Seeing LeeBarner thread "a couple of new knives." reminded me of an "issue" I've had...... where to get a nice ....with good steel....... custom knife.
I liked the look of Lee's larger knife 4.5 inch.......but not the scales.

Ya; I know get a Randall.......... but who else makes a good blade??????

So many of today's production knifes/blades, even old names, seem to be coming out of China or not using the same steels (for better or worse) that they use to. Many seem to offer the same knife style in 2 different steels..... I known buy the more expensive one....... but is the difference in price really worth it for a daily use knife?

Looking for other recommendations for knife makers....... maybe a Sticky Thread.

I'd like to get a nice retirement knife for the cabin........

My only contribution is not a knife maker but a knife sheath maker;

Savage Made Sheaths (Savageshealths.com) of Saxis Virginia

He's made several for me for production knives... from Ka-bar, Hogue and Puma.

I have had a number of custom knives made besides Randall's but the makers are all dead now.

Jim Barbee , Jimmy Lile and Ruffin Johnson were the knifemakers

Matt Lamey makes very high quality knives. I have owned 3 in the past and I regret selling them. I don't know how to order them directly from him, as mine were all bought used from Arizona custom knives and exquisite knives. A bit pricy, but very well built.

I would get with our own forum member Opaul—he does excellent work. There may be others on here that I don’t know.

__________________
Possum—The other white meat!

The old Marbles knives made in Gladstone MI (went out of business in 2002 I believe) are excellent! They are still findable on ebay and the internet in great condition - just make sure they were made in Gladstone MI (stamped on the Tang) and not the Chinesium junk with marbles logo being made today.

What features do you like? Opaul was suggested so I'll use him as an example. However, He has not yet posted a picture of a knife he's made that has a pommel or hand guard and he does not use prestigious name blade steels. Obviously some members like Opaul's knives a lot but if you want those things he's not for you. Similarly, if you want a modern stainless steel that is harder than the hounds of hell you can rule out Randal. They don't use them. Give the members here a better idea of what you want and you'll get better suggestions.

The list of great knife makers is so long, I would hesitate just start writing it , not to wrong anybody..
The question is - like with any tool - what you need it for.
There's no best steel, but different ones show specific features.
You may choose depending on whether corrosion resistance, edge retention, ease of sharpening, toughness, hardness or whatever is the issue to you.
Crucible CPM S90V, Böhler M390, Uddeholm Elmax are among the very top choices.
But you may not get any appreciable advantage on practical grounds for your intende use , or they may even be inferior to a less sophisticated H1 should you use it in sea water..
So the matter is highly subjective and you may spend well more than a grand for a *** custom knife or a fraction for a run of te mill one doing well the job you need.
Rather than reading different opinions on threads, you may want to build your own one having a look to sites like Steel Addiction, Knife center, Recon1, True North Knives or others more..
Hope it helps

Look at Jim Behring Jr. in Montana.

My one experience with a custom knife maker was a very good one. I met him at a knife show several years ago. I'm not sure if he's still doing business, but it might be worth checking out. I've Googled him from time to time and, while I haven't seen a website for him, I have occasionally seen his knives on sale. His name is Jim English, and his company was Mountain Home Knives out of Jamul, CA.

He made me a nice, general purpose utility fixed blade knife. He normally supplies his knives with plastic-lined cordura sheaths, but when I mentioned to him that I prefer leather sheaths he offerred to make one for my knife at no extra charge. Some 20 years later it's still in great shape.

I guess I should include a picture...



I can't remember what kind of steel the blade is, but it's a full-tang knife with micarta handles. They're smooth, but not slick, if that makes sense.

See that's my problem........the more I search the more confused I get.......

there is a point where too much information.... is just........ too much information......


all I'm looking for is the second oldest tool known to man...... figure the club or rock comes first....................

You can always just go back to basics ....What's so all fired wrong with a custom Randall , except the wait time ?
It won't lose any value over time .
Gary

Being from Michigan, I’m a huge fan of the UP made Marbles, Bark River, and Rapid River Knifeworks.

