One of the most strange reed-making bassoonists Europe has ever known was the Darmstadt, Germany, symphony orchestra and opera principal bassoon, Carl Mechler.
He used to make a large stock of reeds, but left them unfinished - the business ends too thick. He gladly sold them to his colleagues but always insisted that when they wanted reeds, they had to come with their instruments to his house. Carl then took their bassoons, put one of his daily-use reeds on them and blew the instruments, listening intently how the bassoons reacted to it. He then knew exactly what type reed the instrument required.
Now he fetched some of his unfinished reeds, then got from the kitchen his wife's potato knife (maybe you know what the edge of a much-used potato knife looks like): holding the reed with its flat on the edge of the table, and to the utter horror and bewilderment of the spectators, he made with the knife a few quick strokes, shaping it to the required thickness and form. And invariably the result was strikingly good, it became a perfect reed, matching the bassoon it was intended for!