Fantasy knives where they ever in style

A

aj1985

Joined
Nov 3, 2005
Messages
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Hey guys how are yah

I am quite new to the knife culture, but wanted to ask what do people see in fantasy knives. I honestly do not understand. I walk into stores, and quite naturally if they have knives i start looking at them. As soon as i see that they are all fantasy knives i just get disappointed. What a waste of good steel, and also i don't know if anyone can use these knives in any scenario. Also as soon as someone finds out i have a few knives their next question hey do you have those cool fantasy knives:barf: .

anyways i'm done for today

aj
 
You mean something like this here in the fantasy section of this site: http://www.schanz-messer.de/englisch/index_en.html

I knew someone that bought one of those Gil Hibben Ravens, some of Gil's fantasy knives are neat/cool/jazzy/spectacular/fabulous/nifty/wowwees. But the 420J2 crap steel makes them undesirable to me, if he made a Raven or Double Shadow in S30V, D2, or anything above 440A I'd probably get one. As long as the materials were durable and not just for looks. To me, fantasy knives are ridiculous mostly just b/c of the crappy steels and materials used to make them. And the "gold" plated or brass cheesey decorative jazzups cheapen their appearances too... a waste of good steel I think not, more like a waste of time since fantasy knives rarely have good steel.
 
There are fantasy knives and there are fantasy knives ...

Some are just shlock, designed by people who have no idea why or what they've got, as long as some dumb kid buys it.

Others are copies or take-offs on a story like Lord of the Rings, where at least you can keep them as a memento of the movie, like a poster of Gandalf.

Others are just weird modifications of more classic knives that get used in, well, fantasy or science fiction shows.
 
Lethal Star Trek blade

ssstopp ... i can't breeeathe i'm laughing so hard ... WTF is the matter with these people? Don't they have any self-respect? They had to find the skinniest little guy in the office and put a uniform on him -- way to make the police look strong and effective!
 
The only people that I know that own fantasy knives have them hanging on their wall. I think there is a good market for certain fantasy knives (like the Hibben United Cutlery knives) just because of collectibility. Also, don't forget that there are custom makers that command GIGANTIC prices for their work, and people with the money buy them. The only 'fantasy' type knives I really hate are the ones that manufacturers try to market as actual 'using' knives, and I despise the idiots who buy them for such purposes as criminal acts. Ya' notice that if some one uses a Buck 110 during a criminal act, it usually doesn't get mentioned other than something to the effect of "...robbed at knifepoint", but if they use some ridiculous fantasy knife it is always focused upon in the story? Then knives, in general, come under attack.
 
It's important to remember that there is difference between the cheap fantasy knife and the true art knife. Consider some knives by John Lewis Jensen.

inferno1.jpg


It is a very functional knife? No. Not really. You may like it or you may not (it's one of those really rather polarizing things). But, you have to admit -- like it or not -- that it's high art. And the materials used and the craftsmenship brought to bear on it certainly agree with that conclusion.

On the other hand, consider the work of Kenneth King.

emeraldknife.jpg


That is a very functional knife. All of Mr. King's knives are designed for function since Mr. King is a studied and accomplished martial artist. But, I think that one has to question the utility of any knife whose specifications include not just steel alloy and Rockwell hardness but also carat weight of gem stones.