__________________
Pass it on.
Mark

I got an idea for a knife when I was in Hi-school. I had
no way to make a good blade at the time. I sent letters
to several custom makers, this was before it was cool.
Makers would send me info on their knives and design
and one actually said he would not want his name on
such a wierd blade. When 19, I ended up in Army in
Texas and found a smith willing to make it. He allowed
me complete independence on specs. From steel to
handle. I have never seen a knife that takes and holds
a edge like this one. It is some kind of hi carbon 440
stainless. The blade is probably overly heavy because
I really didn't know what I was doing at the time. I will
also say I have never seen another Stainless knife that
was reasonably easy to sharpen and will hold its edgeIMG_3221.JPG


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

^^^^^Can you post a better picture? It looks very nice but I can’t get the picture to enlarge.

__________________
Possum—The other white meat!

Save yourself a ton of aggravation and go straight to a relatively local custom maker; L. T. Wright Cusrom Knives in Steubenville Ohio. They have a great website, they make some fantastic knives at very reasonable prices, and they stand behind them 100%. Plus if you want you can drive down and walk in the door and talk with L T face to face. I have 30+ of their blades along with blades from many other makers. You can buy some fancier knives but you won't find a better value.

Attached Images

IMG_4200.jpg (170.0 KB, 110 views)

Inasmuch as you don't know much about custom knives, I'd suggest buying a Randall or a high grade factory-made knife.

If you don't like a Randall, you can probably sell it for as much or more than you have in it. That isn't true of most makers.

You have no business looking at knives by famous makers like R.W. Loveless at your level of knowledge, and they are priced as art or collectibles. Some lucky people bought Loveless knives before he became famous, to use in the field. Their prices were high then, but high as related to "using" knives. Now...

How much publicity and where he got it affects a maker's prices...a lot.
Dietmar kRESSLER HAD AN ARTICLE ON HIS WORK IN PLAYBOY (GERMAN EDITION) AND HIS FAME INCREASED ASTRONOMICALLY. iT WAS A VERY WELL DONE, COLOR FEATURE AND HE INSTANTLY BECAME RENoWNED. tHOSE WHO'D BOUGHT HIS KNIVES TO USE SUDDENLY HAD VERY VALUABLE COLLECTIBLES. btw, HE TOLD ME THAT HUNTERS WHO REALLY USED HIS KNIVES PREFERRED TYPE 154 cm STEEL, AS dAMASCUS BLADES HAVE MANY OVERLAPPING LAYERs, AND UNIFORM EDGE SHARPNESS CAN VARY. aLSO, dAMASCUS RUSTS EASILY, AS DO OTHER NON STAINLESS BLADES.


Oh, dang! My bleeping Caps Lock came on. I look at the keyboard as I type and just noticed. I'm not going to re-type.

Have you even bought and READ any of the big Knives annuals? Same publisher as, Gun Digest. I've
contributed several articles there and think it's a fantastic resource to learn about knives and you'll see MANY makers' work and the index has addresses and summaries. Do you even read magazines like, Blade?

If not, you need to stick to Randall or famous factory knives. Personally, I wouldn't buy any knife seen thus far in this topic. I just don't like the styles. Look for types like Randall's or Loveless's or similar, or old classics like Marble's Ideal or Remington RH-36 and the later PAL version.

Are you serious about leaving the knife at some cabin??! Buy a Buck. It's easily replaceable if stolen and won't rust as easily as many. Buck offers very good value. I'd suggest Model 105 Pathfinder or Model 119 Special. Model 117 was made in a limited edition for a big retailer, with black Buckarta handle. Nice looking, very handy knife.

Another good, well established brand is Grohmann, in Pictou, N.S., Canada. They make Dean H. Russell's designs. I have four and like all. My No. 3 Boat Knife has an optional Micarta handle, which I prefer to the basic Rosewood, but it's usually okay, too, unless you're in a coastal area and fish a lot in a salt water environment. I'm not wild about wood in such circumstances.

Older Pumas are usually better made and sometimes better styled than current models, but are now selling for high prices unless you find a seller who doesn't realize this. A man is writing a book on Puma knives and when it appears, values will go up. Probably by a LOT. Look for models Hunter's Pal and Outdoor. I suspect that Puma's secondary line of knives made in Spain are very good values. However, I've never seen one in person.

I recommend that you look at Fallkniven knives, designed and made for a Swedish firm whose family have hunted and fished for generations. They make the official survival knives for the Royal Swedish Air Force and Norwegian troops in Afghanistan have extensively tested their knives. Also, Models S-1 and F-1 are tested and approved for USN, USMC, and USAF aircrew purchase with unit funds. They've been assigned National Stock Numbers. (NSN) That means they withstood rigorous official trials and passed. Model A -1 also passed, but is too large for the sheaths of US survival vests.

