What is this site about?

From time to time, I get questions, comments, and criticism about my website. Most of it is very encouraging, supportive, and inspiring. People like what I do here, or they wouldn't be keeping me in orders, and I am very thankful and honored by their time and interest.

Not all comments are positive. Some of the rude commentary falls to the level of name-calling. Mostly, I just delete or ignore this type of input, but sometimes I'll post the funnier ones on a special page. Please enjoy it for yourself.

Some people get downright confused as to what this site is about. This site is about my work, plain and simple. My name is Jay Fisher, the site is named "jayfisher.com" and the site is about my career and life interest making knives professionally.

If you could post your life's work on one website, how would that look? These days, a curriculum vitae is commonplace for all modern artists, and this is mine. In the future, most professional's life work will be able to be seen, cataloged, and verified on the internet. Many professional jobs today require a related web site for details of that professional's work, his achievements, history, education, and even his attitude and beliefs. It simply is the new medium of information and exchange, so why wouldn't any modern professional use it?

The site is about selling my knives, too. You'll see that I don't have many knives available at any given time, because when I post them for sale, they rarely last more than a few days before being purchased. Why? Because I do my best to make very fine knives and offer a great product for a comparative price. Since (at the time of this writing) the site gets over 47,000 hits a day, and 80% of the visitors add it to their "favorites" list in their browsers, they keep a pretty good eye on what is new. I derive all my income off this website and its referrals. As a professional, this IS my full time job.

The site is not just about selling knives though. I've tried to share some of what I know and think about knives, craftsmanship, art, and other related information. That's why I have over 3000 pictures and 100 pages of information here. If a person comes to the site and they stay a while, it's because they've found something useful or interesting. I'm constantly adding to the site, updating the pictures and information, clarifying and editing, and writing the words, pictures, and ideas. 

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This Internet Web Site and Layout

Thanks for coming here! It is my desire to present you with a positive internet experience on my site. You are in my domain, and I appreciate it. Your time, like mine is valuable, and I'm honored that you've decided to invest your time learning about my life's work. Please bookmark this site as one of your favorites, and come back often, as this site is constantly updated.

Most people don't have any trouble negotiating this site, but occasionally I get a comment about the layout. Currently, I'm not using frames. Frames are the arrangement that allows you to have a permanent list of links usually on the left side of the page. Supposedly, this allows a faster hop to the page of interest. But it does cost, too. First, it costs screen width. Frames force the rest of the screen to be narrowed, which, in my opinion, makes a narrow, list-like page, accompanied with a narrow, list like frame. It is proven that people scan these type of layouts rather quickly, and I don't want you to quickly scan, I want you to take your time. Also, because of the amount of pages (over 100), frame use would make a long, scrolling list by itself, constantly begging your attention away from the page. I don't want you to be distracted. Thirdly, why be like everybody else on the net? The interesting thing about the internet is that there is no standard format, no requirement that all pages look alike.

Another consideration is that most internet business websites are catalog-based. When you go to these sites, you are looking for a specific product, the info, price, and a picture of that specific product. This is NOT that kind of site. This site is a reference, contact, and descriptive illustration and detailing of the life's work of an artist, craftsman, and writer. I've designed the site to be interesting, informative, illustrative, coherent, thoughtful, and entertaining. It is not a manufacturer's catalog. Take your time, look around; the highlights are at the top of every page, and when you get done with the page, a large group of links is at the bottom. If you ever get lost, go to the "Table of Contents" page  linked at the bottom of every page with every single link to every single page on this web site.

Mostly, people come to this site via a search engine. I keep detailed stats on my traffic, so I know how, when, and from what area they are coming. I know what page they go to first, how long they stay, when they leave, and how many visits they have. They might come in because they entered a search phrase like "fine daggers." They enter, then, on the "Daggers" page. They immediately want to know what a dagger costs. There is no price scale anywhere on the site, because there are over 65 factors that determine the final price of a custom dagger or knife. They get frustrated, because they "just want to know how much a dagger costs!" Ah, if it were that simple. If I only had six designs, six prices, six available models, then life would be easy...

Because I'm a true custom maker, making exactly what a client wants, there are as many arrangements, feature sets, and types of knives as there are clients. The truth is, in all the knives I've made (about two thousand so far) I've only made a handful of knives that have the same blades, finish, fittings, and handle material in my nearly thirty years in this business. And while I may make them similar, they are never exactly alike, because I vary the filework or engraving. So, any client of mine is assured a one-of-a-kind original, never repeated again. So, there is no chart, no specific price that you can get if you just say "I want a dagger." You might be surprised at how many such inquiries I get like that.

I've adjusted the site to open separate windows when most of the page links and picture links are selected. I did this for several reasons. It makes it easier to have more than one window open if you're comparing knives by pictures or patterns. That way, you can size the windows and actually look at them side by side.  When clicking on reference links, you don't lose your place on the page where you clicked the link, because a new window opens and allows you to read or view the reference, then closing the window brings you right back to where you were. You're also less likely to accidentally leave the site by closing a window. It is my desire to keep you here as long as possible!

The interesting thing about this site IS the variety. That is why I settled on knife making and art, because I get to work with a variety of materials, shapes, processes, and designs. You get to see a lot of them here. Please do take your time, bookmark this site as a favorite, and come back often. There is no hurry to acquire your custom knife, I want you to take your time, think about your investment, learn about this world of fine custom knife making. Then, when you're ready, we'll nail down the specifics of your project, and you'll have a valuable investment in a one of a kind work of art that fits you perfectly.

