Strangely enough one of the biggest enjoyments in collecting knives, for me at least, is the desire to modify and customize them. Many knives I buy can't effectively be customized, but I have learned to look for knives of basically good quality, with simple handles and uninspired handle materials. I then strip off the old handles (or rubber/plastic inlays, and create my own. Doing this can take a knife from the ordinary to the custom level very quickly, with appropriate increase in value and appearance.I started out with Buck folding hunters and have progressed from there. I watch for sales and then buy several and modify them. Some I have purchased were all steel, with flat handles, relatively easy to work on. I simply add whole single pieces of exotic wood to recon stone to each side, or make several pieces with spacer of nickel silver, brass, or silver between the pieces. Sometimes I add various types of rivets, mosiac pins, and blind screws to aid the epoxy and the look.Sometimes I copy a particularly striking pattern or material I have seen in pictures on other knives. In other words, the possibilites are limited only by your artistic sense.
What I wish to do in a coming series of blogs is to tell anyone interested, how to get started. The equipment is not expensive, the skills not complex, and the rewards outstanding. I am self taught. No one was around to show me what I will be freely providing to you, but I felt it was time to show that you can produce knives with handles matching custom makers. I don't make my own blades or assemble knives from scratch because that is not my interest, and it takes much more euipment and skill fo do this. Once you see how little it costs to buy a raw finished blade of top quality steel, you will instantly see the possibilities and savings.

Future blogs will cover what equipment to get, where to purchase handle materials and fasteners, and above how how to do it. When I see the same knive advertised with different handle materials and look at the price differential between the materials, I just chuckle because I know what the "expenive" handle material costs, and it is surprising cheap. Once you get started you will quickly realize the possibilities.

Dr. K