I also like the original 2000 form of SOG's SEAL knife. It passed VERY tough USN trials. The tang is really wide under that synthetic handle. Very tough knives, with some sawteeth for rope and other difficult cuts. Muela of Spain makes a similar knife that I like, too, though the handle is a bit too thick for max. comfort in my hands. It's called the Tornado.

Simply put, I suggest Randall's Model 5 with five-inch blade (stainless) with black Micarta handle or Fallkniven S-1 model, blade also about five inches. Fallkniven blades are mostly a laminate with a VG-10 core. I prefer the nickel siver guard option on the Randall.


Randall Made Knives

Hem - Fällkniven

STUDY both sites in DETAIL and read what they say and examine all photos. You'll become much better informed than you seem now. At this point, I really, really don't think you're ready to buy custom knives.

I'm not trying to be a knife snob. I just don't want you to make purchase mistakes that you'll regret. A good knife is a very serious item, vital in outdoors use. I hope this post helps some.

Oh: in recent years, some writers and YouTube posters have made a fetish of chopping wood with their belt knives. This can chip or crack a sharp blade. Instead, gather wood off the ground or take an axe, hatchet, or machete. And don't pound your blade through bone.

BAM BAM, you may get endless posts in this thread, each suggesting one of the million available knives.
It’s like asking what gun one should buy and getting answers from semiauto to revolvers, 22 to 500, 2” to 12”, Baugham to Patridge through McGivern, steel vs. blued vs. plated vs. polymer and so on.
As far as steel is considered, you can’t go wrong with any steel among CPM S110V, S90V, S35VN, S30V, 154 CM, Elmax, Vanax or M390.
Check a knife steel composition chart with their ingredients and the way they impact on the final results and features.
440C was top-notch decades ago and I would not even consider it due to a relatively low edge retention (although balanced by easy sharpnening) , but anyway it would properly cut a sausage or shave a fish.
Even if carried or stored in humid environments any knife can be protected by regular care, keeping it clean and oiled, as you would do with any gun.
So, my guess is you should start from watching what looks nice to your eyes and fits your size; then you check how you feel in your hands; then you check price and judge whether it’s reasonable and affordable to you.
It’s a general rule as a beginner not spend a lot and I wouldn’t spend a fortune just to pay a brand name nor a piece of history, but some do.
Good luck

Look at the A.G. Russell website. Lots of info.

Look at Bob Dozier's knives. Does both custom and semi-custom that they call shipmates.

There are a lot of good knifemakers some well known others strictly local. Both your taste and the makers taste come into play. A great knife that doesn't feel good in your hand isn't worth much as a tool.

Finally Cold Steel makes reasonably priced production knives.

Thanks everyone....... feel free to keep it coming.

I'm going to the cabin for a long weekend but will check back in on Sunday.( LOL:not going to leave the knife at the cabin; that's where I'm hoping to spend more time when/if I ever retire, and I want a 4-5" fixed blade to compliment my EDC Benchmade North Fork folder )

I've started the research /reading 2 or 3 times over the past couple of years..... there's just too much information out there and everyone has an opinion or two or three. Get frustrated or sidetracked and next thing I know 6 months has passed..... and I see a post like Lee's and I start the process again.

Knew I'd be opening a floodgate;kind of like the post over on another Forum asking "which AR should I get?" But it's a good crew here so I figured ..... I had more to gain than to loose.

I was just going to go with a Stag Puma a year ago..as I seem to recall them having a good reputation in the 70s and 80s... only to find out there were/are three grades... Germany Spain and China.....with IIRC steel coming from both Germany and China. Pricing IIRC from $60-300 for what looked like the "same knife" the only difference I recall was the steel and where it was put together.

I've seen a number of posts/comments that Buck knives aren't what they use to be .......

I've seen several threads here on Randell knife...... and most seem to end up as safe queens..... and I can see that happening with me.

Texas Star .... thanks for all the input..... I did read some of the articles but have been skeptical as like the old gun rags they never met a knife/advertiser they didn't like.

Falkiniven; I looked at them but ....... more taticooool than I wanted.


I think what I want is a good 4-5" drop point blade ..... with stag scales... not so expensive that, like a LNIB blue S&W, it ends up spending it's life in the safe. Price range $200-400

Hard to see many of the knives written about in person...... sight unseen/unheld makes it tough at least for me. cus as many have said a knife is a very personal choice.

Maybe I'm chasing a Unicorn.......

