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The top 20 reasons why my knives are worth your money.
If you would like to discuss any of these points, just contact me here. Need more details? Jump to the FAQ Page here. I guarantee my workmanship for my lifetime, or as long as I'm physically able. While I cannot guarantee refunds for elaborate custom projects, I will do my absolute best to make sure you're satisfied. You're in good company as a patron and client, with some of the most demanding knife collectors and users in the world. They are all very happy with their purchase, and fine collector's custom knives appreciate yearly. Here are the reasons: |
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1. I make real combat, tactical, CSAR, CQC, CQB, SERE, and other professional knives, weapons, and tools. I make knives for our nation's top military rescue service, USAF Pararescue. I've also made for the New Mexico and other State police, the Albuquerque Police SWAT team and USAF SERE (survival professionals and instructors) I make knives for FBI agents, DEA agents, and numerous police tactical and emergency response teams. I make knives for professional exhibition racing teams, professional hunters and guides and professional sailors. I make knives for firefighters, rescue personnel, and professional emergency and rescue divers. I also design and make knives for the US Army Special Forces, the 101st Airborne, Air Assault, for Special Forces, for Marines, Army, and Security Forces. These are knives actually used in active duty combat, rescue, and tactical operations. They are real combat and tactical knives, not just for show. The same tough standards are applied to knives I make for collection. I make the real thing. |
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2. I do all my own work using the finest high quality modern high-tech tool and die steels: stock removing, forging, cutting, grinding, shaping, drilling, milling, and finishing by hand or machines offhand, everything on my knives. Nothing is farmed out to other makers, companies, or entities. I start with a bar of fine modern tool steel, a chunk of wood, and a piece of rock. I'm responsible for the whole piece, from cutting edge to engraving, from the finish on the blade to the stitches on the sheath. I make all my own stands, cases, castings, and accessories, too. |
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3. I do all my own heat treating in my vacuum-nitrogen inert gas electric furnaces. Your high-tech steel blades are treated in high purity conditions, just as the steel was manufactured and meant to be, and never exposed to harmful oxygen during heat treat which would cause decarburization and alteration of the originally designed alloy. When I heat treat your knife, you are assured of a proper stress-relieving pre-soak for the thickness and geometry of your blade. I also sub-zero quench for eight hours, then double temper for four hours, assuring the correct balance and depth of hardness and toughness. The military, police, and professionals rely on my heat treating skills. All my knives have performed with outstanding results. |
| 4. I have some of the best grinds and blade geometry in the business: my blades are accurate, precise, matched side to side, and most of them mirror finished all by off-hand grinding. The grinds are perpendicular to the cutting edge, so uniform thinness is achieved along the whole blade length. Other makers grind "straight" or use a jig, which can't compensate for the curvature of the blade profile, and this leads to uneven thickness. I don’t hand-sand blades along their length to hide grinder marks (unless you request it). I finish through 10 steps of grind, keeping accurate grind lines that are not washed over by too much buffing on a wheel. On tactical models, some have a bead blasted finish to reduce glare, some are finished to 220 grit for a satin finish that the user is not afraid to scratch. Blades with saw teeth are extremely aggressive. I will put my blades against any other knifemaker in the world for accuracy, finish, and quality. |
| 5. I do all my own hot bluing. When I blue knife blades, I do a professional hot blue, both with sodium nitrate boiling caustic (black gun blue) and potassium nitrate molten salt (cobalt blue-vermilion-straw). I blue for 40-60 minutes, giving the deepest penetration of the tool steel for the best corrosion inhibition and dark or tactical appearance. I never cover blades with coatings or paints. |
| 6. I have the highest resolution blade etching in the business. It took six years to develop and perfect my proprietary photo resolution process, with line resolutions at 1/100,000th of an inch. I can take any artwork, detailed images, text and graphics and etch it permanently and deeply into the blade or metal components of sheaths, stands, or cases. I can customize any knife to any client's wishes. |
| 7. I have the highest resolution precious metal electroform in the business. I use the same proprietary process to electroform (heavy, thick metal electroplate) Yellow Gold, Green Gold, Rose Gold, Nickel, or Copper on to carbon steel and even stainless steel blades. |
| 8. I do all my own hand engraving. I engrave by hand in carbon steel, high chromium stainless steel, brass, nickel silver, and silver. The design characteristics and motifs will match the style of the knife, the piece will flow with the original artwork intent and flavor. One of my favorite steels to engrave is 304 high chromium, high nickel austenitic stainless steel. Most engravers and makers would never touch this type of steel, it's simply too hard and tough to engrave. I like it because it's bold, zero care, and matches the beauty of the knife blade. |