Occasionally, I get letters (emails) of inquiry where the writer has offered up some sage internet advice. I do consider each and every comment and request, but some are humorous. People who've learned how to insert personally designed graphics into each email are sometimes so proud of their savvy and internet achievements, that they want to offer their critiques of my site. Most people realize that in email, short, quick, to-the-point text is king, and the rest is just fluff. Here's an example with my response:

The Internet and bad information

Just like any modern source, you have to have a strong B.S. filter when you browse the net. There is a huge amount of useless information, misleading data and commentary, and outright lies behind the facade of an internet presence. Not only are large and meaty web sites coated with the stuff, even the small players are getting in on the act. Now, with video sites, the fluff is exploding into a hopeless mess. People are even throwing out "instructional" videos like chum to sharks, hoping to catch an eye for their drivel, scented with bad information, lousy techniques and bad process. They're hoping to ultimately cash in on the information exchange, but never will. If it were all only about information, this business would be rife with process and knife construction techniques, data, and clarity. But it is not. There IS a bad way to make a knife, a sheath, and accessories, and a simple comparison of what a professional makes with the products of novices and factories will yield plenty of particulars to detail the divide. It's not just information, it's technique, skill, and the eye of an artist, which is becoming a rare commodity indeed.

Read more humorous clips, emails, and funny stories on a special page here

Professional knife making training and certification

There is no easy answer for those who wish to learn knife making, as there is no recognized organizational reference for knifemakers, no official license requirement for making knives. There is also no complete and thorough text of information to detail all the facets of this skill. Read every book you can find on the subject, apprentice under someone if you desire, and start making. Feel free to read the information on this site, though, as you will surely become more knowledgeable about custom knives from this site than any other single knife maker's site on the internet!

There is no such thing as a certified knife maker. Some organizations have made attempts to endorse or proclaim a knife maker's status in their organization, but no official entity exists for custom knife makers to certify or guarantee that they are qualified to make knives professionally. With the growth of government entities and regulations in our litigious society, I imagine that someday, this will come. Knife makers will be certified, regulated, and watched over by the same entities that do the same for the firearms or perhaps tool industry. At that point, knife making may be much harder to get into as an established maker.

Internet Knife Sales

Where is this all going? What is the history, and why does it matter?

There used to be only a couple of ways to buy a fine custom knife. You could buy a knife magazine like "Blade," "Knives Illustrated," "The Knives Annual" (Knives 2004, 2005, 2006, etc.), "Tactical Knives," or others, and thumb through the articles and ads to look for something interesting. You could go to a local knife and gun show to see what you might find locally. You could travel to a big city knife show. You could postal mail a request for a list from a knife maker's organization, then call or write the individual makers. You could call every maker you could find and ask him if he would make your knife. With travel expenses, snail mail, far too few pictures, and the limited choices in print, buying the very knife you're interested in was tough!

Everything has changed. Internet technology is the present and future media of custom knife sales. It’s almost instantaneous, almost free, and a tremendous way to interact with custom sales and products. Companies (or individual craftsmen) who do not utilize this medium will be left in the dust. Knife shows are on the decline, dealers are turning to the web, and clients would rather spend their time in a comfortable chair browsing a good website than traveling to an expensive show. When you want to buy something like laundry soap or socks, nothing beats a local store. But when you want a custom piece of investment art, fine utility, or a combat weapon, and you want it just the way you like it, the internet is the only way to go.

For example, before the net, if I wanted a unique bearing set for a machine or power tool, I had to locate the manufacturer (either by subscribing to a register visiting a local dealer or write letters and make phone calls), detail the part (several conversations), send the money and wait, and hope it's the right part. Nowadays, I just punch in the info on a search engine, find several suppliers of my part, confirm it’s the right one (usually a photograph does that), and purchase it online. If I'm not sure of the supplier, I use a credit card, which allows me a good deal of protection from scams, as a charge can be reversed. It’s incredibly easy.

There will be a time in the near future when all unique businesses like mine can only be located on the net. There will be a generation (probably my grandchildren’s) which will have the internet as their first contact and information tool. In the old days, if you were selling widgets, you had to go door to door, business to business, and give just enough information to close the sale. Then, you had to return for the next sales pitch. Nowadays, the web requires all the  information you can provide, the clients seek out the seller, and the seller has time to work on his business and be more productive. It is truly an amazing thing!

The other amazing part of this experience is that information is the key to success. In the old days (before the internet), clients stumbled along, knowing just enough to make their purchases, listening and looking for recognized names and popular brands, and took their place in line to receive the product. Now, they want as much information as possible to educate themselves on the product and purchase, to see testimonials from professionals using and buying the product. As time goes on, the hyperbole on the web will be identified, weeded out, or easily ignored, as this is a truly educational medium. More knowledge about the product will allow them insight into unwarranted claims and hype, to help them make an educated purchase.

I've always said that 50 percent of this business is education, and the internet allows that at a free cost to the consumer, client, user, or collector, and in this tradecraft there should be no secrets.

Email me here

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Design Patents, Manufacturers, and Artistic Handmade Knives

This is a clip from one of my email conversations about patenting my designs, processes, and applications in fine handmade custom gemstone handled knives with embellishment, etching, carving, and unique shapes, sizes, finishes and execution. Many collectors are concerned about processes moving into the mass production markets (usually foreign) and the impact on their collections and value.

