The World of Midtechs

[Mo2]

So it sounds like I'm correct in the designation as a "midtech" of the small run I'm making. In doing 20 knives, 14 will be midtechs and 6 will be more "custom" (mainly dressed up more with bolsters and more complicated grinds, and the buyer will have some input in this probably). I'm outsourcing the machining and waterjet, ht, etc but I'm going to handle the blade shape and grind work, reaming the pivot and doing the lockup and detent (all of the important things) along with the final fit and finish. That would be considered a midtech correct?

If say so!

In some cases, there is a substantially larger amount of involvement. Liong Mah sources materials for his models built by Reate, among other things. While most of these collaborations are exactly as you say, and they should be assumed so until we learn otherwise, some vary.

not sure I'd call those midtech at all. He's had constructive input but.. He's still just the designer. He didn't physically do anything to each knife as it left his shop. He designed it. That's it. That doesn't mean it's a midtech. Had he put them together and sharpened them and or anodized them then sure. But it was all done by factories.

 

[Banter 247]

If say so!

not sure I'd call those midtech at all. He's had constructive input but.. He's still just the designer. He didn't physically do anything to each knife as it left his shop. He designed it. That's it. That doesn't mean it's a midtech. Had he put them together and sharpened them and or anodized them then sure. But it was all done by factories.

Certainly fair to describe them as not midtech based on him not having hands on work with them. I won’t argue that. I was just calling out that his involvement is more than sending a design in. He’s directly involved with sourcing materials, as well.

 

[Mo2]

Certainly fair to describe them as not midtech based on him not having hands on work with them. I won’t argue that. I was just calling out that his involvement is more than sending a design in. He’s directly involved with sourcing materials, as well.

Perhaps there is another term besides midtech to call that.

 

[sfknifeguy]

If you search bladeforums for midtech there have been many many many threads about what a midtech is. No one has a legit answer that everyone can agree appon.

The original from Ken onion was a manufacturered knife that involved work by the original designer, ie blade finishing, anno, sharpening, etc.

Here's Lucas Burnley weigh in on the topic.
https://knifenews.com/lucas-burnley-weighs-in-on-the-mid-tech-question/


In any case a designer that has a low production run from a manufacturer... It's not a midtech at all. That's just some poor fool (the customer making that up, or the maker making it up) trying to charge more for his knives when he goes to sell them lol. So the knives from we, reate, etc are not midtechs. They are just small production runs from a designer made by a high end manufacturing facility ... That's it. The maker or designer was not involved in the production of that at all other than sending a napkin with a knife drawing on it to the MFG.

Hey I really appreciate all the great info from this post, thanks so much for the clarifications!

 

[sfknifeguy]

Just an update for you all, I have purchased what I believe to be my first brand new Midtech, the Koenig Mini Goblin!