My point? A knife does not have to be just a utilitarian object. Functional object can become sculptural art. When that happens, function may be compromised in favor of art, but that does not invalidate the work at all; it simply moves it into a different space. And what is meant by "different space?" Well, knives can occupy different spaces in our lives both physically and symbolically. Some knives occupy the physcal space of being in a camping backpack. Some occupy the physical space of a knife block in the kitchen. Others occupy the physical space of being in a toolbox. Some occupy the physical space of sitting next to a common stoneware plate at the everyday dining table. Some occupy the physical space of sitting next to a fine china plate on a linen tablecloth at a formal dinner to delight and impress your honored guests. Some occupy the physical space of an under-the-shoulder harness sheath. Some occupy the physical space of hanging on a wall or sitting in a display cabinet. Those different knives occupying different physical spaces perform different functions for us and so they necessarily need to be different and have different characteristics. You probabaly wouldn't take the beaten-up Stanley utility knife out of your toolbox and put it into a shadow box and hang it on the wall in your living room; but, then again, you probably wouldn't use an original Picasso sketch to mop up a bit of spilled oil in the garage either. No, you'd use a paper towel for that. Both are paper, but one is for hanging on the wall and admiring and the other is for mopping up spills. That Stanley utility knife is for keeping in the toolbox and doing work around the house. A Jensen or King knife is more decoration than knife and you might hang it on the wall in your living room. You must not think that to be called a knife an object must be a beater/user. Different knives have different functions and their form will follow their function. If the function is to open boxes in the garage, then there will be one form. If the function is to decorate the living room, then there will be a different form. You mustn't look at either one as if it must fulfill the other's place. You'd be dissappointed either way.
 
Gollnick, Jensen was who I was thinking of when I mentioned "custom makers" above! Couldn't remember his name at the time. His stuff is insanely beautiful! If I was rich, I'd have some of his work in a display for sure.
 
Now, what of the cheap fantasy knife, Master Cutlery, that sort of thing?

Well, it doesn't open boxes in the garage. From more than three feet away, it might look interesting or even decorative in a certain way, but, up close, the cheapness of materials and construction make it not something to take pride in. It really has no space to occupy... except for the landfill. An object whose only space to occupy is a landfill is just something that shouldn't have been made in the first place.

And that is the difference between legitimate art knife and junk fantasy knife. The legitimate art knife, whether it's functional for opening boxes or not, has a space to occupy in our lives. But, the junk fantasy knife does not.
 
:barf: :barf: klingon sword :confused: I get grossed out by junk fantasy knives. Not only because there is some smoke belching factory churning out useless ugly crap, but because tons of noobs spend money on that crap :barf:

and why are non functional knives and swords called wall-hangers if theyre ugly ?:confused: who the hell has bad enough taste to hang junk on he wall:barf:
 
I am a huge fantasy buff, and I admit that I have purchased several of hibbens united cutlery knives ( generally I do not buy production knives because they are lacking in the fit, finish, and function area) . Though if I had deep pockets I would have every cool sword, knife and axe picture I found being made into a custom piece. Just as Gollnick stated there is a difference between some knock off fantasy piece and a true piece of art. Go see virgilengland.com if you want to see some true fantasy art knives.
 
There are several exceptions, especially with custom art knives, but most people here like working knives that will not break.
 
eel said:
You mean something like this here in the fantasy section of this site: http://www.schanz-messer.de/englisch/index_en.html

I knew someone that bought one of those Gil Hibben Ravens, some of Gil's fantasy knives are neat/cool/jazzy/spectacular/fabulous/nifty/wowwees. But the 420J2 crap steel makes them undesirable to me, if he made a Raven or Double Shadow in S30V, D2, or anything above 440A I'd probably get one. As long as the materials were durable and not just for looks. To me, fantasy knives are ridiculous mostly just b/c of the crappy steels and materials used to make them. And the "gold" plated or brass cheesey decorative jazzups cheapen their appearances too... a waste of good steel I think not, more like a waste of time since fantasy knives rarely have good steel.
Click to expand...

You need to make the distinction between knives that Gil MAKES and those that he licensed the DESIGN for others to make. The knives that Gil makes are typically 440C, D2 or Damascus. United Cutlery and most other mass production companies use cheaper steel to keep the price down.

You can buy the Double Shadow from United Cutlery that was designed by Gil and licensed to UC

DoubleShadow3.jpg


or you can buy a real 440C Double Shadow made by Gil
DoubleShadow2LR.jpg


It's just a matter of what you are willing to pay for.
 
When United cutlery was still in business they sold a huge number of fantasy pieces. They are a collectable, and it doesn't really matter if they are functional.

If you like fantasy knives as opposed to art knives, Steve Licata is probably as good as any custom maker of that genre.

http://home.att.net/~Steven.Licata/
 
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