I Don't Have A Knife I've Made

Tom Militano

KNIFE MAKER
I've been making knives for a good while now and when I was in the shop Saturday I realized that I don't own one single knife that I've made. I decided to make myself a pair, a fighter and a matching dagger. I swear I'm keeping these when I get around to finishing them. Anybody else have this problem?
 
The only thing that would be worse than not having any of your own, would be having ALL of them! :)

I made myself one about a year ago. I have decided that if someone wants to buy this one out of my pocket, it costs double! :D:D
 
I was laid up from open heart surgery and a stroke for a good while and made some sketches of a couple of blades. I ran across the sketches last week and decided that's what I was making for myself. I have the fighter ready for a guard and handle. The dagger will take some draw filing. I don't like grinding daggers and I like them less when I break a belt and ding them up. It's saveable though.
 
I have a small pocket folder with lots of good stuff (that I like) in it's make up. I carry it in a soft leather slip case. I'd be willing to sell iy out of my pocket if someone offers me what I would want for it. I like having that one with me when I get into some street clothes. Frank
 
I have one small neck knife that I pretty much made specifically for myself. I may end up putting it up for sale one day... but for now I'll keep it.

I also have about half a dozen blades that I just haven't sold yet.

I do plan on making a slipjoint that I can keep in my pocket for my own use and to show people.
 
Right now my "personal" knives are ones I made up to sell that just weren't up to my standards of appearance. Stuff like a couple of little 15x micron scuffs down by the bolster, a little gap between the handle scale and tang, an oval pin hole that shows too much epoxy. I've got quite the collection!
 
I have knives in my kitchen that I use daily, a knife on my workbench that I use daily, knives that I use cleaning fish, deer, ducks and turkeys and always a pocket knife of mine in my pocket. I desighned and built them all and I use, use,use them. I even have my own lawnmower blades on my riding mower. I love my knives because they are the best!:happy:
 
I have been making knives for over 20 years and don't have one of mine. A few years ago I was invited on a hunt and when I got there I was the only one of the eleven hunters on the lease that did not have one of my knives. I have made several for me but someone always thinks they want it and so they come with money and leave with a knife, I come with a knife and leave with the money which is great.
Percy
 
I have the first of every style I've made so far, and I intend to keep it that way. Someday when I get famous :) They will be worth alot lol
 
Right now my "personal" knives are ones I made up to sell that just weren't up to my standards of appearance. Stuff like a couple of little 15x micron scuffs down by the bolster, a little gap between the handle scale and tang, an oval pin hole that shows too much epoxy. I've got quite the collection!

All makers have a boxful of those "Not to Standards" around. If they say they don't? They are L*&(ing:nothing:

I have several of my Culinary knives that I use, always a belt knife or three and my folder line up is a Al Mar Nomad with a few others. I just don't make folders. Maybe someday soon?

Laurence
 
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I kept my first one and my most recent one which was my first folder. I also have a couple of shop knives that were heavily tested and a paring knife in the kitchen. I need to keep a kiridashi for leather work, they come in handy. I keep saying I will keep a nice fixed blade but as a knifemaker I always need the money!
 
Honest Laurence, I don't have anything I've made and don't have a box of "Not to Standards". If I have a knife I'm not happy with I head to the chop saw, then the trash.
 
I have two. One I made for myself, and one old folder that I had lost and found again recently. The one I have in my pocket is a small plain slipjoint. The other is a framelock that I carried for several years clipped inside my watch pocket.

I've had lots of my knives sold from my pocket.
 
i am like tom,if it dosen't turn out no one else ever sees it. i do have one that i spared, i used it for a hunting knife for years, but that's it.
 
'bout 2 mos ago, told my bride I'm going out to make ME a knife. Yep, she laughed and said, like the last 500 or so?
Well this time, I fixed it. 4" DPH profiled,ground the bevils and STAMPED-- TEST--
Now I cain't sell it. Like all other hunters, I have my own hunting knife. Jerry
 
That happens about 9 times out of 10. I would make a knife and then make the mistake of showing it to people and poof, sold.

So I just started making ugly knives for myself.
 
I have a few that I have saved. I come very near selling them from time to time. However, a dear friend told me to keep some of my work along the way so I could go back and look at how my skills have improved over time. My very first knife was a rail road spike made from a spike off my father-in-law's catfish throw line. When I made it, that was the only spike I could find. I dont know how many RR spikes I have made now. I stopped counting at 70 and that was two years ago. I was keeping up with the forged blades I made but I have lost count on them too. I figure I am somewhere over 200 knives now. I think I kept maybe 5 so far..... Maybe I should put them on the wall in a shodow box to remind me that I am much better that I once was but not as good as I will be.....
 
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