What does make a blade custom/midtech/production?

I

ivanhoe

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Sep 11, 2014
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This is a very newbie question, but even after reading a few topics this is still not clear to me.

What does classify a blade as custom/midtech/production?

Here's what I guess right now:

- Production blades - serial production in factories, automated processes
- Midtech - some parts are mass-produced, while others are done by hand in small shops
- Custom - blades created on individual orders, done by hand

Is this generally correct? If not, could you please explain?

Thanks!
 
The Midtechs will have the "hand" of the maker involved to a large degree, with only certain parts (pivots, screws, etc) or process (HT) coming from a different manufacturer. Scale blanks may be cut out by machine or air-jet by another specialized manufacturer.
The full (true) custom is made entirely by the maker; generally including blade and scale cutout from stock, grinding, polishing, sharpening and HT of blade, screws and standoffs.
Customs may be created on designs or blade-steel choice submitted with individual orders, or the maker may produce a certain number of knives of one general design or model, to be offered for sale.
This will vary, as some midtech knives may be advertised as full custom in order to get the higher price. A gray area.
These last two, mid-techs and customs, will be found to vary somewhat depending upon the maker's opinions.
This is all MY opinion.
 
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Its all marketing speak. Its up to you to make your own informed decision.

Mid tech had a very specific definition when it was created but its a meaningless term now.
 
I consider knives made in limited number by the maker by his (or customer) design, in advance of a sale
to be custom. They need not be made starting with an order to make one. My opinion of course.
 
Scurvy092 said:
Its all marketing speak. Its up to you to make your own informed decision.

Mid tech had a very specific definition when it was created but its a meaningless term now.
Click to expand...

I've heard this expression for other words that have lost their meaning, but it works here:

"When every knife is a mid-tech, none are"
 
As a linguistic presciptionist, here's how I'd prefer to see those items defined.

Production-- automated process of identical blades.

Midtech-- Handmade serial production of identical blades. Primarily differing from production whether the blade is hand-ground or automated.

Custom-- Menu-driven assembly, either production or midtech, with the customer having control over varying aspects of the knife being assembled as a one-off specimen. Selection of blade shape, grind, handle materials, color, etc. A maker who offers a particular design with a choice of blade shapes, finishes, grinds, handle materials and so forth is making a custom mid-tech. A web-based selection allowing for the made-to-order production of a particular combination of blade shape, color, et cetera, is a custom production.

Bespoke-- Customer-initiated creative process, where the customer determines each aspect of the finished product. The difference between custom and bespoke would be that, in a custom, the purchaser selects from a list of options and combinations, whereas in bespoke, the customer drives the design from start to finish.
 
MatthewSB said:
I've heard this expression for other words that have lost their meaning, but it works here:

"When every knife is a mid-tech, none are"
Click to expand...

Exactly. When DPX decided to call their knives mid-techs and when custom makers has production runs of their designs made with little to no hand work(sharpening at most) as mid techs, its a pointless term.
 
Custom -

Made according to a customer's specifications.

That said though, if I wanted a knife done a certain way and I found one that already checked off all the boxes where it feels like it was custom-made for me, I think it would fall under that definition too.
 
And at the end of the day, regardless of price and whatever people want to classify them as, they're all just knives. It's up to you to decide which one you like and want to purchase. ;)
 
Disregard the words and try to find out what the maker/company/shop actually does. There are no fixed definitions used across the board for those terms because too many people/shops/whatever watered down the terms through their marketing. I'd say you're better off deciding what you're ok with for various price points.
 
Yalius said:
As a linguistic presciptionist, here's how I'd prefer to see those items defined.

Production-- automated process of identical blades.

Midtech-- Handmade serial production of identical blades. Primarily differing from production whether the blade is hand-ground or automated.

Custom-- Menu-driven assembly, either production or midtech, with the customer having control over varying aspects of the knife being assembled as a one-off specimen. Selection of blade shape, grind, handle materials, color, etc. A maker who offers a particular design with a choice of blade shapes, finishes, grinds, handle materials and so forth is making a custom mid-tech. A web-based selection allowing for the made-to-order production of a particular combination of blade shape, color, et cetera, is a custom production.

Bespoke-- Customer-initiated creative process, where the customer determines each aspect of the finished product. The difference between custom and bespoke would be that, in a custom, the purchaser selects from a list of options and combinations, whereas in bespoke, the customer drives the design from start to finish.
Click to expand...

But the internet is so much more friendly when one looks at it through the lens of a Linguistic Descriptivist. :D
 
mid-tech used to mean it had many key parts overseen by the maker and likely ground a certain way and custom used to mean made to order, but I think most companies now refer to the definitions as follows:

production: mass produced (virtually unlimited runs)
mid-tech: limited quantities
custom: limited quantities overseen by the maker
true custom is still made to order
 
MajorHarryFace said:
But the internet is so much more friendly when one looks at it through the lens of a Linguistic Descriptivist. :D
Click to expand...

You say friendly, I say annoyingly imprecise and lackadaisical.

Zehr is vun vay und only vun vay zese vords are to be used!
 
Scurvy092 said:
Its all marketing speak. Its up to you to make your own informed decision.

Mid tech had a very specific definition when it was created but its a meaningless term now.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I don't even understand it anymore, the line has become so blurred....

But to me, there are only two categories, Custom and Production.

I use this method; if a maker did more than 50% of the work himself, it's a custom, and I don't care how he did it, technology is hard to fight, and it's letting makers do some really great things.
Anything else is a production.
 
Scurvy092 said:
Its all marketing speak. Its up to you to make your own informed decision.

Mid tech had a very specific definition when it was created but its a meaningless term now.
Click to expand...

I believe this is an accurate assessment.
 
Thanks everyone, it makes more sense now. I was asking because it confused me when I was reading some discussions.

Btw - Happy New Year to you all!
 
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