Blem? What blem? Who cares anyway?

Rusty

Rusty

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Another thread mentioned the "blems" that occasionally get put up for sale. As a general rule, there are about three categories of knives to me.

1) PRODUCTION: these have little meaning to me, unless, like my (formerly) rubber handled Tomcat, they become special through years of carry. I got it years ago when I got tired of losing knives out of my right front pants pocket. Between it's massive construction and the kraton it settled to the bottom of my pants pocket and stuck there year after year. NOW it means something to me. Next time I find it, I'm ordering slabs of something gorgeous to replace the rubber with. Bighorn, or gemsbok, or something. Same for a Blackjack 1-5 Randall clone I've had for years. It too became special. Otherwise as good quality as they may be, they are like a Snap-On 1/2" socket. Lose one, go to the auto parts and buy another one. Big deal, yawn...

2) FORGED HANDCRAFTED: HI Khukuris for example. Something about them already has a spirit and/or character about them or is just waiting to develop one. These have a purpose, though just what that is may not be apparent. For the most part, to me they are much like people, accepted for what they are worth - warts or blemishes and all. It's the character not the exterior that is important.

3) EXTRA SPECIAL: The why is the important part. A gift from someone, a kothimoda, something magical, who knows? Sometimes, like a beautiful girl it's an obsession with perfection, a breathtaking experience.

For the most part, the blemished knives I've got have been fixed to the extent possible ( rust removed, handle cracks repaired, loose buttcap fixed in place again ) and if not particularly noticeable, the blem forgotten.

How do others feel about these? Does a blem make a difference to you other than making a difference in price so you can afford it ( as was the case with my katana and tarwar ) or giving you the freedom to feel you can change it? Does it make it more your own for having repaired it?

What do YOU think of blems?
 
I think they're great. I have several.

One of my very best khukuris is a blem, a silver mounted Gelbu Special by Bura. Where Uncle Bill found the blem I still don't know.

Blues
 
Cracks, rust, dented chapes all contribute to my ability to own knives which I might not otherwise see in person. Whatever the blem, the "fix-up" offers an opportunity to participate in the completion of something far beyond my skills. I have other knives, but only one seems to "belong" like the Khuks, and especially the ones I've repaired. The rest are utensils, good, and well made,but without personality.
 
Minor blems we sell at discount. If the blem is major (few and far between) I generally give the knife away to somebody who can do something with it.
 
My verdict is not in yet. You see I'm picking up my first so-called blem in the morning :D :D :cool: ! From the outside looking in on this subject, I just like the opportunity to have small projects in which the knife, gun, etc. is already of great quality but may need some tweaking here and there. True confession: I've got to be dabbling in something, so why not UBDOTDS!

-Craig
 
Hey I love Blems.
As a matter of fact; Uncle could you bring some "give aways" to play musical chairs with at Ysva's place? It will be your birthday party...I'd bring mine, but I dont have enough to go around. Hey, maybe Jim can be nice with his durba collection.:D

I have one villiger and one blem. 3 normal, all Specials one Haysa.

They all talk to me, I think my 12"Ak is in love with me, and my 12" Villiger lusts for blood :eek:. It all started regluing the butt-cap and now I am ridding some of the grinding marks, no limbs yet, just nics.

Bottom line, I am in college, and everything I buy replaces food.
I have yet to catch a squrrel with my 18"AK....but that is what my pellet gun is for :cool: .
 
I've got this horrible obsession of taking each newly-obtained khuk and turning it around and around, trying to spot blemishes of any kind. I do the same with the scabbard and K & C. Then I file and polish out anything that looks like a dent or a scratch. Only when there's nothing to dissatisfy me, do I show it to my friends and guests. A blem I bought at a greatly reduced price is now my favourite khukuri, as I was able to totally remove the blemishes. :D But there was an unfortunate incident too, when I went in too deep with my file into another khuk's bolster, and OPENED UP a blemish instead of closing it. Structurally no harm was done, but that khuk now hides shamefacedly in the deeper recesses of my safe, waiting for me to come up with a bright idea on how to rectify my boo-boo. :mad:
 
I remember, many years ago, reading a dusty old book by Lafcadio Hearn I found in the basement of the Reed College library. In it he described an intricately carved arch in Japan. The carving was exquisitely symmetrical, save for a single part of the pattern that was carved upside down. Supposedly this was done to introduce imperfection, so as not to be displeasing to the gods.
 
Personally, I love the blems! In a way, they are better than the 100% knives, which I cringe at the idea of getting dirt on! I don't feel bad about using the blems the way they were intended to be used, and the fact that they might need some work just makes them more my knife. Two other advantages: I can say "hey! it was a deal!" to my wife, and they give me something on which to practice my long dormant shop skills. The same applies to the villagers, which I think of as a sort of pre-assembled knife kit. All the real work has been done, they just need to be polished up a bit.

Patrick
 
The Japanese are known for subtle yet beautiful works. Their blades as well as other works are so simple and at the same time remarkably complex. The blems in my blades I cherish, and they are so much fun to work on. My Villager is providing me with more fun right now than any other knife I currently own just because it is so ugly.

Ladies and Gentlemen: There is a difference between a physical relationship, and one of spirit and action.

Pretty knives are looked at ugly knives are abused. The more damage you repair (or attempt to repair) on any of your working knifes, the more you are less willing to separate with it (unless you break it which is hard to do on an HI product). The best friends are those who are reliable through the toughest journeys, the type of friends that you would rather have on your side to make a trip through hell than anyone else.

Confidence is strength, and the abuse I give my knives brings me confidence.
 
I'm with Dave on this. I especially like the blems and villagers because, as I said a little while back, there is no temptation to turn them into wallhangers. You don't hesitate to use a blem or a villager -- they're already scratched or otherwise broken in. I do have to admit that I have removed all the traces of the botched sharpening on that 15" AK that I got as a blem a little while back. I haven't yet had time to bring it back to a mirror finish. I think I will do that and then use it, just to prove to myself that I can restore the finish, but it's my knife now and I won't hesitate to use it.

Did you go to Reed, Howard? I grew up about 2 miles from Reed. My father graduated from Reed in 1939. Just mentioning it brings back memories of the old neighborhood. I'm stuck out here in the flatlands now.

Paul
 
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