About the patents. I talked at great length to a design patent attorney in Chicago; he was quite knowledgeable about the whole process and affair. In knives, there are recent attempts (mainly by the Chinese) to patent designs and prevent others from making a specific design, that way they can corner the market and force buyers to buy from them. It is a typical lame attempt to gain some sort of business advantage and it is only applied to mass-marketed knives and tools. The last one was an attempt to patent a simple handle shape that was on a razor blade utility knife that has a replaceable blade and folds into the handle. I steered him to a resource of hundreds of the exact same handle shape that had been used for at least a century by many makers and manufacturers.

So, in order to patent a specific design feature, I must be able to prove and then defend the premise that the design or feature hadn’t been used before in the past, and that these features that I apply are truly unique. The truth is, even the ancient Persians made gemstone-handled knives. So that’s not supportable. Also, the design shapes are similar in many features to thousands of other knives that have been made over the centuries. Sure, you might see a blade design or curve that isn’t exactly like another already made, or the new combination of handle and blade design, but if it is researched, you’ll probably find somewhere, at some time in history, a similar knife has been made. It would take a tremendous amount of time and research to identify a non-existent shape (and proving a negative is a fruitless effort, anyway).

Other people have suggested patenting filework, or sheath design, or color and materials arrangements. When I look at the totality of my work and the reasons for patenting, one thing seems clear. I would have to be concerned that someone else (or some company) would steal my idea and execute it in the same way, thus draining away the business that I would have had, and causing me financial injury. There are several reasons this won’t happen.

• What I do is hard, period. It’s extremely difficult to grind, shape, and work with stone. No automated equipment can accomplish it; it takes a finely tuned pair of hands. Not a threat from third world sweatshops either. They might make plastic handled knives that resemble stone, but those are already out there and well known as junk.
• Designs are all over. Any book on swords, edged weapons, or knife history can illustrate a bewildering number of designs, all used, all common, all patent free and available for anyone to execute. And for them to try to patent the same, it’s hopeless, because there are so many good photographic records of these designs already having been produced (i.e., the folding razor utility knife case above)
• Filework, engraving, and embellishment are a highly skilled process, and cannot be duplicated by machines, period. Neither can they be imitated by unskilled labor; the amateurish execution is instantly obvious. No one who can recognize quality will ever be fooled. The eye is discriminating in fine detail, and geometric details (like filework) will scream out the slightest error in spacing and registration. And a slight error and miniscule deviations are desired if the piece is to be recognized as handmade, so machine cuts that are square, perfectly uniform, and obviously without a soul are recognized also.
• Mechanisms, folding, locking arrangements and devices I use are already patent free. If I do come up with something novel and easily imitated, I’ll pursue the patent option.

You might well ask what then, makes my work different, original and unique. There really haven’t been any new advances in knife making over the last century but three.

1. Abrasives: in the 1920s, the diamond was synthesized. In the following years, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and other abrasives moved into the mass production markets. Abrasive belts were refined; then came structured abrasives (the way the abrasive is formed onto the belt, pad, or paper. Modern abrasives allow knifemakers to work faster than the craftsmen of old. There is no shortening of the finish process, though, because all steps between roughing and polish must still be done. Yes, there are mass finishing tools, like vibratory tumblers, and I even know of a couple makers who admit using them. But they give a beaten, rounded, worn-over looking finish. Modern abrasives have allowed us to tackle more complicated finishing jobs, allowing us to blend more different materials, and finish them in a more efficient and cost-effective time frame. I have to admit, though, some jobs require finishing with a hardwood block charged with abrasives, the same as was done over two thousand years ago…
2. Adhesives: Modern adhesives (epoxies, cyanoacrylates, pressure sealers, phenolics, acrylics, and polymers) allow us a more rigid, permanent method of attachment, particularly with dissimilar materials. They also allow construction of jigs, tools, and devices to improve our art and craftsmanship.
3. The computer. The microcomputer has allowed us this immense medium, digital photography, computer assisted and computer aided design and machine operations. Without it, I’d be working with hand drawings and snail mail, and going to a lot of tedious shows instead of making beautiful knives. I’m immensely grateful for this tool!

Now the most important, non-patentable tool: me! A long time ago, while working as a maintenance electrician in industry, I was worried that other electricians were following me around, learning from me, getting paid a journeyman’s wages (or more) while doing apprentice grade work. I told my father about this practice, and how I felt after earning my wages while others just clung like lampreys and sucked away ideas and answers from me, claiming them to be their own. He said the one thing they could never steal is my way of thinking. So that’s still it. My way of thinking puts things together through my practiced hands. And that is my own, an cannot be duplicated, stolen, or drained away by the vampires of commerce and industry. If they knew a way, they would have already drained artists, offered fine art and craftsmanship to the masses for a lower cost, and fine art would be cheap, and common, and everywhere. It is not, and will never be. In fact, it’s more rare, harder to find, and increasing in value every year. The more technology and world commerce floods the market with mediocre products, the more valuable real art becomes. Add to this the outlook that an artist’s life is limited, and the commodity is even more precious.

Email me here

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Unique one-of-a-kind knife designs and creations

Occasionally, I get an email or comment about the unique style and creation of a knife. Usually this is a person who has one of my custom knives, and he remembers that I've told him that his piece is "one-of-a-kind." He can be downright distraught to find out that the pattern has been recreated in another knife. I'm including this section to clear up any misunderstanding.

