General advise for a custom newbie?

fulloflead

fulloflead

Joined
May 3, 2002
Messages
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I'm not a knife newbie. I've been collecting knives since I was 7 (for the last 25 years) and slowly graduated from flea-market crap, to Bucks to CRKT & Kershaw, to Benchmade and Spyderco, to Microtech and Protech, and NOW I'VE FINALLY given up the fight and I'm totally interested in customs. (Got my first today. A Dozier Agent.)

I've been checking out KnifeArt.com and BladeArt.com and a few other custom knife sites and the custom forums, but BASICALLY I now find myself in a world I know nothing about.

Previous to this I could spout TONS of info on all different factory knives: when they came out, what's discontinued, the order things came out and sometimes their evolutionary history, most of the versions and model numbers and materials, what was popular and what wasn't, production problems they've corrected along the way... blah, blah, blah!:eek:

Over the last week or so of reading about productions I've learned that I'm totally lost and I don't know JACK!

(Save for the big names like Elishewitz, Lum, Ryan, Carson and all the others that have done collaborations that, OF COURSE, I've heard of because I know all about and probably have owned their factory collaborations.)

My knee-jerk is to look for their customs, but of course they're often much more expensive than other names who's knives look at least as good...

I'm set with my knowledge and opinions of one maker: DOZIER! Fine! I'm good with that. Set in stone. No problem.

My second knife? My buddy TheBadGuy hooked me up with a nice-looking Duncan at an excellent price but I don't really know who he is other than people seem to like him from reading the forums and the knife looked really nice from TBG's pictures. I'm sure I'll like it and it'll be money well-spent because I know and trust TheBadGuy but...

after that?

SOMEBODY THROW ME SOME WATER WINGS!

Throwing out all I know about productions and stepping into my new knowledge-less VOID about customs is DAMN uncomfortable.

WAAHHHH WAAHHHH! :( Somebody please tell me everything's going to be OK, tell me a story and rock me to sleep? ;)

But seriously, what advise would you give to someone who was a LONG time production-knife collector who finished his run with Microtechs/Protechs and has an huge interest and desire for custom knives but only a beginning knowledge?
 
My advice:

1) Take a knife-making class (forged or stock removal) and then try to make a couple as a hobbie. This will save you mucho $$$ in expensive lessons.
2) Go to all the shows that are close by, and study. Check out the second hand guys because they often have tremendous bargains.
3) Limit your collection to a small number of pieces - 5, 10, maybe 15. Upgrade the collection rather than add to it. That means, always sell your least satisfying blade when you buy the latest most fancy piece in your collection.
4) Buy a high quality / high value plain vanilla knife (Nick Wheeler, Terry Primos, Jason Knight for example), and study them well. That will give you the ability to question the prices some makers charge when they can't even put a knife together correctly.
5) Do not buy a knife online unless you *know* that you can get a full refund. All the top custom retailers out there will do that, and it's a good idea to buy from them. In my experience, the margins they make are reasonable and well worth the convenience, until you're learned what you like and what you want.
6) Don't go for fads.... People here will rave about some makers, and in my opinion, some of the names mentionned here are very good, and some are not as good - even when they have a strong following.
7) Personally, I've been happier buying finished pieces than commissionning a maker, but it might just be me.

JD
 
Joss gave some fantastic thoughts and advice.
I might add go for quality. It only hurts once. Knife shows and hammerins and friends who have experience are paramount in gaining knowledge more so than the net.
 
In addition to Joss's excellent advice I'll add this:

1) DON'T BE IN A RUSH! Letting your enthusiasm run far ahead of your experience / expertise can be real expensive. Take your time. Read a lot. Add pieces slowly.

2) Get thee to a knife show. There is nothing so informative as being able to compare knives by various makers at the same place and the same time. What you learn there will be well worth the money spent. Plus it's a whole lot of fun and a great way to establish personal contacts with makers, dealers and fellow enthusiasts.

Cheers,

Roger
 
1) Spend the next 3 months researching and finding the maker's that interest you.

2) Get your ass to Atlanta for the Blade Show, chances are the maker's you choose will be there

3) Buy a piece or two for some instant (and long awaited) gratification. Feel free to order a couple more for delivery down the road. The chances are very good that each of these purchases will bring long term satisfaction. Plus you get to personally talk with the guy who made your knife. Good stuff IMO.
 
Pick up and coming makers.Lots of bargains out there.IMHO
Do your homework.(As per Les Robertson)
Learn early what quality is and then go out and buy it.
BUY WHAT YOU LIKE!!!!!!!!! The heck with what everyone else likes.
Randy
 
Originally posted by Joss
Personally, I've been happier buying finished pieces than commissionning a maker, but it might just be me.
Click to expand...
It's not just you, Joss. I'm happier when I can make what I want and just post it for sale. Doesn't mean I won't take orders, just means I'm a lil' happier when I'm not "under the gun"...
 
Wow. Jeez! I'm glad I asked!:D

I got more wisdom out of those few posts than in several days of browsing forums and websites.

Hey, when's the Atlanta Blade Show? Is it hard to get a hotel room if you don't book a long time in advance?
 
Buy what YOU like, and don't make a habit out of buying knives for their investment potential(ok, you're going to anyway, but keep it within control).

To me, custom knives are all about the fit and finish that the maker puts into them. If a knife is not as well finished as a factory knife, then why have it? So, buy quality knives from quality makers. Get to a show(Blade show, being one). Hand pick your knives off the maker's table, whenever possible.

Another thing that is very important to me, is the relationship between me and the maker. I consider the knifemakers that I buy from as friends, and I will not buy knives from jerks. Lucky for me, there's not that many jerks out there in the custom knife world.
 
Just a couple of seconds to thoughts noted above.

As Roger points out - Don't be rash.

Unlike factory knives, changing your mind on customs is very, very expensive.


As Joss indicates, don't buy more (unless you are running a museum), buy better.
 
Originally posted by fulloflead
Hey, when's the Atlanta Blade Show? Is it hard to get a hotel room if you don't book a long time in advance?
Click to expand...
www.bladeshow.com

June 4-6

Hotels are easy to find nearby. The Waverly is usually booked in advance, but the rest (Marriot, Hilton, etc.) have vacancies.

Hope to see you there!
 
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