Chris Reeve Knife Finishes

[thedane]

I have a few Chris Reeve Knives. Since I first started buying them it seems the finishes and finish configurations have changed. For example, the Large Sebenza 21 I have with inlays came with a polished blade and polished handle. The Large Sebenza 21 I have with inlays and a damascus blade has polished handles.

Since I bought these knives it seems that they have added a glass bead blasted finish.

I recently bought a small Sebenza 31 with a polished blade and inlays. It came with polished handles.

It seems that now if you want just inlays you get a standard handle finish. You can also upgrade to inlays with glass blasted finish or inlays with a polished blade. If you get the polished blade do you get, as standard, a polished handle?

What is the difference between glass bead blasted and polished handles. Why would I want the glass bead blasted over polished?

Is there a chart that shows options and configurations.

Finally, when they polish the blade, is this after they put the blade through the regular stonewash process or do they skip the stonewash finish and finish the blade by hand?


Any info is appreciated.

 

[bart1]

Since this has sat here for a while, I felt compelled to answer you. Those are all good questions, that are probably best answered directly by CRK. The subjective ones, you should study photos of listed/offered knives to see what YOU prefer... There is no right or wrong CRK's! Welcome to the CRK forum!

 

[badmatt]

Polished handles are lapped on a flat table with sand paper. Takes time = added cost ($100)

Blades are lightly stone washed from what I understand (its much brighter on the flats compared to the standard stone wash) and then polished by hand in a secondary process. = added cost ($150)

SO now the "base model" variant of the wood inlays are stonewashed blade and glass beaded frame. The blade is an upgrade as well as the polished handles.

IMO, Polished blade, Polished frame with inlays is by far the classiest CRK you can get.