When I design or work with a customer's input to design a knife style, that style is reflected in a pattern. You can see all my patterns (over 340) on the patterns page here. That pattern is simply a guide to the layout of the knife, and I often am asked to mix patterns, that is, match the blade from one with a handle from another. This may be bold enough of a change to dictate creating a wholly new pattern, or it may just be a "hybrid" knife. No pattern in my inventory of patterns is exempt from use on any project! There will, however, be differences in the final knives, making nearly every knife unique and one-of-a-kind.

I rarely, if ever use the same handle material on two knives of the same pattern style. If I do, I usually change the filework, the finish, the embellishment, the bolster materials, or the sheath. If a knife is marked with a specific name, commemoration, or design, that also makes it unique. And there are subtle differences that accompany each handmade knife adding to that unique property. The only knives that resemble each other closely are the basic tactical models that are bead-blasted, with bead-blasted micarta handles. These are all very similar in construction and execution. One could also argue that even within the same gemstone rock, there are such differences in appearance that no two pieces are matched, and that makes each gemstone handle unique.

Once, I had a client protest because he bought a knife, and then saw on my site that I had listed a picture of the knife style with the text "taking orders." He claimed that his knife was supposed to be one-of-a-kind, and that I wasn't supposed to make that knife ever again! I told him that I would never put the type of handle material used on his knife on another of the same style, or finish it in the same way, so his knife was unique. I've got so many materials to choose from, why would I? I guess he thought that I would never design the blade shape and handle profile ever again. How ridiculous is that?

Here's the thing: if the knife style is a popular one, I will get more requests for the knife. This is nearly always followed by requests for a change in handle material, embellishment, or sheath construction. If it's a popular shape, I will create it again. It is my business to create what clients want, and since a lot of effort goes into the knife design, it's only fair not to deny that expertise to other clients. Also, if a client works up a design, I let him know up front that if I make the knife, I'll add his design to the pattern inventory. This is my way of honoring his (and my) effort, and improving my capabilities. If he doesn't like it, he can make his own knife!

Even if I made a group of knives all the same, this doesn't affect the value of a client's investment. All my knives have appreciated over time, and will continue to do so no matter what happens to me, my career, or my work. I've created enough pieces, put out enough artwork that my reputation is well established. The hard part for me to realize is that the value of a client's investment will continue to increase, long after I (and he) have turned to dust... as the knives will still be around.

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Client's designs and exclusivity

Now and then, I get an inquiry about a client's own design. He usually states that he has worked long and hard on his design, maybe he even has a host of designs (I even met a guy that had a book with hundreds of  pages of knife drawings), and he wants one or two of them made. Usually, these guys are very protective of their work, sometimes copyrighting it, but always convinced of the high value of their knife drawings. They're certain that the shape, contours, or features of their design are worth a great deal of money, and they don't want the designs to fall into the wrong hands, where their hard labor and investment of time is "stolen" by a factory or self-serving knifemaker. They want me to make their dream come to reality, never to be seen again.

Usually, they have not considered the labor, skill, and machine techniques that must go into their idea. The value of a fine custom knife is not in the drawing or design, it's in the execution. Sadly, their designs, though lovingly created, are not worth much. So they hop around from knife maker to knife maker, searching for one who will keep their secret and make their knife for cheap.

I usually steer clear of these types. They are sad to learn that their drawings are usually not unique; in the millions of years man has been making knives, nearly everything has been considered at one time or another. They also are distraught when the find that true design copyright is a long, expensive process, and even it a design patent is granted, they must have plenty of money to defend it in court, proving their ownership of the design, proving that it has never before been designed in the history of man, and proving damages to themselves by the defendant. This is no small court matter, and unless the design revolutionizes the knife world, not much damage can be proven.

If a knife is truly a great design, why not honor that, name the design for the designer, and share it with the world where it can be appreciated? This is not the case with most of these guys, they think they will somehow get rich off their drawings. I know of no one in human history, that has gotten rich from knife drawings. If the person is exceptional at drawing, perhaps he should become a fine artist. That will get him rich, if he's very good!

Copyrights, Knife Designs, and Other Knifemakers

One day, I noticed a lot of traffic coming to my site via a forum (or bulletin board), indicated on my web site analysis program. I followed the URL back and discovered that someone had asked for a source to trace knife patterns that he could use to make his own knives. Another member recommended my site, in particular my patterns page, which had over 340 knife patterns posted on it. To his credit, he did mention that there would be copyright issues.

I posted a short, clear request stating that it would be polite if he asked first if he could use my patterns, as they are copyrighted, and I got back a flurry of responses, angry comments, and rude advice. How dare I enter "their" forum and for the first time attack a member! A member had recommended the theft of patterns and violation of my copyrights to another member, and I was the bad guy for saying anything!

When a design or pattern is created and copyrighted, it is protected by national and international law, pure and simple. If you choose to violate the law, you are a law breaker and a criminal, pure and simple. No amount of justification, verbiage, attack, or commentary will change the fact that if you have taken someone else's work without their permission, you have broken the law and are a criminal. Yet this doesn't seem to stop many knife makers who are stumped for ideas.

