Can't call myself a knifemaker or can I?

[Dave Broughton]

I don't make my own blades, just don't have the time, so I feel like I shouldn't qualify myself as a knifemaker.....What I do is buy the blades and use varies materials for the handles. Mostly, I put antler handles on the blades and decorate them as much as I can. Does that make me a knife maker or a pretender?

 

[Frank Niro]

Well, for me Dave, I have said several times that it's not what you use or how you get there but how good is it in the end. Frank

 

[akey]

How about knife builder? I have no problems whatsoever with what you do as long as you are up front about what exactly you are doing, but the phrase "knife maker" is pretty misleading when you did not grind the blade. That is obviously the most integral part of a knife and everything else is just furniture to dress it up. This is one of those slippery slope questions because there are so many arguments on what actually constitutes making a knife. I personally believe that if you did not take a piece of flat steel and shape it into a knife, whether it is done by forging or stock removal, you did not make a knife but what you did do is assemble one. As long as you are up front with your customers on what exactly you did, that is OK in my book.

 

[jkf96a]

Being up front is the most important part. Put them together and sell them as fast as you can. On the other hand, I think to use "knifemaker" implies that you ground or forged the blade yourself. A little used term for the knife assembly guy is "cutler." You'd have to explain it to most folks though.

 

[Bruce Bump]

When our kids were young and we both had full time jobs and a mortgage and not much free time. Like you I also put handles and guards on catalog bought blades. I gave them as gifts and enjoyed it very much. A year or two later I started doing stock removal blades from bandsaw blades. Thats when I decided I was a "knife maker". I think to have the title you should make your own blades.
I can see you here asking great questions and believe you have "the fever" which has no cure. Welcome to the journey! Glad to have you on board.

 

[Dave Broughton]

Thanks you guys for the "mind set" that really covers where I'm at right now.....I do have some blanks that I've ground down and almost ready to make a knife out of but it still, I feel, doesn't make me a title of KNIFE MAKER.....I always tell folks that buy my knives that I purchase the blades and don't forge them myself......With all the other work I do, I guess I'm satisfied right now with assembling components, making the stands and the sheaths and selling them as a piece of art......Most of my work is bought by re-enactors, SASS shooters and folks that want something to put on their mantle........I can live with that but inside I would love to create the whole shebang, stamp the blade with my logo and feel the pride of doing it all myself.........thanks

 

[Dave Broughton]

When our kids were young and we both had full time jobs and a mortgage and not much free time. Like you I also put handles and guards on catalog bought blades. I gave them as gifts and enjoyed it very much. A year or two later I started doing stock removal blades from bandsaw blades. Thats when I decided I was a "knife maker". I think to have the title you should make your own blades.
I can see you here asking great questions and believe you have "the fever" which has no cure. Welcome to the journey! Glad to have you on board.

Thanks Bruce and I am glad to have found this forum......I come on here everyday and it seems I learn something new with each visit......You can't beat that!

 

[Mr.Svinarich]

What does it matter?

You, are you and that's just fine. If you want call yourself a knife maker then do, if not then don't!

 

[GHEzell]

Being up front is the most important part. Put them together and sell them as fast as you can. On the other hand, I think to use "knifemaker" implies that you ground or forged the blade yourself. A little used term for the knife assembly guy is "cutler." You'd have to explain it to most folks though.

Yes, cutler would be the appropriate term... it is an age old tradition in the Scandinavian countries for one man to make the blade and another to handle and sheath it. In the Japanese sword tradition one man makes the blade, another polishes it, another makes the metal fittings, and another makes the handle and scabbard, each one a specialist. I believe the sole authorship we see today is not the historic norm, but is born out of the American frontier heritage where specialists were few and far between, so one man had to do the work of several.

 

[Dave Broughton]

What does it matter?

You, are you and that's just fine. If you want call yourself a knife maker then do, if not then don't!

I can accept that........I'm not gonna give up what I'm doing anyway, because I can't totally claim to being a knifemaker but I remember what an art teacher told me one time in college...."its not the finished product or how much money you can make but its the doing, the process that's important".........Over the years, I've found that to be the truth.....

