Customs, keep or use?

[greyelm]

When I browse the threads I come across many beautiful custom slippies costing sometimes hundreds of dollars. The skill, craftsmanship and beauty is undeniable.I suspect that most of them will be added to 'the collection', some will be shut away and some will be placed on display. Some will be used.

I have a few (non-custom) factory finish, unused knives but to me they are lifeless. A large part of my collection are old, pre-owned, used knives. To me they have a past life of which I can only wonder. My WW2 pocket knives, were they carried in combat, what were the owners experiences?

So what's my point? Well, the question is - how many of these customs are used, what for and do they survive as long as the oldies?

[philco]

Hi Greyelm,
I'm not really qualified to answer your question as I only posess one custom made knife and on customized knife. Neither one of them has ever been used. They both spend their days locked away in a safe with a few hundred of their friends.
I do, however have an unknown number of used knives that I have accumulated over the years. I too enjoy speculating about who might have owned them and where they may have been and what they may have "seen" along the way.
Another plus for the used knives is that you can drop one in your pocket and carry it and there's no harm done to the value of the knife. You do that with a mint condition "new" knife and it will cost you plenty in value of the knife.
To get back to your question, of the folks I know who own custom knives, few, if any of them actually carry and use these knives. The only thing they are used for is show and tell. That does not put much wear and tear on a knife.
I'm not advocating used over new or visa versa. Truth is I own several of both and I have a great appreciation for both as well.

Phil

[Cowboy7130]

I have had similar questions with my limited edition Case trapper, and my 'never-to-be-made-again' Schrade USA Old Timers. They are not "custom" obviously, but in my way of thinking they are irreplaceable.

I decided to carry my Case Limited Edition because it is not irreplaceable. Case is still making knives, so if I lose this one out of a hole in my pocket, down at the ranch, or "booger it up" using it, then no major loss. But the Old Timers stay on my shelf. If I lose one of them, they aren't making any more!

So, based on that line of thought, I have the Case Trapper, the Moore Maker Trapper, a used Old Timer 94OT trapper and a 96OT Barehead Trapper in my pocket rotation. The MIB Old Timer 8OT, the two MIB 94OTs, and the MIB 194OT stay on the shelf.

For me, whether I carry a knife depends on my willingness to lose it and have to replace it. ... and whether or not I am willing to let it get those car-key scratches in my pocket ...

[knife7knut]

I own a few custom knives and most of them have seen use at one time or another.Obviously I would not use a large fixed blade in my normal daily routine(I am a semi-retired sign artist),but I have used all of my custom folders.People would probably be aghast to see me using a beautiful little Jason Williams damascus bladed folder to scrape rust off another knife blade but I have done just that.I have also had to clean paint out of the inside after using it to cut the skin off a can of paint.
I also have a beautiful Tom McLuin friction lock folder(his first)that has seen similar duties.
If you want to squirrel away a knife;never to be used then that is fine with me.It is yours to do with as you wish.I prefer to enjoy mine.

[carvin don]

Neat thread. I can't say from experience, but I'd bet these customs that folks here are creating would last a lifetime . Of course, due to the superior quality that goes into them, I think most folks want to keep them in pristine condition, especially if the knifemaker makes a big splash in the knifeworld. I often wonder about the artist/knifemaker himself. Would he take more pride in seeing someone use the knife he made, or would he rather see it cared for and unused? Of course, if he makes 'em for a living, he may not quite care either way, but I'd be curious to know if the knifemakers like to see their knives in action versus saved for years untouched.

[Owd Wullie]

I buy 'em to enjoy. A used knife does make you wonder who, what, when. and where. One that has been used and taken care of means even more. Especially if it it is well worn. Most all of my knives are factory stuff.

I have one custom STONE Little River Bowie that old man Stone made before he died. I've gutted a lot of deer and antelope with that thing. It's used but not hurt. And I have the very first knife I ever forged. It needs handles because I ran over it one day with an 18 wheeler and ruined the walnut scales I had on it.

Got a few neat old family knives that stay retired.

For years all I carried was a Swisstool that I bought in '97 or '98. It has done a LOT over the years and still gets dragged out several times a week for some silly chore or another. I started carrying one of those little sheepfoot pruner thingy's that they use at my wife's work. They by 'em by the box and proceed to wreck 'em. She brings a handful home every week and I put the edge back on 'em and laugh when she tells me how many people cut themselves every week with the damn things. They're about to learn that when she unloads a pocket full of 'em at work that they will bite.

Decided a few months back to start carrying real knives again. Started buying here and there looking for that "just right" knife. Now I've got more than I've got pockets for. Keep gravitating back to the big trappers. That's what I carried as kid. Just feels right. Tried a three blade sowbelly whittler. It fellt good in my pocket but the blade combination was just strange. Swapped it off for a pretty little stockman. Carried it a few days and put it up and am back to the trappers again.

Doubt I'll ever get to the many hundreds count though. I do envy and enjoy seeing ALL of the magnificent knives that you guys post here.

W

[knife7knut]

Forgot to post the pictures.The Jason Williams folder is the 14th knife he made(he was 19 at the time)and was purchased from him at a knife show in Massachusetts.The Tom McLuin friction lock I traded with a friend of mine who got it directly from Tom.I also have several more of his fixed blades(pictured next to the folder).
Another one I forgot is my Track folder.I bought this used at a flea market for $5(!).It has seen better days and looked like it has had a lot of blood on the blade as evidenced by the pitting.Still works fine and has done a lot of heavy duty cutting.