I made the recommendation that the maker take an idea that he sees in a design and create his own design, something of his own he can be proud of. For those makers who can not come up with a viable knife design, I also stated that I routinely grant permission to other makers to use my designs, and only ask that they credit my site and my clients, who have put a lot of their own effort into those very designs. It is a matter of honor and dignity and respect to those clients (soldiers, military, law enforcement, professionals) that have put their ideas into the designs. When a pattern is taken without permission, it disrespects a whole group of people, not just the maker.

What these people didn't realize is that on the information-based, word-driven, search engine-dominated Internet, if they used my name they would get many times the traffic and interest, because my name and web site is so well established and recognized on the Internet. At the time of this issue, I was getting well over a million hits a month. They would actually benefit greatly from asking my permission, using my name as a source, and using my name of the knife that they wish to create. But because the guys that violate copyrights know deep inside that what they are doing is wrong, they will skirt permission, slink into the site, cut, copy, and paste the patterns, and hope no one knows the difference. And all they have to do is ask permission! I'm a friendly guy, and might even post a link to their efforts, granting them more traffic and exposure.

Another idiot went on to state that I should be honored that anyone would want to use my patterns. What a fool. Ask any artist, writer, craftsman, or creative person if they feel honored when their designs or creations are stolen. I wonder how he would feel if others had unrestrained access to his work and routinely stole it to "honor" him. The truth is, people who make these claims have never and probably will never create anything of value that anyone wants, much less make a thriving business on their own.

In my upcoming book, I talk more about this and other problems in this profession. My only hope is that by discussion and exposure in this very medium of digital information, it becomes clear that solid, law abiding, respectful practices will benefit our profession, and we will achieve greater respect and success as businessmen and artists.

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Knife Pricing and Justification

Once in a while, I get questioned on my knife prices and pricing structure. An interested person thinks his quote is high, and wonders why he would have to pay what I charge for his knife. I try to answer most reasonable questions clearly; perhaps he desires engraving or a complicated custom filework that takes many hours to complete. Maybe the handle material is rare and expensive, or the sheath work is time consuming and the materials exotic and hard to acquire. If his question is valid, I'm obligated as a business professional to answer his inquiry logically. Sometimes, this is not enough for him, and the urge to justify what I charge seeps into the conversation.

Justification is explaining every detail of the cost of a knife. When you justify, it degrades each creation or work of art into a list of costs and returns, a line by line breakdown of knife making steps, costs of materials, utilities, time spent on each process, and the costs of each expendable. It demeans the whole process into a work order; the making of a piece of fine craftsmanship becomes an accounting of regimented steps. It is a glorious waste of precious time.

Sometimes, a client will ask this because he's seen my "My Knife Prices" page and thinks that the knife he's described should be at the bottom of my pricing structure. He's gone with a bead blasted finish and a micarta handle with a plain sheath, so shouldn't that be the cheapest knife Jay makes? What he may not have accounted for is the size of the pattern chosen, the materials used, or the difficulty of construction. My least expensive knives are mainly skeletonized, that is, they do not have ANY handle or bolster material, and only rudimentary milling. Everything that is done to the plain bar of steel in knife construction adds to the cost. A person who tries to make even a seemingly simple knife of good quality is shocked at how much work is involved.

I wonder if he would question one of the big knife manufacturers as to why they charge what they do for a knife? Would he go to a hardware store and ask them to justify why they set their prices where they do? Of course not, so why would he ask me that? People often see an individual artist and craftsman as a person, not a company. But this is a business, I am a company, and needing to justify prices is a slippery slope that is best avoided. Justification in any business is a drain of resources and time, and a sign of uncertain value. No one asks why an NBA player takes in millions every year, it's simply understood that the product he delivers is paid the going rate. If the rate is high, and he's still employed, that must be what the market has set for him. The same is true for custom knives. My prices are set, I have many orders and commitments, so the value must be in line with the market, or I'd be out of business.

The price of a knife is what it is. It's determined by features that go into the knife, the materials the knife is made of, the difficulty of executing each feature, the level of quality (intricacy and finish), embellishment and its difficulty, and all of the previously mentioned attributes applied to the accessories such as the sheath, case, or stand. The price is also set based on the marketable value of the knife and the workmanship.

When an interested person questions the price and insists on justification, it means that he can't afford the knife, and he should probably rethink his knife purchase.

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Dogs don't bark at parked cars

I happened to get wind of a website where a guy had cut, copied, and pasted my comments about the steels I use on his own site, and followed them with his own abrasive and insulting opinions. He was careful to take every comment out of the context of my original paragraphs. He called it an "evaluation" and "review" of articles on my site.

I have no articles on my site. I do not get paid for what I write here, all I try to do is explain my way of thinking, my experience of making fine, high quality custom and handmade knives for nearly three decades. I guess I must have some public "punch" with my opinions and presence on the Internet, otherwise why would he have felt the need to attack me? Perhaps he was only trying to draw attention to his web site.

I took the time to respond to him directly, offering that it would be nice if he would have contacted me first if he had concerns about statements on my site. It would give me a chance to correct them if needed. I also mentioned legal issues. He was kind enough to respond and claim that he would act professionally in the future. We shall see.

