So every once in a while I get in a situation where I'm thinking about tweaking a knife someone else made. I never quite feel great about it regardless of the outcome. What do you do with a "custom" that could use a little work?
You know, that's the reason I sold my Shig. I started thinking that I could thin it a bit to see if that would improve it's cutting performance, and at that point I decided I didn't want to have to pay $500 and still thin out of the box. I figured I'd get more for it leaving the "pristine" Shig geometry and could buy a cheaper knife somewhere else to modify.
And then there is the opposite: those of us who are new to the hobby, new to good cutlery. For me, any good knife is better than what I had been using. It will take me some time before I am not floored by the performance of even a very average hand-finished Japanese knife. That said, it also doesn't take very long for a new user to begin to understand certain likes and dislikes in the field. Because I'm new to wa handles, different balances of different blades makes a huge difference in feel. Likewise, the change in grip and motion habits easily confer the benefits of certain geometries or profiles over others. That's why I said in another thread that I'm spoiled to have the opportunity to visit a variety of specialist knife shops here and abroad, to have the ability of at least swinging a blade around for a bit before committing to purchase. If I like the weight of a Tad but prefer the profile of the Masa, I have a choice to make based on my abilities and preferences.I think that sharpening is such a personal thing, that there are going to be some tweaks. If you are a person who have certain tendencies/wants/geometry for a knife for a specific purpose, and it is a true custom, then the requirements should have been communicated to the maker initially. However, if it is just an expensive hand made knife, that was not a "custom" but have the general steel, geometry, profile that you want, then the final sharpening should be done by you to fit your nees and preferences.
For me, the maker's initial bevels are just a starting point. I usually sharpen the way I want, be it better or worse. It's just something that I do.
You know this thread is a loaded gun.
I love it. Few things are as satisfying as fixing a knife.
tune it up. Bottom line, its still a tool.
You know this thread is a loaded gun.
If I had to think about the same thing as the author of the thread I would be seriously pissed off
I can't imagine consulting with a custom maker for weeks or even months, only to have to "tweak" the finished product on my own because I misrepresented my own desires or needs.
Turning these guys into fine-tuned machines, might take you a while unless you want to spend hours and hours on stones or invest a fair amount of money on equipment and learning to use it. If you don't want to do either, why not expect the same level of performance from a custom. The cost isn't that bad if you think time is money. Sharpening something is often not the same as grinding a new geometry into a knife. Plus custom knifemakers are supposed to do amazing things to the characteristics of the steel beyond what you or I can hope to accomplish without a lot of investment.If one is able and enjoys turning the likes of an A-Type or a Tagaki into a fine tuned machine, why would one go custom in the first place? Seems like the same people that are renowned for sharpening prowess are the same to tout customs as of late...
Well I guess your likes and desires can change over time so it isn't necessarily a slight on a maker if you feel the need to alter a knife they made
Hey, you bought it. Do whatever you want to it. Just don't be surprised if everyone doesn't offer goofy "destroy it in any way you see fit and we will replace it for free" warranties like a few of the tactical knife companies do.:rofl2:
I saw a sign at my local hobby shop that read:
Hourly Rates:
$14/hr if it needs repair
$18/hr if you watch
$25/hr if you help
$40/hr if you tried to fix it first yourself
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