftsmen, I won't do business with under any circumstances due to a inability to respond to messages.

 

[Shelley]

Well the thing is I make custom knives, they are custom because they are made by hand and each one is different, even if I make a batch of the same type of knives there will be subtle differences, now I make batches of knives because I can’t afford to sit around on my bottom waiting for someone to contact me with their design, so I make what I think is good, and I make several at a time because the metal I order only comes in 500 mm lengths, usually enough for between 1 and 4 knives, depending on design, and I get my knives nest treated by a professional heat treatment company (to my specs) and they have a minimum charge. So I am more than happy to make your knife to your specs (so long as I can do it), but in the interim I will keep making my knives because I like to eat...

 

[jeremyctry]

Well the thing is I make custom knives, they are custom because they are made by hand and each one is different, even if I make a batch of the same type of knives there will be subtle differences, now I make batches of knives because I can’t afford to sit around on my bottom waiting for someone to contact me with their design, so I make what I think is good, and I make several at a time because the metal I order only comes in 500 mm lengths, usually enough for between 1 and 4 knives, depending on design, and I get my knives nest treated by a professional heat treatment company (to my specs) and they have a minimum charge. So I am more than happy to make your knife to your specs (so long as I can do it), but in the interim I will keep making my knives because I like to eat...

I fully appreciate your position, but your response proves that you are still what I consider a custom maker. I am not suggesting that in order to be a custom maker you can only make commissoned pieces. Maybe the custom market is better in the U.K. but in the U.S. a lot of so called custom knife makers don't do custom knife work anymore they make batches of knives and sell them they do not offer any customization beyond whether you want a black sheath, brown sheath, or no sheath. These same makers do not take orders and some of them have not taken a order in years. Hand made or not that does not meet even the most basic definition of custom. A smaller group will make a batch of blades and then if you are quick enough you will be able to customize handle materials, and spacers. fewer still will allow for more than 2 choices of blade steel. After 4 days of contacting American makers I have found 2 reputable established makers that allow you to customize all aspects of the knife; design, shape, type of grind, size, handle materials, and sheath. There are others who claim they do as well, but are strangely incapable of responding to inquires.

 

[mark.177]

being purely a custom knife maker you just wouldnt get anything done. the amount of time taken answering messages back and forth with design specs and materials and finding said materials... time much better spent developing your own designs and actually making them.
personally would have far more time for someone actually stood next to me in the shop

 

[sunndog]

I think makers become victims of there own success too.

Theres appearently a 372 year wait for a skookum these days. The bloke is just churning out what he can as fast as he can. I'm sure he'd love to spend a week working on an interesting commission

Pretty sure i could find someone to do a commission if i wanted though....perhaps you are looking at the big boys who don't have the time anymore?

 

[g4ghb]

surely you can be a custom maker and still make batches of knives..... not every knife has to be custom, it then makes those that are even more special

 

[santaman2000]

surely you can be a custom maker and still make batches of knives..... not every knife has to be custom, it then makes those that are even more special

I think we all agree that not EVERY knife has to be a custom work to qualify the maker; but he should have the ability and willingness to do at least ONE knife every now and then.

 

[Tony]

I think we'd have plenty of knife makers if we were willing to pay what a custom knife is worth in applied skills, time and materials.

 

[mark.177]

I think we'd have plenty of knife makers if we were willing to pay what a custom knife is worth in applied skills, time and materials.

Bingo!

 

[mark.177]

I think we all agree that not EVERY knife has to be a custom work to qualify the maker; but he should have the ability and willingness to do at least ONE knife every now and then.

makers need time to develop there own style and you could spend a life time doing it. i rarely make two knives the same. i have on occasion done the odd commission if i like were its going but the customer is also paying for the extra time and work to get it exactly as they want it and is willing to wait.
i posted one commissioned knife to a customer yesterday after waiting 4 months. im just starting on another for a regular customer

 

[jeremyctry]

