Tony over at Everydaycommentary.com poses the question.
I think there will be a number of reasons and they will vary slightly from maker to maker, but I’ll throw a few guesses out there:
Personal Interest – A production knife is made by machines that don’t worry about getting bored. Creative custom knife makers want to stay interested in the work that they do. Maybe they want to change up their work while still keeping with the overall design they like.
Market – Makers will make what people are buying and what will make them money. Whether or not people want to admit it, money is a huge motivator. When you know people collect and buy art knives, it’s easy to head in that direction. It’s a safer route than completely new designs.
Any other ideas?
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It's an interesting question and Tony laid down good rational to support his preferences. To address your question Rob I think part of it is the pride they put in their work and their desire to push the envelope however they can. Maybe they lack the design chops to reinvent the wheel. Maybe lack the time and money, and they get a better return out of using more exotic materials and adding more intricacies to their work. Art is highly subjective too. I enjoy a good minimalist design but I must confess that I can appreciate all different styles. I think actually taking a stab at designing and making something yourself gives you a much broader appreciation. I respect anyone willing to do things their way, put themselves out there and try to make a living off of it or simply share it with the world… be it highly ornate or incredibly sterile. I still believe there is room for gray here.