[2 speed]

From what I have watched on the secondary market only the work from well known makers increase in value. Knives by lesser known makers usually sell for far less than their original price. I think well made factory knives, old and new, is the way to go for investment purposes. Life is short, use and enjoy your knives, cause your wife is just going to sell them off when you're gone anyways

[Luckypaul777]

Knife7Knut, in mho that Jason Williams is to be admired not used. It would be like; putting on your best Sunday clothes; to paint the house. Dig out those old coveralls.

2speed, you may be right about selling them off; in my case it will be my grandson. I don't have any real customs; but several customized that; want be making any sawdust. This is one that MM fixed up for me.


Luckypaul777

[blademaker]

Good post, I've made custom fixed blades and a few customized folders for a few years now. The ones that are used and carried seem to make me a little more proud than the ones that are put on a shelf. In my opinion a wellcared for old knife has more character than a mint one, probably a lot less valuable, its up to the owner. But if your gonna carry one, you have to expect to lose it. Like the old mechanic who handed me his knife to use.... piece of junk, he said its the only one that ever gets returned, all my nice ones have new owners. Forged a nice fillet knife out of a Nicholson file for my brother who used it every fishing trip, pretty knife and very useable, stolen off his boat, at least its not in the bottom of the lake . Id say keep em, use em, its up to you, but keep an eye on em or someone else will use them.

[logman09]

I quess it depends on what you clasifiy as custom and everybody has to make that decesion. I have some commemerative knifes that are serial numbered that I will not carry or use them because they can not be replaced. I have some for sentimental reasons I will not use. And yes the ones that are used if they could talk would tell us a very interesting story and price wise they aren't worth as much but ARE THEY OR AREN'T THEY?????
Ed

[orvet]

Great thread!

As a collector I have some knives I use & some I don't. Some that are limited edition production knives I don't usually use. An extremely valuable knife I probably won't use. I may or may not use an heirloom knife. I don't use either of my grandfather's knives, but I do have a couple knives I got from Johnnie Fain & I do carry & use them. Sort of my memorial to Johnnie.

As a Customizer of knives and the maker of a few knives, I think I prefer someone to use my knives.
That is their purpose, and it always makes me feel good when someone tells me that the knife I customized for them really works good and people always comment on it when they use it. I don't get quite the same feeling when someone tells me that they have a knife I made on display where it is admired or (worse yet) locked in a safe because it it too valuable to display.

I tend to view knives as soldiers (or Marines).

There are knives that are made to work, I call these soldier knives. I like to fix up old soldiers so they can work again.

There are knives that are parade troops. They are made to look nice, but in the back of my mind is always the question....."Sure it looks nice, but can it get the job done?"

There is a third type of knife in my military analogy, it is a knife that is built to work extra hard and yet look good at the same time. I call these Marine knives, they were made to work hard and typically when you find an old one it had plenty of battle scars (both the old knives and old Marines).
These knives are like the old jig bone or stag handled knives like Schrade, Camillus, Ulster, NYK, Robeson, Pal Blade, Remington, etc. Sometimes they have wood handles, usually ebony or rosewood. These old knives have worked hard, some for close to a century. It is a special pleasure to me to get these old Marines ready for battle and for inspection again.

Great thread.
Let’s keep it going.

Semper Fi,
Dale

[philco]

Wow Dale, what a well written post! Great analogy.

Phil

[carvin don]

Amen

[kamagong]

I get the most enjoyment from a knife by using it. It doesn't matter if it's a Spyderco Military or a Schatt & Morgan Harness Jack. When I own a knife, I have a near irrestible urge to use it to cut something.

I ordered this knife a while ago. The maker, Kerry Hampton, has trained under Tony Bose. He made this KHnutbuster for my upcoming wedding, so it hasn't been put to work yet. But it'll be in my pocket for the big day and will be a long time regular there, getting pocket worn alongside my keys and change.

[Owd Wullie]

That KHnutbuster is awesome!

[gmusic]

Great thread.......................

I have to say as a knife maker, I would like to see my knives used. As a collector.....................I have knives I won't cut paper with! Some well know knife makers knives can't help but become sought after collectors pieces. Tony Bose would like to see every one of his knives used...............................sorry Tony, I would guess 99% of them are not.

If you purchased the knife as an "investment", needless to say I doubt you will be out cutting saplings with it.

As applied to knives, custom to me means made "specifically for" or it could mean "other than factory", in which case handmade better applies. What a can of worms!

I guess my two cents is, use the knife with the intentions for which you purchased it.

[Redrummd]

I EDC one of my stone handled knives and several of my customers EDC one of my knives. I and most that EDC one, carry the Kershaw Mini Mojo as it is a durable and the stone well protected. I am on my third Kershaw Mini Mojo as I have sold two I was carrying..... Here is EDC #3... The stone is Dinosaur Gem Bone.

I really like it when one of my stone scaled knives is carried and used. I have four Kitchen knife sets that are used by those who have them and two sets are the only kitchen knives used by the owners. Both of those are shown in the Kitchen knife section here at AAPK.

[kamagong]

That KHnutbuster is awesome!

Thank you, it's my one and only custom. I think I chose pretty well.