Custom Knives - Worth it?

[gmerrell]

Here is the input from a knife maker, there are really 2 reasons to buy a truly custom knife, one investment and you have to know what you are doing here.

Second is selection I hate making the same knife one after another, that's why I don't do it. I like to work with the person and find out what he really wants and expect in the knife and make him a one of a kind that they will pass to their grandkids.

If you work with someone who knows what there are doing and take pride in it you will get the best knife you've ever seen. I'm talking fit and finish, it may not work any better than a $19 kmart blue light special but everyone in the deer camp will what to cut something with it.

The trick is finding the maker that really takes pride in his work (and it really helps if he/she isn't trying to feed their family by making knives) so you don't have to pay through the nose for it. If the maker you are working with doesn't spend a good half hour talking to you or 10-15 emails then either they are much better than I ( not hard to do) or you are not getting a true custom but one of his models that he makes every day.

If you are thinking about a custom please pick up a copy of Blade magazine and if you go to amazon or other book store the publishers of blade put together a yearly knives book that is great with 100's of color pic's of custom knives and has the name and info on 100's of makers in the back (i'm not in there) and you can get say Knives 2003 for about $4.00 (http://www.amazon.com/Knives-2003-Wo...ref=pd_sim_b_1) Warning once you buy one year you will want more.

If any one is thinking about getting a custom let me know and I'll post a thread on things you should ask the person you want to make your knife, there are a lot of very simply ?'s that will tell you quickly if they know what they are doing. (I am not trying to sell anyone anything, I just don't want anyone to get burned because there are a few guys out there claiming to be custom makers that don't know what there are doing.
Greg

[Marine24]

If any one is thinking about getting a custom let me know and I'll post a thread on things you should ask the person you want to make your knife, there are a lot of very simply ?'s that will tell you quickly if they know what they are doing. (I am not trying to sell anyone anything, I just don't want anyone to get burned because there are a few guys out there claiming to be custom makers that don't know what there are doing.
Greg

Greg: Was hoping you would chime in. I'd be interested in those questions.