3rd Degree (3D) Spalting?"

[Big Mike]

Is the 3rd Degree (3D) Spalted finish smooth on the surface?

I have a knife from just before this this new finish came out and it's a smooth to the touch, low drag surface.

Some have said that this new finish might be more like rough forged surface then a smooth etched surface.


Any help would b appreciated.




Big Mike

[wildmanh]

Mike the finish is textured like an "as forged" finish. But just the flats are 3D Spalted. Not the grinds. I have not noticed any dragging or resistance from it. IMO Gives the knives with it a very classic look.

[Big Mike]

The finish on my knife is smooth to the touch.

Here's a photo with the sun at a low angle.



As you can see, the non beveled area flat and smooth,

...though it does have some pattern and patina on it.




Big Mike

[maw]

Hi Big Mike,

The 3D Spalted finish has small random valleys and hills, just like it looks. When you rub your fingers over the finish you can feel the unevenness of the finish...though it is not course to the touch or very pronounced. I've included some photos that I hope capture the texture of the finish for you.









I hope this has been of some help to you.

Mark

[in the flesh]

I was curious about the texture myself. Thanks for asking Big Mike.

The next step is buying one to experience it first hand.

[Northridge88]

Great pics mark!

[Big Mike]

Yeah Mark, those photos speak volumes.


Thanks.




Big Mike

[wildmanh]

Mark, those are some good pictures. They show the texture really well.

[maw]

Thanks guys. I am glad the photos helped.

Mark

[MajorD]

Great views Mark. Nice work. Your pictures explain it very well.

[Talfuchre]

Big Mike -

I have the same look on my first Arete - and my Convex Arete has the 3D spalting. Let me try to get a side by side of them - same knife - different finish.

TF

[Christof60]

Beautiful.... How do you get that finish?

[J. Oeser]

Big Mike, the knife you have looks like the finish after HT. Mark's pics are a good example of the spalting.

[Fiddleback]

Jared's got it. Mike's knife has 'forge finished' flats. I hadn't quite mastered spalting at that point. 3D Spalted steel is textured. Though, I can't imagine it creating drag.

[Storm crier]

If anything I think it creates less drag. There are no sharp edges on any of the texturing and it creates less surface area for the blade flats to make contact with what ever your cutting.
It is some crazy stuff. I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out how Andy is doing this. I want to know but I also remmeber being a kid and wanting to know how my uncle made coins appear out of thin air but once I learned, I was a little disapointed. Keep working your magic Andy. Your 3D Spalting is somthing that sets you apart and besides the overall beauty of your work and the ergos of your handles, it is one of the first things people ask about when I show off my Bushfinger. The uneducated say "Oh, thats Damscus right"? But those who are real knife people, immediatly notice and start asking.

I would hate to see a bunch of sub-par hacks copying your 3D Spalting.

God Bless

[Fiddleback]

If anything I think it creates less drag. There are no sharp edges on any of the texturing and it creates less surface area for the blade flats to make contact with what ever your cutting.
It is some crazy stuff. I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out how Andy is doing this. I want to know but I also remmeber being a kid and wanting to know how my uncle made coins appear out of thin air but once I learned, I was a little disapointed. Keep working your magic Andy. Your 3D Spalting is somthing that sets you apart and besides the overall beauty of your work and the ergos of your handles, it is one of the first things people ask about when I show off my Bushfinger. The uneducated say "Oh, thats Damscus right"? But those who are real knife people, immediatly notice and start asking.

I would hate to see a bunch of sub-par hacks copying your 3D Spalting.

God Bless

Thank you. I appreciate that a lot. I worked a year to develop it, and I take a lot of shit from knifemakers for not teaching it. Meanwhile, I basically teach knifemaking full time. Dan pulled several perfect grinds this week. It took me 300 knives to accomplish this. He has worked hard at it and deserves most of the credit. But I still get a proud feeling from it.