 

[Bert the Welder]

Ding Ding!! We have a winner!
Titles mean little, proof is in the puddin'. Should you disclaimer that you out source the blade, sure, it's the decent thing to do. But really it's the finishing that you do to it that puts the value in it. With out that, it's a knife shaped bit of scrap metal. :biggrin:

What does it matter?

You, are you and that's just fine. If you want call yourself a knife maker then do, if not then don't!

 

[Dave Broughton]

Like most forums, you have a bundle of people that come on here and read but never respond or post......Then you have some that mainly read and post every now and then. Then you have a minority that post a lot and are active and helpful to others. If I asked how many on here actually make their blades from old lumber mill saw blades or files or blanks, I just imagine very few would admit they don't make the blades.......I do admire those who do make their blades......they are the true knifemakers and I can appreciate that.....they deserve it for sure!

 

[rhinoknives]

Dave,
You have the most important ingredient in this endeavor and that is an idea of right & wrong. You asking if you "qualify" too call yourself a knife maker shows me that you will go far.

I also think that Cutler would be the most appropriate term to call yourself at this time. When you grind or forge the blade is when you are making the knife and therefore a knife maker.

 

[Drew Riley]

I've heard both "cutler" and "handle smith" applied to people who put handles on pre-fabbed blanks.

I think saying you "build knives" or "customize knives" would also be appropriate. Whatever you decide to call yourself, as long as you're upfront and honest about how much you are responsible for, there really shouldn't be a problem.

Historically, there have been a number of "handle smiths" who called themselves knife makers and were called out about it. That said, I don't believe it was so much an issue of assuming the title "knife maker", but more so that they either a) tried to imply that they did more than they did, or b) they weren't exactly forthcoming when directly asked about it.

As long as you don't fall into that category (and based on the fact that you're asking, I don't think you will), you should be okay.

 

[Dave Broughton]

I've heard both "cutler" and "handle smith" applied to people who put handles on pre-fabbed blanks.

I think saying you "build knives" or "customize knives" would also be appropriate. Whatever you decide to call yourself, as long as you're upfront and honest about how much you are responsible for, there really shouldn't be a problem.

Historically, there have been a number of "handle smiths" who called themselves knife makers and were called out about it. That said, I don't believe it was so much an issue of assuming the title "knife maker", but more so that they either a) tried to imply that they did more than they did, or b) they weren't exactly forthcoming when directly asked about it.

As long as you don't fall into that category (and based on the fact that you're asking, I don't think you will), you should be okay.

I don't think I've ever called myself a "knifemaker".....some have asked me what I made the blades out of and I always admit that I don't make the blades, I just put decorative handles on blades I buy......most are OK with that. The thing I do claim tho are the stands and sheaths.....those are what make mine sell......Over the last 10 years or so I've sold over 200 knives, stands and sheaths and I do enjoy building the 3. I guess that is what really counts and I'm referring to "enjoying what I'm doing" which is important to me. Like I said before, painting and gourd art are my main objectives but the knives are just fun to fool with and something about the grinding, sanding and buffing draw me to the workshop..........

 

[Stew]

Sometimes I make the blade, handle and sheath.

Sometimes I put a handle on someone else's blade (factory or handmade)

Sometimes I make a blade for someone else to fit their own handle and sheath.

Sometimes I just make someone a sheath on their own knife.

I don't call myself both a knifemaker, cutler, sheathmaker although all are appropriate at different times. Honesty and simplicity are the best thing. As long as you don't pretend to make parts that you don't then you'll be fine.

 

[Dave Broughton]

Sometimes I make the blade, handle and sheath.

Sometimes I put a handle on someone else's blade (factory or handmade)

Sometimes I make a blade for someone else to fit their own handle and sheath.

Sometimes I just make someone a sheath on their own knife.

I don't call myself both a knifemaker, cutler, sheathmaker although all are appropriate at different times. Honesty and simplicity are the best thing. As long as you don't pretend to make parts that you don't then you'll be fine.

I would contend that you are a knifemaker, period!