Custom Knives - Worth it?

[davsel]

A well made custom knife is a great example of craftmanship by a knife maker. I've seen some great examples but for the price I'd rather invest in several good knives that suit my purposes.
My main consideration for a knife are blade material and ability to hold an edge and ease of sharpening. ESEE fits the bill for me.

Aren't these two criteria mutually exclusive?
I read this a lot, and have always been confused by the concept.
What am I missing?