Copyright Infringement (it's prosecutable)

This brings up some huge legal issues about this digital medium that are currently being studied, discussed among lawmakers, and flooding into the justice system. There is, first, the legal issue of copyright and intellectual property law. Every part of a web page, all software, patents, books, photographs, trademarks, videos, and even the fictional characters in stories are intellectual property. And don't be fooled, copyright protection applies immediately upon creation of the work, so don't look for a copyright statement (there is one at the bottom of every page of this website). If you and your business or personal pursuit is on the Internet and displays copyrighted property belonging to someone else, and you have not obtained their specific written permission to distribute or display that work, you are liable for damages. Even if you just use a small part of that work, just a few phrases or sentences from a page, the copyright protection still holds true.  One MUST obtain written permission first. This is routinely done, and I've granted several entities permission to use my words on their own web sites, so it's not some unattainable goal.

How could this guy have done his attack better? Well, for one thing, ideas, opinions, and modes of operation or technique are not copyright protected. He could take some serious lessons from this very web site. If you've arrived at this page, you've probably noticed that I do NOT list any specific company, other knifemaker, factory, or entity directly anywhere on this site, particularly in the realm of criticism. I do not directly quote any of them. Yes, I have plenty of my own opinions, but I will never make a direct reference to an entity or person. I'm very careful to paraphrase words in strings of ideas, and never cut, copy, and paste from other sites or sources without their written permission. By the way, please think about all those testimonials that you've read on my site now.

Libel (it's prosecutable)

Another, perhaps more volatile and litigious concern, is the nature of those direct criticisms. It's one thing to criticize a largely public figure or celebrity, and quite another to libelously attack a small businessman, one running a one-man show and deriving all his income off contacts and business from his Internet web site (that's me). It would be easy to prove damages done by those comments, because (little known to the attacker) web site traffic, connections, IP addresses, server locations and site ownership are all easily traceable with modern web analysis software. It amazes me how many people entirely overlook this fact. Lawsuit time. We may complain about our litigious society, but when it starts to hurt my business, I won't hesitate to protect my income, which supports me and my family, my business, and my home. This is how it is done in our society and judicial system.

What does this have to do with dogs barking? There is an old proverb that states, "Dogs don't bark at parked cars." On one hand, it means to me that this guy was just a little dog yapping as I sped by, and it doesn't mean that much. On the other hand, it means that me barking at him is foolish, because he's just a parked car, going nowhere.

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From my What I do and don't do page:

You might be surprised to read some of the hate mail I get over this page. Mostly, it's from aspiring knifemakers who insist on me helping them make it in this business. Funny thing, they wouldn't ask another professional like an electrician, surgeon, or web site developer to give them some points, answer a few questions, or help them to sell some of what they make, but they demand that of knife makers. I go into this in my upcoming book in detail, but here's the boiled-down version: Most people treat knife making as a hobby, not a profession, so they think other knife makers are just like them. I suggest they go to one of the big knife manufacturers and ask them to answer their questions for a few hours... what? They wouldn't do that? Then why do they attack me for not helping them out? Because I'm a single individual, therefore must only be a hobbyist, like them. But they are wrong. This is not a hobbyist's site, this is a professional business.

In my upcoming book, I detail this phenomenon and the reasons for it. It is one of the troubling spots of this new information technology we call the internet, and one of the costs of having an intensive, information rich web site. Many people are new to this medium and don't know just what a site is for. Though there are many types of site out there, and they may ask their questions on a bulletin board or post, why not circumvent that process and ask someone who is a professional in their field? Would they be willing to pay for the professional advice, like the advice of a doctor, and appraiser, or a mechanic after he's evaluated an engine? Of course they would pay them, but a knifemaker... no. After all, he's only a knife maker... sigh.

I get specific on this issue in my coming book. Stay tuned!

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Concealed Carry of Knives: Issues and Concerns

You would be right in guessing that I receive a lot of correspondence about making knives specifically designed for concealed carry. Whether it's military or law enforcement, urban or rural knife enthusiasts, everyone would like to have a little "edge" on what they perceive is a potential threat in our modern world. In most states, knives of a certain blade length can not be carried in any concealed fashion. In other states (like mine) ANY knife that is capable of cutting is illegal to carry concealed... period, unless it's on one's private property, within your automobile (which is also your private property), or in any official capacity (rather vague designation). So in truth, New Mexico actually has some very strict prohibitions on concealed knife carry! This is a bit stunning, because we are a fairly rural state, with every rancher, cowboy, and young man  having at least a small pocket knife at his hand., though many of these now are carried in belt pouches, thus rendering them not concealed. Every state varies. I recommend highly that you get a clear picture of your own state's laws and the laws of any state you're travelling in by clicking on Bernard Levine's FREE links to state knife laws here.

Please remember that new laws are in the works at all times. Knives fit into "concealed carry" permit laws for many states, so knife carry can be considered under that area. Be sure and check your own state's permit options and requirements, which differ from standard state knife laws.

When looking over your state's knife laws, you can also get an idea just what they might be used for, as laws are refined during cases where specific knife carry laws may apply. In our state, for instance, if you are convicted of carrying a concealed knife (remember, in New Mexico, that is ANY blade capable of injury), it is a petty misdemeanor. So, as you can imagine, this law is only loosely enforced, and I think it's there more for the capability of law enforcement to detain and help convict suspects of violent crimes where the knife or blade plays a roll. Our state does not routinely arrest and charge people with carrying a knife in their pocket, though they could...and every state is different. Common sense applies here. If, for instance, I wanted to carry a knife with a six inch blade all over town, mounted right on my hip in a sheath for all to see, that is perfectly legal. But in our state, the same goes for firearms. Of course, you have prohibited areas for firearm carry, like banks, bars, and schools, but no clear definition exists for knives. In other words, I see no reason that a person can't carry an 18" bowie knife on his belt sheath into a New Mexico bank. I've seen guys carrying big knives in plain sight on their hip into banks here, and no one even gives them a second glance. Don't take my words as advice though; I'm not an attorney, this is not legal advice, and even small localities may have more stringent restrictions.

