How do you decide what you are going to collect?

Stephen F

Stephen F

Joined
Sep 28, 2003
Messages
1,235
Hi,

I am fairly new to the custom knife scene, and being a Brit. currently posted in China have found the internet a god send.

I have been completely bowled over by just how many fantastic knives are out there, especially in the States and Canada.

In fact it can be quite a daunting experience trying to decide what to buy, and where to stop.

Fortunately I came across Les Robertson at an early stage who has been supremely helpful and extremely informative.

After discussing it with him I am initally focusing on Forged Bowies, with a list of makers, based on reputation and examples of their work (with one or two exceptions based on pure lust!) . But even with this criteria the choice is vast and funds limited.

So with so much at your doorstep, how do you guys decide what your going to collect and spend the hard earned on?

All the Best,


Stephen
 
First of all welcome to the forums.
Second you have selected a great knife to collect(forged Bowies)
Get on with it.
There are a bunch of makers on this forum that would be glad to accomidate you.
Randy
 
Welcome Stephen,

You sure found a good spot to meet and talk knives.

You've made at least one other good move: Les Roberston. He's extremely informed on all aspects of the custom knife world and also very generous with his time. I've learned a lot from him.

As for your choice of type of knives, well, you hit the target with me - forged fixed blades are what I collect, with bowies being my favorite blade.

As to where you from here - considering you're farily new to this gig, , I'd say do a lot more reasearch and ask a lot more questions before spending a lot more money. There's an almost irresistable temptation to dive right in and no doubt you learn a lot that way, but the lessons can be expensive.

1) Use the search feature on this forum to find archived discussions on points of interest. You will not BELIEVE how much information is already here.

2) Ask questions on the forum and off-line via e-mail. There are more than a few forged-blade junkies whe frequent these parts and all of us are pretty much happy to answer any questions you might have.

3) Don't be afraid to approach the makers themselves with any questions you might have about their knives.

And now for some eye candy:

Damascus Sam Bell bowie by Bailey Bradshaw MS:

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Southwestern stag bowie with damascus mini-bowie companion by
Harvey Dean MS:

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Spear point bowie by Don Fogg MS:

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Stag fighter-bowie by Russ Andrews, JS:

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Cheers,

Roger
 
I also have started to collect forgrd Bowies. This began with a love for the Bowie knife that I have had since I was a child.

As far as how I decide which knives I am going to collect is concerned, I do a lot of studying. I check as many books, magazines, web sites and forums as I can to get an idea of which makeers I am interested in. When my interest is peaked, I then try to get a look at as many knives by the maker/makers that I am interested in. If I am consistantly impressed by the work I see, I then approach the maker and get to know him/her to find out if this is someone that I will be comfortable dealing with. I also like to find out if the makers have more pictures of their work that I can get a look at. After I am satisfied and everything falls into place, I then give the maker the basic outline of what I am looking for in a knife and request that he/she make me something I will like. Sometimes, if the knife is going to take a while to arrive, as time goes by I drive the maker a little crazy with requests for a change here or there, such as a change in the style of the guard or a change from say 52100 to W-2 or damascus. So far the makers that I have done this with have been exceptionally understanding and helpful.

The reason I spend so much time studying the makers and their work is that like you I have limited funds. I do not have the necessary funds to purchase any knife that I want. Another reason I do this is because I enjoy it. I have learned a great deal about the makers and their knives and I think I enjoy that part as much as actually owning the knives.

I you are looking for forged Bowies, make sure you check out the ABS. They have a links page that will give you the opportunity to look at many makers knives.

The ABS has many of the top makers of forged Bowies, but there are many other great steel bashers that are not members of this organization. Sometimes these makers are a little harder to find. If you are interested, please feel free to email me and I will be glad to give you whatever information that I can. It is always nice to converse with another collector, especially one that has the same interests as you.
 
Darn Roger, did you have to post that picture of the Andrews fighter? Now you have me trying to figure out how to get the money together for another knife. Damn you to hell (only joking). :p
 
Nifrand, Roger, Keith,


Thanks for your replies, they reinforce what I have already witnessed of the Custom Knife community - genuine, helpful and very welcoming.

I will certainly take the opportunity to contact some of the forum members direct as your experience and knowledge is very valuable.

Rogers Pictures serve to illustrate my point, a fantastic selection, all different, and all irresistable. So far I have been fortunate to obtain both a Harvey Dean and Joe Flornoy Bowie, and all the makers shown in those pictures are on my list.

Russ Andrews does seem quite elusive though, how would I go about contacting him? I believe his work is quite exceptional?


Thanks,

Stephen
 
Russ's work IS exceptional. And, yes, his knives are quite elusive(I don't believe he is though), since he only makes a limited number of them per year. He is still working full time, and only makes knives in his spare time.
 
That Russ Andrews is amazing. I think that if I were offered any knife from any Mastersmith or any from Russ, I'd choose Russ's.
 
Well, I see that most of the Usual Forged Bowie Suspects have checked in.:cool:

You have saved yourself a lot of growing pains by relying on Les to get you up to speed, a very wise move, IMHO. (BTW, Les I will be looking for my usual kickback). The other thing that I would suggest is that you be very nice to Danbo and perhaps he will occasionally permit you to acquire one of his "castoffs", which are always amazing. We mortals can only imagine what fabulous knives he must be keeping. (Danbo, you still have my address right?):D

Welcome and good hunting!
 
Hi Stephen,

Welcome to BF. Thanks for getting me off of the Customers v. Purveyors thread. It was getting brutal over there. :D

Thank you, Roger and Peter for the kind words. Keith and Randy I was a little disppointed. ;)

I was fortunate enough to meet Russ at the SOS Show. His knives are truly something.

