Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

This Page...

...is about your custom knife that you've ordered from me. If you're here, you've probably ordered a custom knife from me, and you're checking on the progress of your project. You may also be here out of curiosity, to see just how many orders and projects are underway at Sharp Instinct Studio. Unless you've asked for anonymity, your knife or sword project and its current status at the last update is listed in the projects queue below.

I know of no other knife maker who will keep you currently posted on the status of a project, nor do they post other projects by name so you can see what they are working on. Because the internet and web sites are an active source of current information (or should be) it makes sense to be able to check on your investment, and see how it is coming along.

I update this page frequently, probably more than any other page on the site, including the home page and the featured knives. Not only does it help you see where your project is, it helps me to track the project in the studio. If you're working on ten knives, it's simple enough to keep the details in your head, but there are over a hundred knives in the works here, so tracking them becomes very important. That is the reason you'll see a letter designation on the knife. This means nothing to you, but is my system for keeping your knife identified as it works through the various processes in the studio.

The Steps

The basic steps for a custom handmade knife are listed in this table. They are not strict definitions, just general guides to quickly give you an idea of where your knife project is.

The steps are very basic; for example, the control grinds (step 10) to finish grinds (step 11) takes nine grinding steps, with both the hollow grinds and the flat grinds being worked over, offhand, until every previous scratch is removed. This takes hours and hours on each knife. So, I've condensed the steps to make it a little less daunting. Folding knives take about three times as much effort to design and construct, and they're condensed here too.

You'll probably see a sudden jump in steps when the work starts on your knife. Then, it may wait a while on one step. This may happen for a variety of reasons, for instance when I heat treat, I do it by batches, so a number of the same type of steel blades may have to accumulate for the heat treat to happen. A similar thing happens with sheaths, as the shop tooling must be changed over for sheaths, and no grinding can occur in the shop while sheaths are being constructed, as leather is subjected to staining by swarf and fine metals dust during tooling.

You may want to keep an eye out as the project passes step 20. That means it's almost finished, and it will help to move things along if you're ready with the balance of your payment. Also important to consider is that if you have requested custom embellishment such as commemorative or personal etching, that can not take place until after the complete balance is paid.

The Projects (the Queue)

I know of no other knife maker or artist who will publicize this type of list of their current orders and works. Most clients are grateful for the service and the update. Some clients do not wish to have their real name used on the list, so they've created aliases here. Others with custom knives and projects on order may not wish to have any information about their orders, so they're completely omitted from this project table.

As you can see, you're in good company if you are on this project table. In addition to the project list in the table at the left, there are numerous other knives in the works in my Sharp Instinct Studio. It's not uncommon to have nearly a hundred knives in the various stages of production at any given time in the studio.

As you look over the list, you'll get an idea of the types, patterns, and styles of knives in the works. Tactical knives, chef's knives, and collector's knives are the main fare, with hunting knives and working knives filling out the work load.

You also may notice that some of the same names have several knives in production. Though some may be regular clients, others are new clients who have decided that rather than wait for their first knife, it may be better to have several in production, as my order list and wait time continues to grow.

You'll see a tracking designation on the table. This means nothing to you, my client; it is simply my way of tracking knives and projects in the studio. There are so many knives underway that I have to identify and stay up with each individual project. You can see the letter designations on the knife blades at the top of this page and on other pages of the site.

Your order

Though there are many orders on the list and in progress in the studio, a singular client usually is interested in only one thing: his order. While I try to keep that in mind for every client when working on his knife or project, I ask for patience while the whole process takes place. All orders start at step one, and if you're new here you might realize that the order stays at step one for quite a while as other's knives are finished and clear off the list.

Once in a while a client may look at others' projects and swear that they were placed after his order, and yet they seem to move up the list faster. This may be because some clients order knives that are already in production, in the list below or directly from me. Also, now and then a client will cancel, and his knife will come up available in an uncompleted state, and these may also be ordered by clients. The knife and order will then appear on the list, at a higher number of completion. A client may asked to be added to the list taken off, then added again with a different project. The list is fluid and constantly updated, though you may think your knife is stuck at step one. The point is that watching someone else's order is not a key indicator of where yours is in the queue.

The type of steel may also contribute to the movement of the order. Most of my knives are made of 440C high chromium hot work martensitic stainless steel, so that is the type I'm heat treating most often. Because heat treating and cryogenic processing is done in batches, it may take longer to get enough knives in same type of steel to do a heat treat. Once there is enough, I'll heat treat in a batch, so a group will all move up together.

I do my best to keep this all moving along. All clients have appreciated this continuous update, and if you have a specific question about your project and status, please email me.

How long to delivery?

Delivery times vary depending on many things. You would be very surprised to see just what is going on in the studio, and if you're a client, I invite you to come by for a personal tour. There are knives and knife projects everywhere, knives in various stages of production, machinery and tools in upgrade and repair, drawings and designs at different stages of completion. Juggling all this is quite a feat.

In my early knife making years, delivery times were very short because I simply did not have many orders or commitments. The last ten years, orders and interest has grown considerably and if you've been following my work, you know that delivery times have increased considerably, depending on the project. There is no way that I can guarantee a specific delivery time, as each knife project is unique, and may encounter some unknown issue that can lead to a delay.

Delivery times may also be shorter than quoted. If production moves along incredibly well, and luck prevails, your project can be completed before the delivery time. So the list above is a good key to when the project is coming to fruition. Keep an eye there, so you can be ready to pay your balance and receive your knife, sword, knives, or artwork.

Please remember that in addition to making knives, I create specialized tools, repair all the machine tools, and perform every function in the studio myself. This is called MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations). You would be very surprised to learn how extensive and demanding this is, and that, too, requires time. Thanks for your understanding.

What can I do to help move this along?

This is very important. Please keep me updated as to your current email address, physical address, and telephone numbers!

 It is great if you email now and then, checking on the status of your knife or project and update any changes in your contact information.

Please keep an eye on your project, particularly when it starts nearing completion so you can be ready to pay the balance. That way I can ship your project as soon as I receive payment. Purchase and payment details are on the Custom Knife Order page.

If the project is complete and you don't respond, here's what I do. I email three times to the email address I've been given by you. I'll give you a deadline for payment, and If I receive no response, the order is canceled and offered to the public. Details on my Custom Knife Orders page at this bookmark.

If you have a life-changing event that forces you to cancel your order, please let me know as soon as possible. I realize that things happen, and the last thing I want to do is impose any financial burden on someone who is unable to pay for his order. This is one of the reasons that, unlike most other knife makers, I do not require half or most of the knife cost as a deposit. As long as your knife is not extremely unusual, it may be possible to offer it to other interested clients, collectors, or knife users. I've never had a problem selling a finely made knife!

What other knives may you have available in the works?