Custom knives

[Old Savage]

I was looking at a knife magazine and thinking about the nicest stuff they make, looking at the Bowies at the time. No one is likely to ever use those. Anybody really using any of the high end custom knives. Here is the only one I have but it is a plain jane by J D Clay and not expensive 1095 steel. I know that KirkD has a nice Bowie he uses. I am not specifically just talking about Bowies.

[Pete44ru]

I've been using three or four different handmade/custom belt knives for more than 20 years, Fred. (Randall, Henry, Olsen, Solum, Polkowski)

Two of them have dressed out more than 10 deer each, and still don't need sharpening !

I paid $2-300 each for them, all those years ago, and can say that they've been worth every penny - especially when I'm asked to use one, after another person's commercial knife stopped cuttin' the mustard in the middle of a job.

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[Old Savage]

PICS, Pete, PICS !!! AND, what two would those be?

[Ravenman]

OS - some knives of one of the best (if not the best) swiss custom maker.

http://www.messerschmiede-kuenzi.ch/damastmesser.phtml
http://www.messerschmiede-kuenzi.ch/cla ... er-1.phtml
http://www.messerschmiede-kuenzi.ch/fre ... sser.phtml
http://www.messerschmiede-kuenzi.ch/solidemesser.phtml
http://www.messerschmiede-kuenzi.ch/gua ... sser.phtml

He also makes knives of old Dodge and Jeep leaf springs.

http://www.messerschmiede-kuenzi.ch/bla ... sser.phtml

[Pete44ru]

The three knives, I haven't had to sharpen since I acquired them many years ago, are all pictured on the RH side, below.



The top RH (2nd from top) is a stag-handled handmade Henry.

The 3rd RH knife, with the finger-groove burl scales, is a Polkowski.

BUT, the longest-lasting edge award (25 years & 25 deer) HAS to go to the 2nd RH knife from the top, a lamo-handled Sharp brand knife that I paid the princly sum of $6 for at an F.W. Woolworth (WOOLCO) sporting goods counter in the early-mid 80's.

All three have a few things in common: a hollow-ground blade, a ful-length tang, and SHARP from the maker.
The $6 knife had a crappy, throw-away sheath, though - more like cardboard than leather.

As a side note, when a friend gifted me a hand-made Puma Hunter's Pal, from the Puma Custom Chop, after one of his trips to Germany about 10 years ago - It seemed pretty sharp too.
Until I started dressing a deer with it.
I had to resharpen it 3x before I gave up & went to the Sharp (I keep it in my haversack) to finish the job w/o further issue.
I resharpened the Puma (again), and gave it to a new Eagle Scout who fell in lust for it.

moral: not all handmade knives are created equally.

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[bdhold]

Pete, you have some beauties, both production and custom.
The Shrade b&t is rare and collectible - I have the fillet knife version and use it!



yeah, I have a few, and have added a few since this photo
Mostly small skinners and bird&trout

I rotate through my knives and use them, but some I gravitate to more often than others.

a few examples:

R.A. Matt

Todd Orr

Mark Waite


Moki (very nice Seki City production knife)

John Roy

Kiko Matsuda


I have a couple of Marbles l/e and Bark River Prototypes, a Kanetsune bloom-iron knife, finger-ring b/t, a Blackjack small skinner, a serialized Moore Maker folder, and a couple of mint hardware store knives (Solingen)



use the most?
My cigar cutter - Al Mar Havana clipper


I also picked up a couple of Spring Creek Knives recently:
http://sc-kw.com/availableknives.aspx
Josh Mosier builds a very fine knife for an excellent price

[adirondakjack]

I did one as a sponsorship donation to our State SASS match.



the fellow who won it says his wife ordered a lucite display case and it's going on the mantle.

FOR MY OWN SELF, I like "classy users" rather than shelf queens.


A simple Russel knife with a maple handle and plum brown on the blade. Sharp as a razor and yes, I use it.

[BigSky56]

OS after using all kinds of knives over the years for breaking down game and beef I settled on swedish knives for their ease of sharpening no gadgets to keep the angle of the dangle right, each knife has a flat bevel of 1/4 to 3/8 flat grind or scandi grind you can use a diamond, arky stone to sharpen or a steel to freshen up the edge. Mora/frosts use sandvik steel/stainless in the knives and they are cheap 10 to 35$. Guys that make a living butchering use inexpensive knives russell, forschner or mora. High $ knives have a place with high $ guns in the safe. danny

http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html

[new pig hunter]

I use all my knives, whether production or custom. I can't afford any Loveless or Voorhees high-cost, but I'll share a couple of my favorite customs. I prefer a larger Bowie style.

Dan Koster made one "sorta like this" for me about 4 years ago. A work of art and a great chopper:
http://www.kosterknives.com/damabowie.jpg

Another custom, this one by David Wesner in Michigan. It is not only a work of art, but has survived some severe chopping abuse without any problem:
http://www.kelseycreekknifeworks.com/images/BEF4.jpg

Cheers,

Carl

[bdhold]

I did one as a sponsorship donation to our State SASS match.



the fellow who won it says his wife ordered a lucite display case and it's going on the mantle.

FOR MY OWN SELF, I like "classy users" rather than shelf queens.

this is striking work.

I like using my shelf queens, even if it's only to cut cheese and caribou sausage during lunch on an AK fishing trip (but I use them for more than that)

[Streetstar]

My recently aquired Randall got used this season to cut some cheese too - and summer sausage, and open packages, and clear small limbs/twigs out of my way in the treestand.

It is a bit too big for a skinning knife, but it would do the job if it had to --- really looking forward to my next one in a bird and trout type profile. This one on the other hand , is roughly the size of a K-Bar and it is a good size for a camp knife

PS--- why doesn't Randall or any other custom makers make a gut-hook model? I have a much less expensive Gut Hook Buck that i find invaluable when it comes to skinning a carcass.

[Old Savage]

Thanks for all the responses - very interesting stuff. I will be taking a couple of the suggestions soon. Keep them coming. The 748 from Big Sky's link will likely be first - and Christmas coming.

[kimwcook]

I love custom knives. I couldn't afford them so I started making them and you guys have seen what pictures I have of mine so I'm not going to bore you anymore with those. I've got to get some newer pictures.

Beautiful knives guys.

[Paladin]

Some of my hunting and work blades, I have been very lucky to be in the right place at the right time to be given or issued some nice custom knives.

[Old Savage]

The top two here are the ones I used on my own buck. Top is a Dozier with D2 steel - holds a great edge and the next is a Benchmade with 154 CM steel. The bottom was made by a fellow named Mattis on a Green River blade. I have not used it in the field but it is like one above so I included it.

And might I say in addition to cheese and sausage and assorted fruits and vegetables if you are not using these masterpieces of the knife makers art to slice newspaper according to my wife you are missing one of the great joys of custom knives.

[Buckeye]

I just contracted a custom knife today...It is to be made from one of my fathers old Black Diamond files..to be full tang and the handle or grips are to be made from Cape Buffalo horn..semi polished with some scales..and to have a custom sheath plain but to ride high..... hopefully i'll receive it soon...
i'll post pictures ..when the knife arrives...

[Pete44ru]

Sweeeeeet ! !

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[Clinebo]

My 'Predator' machete from Jack W Crain.

[kimwcook]

Cool knives guys. Clinebo, I love the predator series, especially Predator. Have you seen "The Expendables"? Blades there too.

[Ysabel Kid]

Some day I'd like to have a custom sword made!