Why a Custom knife?

Many people will spare no expense in a rifle/scope combination well over $1000, $500 on a range finder, $300 on a scent locked coveralls and then strap on a $40 junk knife to their waist. The average WORKING time of these items are minutes, the average working time of a knife can be hours during a hunt. The most used too, the one tool most relied on is the basic of all, the knife. Why settle for anything less when you need it and use it the most?


My thoughts on custom knives..

  • Don’t believe hype, knifemakeing is a business, as such some go to far with their claims.

  • Being published in any form of media doesn’t mean it’s a good knife, magazines NEED material.

  • Stay away from makers who have a “secret” heat treat or claims of discovering a heat treat that metallurgists and thousands of years of metal working over looked.

  • A flexible knife DOES NOT make a superior knife, this came about as a test of CONTROL of heat treat by a Association of Bladesmiths that I respect, somehow people took that to mean you should have knives that bend. It got great attention to this group though.

  • A prospective buyer should research before buying, surprisingly very few makers actually use or ever have used the knives they design and often the design and heat treat show it.

  • There is no such thing as a “fighting” knife, with years of realistic martial arts experience I can say any knife can be a “fighting” knife, it’s an opportunistic weapon.

  • Forging does not necessarily make a better blade then stock removal. It’s all about the heat treat regardless. Bladesmiths however, I believe are more often inclined to study and have working knowledge of heat treat. Again the buyer needs to research the maker.

  • Don’t over look the importance of how it a knife feels in your hands, Fatigue of hand is as bad as a knife that won’t hold a edge.

  • A well made sheath is nearly as important as how well made the knife is, they are a package,one is useless without the other.