My point is that appearance does matter. Everyone thinks that if you have a pouched folding knife on your hip, you're a blue collar working guy, and it's just a tool. If you have a 6" bladed sheath knife on your belt, you're probably some outdoor enthusiast or hunter. But if you happen to have a knife that is purposely concealed inside a belt buckle, up your sleeve, at your back, or in your boot, you are a criminal (at least in this state you are, assuming you're on public property and you do not have a concealed carry permit).

For me to make knives and sheaths purposely dedicated to concealed carry is a dicey issue. There is no law against me making this kind of arrangement (though there is a specific law prohibiting me from making switchblades, butterfly, and automatic knives in our state). The question is: do I want to purposefully design knives as defensive concealed weapons? What, in the long term, does this do to our tradecraft to be known for aiding in bending, if not breaking existing laws? Prosecutors may point to knife makers and manufacturers as the source of guidance and bearing on this issue. If a maker cranks out knives and sheaths made purposefully to deceive, he casts an inerasable stain on his business practices, i.e., to make a dollar at any opportunity, by encouraging skating around laws.

In our state, a jury is left to determine the specific "character" of a knife. What do juries know about knife character? Nothing: that's what. The general public is grossly uneducated about knives, if you're reading this that is probably crystal clear to you. I do not want to be subpoenaed to testify as to the character of a knife and sheath combination I make.

Look, there are many cheap imported knives that allow and encourage illegal concealed carry. I look forward to the day when a beautiful edged tool can be proudly carried at your side like a piece of fine jewelry and dress, admired and respected. It pains me to think of man's oldest and most cherished of tools hidden, concealed, and secreted away because of possible offense, political correctness, or perceived notions of nefarious activity.

Where and how you carry a knife is ultimately up to you, not me. For a matter of public record, I do not encourage concealed carry without a permit. There are a host of other issues related to the mechanics of concealed carry of knives and I talk about them in detail on my sheaths page here.

To cover this from a technical perspective, here's a paragraph from my knife sheath page that details the mechanical issues:

I do not make sheaths to accommodate wear on the arms or legs. The reason for this is that the knife must fit snugly in the sheath, even with alternate means of retention, like straps or snap flaps. When the knife is pulled out of the sheath, it is in the direction of the limbs smallest diameter, which will pull the entire fixture down the arm, or down the leg. In the arm it is particularly troublesome, because the wrist is smaller than the girth of the arm at the elbow, so the straps are trying to pull down the arm. It's the same reason that socks won't stay up! You're trying to pull downhill yet have the sheath stay in place. So the only way to counter this is with a long strap that goes up the arm that the sheath is mounted on, over the shoulder, and is retained around the neck. What a mess! It works good in Hollywood, but in reality is an entirely different affair. Also, there is a problem with knife sheaths mounted on the leg. In order to pull against the taper of the leg, just like on the forearm, the knife must be pulled up. That means that the area to pull the knife must be as long as the sheath throat and full knife length added together. No man can lift up his pants that high, he'd have to be wearing shorts... so this is impractical. If the pull is downward on the leg, he's pulling against geometry (again) or the knife may have to have some type of complicated retention method to prevent falling out... What a mess. Then, there is the whole concealment issue. As a professional, I can't be known for helping bend concealment laws. So, generally, I stay away from this type of mounting, unless it's for law enforcement or federal agents. See the entire contents of my "Sheaths" page here.

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Comments and Complaints About this Website

I get them; every website with hefty traffic does. The complainers. The guys trying to offer constructive criticism. They're just trying to help, or they have a beef, or they're just unhappy about the way a particular view, idea, or concept is presented on this site. Sometimes, they're actually disturbed by how I've constructed the site, what I've included, and how it's structured in the markup. Even though before emailing me they read that I only answer emails about serious knife inquiries, they insist on giving me their two cents. Mostly, what I see from them is that they have some preconceived notion about what they think this site should say, what it should be about, and even how it is presented. Since the reality is different than they think it should be, they protest to me, perhaps thinking that I'll change it to suit their philosophy or design ideas.

I also get plenty of email with positive support and encouragement for what you see posted on this site, and the positive comments outweigh the negative by many, many times, so I know I'm doing something right. I've even had positive comments from dealers who market the factory knives that I've railed against on these pages. Other makers have gleaned much information here, and I hope that I've inspired others and caused them to think about their knives, their businesses, their internet future.  

With both types of comments, I try to be pragmatic. If I get enough requests for a change, and the change makes sense, I might consider it.  Take, for instance, my "Knife Anatomy" page. I built this page because a lot of guys were trying to identify parts on a modern custom knife, but had no clear frameset to discuss those parts, areas, or components. Rather than type a detailed description in every email, the potential knife client can go to the knife anatomy page and identify the exact component. From there, we can have a conversation about his knife interest. Now, the page has taken on a life of its own, and is one of the top hitters on my site, with plenty of outside links to it, and new ones every week.