I was tempted to edit my post, out of a concern that I was not expressing myself clearly. I'm glad I was wrong. I've looked at and contacted both bigger names and the no name guys including the guy 20 miles from my house. I worked for myself for years, and know what it's like to be busy and have to turn business away. I understand and fully respect that some makers just can't keep up with the demand for their product. I would also never think of suggesting that a craftsman or craftswoman/artist should be limited to making what others want, or working on a commission only basis. I had a great knife made for me from a no name blacksmith 13 months ago. After a year of use I decided to tweak the design and have a new knife made. This time with more of a spear point, a different steel, and different handle materials. He was the first person I thought of, but is currently not taking orders for personal reasons. I respect that completely, and started looking for a alternate maker. In the process of doing so I have found a rather large number of makers who are just completely unwilling to take a custom order at all. I'm not looking for a magical steel quenched in dragons blood, with unicorn horn scales, and a sasquatch skin sheath. Just ranting I guess, and looking for reassurance that not all makers have forsaken the ideal of a truly custom knife. That some still understand, and believe in the concept that modifying an existing design whether of their own or not ie; changing the grind, or making it larger, etc etc is not blasphemous, or heretical.

 

[Samon]

I get your point. Hand made and custom made fall into strange damp grey areas.. they really do.

It's even harder to consider the definition of 'handmade' with the amount of machines involved in some makers' process.

And 'custom'.. when like you said,most are repeated designs.

It's harder again to put a real name on each of the guys who do what they do. And their skill sets range from 1-100 and I have respect to each and every person who tries hard to make something and be creative.

Myself, I cobble bits together from scrap, recycled parts, hunks of rust and anything else available and suitable. Is my stuff custom? Yes. Is it hand made? Yes.

Is it artisan custom work fit for the wealthiest armchair adventurer ? Lol helllll no. I like making stuff because it's my way out of the noise and stress of being me. Making the same design would bore more after a few goes and I don't aspire to be great, just honest and engaged for a challenge.


But to my own credit, because I make things from junk.. you can bet they aren't ever identical.

As a matter of interest,what are you looking for as your next knife?

 

[mrcharly]

I think we'd have plenty of knife makers if we were willing to pay what a custom knife is worth in applied skills, time and materials.

I wonder how many people who want a 'custom' knife would be willing to pay for the time the maker spent responding to the messages about design changes, requests for quotes, etc? All charged at at least the living wage of course.

 

[jeremyctry]

I wonder how many people who want a 'custom' knife would be willing to pay for the time the maker spent responding to the messages about design changes, requests for quotes, etc? All charged at at least the living wage of course.

A fair point to be sure. And there are a number who probably wouldn't be willing still more who honestly couldn't afford it. I have been in the the latter of the 2 categories myself before. That being said with my custom knives, and my tattoos I always pay more than the quoted price. I do so out of appreciation for the hard work and attention to detail. I would not turn my nose up at the idea of a consultation fee either.

 

[Tony]

If it's a kitchen, work on a car, a bike frame etc all the design work gets merged into the end price. The trouble with items like knives and many other crafts is that the value is undermined by cheap imports, people working for a low wage and bulk production. It's easy to look online and see that a knife costs £100 so if you want your very own it shouldn't be much more because a knife is a knife....

Bespoke work, to be truly creative takes time and energy and so costs more, I've bought knives off of a number of makers over the years and paid good money for them, but I think it's unlikely I could ever afford a truly bespoke knife and feel good about what i'm paying for time, skill and materials. So, for now i'll just pick up the odd nice piece that's unique, maybe one off, but not bespoke to my designs.

 

[brambles]

Let's put this in context. OP says "wanting to spend $200-$400 dollars for one of your knives" with regard to a "custom knife". How much time and effort do you think should go into this premium product designed just for you? Because if you were applying the going rate rate of professional pay for my line of work to that knife I would be working on it for an hour. Do you think that you would be happy with a product someone worked on for only one hour? Or are you forgetting that what you are prepared to pay for such a premium product really only works out at peanuts in pay for the maker, once time,materials, and energy are offset? If you want a maker to be at your beck and call, to work hard at producing a truly one off custom design for you alone, that knife is going to cost you thousands.

 

[Samon]

All that is said is fair and true. But if 'custom hand made knives' sell for £200 why does the price rocket up when you the buyer want to customise it a little more?

Simple. Because an existing design pumped out repeatedly isn't custom. It's just hand made.

Changing that repetition costs money because it moves out if one man production line into true custom work. Not something the average good quality maker will do, but will still call their product 'custom'.