An EXCELLANT knife will be expensive. If you do want a Randall, try Nordic knives (also a good place for custom knives). They will have several in stock for delivery at a SMALL premium (but no long wait!). Or, try E-Bay. I have 4-5 Randalls. The one I carry most in the field is a Yukon Skinner I bought in Anchorage on our last trip.

Ruana, Lile, & Dozier all make good knives. So did Bob Egnath. A good maker (now gone) was my friend Chuck Stapels==His are not too highly priced YET!

One sleeper that I like are the knives from Bark River==Best prices seem to be at Knives Ship Free.

Basically, with a couple of comments I made here, Texas Star gave you pretty good info!

FYI: I like to match pistols with knives! My hunting rig is the Yukon Skinner matched with an OM Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt (We have bear and moose here and I fish Alaska). I made a custom OM Vaquero (with matching model 92 Winnie). It had bighorn sheep grips and had a matching Bark River Bowie with bighorn scales. My SASS outfit is a maker from So Africa and matching two Colt SAA, all in real ivory.

My hunting knife/knives are from Bob Dozier.....he makes utility, meant to be used, custom knives.


Hunting - Dozier Knives

I've used his K-16 & KS-1 knives for my hunting, skinning, camping needs for years....these knives are relatively easy to sharpen and hold a shaving edge even after processing several deer/elk before needing the edge "touched-up". He uses different steels but is mainly known for his use of D2....my knives are D2.

Don

__________________
Laus Deo! <><

Web site says..... 3 year backlog

I Also like Bark Rivers.
They make a multitude of models.
Use every steel available.
Install a Wide array of handle materials.
Sometimes us Country Boys go Citified.
Here’s my Bark River City Knife.
Their version of a Loveless City Knife

Attached Images

89AA6215-58A7-4BD5-9302-D8CFD6B229DD.jpg (49.9 KB, 44 views)

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

You want Bark River Big?
Of course you do!
Here’s a Bark River Smoke Jumper between a Randall No. 1 and Loveless Style Fighting Knife made by a local maker.

Attached Images

23350408-BBC5-4217-AC0A-7E8A5B6E3120.jpg (50.7 KB, 64 views)

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

Check the AG Russell site .... he has many of the Bob Dozier models available on hand.

A. G. Russell: Your Source for Knives & Accessories | AGRussell.com

Don

__________________
Laus Deo! <><

If you like the design of the custom knife you are considering, there is one question that is most significant that you can ask the maker.

"How to you test your knives?"

His answer to this question should be very predictive, and is easily enhanced when you ask: "What is your guarantee?"

You will now have an indication of his dedication to a quality knife you can depend on should the situation arrive when you absolutely need a knife.

There are knives and then there are Knives. If you want a Bowie, I can highly recommend Bill Bagwell, I don't own any but I have a customer that collects them so I had the opportunity to examine plenty of them and I give them three thumbs up.

I like Doziers’.
Only have one.
Bob likes old school D2 steel. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Dozier is In the middle, Black sheath, Black Micarta handle.
As already posted, you can get immediate delivery of Dozier knives from A G Russell and others.
I got mine from a Dude in Houston!

Attached Images

600AFF3C-BB94-40AA-A5DF-FF8A87175096.jpg (67.0 KB, 48 views)

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

Randall's can be ordered from dealers sometimes with out the 5 year wait- and at current prices. That is worth a look. Send a pm if you want a name if two.
I do not know ( I know- you can hear everything but the truth and money rattling) but I hear that blackjack knives are well made.
Good luck with the search. Let us know what you decide.

look at Sam Stoner Amish guy makes beautiful knifes, lives about 5 miles from me

Hop over to Blade Forum and gather some info there before spending your hard earned cash. Like this forum, it's populated with knowledgeable and opinionated folks who live and breath edged tools.

I highly recommend AA Forge and Fiddleback Forge. AA Forge knives sell within an hour or so when listed. Fiddleback list his on Fridays on the Blade forum, but many are available on several Blade sites too.

__________________
Get off my lawn!

I highly recommend Barry Dawson and his family at DawsonKnives.com.

Bark River Knives makes outstanding blades. They use high quality steel and do an excellent heat treat. Made in America. They are not inexpensive, but well worth the money IMHO. Look them up at Knives Ship Free or DLT Trading. You won't be disappointed.