If you're reading this, you have more than a passing interest in knives. To you, I want to make this point crystal clear. This site is about my knives. It's all about the knives. In my focus on writing, photography, publication, presentation, web site development, marketing, education, growth, and business, one thing must and does take precedence  over all the others ... the knives. I am here because of pieces of steel sculpted into blades, wood and rock carved into handles, and skins and plastics formed into sheaths. The embellishment, the presentation, the promotion, the representations are all about the knives I make. Thanks for being here!

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What is the Ratio of Online Knife Sales to Knife Show Sales?

This question comes up more and more. Dealers, knife collectors, makers, and enthusiasts are trying to figure out if the net is the place to shop, if shows are the place to be, and if they have focused their dollars in the right place. The truth is, no one knows what volume of internet sales exists, who's buying how many knives, and how that may compare with knife or craft show knife sales.

The show sales would be a more reasonable venue from which to draw data. Most guys know if a show is a good show; makers are pretty straightforward about the show's success, and often share this data with other makers and show promoters. If it's a successful show, the maker will probably return, and that's another good indicator. But those are only spot indicators, and are controlled by the venue, the advertising, the local economy in the show area, the type of knives brought to the show, the price ranges, and many other more minor factors. For example, a simple problem with hotel room booking requirements, or carrier-wide airline cancellations can make or break a show for a maker or client. The cost of travel, the limited time and availability of show merchandise, and the troublesome process of carrying knives to and from the show will only worsen.

The Internet is an altogether different medium. One can not claim to have any serious data on overall knife sales, but it is generally agreed that Internet knife sales have crushed show sales years ago. Specialty items like custom handmade knives will continue to soar in sales over the net, and shows will continue to decline.  On the Internet, a client can take his time, learn to get to know the maker through the maker's website, see many more pictures of his work, testimonials, and much more information on his maker than he can in the short time they could meet at a knife show. Though many say this "face time" is important, makers can encourage clients to stop by their place of business when they travel (I do!), and the client can get to know the maker in his studio, at his storefront (he does have a professional business storefront, doesn't he?), and one on one. At the studio, the client can handle each pattern he's seen on the website, look over the various projects and materials, and get a clear picture of how a professional knife maker works in his real place of business. That will give him much more information than a quick meet and greet at a distracting knife show.

The horizon is bleak for shows, and though I believe they will continue, they will never have the grandeur of the late 1980s and early 1990s. More and more makers (like me!) are realizing their time is better spent in the shop, creating beautiful pieces, and maintaining a worthwhile website that their clients can comfortably peruse in their own pace. The backlog of orders is testimony to the success of an Internet-based custom and handmade knife business.

Do you absolutely need some face time? Nowadays, this is an option with Skypes and Teleconferencing, and I do that too!

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Some thoughts on Knife Dealers

When a knife dealer claims to know trends and directions of the vast field of custom knives, he is only talking about of the types, styles, and price range of knives that he has experience with. For instance, he may not even know that there are hundreds of fine gemstone handled knives that will never make it into the secondary market to be resold, simply because the knife client or collector wishes to keep his knives, and is not interested in reselling them. The dealer may be completely unaware of this price range and type of fine knives, as his clients and acquisitions may be limited to the interest of his own clients, and their ability to buy. The most limiting factor is that a dealer will never have access to knives that are bought directly from the maker if the maker refuses to sell to dealers (I do, and so do many other fine makers). If the knives are rarely resold, the dealer may not even know they exist. So, if a knife client purchases from a dealer, the client may not acquire the best of knives from the dealer, because the best knives usually never make it into a dealer's hands. Where to get the best of knives? Directly from the maker, that's where.

As the internet grows and continues to be a direct source of purchase, this narrowing of knife dealer's access to high end knives will accelerate. I believe that dealers will continue to thrive, selling what I consider to be middle market knives, but more and more specialty knives will be purchased directly from the maker.

You might ask why a maker would sell to a dealer in the first place? There are many reasons; a new maker might want to get established through a dealer who has access to a large client base. The maker may not wish to trouble himself with the ongoing effort of a website. The maker may not be a "salesman" and is uncomfortable dealing with this aspect of the knife business. There is nothing wrong with any of these reasons and that is why dealers will continue to exist.

Most dealers nowadays require a percentage of the sale price of a knife. So it is generally expected that the maker should drop his price for the dealer by that percentage, so the dealer can benefit from the price difference, and sell the knife for what the maker ordinarily would. Though this may be acceptable to some knife makers, I believe this is unethical. How ethical is it to say that a dealer who has the ability to buy multiple knives at one time should get a discount over a soldier who puts  his life on the line defending our country every day? Take the occupation out of the equation. How ethical is it to set prices differently for different clients for the same knife? No matter how you try to justify it, it won't wash. It is unethical to vary the price of a knife depending on who is buying it. 

I know this goes on in the knife and art markets, but it's a dirty little secret that no one mentions to the final client. How would you feel if you found out that if you only purchased directly from the knife maker, you would have saved 20 percent? And makers who would try to sell you the knife at the same price as the dealer are saying to their clients: "you don't buy enough knives from me, so you have to pay more." What? Maybe this goes on across the nation in large volume stores and with massive purchases and acquisitions between companies, but knife making is a one-on-one personal purchase, and this is not Wal-mart.

The ultimate limitation of purchasing from a dealer is that the knife will NEVER be custom. Custom knives are made to the client's requirements, and eliminating that contact, conversation, and interaction between clients, patrons, and the knife maker eliminates the possibility of a true custom knife. So any time you see the word "custom" mentioned in a conversation about a knife purchase from a dealer, it is in error.

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