How long does it take?

thesouthernguitarist · May 17, 2012

Before your knife becomes pocket worn? Or atleast has some sign of the jigging smoothing out in the bone? I've carried my chestnut bone peanut for a year now and it has a deep, dark patina, scratched up bolsters, but the bone feels and looks almost exactly the same. How long before the bone develops some character like every other part of my knife?

jackknife · May 17, 2012

I've been carrying my damascus peanut for a year and two months now. The pattern of the damascus is a little more muted, and the jigged bone is a little smoother now. The lighter shade ends of the amber bone scales seem to be a little darker now as well from handling and whatever.

It's a slow process of handling with care.

Carl.

Railsplitter · May 17, 2012

I can't answer your question but I do have a suggestion: Give it the ole' worry stone treatment a few times a week while watching the tube or reading the forums.

DrPenguin · May 17, 2012

The jigging on my last knife started to really change character after 3 or 4 years. By the time it had 6 years on it as an edc it had really smoothed up nicely. Some bone wears quicker I think.

I have a canoe that is my dedicated hiking knife. I was usually soaking wet with sweat and walking my backside off when I carried it. Believe it or not the side that faced my leg has worn smooth moreso than the off side has. Both sides are substantially worn though and that thing probably has 150 or so day hikes on it. Maybe being wet helps them wear? Don't know.

One thing's for sure, they do get better with age don't they?

Will

thesouthernguitarist · May 17, 2012

Railsplitter said:
I can't answer your question but I do have a suggestion: Give it the ole' worry stone treatment a few times a week while watching the tube or reading the forums.

It's funny you said that, I tend to do that alot. But it hasn't really seemed to do much.

Obsessed with Edges · May 17, 2012

The title & topic of this thread sounded familiar to me. Here's an older thread along the same lines:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...jigged-bone-handles-looked-quot-worn-out-quot

thatotherguy · May 17, 2012

I sped up the pocket wearing on mine with a bit of fine sandpaper and some flitz. Pretty simple fix.

Modoc ED · May 17, 2012

Throw it in with some change and keys and it'll develop a worn look a little sooner.

Bigfattyt · May 17, 2012

I can't do a couple of things, that would speed up pocket wear.........

I can't abide the knife being in the pocket with change or, with other knives (unless they are in a leather slip sheath).

Modoc ED said:
Throw it in with some change and keys and it'll develop a worn look a little sooner.

I don't even like my knives to touch each other for photo's, and storage in the safe.

I also can't stand wearing dirty sandy pants. Working in a dirty gritty environment will speed up pocket wear quickly. Especially if you work with leaky dirty silicone carbide sand blasters all day for 12 hours a day (ruined a few knives this way).

TheSharpStuff · May 18, 2012

My most carried and used knife is my victorinox tinker and it took around 2 years or so of normal carry ( 3 or 4 days out of the week) to get the scales worn down and scratched and dented and to get some scratches on the blade.

jackknife · May 18, 2012

thesouthernguitarist said:
It's funny you said that, I tend to do that alot. But it hasn't really seemed to do much.

Don't worry, it will.

Carl.

thesouthernguitarist · May 18, 2012

I guess I'm just impatient...

thatotherguy · May 19, 2012

I also keep a p38 in the same pocket, and that helps a little bit to speed up wear.

thesouthernguitarist · May 19, 2012

I would carry a P-38 in my pocket, but I worry about it coming open in my pocket. Have you had any issues with that? Because I read somewhere, don't remember where, that this guy had it on his keyring in his pocket, and it cut him pretty badly because it had opened up in his pocket. Yesterday I carried around a 4 way screwdriver in the same pocket, I think I'll start doing that now.

WvHiker · May 19, 2012

I used to carry a P38 on my keyring; it was my grandfather's from the Korean War. I quit doing it when I shoved my hand in my pocket and the little blade part of the P38 jammed between my nail and cuticle; it was pretty ugly and hurt like all get out.

Back to the thread, I have a peanut I've carried around for a few months straight and aside from a few spots on the blade it almost looks new. I haven't cut any food except for some limes at a party a few weeks back. I decided not to go out of my way to start a patina and just kind of see how it went. I use it for everything and it's getting some character to it. The scale with the shield is much smoother than the reverse, but it came that way.

I read a thread (and most of you guys probably did too) about carbon knives aging along with the owner, and it made me glade I didn't force anything. I'm really enjoying the wait to see it mature, if you know what I mean.

jackknife · May 19, 2012

thesouthernguitarist said:
I would carry a P-38 in my pocket, but I worry about it coming open in my pocket. Have you had any issues with that? Because I read somewhere, don't remember where, that this guy had it on his keyring in his pocket, and it cut him pretty badly because it had opened up in his pocket. Yesterday I carried around a 4 way screwdriver in the same pocket, I think I'll start doing that now.

I carry the P-38 in my wallet, as did most of the soldiers I served with. They can be a little sharp in the pocket.

Carl.

freezergeezer · May 20, 2012

A small bit of bicycle inner tube is good for keeping P38's & FRED's closed.