Qualities of Hand Made Custom Knives
The highest-quality custom knives have several features that make them distinct from their machine-made, mass-produced cousins. A hand made knife should be forged of only high-quality steel, and exquisite care must go into all four aspects of the knife: blade, handle, guard, and sheath. Care of these 
four features is what makes for true collector knives, not just some fancy engraving of knife handles. True custom knives, whether they are collector knives or not, should be able to be used as a functional camp knife and not just sit in a collector case in a closet.
Preferred Raw Steel to Use
A high-quality hand made knife will be made of either 5160 carbon steel or 52100 carbon steel. Low-temperature forging with this steel allows for a high-degree of refinement. Triple tempering of this steel allows the spine to be soft while the edge is hard and sharp. For the guard, copper or brass can be alloyed into the steel or used pure. When selecting an SAE grade for the steel, O1 is the most popular.
Design the Blade with Style
The shape of the blade must conform to how the hand made knife is to be used. Collector knives are both pleasing to view and functional. A good camp knife must be able to take care of any camp function from cutting wood to field dressing an animal. The quality of the blade must be such that it stays sharp after repeated use.
Animal Bone and Horn Handles are the most Popular!
Knife handles should be comfortable allow the wielder to work the knife in the most efficient way possible.
No one should have to adjust their hold on the knife after repeated use for comfort. Bad knife handles only diminish the quality of the cuts.
Hand Guard Both Cosmetic and Functional
The guard of a knife was once important in combat situations to protect against an opponent’s blade. Today, the guard is important in protecting the wielder’s hand against his/her own blade. In cases where excessive force must be used in a thrust against a strong object, a weak guard may break, causing the hand to slide onto the blade. The guard must be strong and not merely ornamental.