However, it seems he is only making about 10 knives per year. On top of that he is several years behind.

So make a note of the name and if you see one for sale in the aftermarket...jump on it.
 
Jeez, is that all that anybody collects, forged bowies? Well, add me to the list. :rolleyes:

Seriously though, it took a lot of trial and error before I landed there. I went through a folder phase and still have a few nice ones that I will likely have forever. I also went through a tactical phase which has dwindled to a couple Vanguards courtesy of Les (R.J. Martin Pathfinder and David Broadwell sub-hilt). These too are keepers.

But, I just simply love the style of the forged fighter/bowie. Grace, balance and a level of refinement and craftsmanship that really lights my fire. While I only have a few at the moment, I have four more ordered from 4 months to approx. 4 years down the road. There are indeed a great number of talented smiths to choose from. Some of my favorites are Nick Wheeler, Dan Farr, Terry Primos, Ed Caffrey, Roger Massey and of course Jerry Fisk. While definitely not the cheapest route to go, I have found that a few high quality pieces are much more satisfying than hordes of lesser knives.

I think as much as anything though, it is knowing the amount of work that went into the blade that sets them apart. Knowing that a man was bent over an anvil pounding on a red hot piece of steel in the dead of summer just reinforces the amount of dedication that was put into the knife and this is generally carried through to the final finish. A real tribute to the knifemaker's art IMO.

I am also a firm believer that the knife is only as good as its maker. This may sound funky, but it means a lot to me. The knife becomes much more dear and special if you can hold the utmost respect for the man that made it. I have had the privledge of meeting a most of the guys who's knives I own or have ordered from and couldn't be more satisfied with the experience. As a rule, the ABS guy's ROCK, and your not likely to find a better bunch to deal with.

Anybody still wondering what makes these blades so popular?
 
Stephen, buy what you like. That's what most of us do.
If you have a question about how hard a knife can be used, the quality of the materials or the workmanship, PLEASE JUST ASK!!!! (actually, please do a search first, chances are someone's already asked the same question)
You've come to the right place.
And welcome aboard.
 
Welcome to the forums. Les is the man and he will do right for you. I myself am not into fixed blades. I like folding framelocks (left handed of course!) with blades about 3-31/2 inches and S30V is my current favorite steel. I'm partial to Chris Reeve and his Sebenza. I also have orders with John W. Smith, Ernest Emerson, Scott Cook and Chris Reeve. It's a great hobby and also one that will drain your pocketbook quickly.:D :cool: ;) :eek: :p
 
Stephen,
Also a big welcome from Switzerland! As you see this is a truly international place to talk knives.
And your collecting field is the same as mine, THEY HAVE TO BE FORGED!

You have already obtained a Dean and a Flournoy Bowie? You couldn't do any better for starters :D

You are currently living in China? I have lived many years in Japan.
This is another place to look for stunning custom knives. Japanese makers have a great fit and finish on there knives. I love especially some slip-joint designs of the good japanese makers.
 
Thanks to all of you for your messages, I have now spent some time trawling the forum, and as you say the wealth of information here is incredible. The knowldge of the regular contributors is staggering. It has also led me to add Nick Wheeler to my list, his work looks fantastic.


SwissDagger,

Thanks for the message. We plan on making a trip to Tokyo, and some local purchases will be high on the agenda.

If you don't mind I will contact you nearer the time for some more specific info and advice.

All the best,

Stephen

:)
 
Originally posted by Stephen F
It has also led me to add Nick Wheeler to my list, his work looks fantastic.
Click to expand...

Well, no-one can accuse you of being a slow learner :) Here's a sweet little hunter from Nick that I couldn't resist, notwithstanding my general preference for the larger blades:

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(photo from bladegallery.com)

And one more Russ Andrews pic - this ebony-handled fighter now resides in the collection of Murray White.

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Cheers,

Roger
 
Nick sure does make some fantastic looking knives. I don't own any, but I would be willing to bet that they much more than just fantastic looking.

Les, I didn't want your head to get too swelled so I held back on the praise, but I truely do respect your knowledge and your willingness to share it.

So Stephen, you have a Dean and a Flournoy Huh? That's a great start, but I think you will find many more great makers and irresistible knives are in your future. Just like me, I keep coming back to look at that Andrews Bowie and just know that this is not going to be a good thing for my financial situation.
 
It sure is cruel and unusal punishment to keep posting these Russ Andrew knives.

Trying to find one of his for sale is like trying to get a postcard to Lord Lucan!

(But being masochistic, please keep them coming!!) :p

Stephen
 
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=2138305

I am technologically impaired, but if you click on the link above, you will see one of Danbo's "second tier" Bowies by Russ Andrews, that I was forced to take off his hands.;)

I would also add that high end forged hunters can compliment your Bowies quite nicely, so don't dismiss the catagory out of hand.

FWIW, Here is a list of some forged Bowie makers, whose work really excites me and that I have bought or who I am on the "list" for.

In no particular order:

Don Fogg
Kevin Cashen
Ron Newton
Russ Andrews
Roger Massey
Nick Wheeler
Jason Knight
Shawn McIntyre
Jim Crowell
Joe Flournoy

Great Smiths on my radar. (just waiting for the right knife)

Jerry Fisk
Steve Filicietti
Terry Primos
Harvey Dean
Mike Williams
Bailey Bradshaw

Always buy what YOU love, not what someone tells you should buy. Look a lot, buy a little, and take your time.
 
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