__________________
NRA Certified Instructor
USMC

I have quite a few custom knives, none Randalls, none as expensive as Randalls. I can recommend Arno Bernard knives made in South Africa but he has plenty of dealers here. He always has folks selling his wares at the Dallas Safari Club Expo in January, sometimes several different vendors.

He uses a variety of exotic handles and his knives are gorgeous. And NOT INEXPENSIVE.

Arno Bernard - Custom Professional Hunting Knives Handmade in Africa

(c) Arno Bernard Knives 2018

Speaking of Bark Rivers-
Here’s the small Gunny.
It’s was designed with Those Folks in Mind.

Attached Images

9CEB505E-FC09-44E9-B183-336AC6DA31A4.jpg (60.5 KB, 46 views)

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

I'm going to go with almost my standard answer for many of these types of questions.

What knife will work best for you depends on what you're using it for. A huge fixed blade knife is overkill for everyday carry ( depending on where you live and what you do of course).A small pocket knife will do many things well, but may not be tough enough for your desired purpose.

Do you just want it to open letters, cut light duty items ( fruits, veggies,maybe skin the occasional fish or small game )?

Will it be used as a camp knife or as part of a bug out/survival bag ?

Are you concerned more with edge retention or all around toughness ?

Are you the type of person who is willing to care for a carbon steel blade on a regular basis, or would you prefer something stainless that doesn't need as much care ?

What type of environment is it going to be used in ? A really good knife for an arid climate may not do so well regularly exposed to moisture/salt water.

Steel is the same way. If you really want a knife for a particular purpose do some research on what kind of steel is best suited. Bladeforums.com is a great site for much of this info as they talk about nothing but knives, knife steel and makers.

__________________
1st smiles,lies.Last,gunfire.

After you click on the pic, it will show another equally small pic.
Look up at the top of your page for the attachment tab and click on the x.
The pic should now be large.

The production shops put out some good stuff. This from Buck appeared in my inbox today. https://www.buckknives.com/product/a...k+of+the+Month

When you start to talk high end steels the maker needs to have high end heat treatment skills and capabilities.

Think about what you want to spend and what you want the knife to be, then ask where you can find it. Many good knife makers have been mentioned in this thread.

I would never presume to tell you not to look at the work of custom knifesmiths, but you couldn't go wrong with a working knife from Bark River Knife & Tool. I've owned several; and while I don't know if it's still in production, their Highland Special is as robust and versatile a field knife as I've seen. The two I've owned met your specs--four-inch drop point blades. They are cryo-treated A2 tool steel, Rc 58-60, not stainless but more resistant to rust and staining than most tool steels. They were diabolically sharp out of the box, held an edge extremely well, and could be stropped back to sharp on a piece of cardboard. They are convex ground.

BRKT offers knives in other steels as well, including the tough 52100 used in ball bearings and various stainless versions.

I don't know about stag--both of mine had canvas Micarta handles, smooth but with enough texture for a good hold when wet.

My first one was an early production model with a .150" thick blade. That's the one I've kept. The later one which I gave to my son was .170". I don't think you could destroy either one.

__________________
Oh well, what the hell.

I went to the ABS Bladesmithing School in Old Washington Arkansas with James Rodebaugh and Jason Knight. Both are now ABS master smiths and both would make you an excellent knife. Our instructor was another ABS master smith, Jay Hendrickson. He also would make you an excellent knife. You would not go wrong having any of these gentlemen make you a knife.

I attended ceremonies in 1988 when that school opened, invited by a friend who is the last living member of the small group who founded the American Bladesmith Society, B. R . Hughes.
The late Bill Moran was among the instructors. Jerry Fisk and Jim Crowell were also present. Jerry has been proclaimed a national treasure, like some Japanese swordsmiths are honored in Japan.

It seemed a fine school, and I think any member of that guild who has Journeyman or higher status can make a fine knife. But unless one knows what he wants and can select the right man to render it right, proceed with caution.

Bam Bam is confused by Puma having different lines, made in Germany, Spain, and in China. No need. The German (Solingen) line is obvious to anyone familiar with their older models and are described as such. The Spanish line has different styles, inc. some like you want, I think, and prices are low enough to risk a trial buy, if the knife looks like what you want. I don't know anything about the Chinese line, but they aren't copies of the basic Puma line. You won't buy one thinking that it's German.

Don't buy a stag Puma knife without handling it. Stag thickness and grain varies WIDELY and a lot of their stag handles have been entirely too thick. The ones they get right feel and look very good. The same can be said of Randall's stag handles.

