Knifemakers in the forum!
And there are a lot! (http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/sh...php?tid/893780 + vendors section + other smiths).
How can a knifemakers claim to make the perfect knife after just some months of making kitchen knives, when Shigefusa still strives to make the perfect knife? So tell me makers, are you into this for the money or are you into it for the passion?
Any knifemaker who claims to make the perfect knife should quit for one of two reasons; one they have(doubtful) and upon acheiving perfection and after making one, making more would be an offense against the gods. Two their head is too big(hubris).
Posted by spinblue,
Get the filming crew on this...
Sounds like a new reality TV Show...
Top Knife Maker
Featuring new knife makers giving the steel their all. The mighty gyuto contest will push these knife-testants to their limits.
They will be put through a series of difficult tasks, with compounded stress and sleep deprivation and the study of human behavior. What is not known is who will win the series. What is known is that this will make some of the most stunning TV in years and expected years to come.
Good luck Everyone.
Bravo awaits you. end of quote
I am a bit of a fan of top model and this made me laugh quite hard
To answer your question, I think that most makers start with the passion, and if they are lucky wind up making money at it because they realize they are miserable not making knives.
Laminated metals specialist, Kitchen knife and gadget maker
www.ealyknives.com
www.mokume-jewelry.net
"Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a day, set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life"
I love this quote, It applies to many professions. Including cooking and knifemaking.
"Here in India we believe in watching the artist at work, not in looking at the work of the artist. Artistry is not what the artist produces but is the artist himself, producing."
OD, I've never seen any maker around here make such claims?Originally Posted by oivind_dahle
All of them that have posted in the forums seem quite humble about their work--or at least portray themselves to be.
I think it is a good thing that more knife makers are trying their hand at kitchen cutlery...you get to see different styles that bring something new to the table. I believe all knife makers have a passion for knife making, otherwise they would be doing something else. If there is a demand in the kitchen knife arena, and they want to venture out into new waters and challenge themselves, then more power to them!
Who has claimed to make a perfect knife?? I have not read any posts with such claims.
If you want to make money, I'm thinking a business where you need thousands of dollars of equipment just to start might not be the best bet. It's not like you can really do it in your shed where you keep the lawnmower and snow shovels using only a hammer and a hacksaw....
You can make money making knives ?!?!I've made knives for over 20 years and never once did I think I've made the "perfect knife" .. or made "money" at it .I've made enough to make more knives , and feed the obsession of crafting knives ...Only Big manufacturers and Bob Kramer make money on making knives ...I found the Kitchen Knife Forum while on a search for the best steels to use in my Military style blades . I kept finding info on performance and use on kitchen knives throughout the search . It made me rethink the knives I was making , and made me change everything I do in the crafting of knives .I have stopped taking orders , except for Military - so my time spent on knives can be DEVOTED to the crafting of Kitchen knives . I am taking this as serious as any aspect of my knifemaking .The people who I hope to now make knives for , are the most difficult to satisfy . They USE their knives , and use them often , they BETTER perfom . They have some of the best knives in the world to compare them to .I would have to be crazy to start all over , in an area of knifemaking where no one knows me ....Yet here I am .. The Challenge excites me more than you could imagine ..Passion .. or Insanity ....?
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Please copy and paste a link.
What impresses me most about these knife makers is most appear to be curious minded men who perform dirty unglamorous work to produce a clean glamorous product.
Hey Bill T, how about a link to your knives?
Perfect knife... I think that seeing all the makers who have come to "the kitchen" showing knives handcrafted by each of them/us, on display, looking for help to tweek a design, adjust geometry, more belly, less belly, any thing that can be incorporated, or removed to make any given blade more apealing, or more suited to a particular task, is a sign that there is no such thing as a perfect knife. It is an obsession yes, (some times I think sickness) a desire that drives us to evolve, to look at something at the end of the day and smile sometimes, or realise that we are way off base. Making money? Some maybe make enough to call it a living, others its a way to get more materials, or equipment to carry the obsession further. Look at it like a painting, there in not nor ever will be a perfect painter, some will make fantastic pieces, some of those paintings will never see the light of day. I think I can safely say that every knifemaker out there, regardless of their perceived talent, has a "dang it!" pile,drawer,box or whatever. Del was right, if you have made a perfect knife, there would be no need to make another. There are a few guys here and other places, starting down the road of knifemaking. They will have their eurika moments, but will have a lot more moments where they need to walk away and get a breath of fresh air. Some will quit after making a handfull of knives, others will be driven to learn, build more, learn more. It is a passion, a challenge, and it can be very humbling.
Pierre
I think the quest for the perfect knife should be in every committed knifemaker's head. Even Bob Kramer did not shy away from his desire. all the vendors I have communicated with on this forum have been professional and courteous though, although some I've come across on the internet, like chefs do become a little arrogant with what they know or have or do, even some non-knifemakers and some vendors.
We chefs, artists, and I assume knife/handle makers too, do have our insecurities. We put things out in the open that comes from our heart and soul. We have high standards, always have a learning/student mentality, and although perfection is a quest, know that it can never be achieved. Money is a second thought.
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