Are you a wabi sabi knife nut ?

herisson

herisson

Apple slicing rocking chair dweller
Joined
Mar 11, 2013
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For those not familiar with this japanese esthetical concept, I can resume it briefly thusly : "wabi" is the beauty of simplicity, sobriety, humility ; "sabi" is the beauty of wear, aging, withering. Clearly, in the knife world "sabi" can be related to patina, wear, oxydation... "wabi" could apply to any sober, "down to the bone" design. I find my taste does often match with the wabi or the sabi, or both... If you have a liking for one of these, or better both, your pictures are welcome. Let's show them ! Here is one which looks quite "wabi sabi" to me. The design is simple as it gets, it has 30 years under its belt (showing) and the older it gets the more I like it.

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The handle will "sabi" over time, for sure. Most of Spyderco's production is quite "wabi". My favourite would be the Wilson South Fork. And the coal background is excellent. I'm glad my picture shows because I've been struggling with Imgur. Don't know why, last time I downloaded a picture it seemed pretty self-explanatory... Well, here is another one that could apply ! A bit "rich" to be wabi, maybe, but it certainly has some sabi to it.

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Yes. Very much so. I subscribe to the idea that perfection is--to paraphrase Antoine de Saint Exupéry--attained not when there is nothing left to add, but when nothing is left to take away. I do like some small degree of ornament in a design, but minimalist and understated, and incorporated into the form of the tool in such a way that it doesn't detract from its performance in actual use.

And I LOVE signs of wear on tools (again, so long as they don't detract from performance!)
 
That's why I use, buy, and collect traditional slip joints. Modern flippers, for the most part, just don't age/wear aesthetically well with decades of carry and use.
 
Yes, I agree with the beauty of worn, but well used, tools. When they are trashed, it's just sad. Here is one that has earned its place in the drawer forever but that I don't use anymore (I have such nicer knives, now, he, he). It was a very cheap buy on a country market (cheap build with a soft steel blade, iron liners and scales made from "bottom of the pile" horn, but I liked the clean (a bit vendetta like) pattern and the fit was absolutely tight, with a strong spring). It was my pocket knife for years, then relegated to kitchen duty, then forgot in a drawer. I almost threw it away (the bail, yes there was a bail, was rusty to the point I could pry it off with my fingers) then shrinked in shame when I realized all the great memories this knife brings back. I cleaned, polished and oiled it. It still has tons of life in it. It has its place in a drawer. Sadly, it also showcases how careless a sharpener I was (I used a waterstone intended for scythes and sickles. Fine grained, but not fit for knives).
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Yes! Very much so. This is one of the things I find most appealing about traditional slipjoints. :thumbsup: I find it takes longer for a modern folder to start showing character than a traditional one. But they do as well, given time. (I switched EDCs in the past couple of months, and neither of my regular carries are showing wear yet.)

The concept of wabi-sabi also colors how I think about "flaws" in knives -- provided they don't impact functionality, of course. I'm full of flaws; I don't mind if my knives have a few little imperfections.

My favorite take on wabi-sabi is one of the quotes I have in my profile here:

"Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete." -- Leonard Koren
 
Dadpool said:
Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.
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I can relate to that. I see a wood handle, knife or axe, only sanded, without lacquer, varnish or stabilizing. Say american hickory. How beautifully this wood ages is amazing (I had a heavy hammer with a hickory handle and put it trough hell and back : rain, snow, grease, waste oils, gasoline, you name it). I'd love a knife with a hickory handle or scales.
 
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Brings to mind their approach to repairing broken porcelain. Rather than do invisible mending, they will use gold along the join line, showing that the object was treasured enough to be repaired. For those interested in Japanese aesthetics, The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzō is well worth a read. :thumbsup:
 
leghog said:
That's why I use, buy, and collect traditional slip joints. Modern flippers, for the most part, just don't age/wear aesthetically well with decades of carry and use.
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Today we love the time defying materials (I do...) : stainless steel, titanium, aluminium, G10. The design may pack a lot of wabi, there is not much possibility for sabi, of course. Unless it's in the design itself, like using raw or rough finish. If it looks good, I'm game.
This one wraps up wabi-sabi quite nicely, IMO. As its 52100 steel and walnut scales, there is no doubt time inflicted sabi will occur over the years. But I baby it, I don't want impermanence to settle in too quickly !

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Absolutely! I love the look of a worn knife. Two of these knives came to me pretty worn. The small 21 is all me though. I know I’m not the only person who loves this look. People pay extra money for “nuked” or “post apocalyptic” knife finishes.

Snail trails are surpringly hard to capture.
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The well worn titanium scales look actually good ! Snail trails seem to happen very quickly but once there is enough of them it makes for a good looking "pocket worn" look (and that's a Case owned label...).
 
All of my knives get used and I like them better the more I use them and the more they show it. Hard to get the details in pics. I also like buying used knives so I can get a head start. I always feel as though I should pay a premium for some good wear/tear, but used knives are always cheaper. Lucky me ;)

Here is one that's showing it well:

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herisson said:
I can relate to that. I see a wood handle, knife or axe, only sanded, without lacquer, varnish or stabilizing. Say american hickory. How beautifully this wood ages is amazing (I had a heavy hammer with a hickory handle and put it trough hell and back : rain, snow, grease, waste oils, gasoline, you name it). I'd love a knife with a hickory handle or scales.
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Does a sword count? Hickory scales on this baby.

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If one has a well worn Kabar Swabi, could he be a wabi-sabi-swabbie knife knut?

And yes I am most definitely a fan of simplicity and awning such the simple tools get the most use.
 
Hard to beat an Opinel Carbone for classic, simple, working mans' utility.

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(recycled pic)
 
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