Looking for Custom Maker

[Mandirigma]

I'm want to get a few blades made. I've owned various "production" blades (Spyderco, Coldsteel, MOD, Emerson, Benchmade, etc etc) and can be totally happy with them. To narrow it down a bit I'm not looking for "show" piece, these tools will be carried on me. Want to get a forged fixed blade in the Karambit/ Kerambit/ Korambit style as well as a few straight spear headed style. I'm looking for a maker that would make to order but not afraid to point out an structural problems.


Also while I'm at it, can anyone direct me to where I can get custom sheaths made? I've an idea or two that I haven't seen and I'd like to get made.

 

[22-rimfire]

Not going to suggest any custom knife maker. Whatever I suggest will be too expensive. Buy yourself a copy or two of Blade Magazine and give some of the custom knife guys a call. Another alternative is to hang out at the Bladeforums.com or knifeforums.com; read and learn. Lots of custom knife and sheath makers post there. You will probably be surprised that there may be knife makers near where you live.

You are probably looking for a Master Bladesmith.

Added: I attended the Atlanta Blade show, there were literally hundreds of custom blade smiths there showing their stuff. I believe there is a big west coast show that is well attended coming up this fall. Show dates will be listed in any copy of Blade magazine. An Arkansas blade smith by the name of "Razorback" on the bladeforums makes nice stuff and I believe he will do custom stuff from your design. Go to the forum.

 

[johnbarth]

Brashears Handcrafted Knives

Gary Brashears has made several knives for me including a Sheffield Bowie with dall sheep handle, a sand bar stag hunting knife and a 3 piece deer hunting set consisting of a skinner with gut hook, caping knife and saw all held in one custom sheath. He is in Bentonville, Arkansas and can be reached at 479-273-5063. Tell him John Barth sent you. Thanks

 

[pete f]

Well there are quite a few, and frankly I am amazed at how low some of the prices are for a fully custom made knife, sure some guys are up the many hundreds, but there are several who seem to be a ble to make them for about two hundred provided your idea of fully custom means something that he can make out of a simple bar of stock. And not some gil hebben style fantasy knife. PM me if you want some names.


I know three or four good makers who start at about 200 for something plain but utterly useful and go up from there.


Now if you think of it, that is nothing. I would say it takes at least 5 hours to make a knife. 40 bucks an hour in todays world for a real craftsman is nothing. heck you pay the plumber or electrician close to a hundred an hour nowadays.

200 hundred bucks for a knife made to your plan handle material and steel choices will be limited, but they will certainly be adequate if not superior to anything you have ever used.

You start adding antique aardvark scales and unobtainum 23ll8i4b steel, prices climb like a scared squirrel. but you choose stag or micarta handles with S30V or D2 and you can get a great knife that no one else will ever have.

 

[hso]

Do you insist that they all be forged or would grinders be considered along with heat and beat folks?

What price range are you willing to pay. Forged knives will often be more expensive than stock reduced knives just because of the smaller group of bladesmiths.

So you want bright and shiney mirror polish for a pretty display piece or would a more utilitarian finish be acceptable?

Do you have any specific steel that you want used or are you open to a wide range of good steel?

Do you want to be able to visit the shop and the maker? Your location will dictate if that's practicle.

Kim Breed and Gary Wheeler are great makers who prices are very reasonable. They do not like to use a high polish finish though.

Jesse Davis is a great maker that grinds instead of forges. He mirror polishs everything and loves intricate detail. His prices are silly cheap.

Sheath makers abound. Sherry Lowe will discuss any sheath you like and she's even made some of my crazy ideas.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Not a custom guy per say. However, I would check Laci Szabo's site and see if he has anything like you're looking to have made.

www.szaboinc.com If not, he might do custom work, not sure.

 

[Mandirigma]

22-rimfire: Thanks I'll check out the forums.

Pete f: will PM after I do some more research.

phen cepel: nice blades, kerambit style is nice, but "seems" to be a little large for my taste. Though I can't tell until I can give it a hands on accessment

hso: Open to a wide range. Definately don't want a mirror polish, quite the opposite in fact. Prefer forged because I've broken many a production bar stock blade. It was my fault for using the blades in purposes they weren't ment for, but the fact was the blade broke. I'm not sure that the karambit style can be grinded out of traditional bar stock.

I want someone knowledgable and reputatble(sp?), but will have the flexibility to work with me. I've met a few smiths that only did things one way and wouldn't make a Karambit because it was too different from thier bowies and tantos.

Problem I've seen is the blades I've found that were "perfect" in dimensions weren't perfect otherwise. One was price, no way am I carrying a $900 damascus karambit around (were I independantly wealthy though I'd change my mind on this). Another was made of "cheap" steel. (i.e. minor prying chipped the blade edge).

Looking to get around 4 blades made 2 kerambits and 2 spearpoint, dual edged style, hopefully under/around $1000-1500 (I understand about getting what you pay for.)

I *DON'T* know steel. I don't know the production time/work involved. But I do know the application and use of edged weapons. I can use any knife, but I'm looking for a few made to "my" (after talking to smith of course) specifications.

Well looks like I need to do more research folks. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

 

[22-rimfire]

Many of the blade smiths have web sites. You may be able to find a design that a custom maker already makes which could save you substantial money. Check out Bob Dozier's knives; they are great. Most are smaller blades. http://www.dozierknives.com/

Depending on where you live, it may be worth your while to research and attend one of the really big blade shows. The one in Atlanta (the largest) is yearly in early June. Your eyes will bug out with all the nice stuff!! Again, the shows are typically listed in Blade Magazine and you may get some design ideas as well.