I share similar opinions to op. Mainly because my stuff is as custom as it gets, aswell as unique due to the fact it's made from unreplaceable parts and materials alot of the time. Not bragging, my stuff is back street stab alley wares compared to the craftsman here and elsewhere.

Now although I'm not a pro maker with a grade standards like I've mentioned, I don't expect to get paid even minimum wage for making the a bunch of true one offs a year. They are what they are, shaped steel I cobble together for my entertainment. If you want big money be a lawyer, not an artistsan knife maker, or even a knife maker. lol

Even though I've completed custom axe and knife work, and i mean custom. Not trace pattern A onto steel X . I just see it as a thing I made, even if it takes 8 hours. I value it at half that.

Why??

Because I'm not gonna charge for my own tardiness and lack of skill. I'm gonna make something I like and pass it on, usually as a trade, rarely for money. I do other things in life for money.i do this for fun.

Should true makers charge X? Yeah why not, it's their choice. But you as a customer can and should shop around! Plenty of proud makers will make you something special. But not all value their own time as modestly as others. Factor in their high end finished products with their obvious high end machinery and your talking big money.

If I wanted a one off, unique and truly custom knife I'd never bother with anyone who makes specific patterns and turn to the guy who makes random stuff.

 

[jeremyctry]

Let's put this in context. OP says "wanting to spend $200-$400 dollars for one of your knives" with regard to a "custom knife". How much time and effort do you think should go into this premium product designed just for you? Because if you were applying the going rate rate of professional pay for my line of work to that knife I would be working on it for an hour. Do you think that you would be happy with a product someone worked on for only one hour? Or are you forgetting that what you are prepared to pay for such a premium product really only works out at peanuts in pay for the maker, once time,materials, and energy are offset? If you want a maker to be at your beck and call, to work hard at producing a truly one off custom design for you alone, that knife is going to cost you thousands.

I actually never said I was only prepared to pay $200 - $400. I used those numbers because you can buy supposedly custom pieces in that price range all day long. If a maker feels that the price they set is not high enough then they should charge more. As a maker and a business owner you are going to have to interact with customers and potential customers or hire someone to do it for you. Is it really to much to ask or expect that if someone is willing to pay the prices you set and theoretically more for customizing the product that you should not leave them hanging? Auto responses to emails stating that you are not currently taking orders could be set up in a matter of moments. Also I did mention the modification of existing designs so once again not some super secret one off project. No miracle steels, no rare materials needed or requested. If you truly want to talk about putting things in perspective you are going to need more facts. If knife maker A. makes and sells a knife for $400 that you like, but you want him to make one with a different grind, should making it with a flat grind instead of a scandi grind inflate the price from $400 into the thousands? What if you are happy with the grind but would like the knife made 1" longer or shorter? Knife makers like all other craftsman set their prices based on the market and what they feel the product is worth. Some makers are undercharging to be competitive, or to get their name out, If a knife maker wanted to charge me more for customizing a knife, in principal I wouldn't have a problem with that. If changing the grind or making the knife an inch longer, turned a $400 knife into a $1000+ knife I would go to a competitor, or make do. That's the way business works.

 

[jeremyctry]

If it's a kitchen, work on a car, a bike frame etc all the design work gets merged into the end price. The trouble with items like knives and many other crafts is that the value is undermined by cheap imports, people working for a low wage and bulk production. It's easy to look online and see that a knife costs £100 so if you want your very own it shouldn't be much more because a knife is a knife....

Bespoke work, to be truly creative takes time and energy and so costs more, I've bought knives off of a number of makers over the years and paid good money for them, but I think it's unlikely I could ever afford a truly bespoke knife and feel good about what i'm paying for time, skill and materials. So, for now i'll just pick up the odd nice piece that's unique, maybe one off, but not bespoke to my designs.

Well said.

 

[jeremyctry]

makers need time to develop there own style and you could spend a life time doing it. i rarely make two knives the same. i have on occasion done the odd commission if i like were its going but the customer is also paying for the extra time and work to get it exactly as they want it and is willing to wait.
i posted one commissioned knife to a customer yesterday after waiting 4 months. im just starting on another for a regular customer

I am happy to hear/read you do make custom knives. And I completely understand and support your position on being willing to wait and pay more for them. I have in the past waited longer and paid more to get what I wanted and will this time as well. I also support your position on makers needing time and freedom to develop their own style.