Handmade imperfection

B

bladeboss

Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Messages
3,530
Howdy all.
As some of you may know, I drift in-and-out between slipjoints and modern folders.
I guess you could say I prefer modern folders, but I have a soft spot for them although I dont know a whole lot about them.
In all reality, I have more "better" slipjoint knives than I have "better" modern knives.

Anyway.

I was at a shop today, exchanging a Case knife for another Case knife. (The one I was returning had a "proud backspring". It was waaaay faster to exchange it for a different model than ship it back to Case). So, I had to decide on the new one I wanted.

I had to go through alot of different ones to find the most perfect one. I looked through Peanuts, Stockmans, and other SS model ones (by mistake. I wanted CV).
I decided on a mini trapper with yellow handles and CV. I Grabbed the display model because it had better fit and finish.

The one I settled on is very close to perfect, but not %100.

So, my question. Is there such a thing as a %100 perfect slipjoint? Or is this imperfection enjoyed/wanted and seen as handmade character? "The human element"
Ive seen original Schrades, Case, Buck, Rough Rider (I know, really cheap for RR) etc. and have never seen utter perfection.
By no means at all am I complaining. I like my new knife alot. :) I like slipjoints quite a bit, for that matter.
Maybe the perfection is in the imperfections.

I found this thread relevant. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...an-a-traditional-folder-be-quot-too-nice-quot

I look forward to your input.
Bladeboss.
 
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Unless it's a totally handmade custom i sincerely doubt any knife is absolute perfect/flawless.
When looking at mass production knives in the Case price range its highly unlike to be perfect.
 
arizonaranchman said:
Unless it's a totally handmade custom i sincerely doubt any knife is absolute perfect/flawless.
When looking at mass production knives in the Case price range its highly unlike to be perfect.
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I dont expect it to be. But I was wondering if this is one of the things that make Traditionals loved. The fact that each one is a little bit different because how they are made. "It has character" kinda thing.
 
I may be way off here but I don't believe in "perfect". I can find fault of some kind with almost everything.

Bob
 
I think that many if not most of us are out of line with our expectations on production knives and yes, even customs. Nothing wrong with trying to get the pick of the litter but experience has shown me that even the runt or the middlin will hunt as well as the pick.
 
Codger_64 said:
I think that many if not most of us are out of line with our expectations on production knives and yes, even customs. Nothing wrong with trying to get the pick of the litter but experience has shown me that even the runt or the middlin will hunt as well as the pick.
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Thats definitely true. At least for me. Ill admit it.
 
I don't think any production knife comes close to perfect. People who think they have them just don't look as close as other people do.

Now, really high end customs can come very close to approaching perfection. I don't think anything that involves human hands in the way knife making does can ever truly be perfect, but it's shocking how close the best makers can get. At that point were talking at least $500 knives and likely more though. So to expect that in a production knife at less than $100 isnt really realistic I don't think.
 
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arizonaranchman said:
Unless it's a totally handmade custom i sincerely doubt any knife is absolute perfect/flawless.
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Not likely even there. Ask any of the big names, even Mr. Bose himself, and I'll bet they will say they've never made a perfect or flawless knife.

I think the task lies in figuring out what flaws we can live with. The customs have fewer and smaller flaws, by far. Case will have more flaws. GEC is probably somewhat in the middle.
 
It's interesting; I am just getting into traditionals myself, and today I went to Northwoods to get a knife. I handled a bunch (all Northwoods made by GEC) and each had a very different walk-and-talk, even within the same model (and even within same handle materials). To sort of answer the OP's question, I don't necessarily find joy IN the imperfections, but I like that each knife has its own character. Makes finding the one for you more personal than just a picture on the internet.
 
The only traditional that's been perfect out of the box for me is my Davison custom. Even my handmade Lloyds have imperfections (although very very slight). My moderns, only the sebenzas. Even my xm18 was new out the box with some imperfections.

I have to say that Mr Todd Davison makes one very fine, as close to perfect as I have ever seen, knife.
 
bladeboss said:
I dont expect it to be. But I was wondering if this is one of the things that make Traditionals loved. The fact that each one is a little bit different because how they are made. "It has character" kinda thing.
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Ah ok, sorry I guess I misinterpreted it. It's been a long day here :)

Yes, they're quaint and more "natural" in their character than the cold, tool-like sensation that moderns give me. I only carry traditionals now :)
 
I've owned close to 300 traditional pocket knives in my lifetime, and I've had a handful (3 or 4) that were as close to perfect as I will ever need or expect to see, so about 1-1½%. If you handle enough of them, you'll find a few gems.
 
I love some of the imperfections. They remind me that people put them together rather than machines. :)
 
I view 'perfect' as entirely subjective. Put one person's 'perfect' knife in the hands of two or more different people, and each will likely find something that's not 'perfect' about it, in their own eyes. To one, it may be a perceived issue of build/manufacturing/tolerances, and for another, it may be something aesthetic. No two individuals will see one object exactly the same way, nor will they have the same expectations for it. In order for it to be truly perfect, every person, knife nut or not, would have to arrive at exactly the same conclusion about it. That'll never happen.

I had to re-calibrate my idea of 'perfect' when looking at one of my knives from a custom maker. We often hear complaints about the 'gaps' between springs and liners in a knife, and some expect to hold the knife to the light and not see any light peeking through between them. I have a knife that literally meets that expectation; in fact, it's so tight, it will actually hold liquid without dripping (I saw this when flushing the knife out with alcohol; didn't lose a drop when I poured it into the blade well). Problem is, that gap-free knife is so tight, the blades are very hard to open (this is why I was attempting to flush it out). Knife was essentially new and pristine, but I just had to believe there was some gunk in it that was causing the springs to bind up. But it was as clean as can be. That's when I had to re-think my assumptions about the hair-thin gaps seen in almost all knives, which allow the moving parts to move freely as designed; they're there for a reason, to some extent. But it would be difficult to convince most knife nuts that it's OK to see a tiny bit of light between a spring and liner, and most would still view this as something less than 'perfect'.


David
 
I think Michael J. Fox put it very well.

I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business.
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- Christian
 
I realize that one can get seriously picky about what "perfect " is, but i have a couple of gec's that I believe are perfect exactly as they were intended by the maker to be. No gaps perfect walk and talk perfect bone everything flush even grinds etc. I also have a few old slip joints that have liners proud of springs and a few other finish shortcomings but were clearly never intended to be finished more than this. They walk and talk perfectly with perfect grinds I believe they are perfect too. In other word they are exactly as they were intended to be when made.
 
Bob Warfield said:
I may be way off here but I don't believe in "perfect". I can find fault of some kind with almost everything.

Bob
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Exactly my thought. There is no perfection whenever human hand work is involve. Besides, perfection is subjective to the beholder. I personally don't expect slip joint to be perfect, I think that this fact gives them their unique soul.

Mike
 
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I'm funny about stuff being perfect, I've fought it my whole life. People know me as being a "perfectionist" I have actually put knives in a drawer and not used them because of my OCD behavior. Only in the last two, three years have I discovered the imperfections give a knife character. I've dug knives out and am surprised how it doesn't bother me anymore. That's my own battle with perfection, I'm winning now cause I have a nice rotation of knives I enjoy.
Respectfully,Chance.
 
There's always entropy. Even if per chance a knife comes out perfect, through use it will soon be "imperfect."

I was told as a boy that in some Persian rugs they weave in an incorrect thread so as not to offend God with human perfection.
 
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