 

[Valkman]

Prefer forged because I've broken many a production bar stock blade. It was my fault for using the blades in purposes they weren't ment for, but the fact was the blade broke. I'm not sure that the karambit style can be grinded out of traditional bar stock.

You're making some false assumptions here. Bar stock can be as good as forged, and custom makers tend to use much better steel than the ones in production knives. Besides that the main consideration is heat treat, and custom makers pay a lot of attention to that.

The best knife in the world will break if used for the wrong purposes, yet you blame the blade. Forging isn't going to give you a unbreakable knife! Of course karambits are ground, and I think you'll find many more ground than forged.

A K-Bit from Busse, Emerson or Strider should fit the bill but for custom I'd see James Coogler (http://www.cncbladewerkz.net/) or my buddy Mark Terrell.

 

[Mandirigma]

Prefer forged because I've broken many a production bar stock blade. It was my fault for using the blades in purposes they weren't ment for, but the fact was the blade broke. I'm not sure that the karambit style can be grinded out of traditional bar stock.

The best knife in the world will break if used for the wrong purposes, yet you blame the blade.

No, I didn't blame the tool, just the operator

Not to get too defensive, but I did say I don't know steel. Heat Treat? guessing that has something with tempering or the like (probably have my terms all wrong) but basically getting the metal atoms or crystals bonded together in a way as to provide strength and or flexibility.

I have no idea as to what size blanks you get, though on reflection if they make stock big enough for a full sized bowie, a little K-bit should be easy.

WOW! some nice kerambits at Coogler.

 

[Scottso]

Coogler's a great maker, Tom Krein, Mark Terrel, if you'r looking for a one of tho be prepared to pay, Coogler makes some sweet Karambits, as does Strider HS and PS, Mark terrel makes the Hangnail great piece, and James Coogler makes quite a few different models Wraith Dragon Baby Dragon. These are all great pieces, I own 3 Strider Kbits, selling one on here the PS. Not sure what exactly your looking for but check these guys out and see what they say. Good luck.

 

[Valkman]

When most makers buy steel, it is in a "soft" or annealed state. After you grind the blade it is sent off for heat treat where it is hardened and then tempered back down to where the maker wants it, generally around 60 Rockwell. The harder the blade the easier it will break if used as a prybar. When I use O1 Tool Steel I usually differentially heat treat the blades, which means I harden the edge but keep the spine softer. The knife will bend 90 degrees and not break, but you still have a useless knife once you do that.

 

[Gordon]

http://www.grecoknives.com/

John Greco makes a knife that I have never heard of breaking.Nothing fancy here, just great steel and exquisite straight grind lines and wonderfull craftsmanship on useful designs. All made in the sticks by hicks rather than in the turd world or a factory punch press!
His prices are at the give away level for what you get IMHO.

 

[JTW Jr.]

I second Don's recommendation on James Coogler.

If James isnt interested , he probably knows someone that would be .

Due to the shape of a Karambit it takes a fairly wide piece of blade steel

Have you thought about doing a mock up in perhaps wood or thick plastic ?

KnifeNetwork has a lot of new makers who may be interested as well.

 

[BrennanKG]

I suggest looking at the Graham Brothers (Josh and Jon) for your Kerambit needs, if not some of your other knifely needs.
http://www.grahamknives.com/

Although I am not a fan of the Kerambit design, I find theirs to be nicely utilitarian, ie, usable for something besides gutting a human.
http://www.grahamknives.com/pocketkerazel.htm

They also make spear, clip, and tanto points, in addition to their main product, the Razel.

Other makers I suggest:
Deryk Munroe http://www.munroedesign.com/
Deryk made my EDC and I am definitely getting more from him. Deryk works in both forging and stock removal. Deryk, like the Graham Bros, gets his heat treating done by Paul Bos, probably THE name in high quality heat treating.

Michael Burch http://www.burchtreeblades.com/
This gentleman makes awesome field/camp blades, as well as japanese-inspired fighters. His hamons are out of this world.

I suggest registering at http://www.usualsuspect.net/ There you will meet some superb knife-makers, including the already mentioned Mark Terrill, as well as Mike Snody, SAR, and others.

Good luck,
B.

 

[hso]

Valkman is correct, a custom maker that differentially heat treats their blades will make a good blade whether it was forged to shape or ground as long as the same steels are used. Larry Harley and Wes Byrd taught me to forge. I love forged blades. There's just something about the idea of beating hot steel to shape. Regardless of this affection (and the anvil, hammer and mini forge sitting in my garage ), I don't for a minute fool myself into thinking that a forged blade is superior to a stock reduced blade.

As to kerambits and custom makers - they're ground from tool steel all the time. The problem you'll encounter is that they're a pain to make and most makers just aren't interested in them so they have little practice in producing them. Same for the guys that forge. Any maker that doesn't make them probably isn't going to be interested in trying to learn on a comissioned piece.

Look to Paul Duncan to grind a good blade or Jesse Davis. Neither do kerambits though. As to price, $350 each is going to be a little light for full custom knives. Search for makers that are already producing kerambits over at Bladeforums, Knifeforums, Theusualsuspects, etc. Go to arizonacustomknives, knifeart, bladeart, classicgunsandknives, levineknives, nordicknives, etc. to look for makers that inspire you. Heck you may find something on one of those sites.

 

[pendentive]

just finished a handful of kerambit-inspired blades...

All the knifemakers listed above are great bladesmiths.

Best thing to do is to expose yourself to as many makers' blades as possible...then find one that has a style you like and have them make your idea(s).

I don't mind creating other people's designs...as long as it's not out of the realm of what I'm capable of producing, or a bad idea. Sometimes, even then...:banghead:


You should also check out bladeforums.com and do a search on "kerambit", etc. You'll find lots to look at!