Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Who is your favorite Knife maker

I really like the looks of the Dan Crotts.

My Benchmade Stryker 910HS in M2 (discontinued) has been my hardest used pocketknife for over five years. I just bought a NIB 910D2 (discontinued) yesterday, and look forward to putting it through the paces.

So far, it is acting exactly like my Dozier Straight Personal. It is taking some time to DMT stone the 910D2's edge to as fine and polished as I like. Very toothy!

I like the knives from Peter Bromley. He's a great guy and a superb craftsman.

here's a site with some of his stuff:
http://www.bladegallery.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=590

I've thus far resisted the temptation to post on this thread, but a third batch of Patron margaritas has me pondering...

Are we discussing "favorite knife makers", or "knife makers who made favorite knives?"

Journeyman--why not just give us both????
I don't think there is a test later.

My favorite is Randall. Randall's are the only custom knives I have ever bought, because I can duplicate fixed blade knives made by most other makers, except for damascus.

I have tried duplicating Randall's, but I have never made one that compares with his.

I wouldn't call Randall's custom knives. But I guess for sake of arguement you could classify them that way if you want to.

When I think of custom to me its a single maker or a joint project shared by two makers. Not to take away from Randall's they are finely made knives by a shop of guys.

Journeyman- you can go either way you would like. If its favorite knife by a maker mine would be a caping knife by Gary Couter from ID. I kick myself everyday for giving that knife to a very good friend. What makes it worst is I see it all the time.

My defination of a custom maker is one who will make a knife to yours or anyone elses's design. That would be a true custom made knife.

My defination of a hand made knife is, well, a knife that is hand made, usually to the maker's design.

In between, there are people who make knives of their own design, but who will also make a knife to a customer's design. This would be a truly hand made custom knife, and since most makers prefer to use their own designs, somewhat of a rarity.

Randalls don't actually fit into any of these catagories. I visited his shop once, when Mr. Randall was still alive, and he had several people working for him. I don't know if each individual made a complete knife from start to finish, or each person did one or more steps on each knife.

Randall did offer options such as blade length and design, but his own designs, and handle material, so I guess if you specified the blade length and design, it could be considered a custom Randall.

I don't know if they would make a knife for you if you designed it yourself from scratch.

Whatever the type, if I were going to buy a high-dollar (notice I did not say custom or handmade) knife, it would be a Randall.

It was Corbet Sigman until he passed away. Now, it is anyone who forges their blades instead of the stock removal method, who is a member of the Guild and who makes a practical style that is designed for using. Having said that, my Cold Steel Carbon Master V does anything I have ever required of it.

Lloyd Pendleton. I have a few.

I own a few Randall's and one I bought from him in person at his shop many years ago. They are well made knives but I just can't get excited about them. To me they are not user friendly for hunting and field use. To be honest they sit in my safe and maybe one day I will clear them out who knows. Now add to that all their prices and forget it they are not a buy in my opinion at all. But again they are well made knives and if they are your thing thats awesome. The only one to me worth anything is the small saltwater.

Is a hand made knife hand made if the maker uses machines? A beltsander is a machine. Hmm makes you think how many Hand made knife makers there are out there.

Personally I don't care what the method is to get to the end results as long as the end results is a well made practical user friendly knife.

I admire all knife makers good at the task or not. They are out there giving it a go and learning.

I have heard it argued that all knifes are handmade, even it the only parts touched by hand was the steel when it was off loaded from the truck and carried inside the plant, or hand carried from one machine to another.

Personally, I don't think a $1000.00 hand made knife is one bit better than a factory knife costing $9.95, if the same steel, properly heat treated, is used in both, and the design is user friendly.

The difference is in appearance and workmanship. I doubt that you will find a knife by May, Loveless, Corbit Sigman, Rogers, or any of the other top makers on the shelves at Wall-Mart with an asking price of $9.95.

I suppose if you were defining hand made, it would depend on how many of the parts are made and assembled by one individual maker.

No Hand made could be made by more then one person provided they are hand made. Hand made to me means no machines. Other wise they are not hand made. Like I said doesn't really matter to me the method, hand made, stock removal, forged, as long as they are of quality, good design, and sharp.

Looking forward to an e3ck..................

I just got mine!!!!! e3ck, its a dandy!! saveing for another one!
John

you guys know Russell died a few months back, right?
his son in law is one of my best buddies.

Robert Young

Whoever makes my next one . I like Gene, Charlie and Dave. Mike Irie makes a nice knife and so does Dozier. I think they are all nice.

If I had to choose only ONE maker of great knives it would be Steve Schwarzer. I've spent a week watching him make a knife and if there is anything that feels better in the hand, or works better in the bush I have never seen it. Steve makes his own damascus in his own shop - few do and he is a master.

For a tactical knife I would pick Steve VanVoorhees Slim Fighter. If you don't know this knife and need a real fighting knife that can be carried every day google his name and take a look. It is a real weapon, not a wanna-be toy.

Bluesman

i have loveless and a vonbockman, both see use.