| 9. I do all my own high resolution computer engraving. On commemoratives, legends, flash plates and insignia, nothing matches the 1/10,000th of an inch microscopic resolution of computer engraving. I design with the client, do all the image digitizing and computer programming, setup, and execution right here in my studio, all for a reasonable price. The images are cut into the blade, handle, sheath or components with a diamond stylus, a diamond burnisher, or carbide cutters or burnishers. The cuts are permanent and can not be removed. |
| 10. I make more gemstone-handled knives than any single maker in the world. I have been making gem handled knives for over 29 years, have made over two thousand, and no handles have ever failed, not one. Half of my studio is geared for professional lapidary, with the capabilities of gem mosaic, inlay, gem engraving and carving. I know of no other maker in the world who has made as many gemstone handled knives for as many years as I have. |
| 11. I use all REAL GEMSTONE in my gem handled knives, not plastic rock, not "stabilized" resin material, no pretend rock, ever! Nothing matches God’s creation of rock and minerals, and stone does not fade, deteriorate, crack, check, or dry up. It has a similar thermal coefficient as steel (which is a refined mineral itself) and does not shrink, burn, melt, or soak up water, blood, or change. The agates and jaspers I use are harder than the steel blade itself, and a gem like nephrite jade is nearly as tough! |
| 12. I make the best, toughest locking military tactical sheaths on the market. United States Air Force Pararescue jumpers have had them strapped across their chests, upside down, while doing parachute jumps and rescues, often into the ocean. The knives will positively stay locked, in a waterproof, locking sheath with a stainless steel mechanism. The bodies of the sheath are double layered kydex or co-extruded acrylic, built on a 5052H32 corrosion resistant aluminum frame for strength and light weight. The sheaths are screwed together with .250" steel and nickel plated steel screws. They are probably the toughest sheaths made by anyone. |
| 13. I do all my own leatherwork. I use real exotic sheath inlays on my fine leather sheaths. Other maker's sheaths are made of 5-6 oz. leather, mine are hand-tooled out of 9-10 oz shoulder (twice as thick as most knife sheaths), and hand-stitched with 100% polyester sinew, the toughest binder on the market. My artwork is unique, I do multiple piece inlays, overlays, carving, lacing, tooling, embroidering, and all my sheaths are finished and sealed. The artistic motif and quality of the sheath will be commensurate with the quality of the knife, and you can be as proud of the sheath as you are of the knife. |
| 14. I make all my own knife stands and cases. With my art knives, the stand or case will be commensurate with the quality of the knife, with the same care and attention to detail as the knife. I consider fine knife stands and cases essential to my trade craft, and artistically sculpt each individual to enhance and compliment your investment. Exotic and domestic woods exhibit professional joinery and the materials are finely finished and beautiful. |
| 15. I do all my own photography. So I have available an immense photo archive of my work, probably larger than any other knifemaker. On this site alone there are over 3400 pictures of my work, including over 350 custom knife patterns. This allows you to see hundreds of other styles, models and individual knives I've made, mixing attributes to design the knife you want. Comparing photos, you also know you’re in good company for investment purposes. You can trace the knives in my career, and that contributes to the investment value of your knife. Additional photographs of your knife may be available. |
| 16. I have over 350 different knife styles and patterns available. I am not locked in to just a few types of knife, and the variety of designs gives me great experience in versatility. I can build the knife you want. |
| 17. I am a true custom maker. I work with clients to create for them their dream knife, whether for investment, display, for field dressing big game, for lifesaving tactical work, or for military combat weapons use. |
| 18. No job is too big. I have a 9 foot tall Partizan in the Tower of London; I’ve made knife sculptures that weigh in excess of 400 pounds and have taken a year and a half to build. |
| 19. I guarantee my workmanship for my lifetime. While no one can guarantee a knife against neglect or abuse, and nothing is "unbreakable," I fully stand behind my workmanship, methods and execution of my pieces for as long as I am physically able. |
| 20. All my knives appreciate in value over the years, and will continue to appreciate. The value of an investment knife is directly associated with the maker's ability, longevity, reputation, and clients. You can see on this site that you're in good company with a Jay Fisher custom knife. I've been making knives for 29 years, professionally and full time for 20 years. This is my full time job, my chosen profession, and how I derive all my income. I've made thousands of knives, my name and reputation go with each piece. |
Need more details? Jump to the FAQ Page here.
-Jay Fisher