Bear in mind that stag and ivory shrink, and will leave the tangs of full tang knives above the handle material.

Not all Fallkniven knives look "tacticool." You missed a lot of buttons on their site. You can have handles of Micarta, abalone shell, and others if you don't like the Thermorun handles on some basic models. Did you even find their Northern Lights line, with leather handles that look a lot like Randall handles? I have a NL-2 Odin. It is a fine knife, balanced very well for one with a blade about 8 inches long.

I think you'd be pleased with Model F-1 with a conventional guard and Micarta scales. It resembles a Loveless dropped point design, but the blade is thicker and has a Moran edge, much stronger than thinner conventional grinds. My overall favorite is Model S-1. The Thermorun handle endures all temperatures and won't slip in a wet or bloody hand. Model A-1 is much the same, on a larger basis. I think most not needing a knife that can handle extensive emergency chopping will prefer the five inch blade of the S-1. It looks a lot like Randall's Model 5 blade.

I like S-1 over F-1 partly because I want my basic knife tp be a good emergency weapon.

Knives are like guns. You need to read a lot about them to understand them. And no one example will do all things equally well.

Oh: Lone Star has imported Italian repros of Loveless designs that look good, although I've never used the two I have. They're VERY well made and came in quite nice zipper pouched. I'd be leery of chopping wood with them, as the grind is pretty thin. Loveless himself said of his primary hunting knives that they were meant for cutting hide and meat. For heavy duty use, have an axe.

Someone above sniped at knife writers, saying that like most gun writers, they never met a knife they didn't like. I can say honestly that I never lied about any knife I endorsed in over 30 years of writing for cutlery titles. In fact, I'm no longer on the masthead of a title where I wrote for decades, because the publisher asked me to give good reviews to two knife brands that I'd never used. I'd have reviewed them, but the PR man for one brand never returned my calls asking for an example and the other maker sent a stock knife so tightly fitted that I can barely force the blades open! I won't lie so a publisher can get ad revenue. As in gun writing, it pays to know the bylines of the various writers and see who provides consistently honest reviews. Of course, you'll never see a really bad review, as magazines won't risk losing ad money! I think Ken Warner's old, Gunfacts ran the most honest copy in any gun rag, and many industry sources didn't like the result. That title lasted only a couple or three years...but you could learn a lot from it while it did.

Stephen lynn,Russelville, arkansas.great knived

Try Dominion Hobby Dominion Hobby: Nill Grips & Randall Made Knives for used Randall knives. Pat keeps an inventory of used ones on hand.

Want a nice smaller knife for the fall...................

Any thoughts on either the;

4.2" Puma Stag Outdoor Hunter Knife

3.5" Puma IP Stag Catamount Knife

neither will break the bank.

I have several by "Madein China"

Those Pumas seem to be well made knives and won't break the bank like you stated.

Hess Knifeworks, Gladstone, MI. One of the owners is a former Marbles employee, I think. The Hess knives are not Marbles clones, but you can definitely see the lineage. Nice knives, reasonably priced.

__________________
Not in jail.

I'm only familiar with the German Puma line. Among those, the Hunter's Pal has a four-inch blade and the larger Outdoor has a five-inch blade.

The Silver Lion has about a 3.25 inch blade at a guess. I'd have to get mine out and measure. Handle is black Micarta. Hunter's Pal is usually stag.

But Puma has been very careless with stag handles. Some are far too thick. Buy the knife in person, if possible, or tell a mail order dealer what you want and get a return guarantee.

Saw your advice above..... they are on Amazon $150-210 ..... easy return policy....... either look to be a good size belt knife for the "wilds" of Pa. while the search for the ultimate "retirement knife" continues.

For a modern knife maker I like Chris Reeves. The problem with custom knives comes when You try to sell one. Everybody knows Randall and little else. These are mine.
Top: McDearmont fighter. Left side: Corbet Sigman hunter, Corbet Sigman small game, J. Widner (COS) My design. Morseth from early 70's.
Right side: Randall 5-6 new, randall 12-6 new, Randall 5-6 VN Era, Ruana 21a mid 90's.
In the Gun Digest Book of knives copyright 1973 there is a chapter 'The Sigman Saga' where He is said to be the next grand master. When I am at a gun show and a new knife maker stops by and looks I always show them the Sigman hunter. Most comments start with wow.

Attached Images

2011-12-31 010 001 (640x480) (640x480).jpg (136.6 KB, 10 views)