Is a knife with character better than pristine

T. Erdelyi

T. Erdelyi

Joined
Feb 3, 2001
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We all have knives in used condition, some handed down to us from family members, these we keep as is and don't attempt to clean(because they mean so much to us), then we buy a new knife and become anal about keeping it spotless and looking like it's never been used.

My question is, are we doing our heirs a disservice by not allowing character to develop on the knives we'll pass on?

All our kids will have knives that are indistinguishable from newer knives, no character.
 
Not everyone keeps every knife they own pristine. I have a few with character.... I say use them, if you have a use for them ;) keeping them pristine just shows you intend to sell em eventually!
 
While I do like to keep my blades looking nice, I really like a well used carbon blade. The patina and scratches just make it seem special. Steven
 
I love a well used knife. My main outdoors blades have marks from battoning, the carbon steel ones have a patina from cleaning game, etc. I keep the edges well mantained and the blades oiled, but I'm fine with some scratches and stains in carbon steel (not rust!).

I remember a while ago I ran into the maker of one of my favourite outdoors users, I thought he would be pissed of because the perfect mirror polish of his blade was scratched. He was delighted to see his work put to good use.
 
I'd say so. When you have a SAK that's lost 20% of its blade steel from sharpening or a carbon folder with a complex patina, theres a beauty to it pristine blades can't touch. I don't purposely destroy any of my belongings, but after you use them for a while they develop a more interesting, personal look.
 
I have a Schrade stockman I inherited from my grandfather when he passed away. If it were pristine and shiny I would know he never used it and thus it was not a part of him. Because it was well used, with a wonderful patina, but well cared for and sharp, I knew he carried and used it well. Thus, it was/is a part of him. I enjoy carrying (and using) it as my Sunday carry.

I purchased a small Sebenza two years ago. The first thing I did was throw away the box and "born on" certificate and use the knife. I don't abuse my tools, but I don't avoid using them, either.
 
I'd say it depends on the initial overall quality of the knife both as exists independently and in the mind of the user.

An inexpensive knife with alot of character can either be "used up" and not worth anything or a loving testimony to someones life activitites.

IMO, SAK's don't get character as they are a commidty item. They either new, used or trashed.
 
DaveH said:
...IMO, SAK's don't get character as they are a commidty item. They either new, used or trashed.
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Isn't that what happened to the older penny knives from after the depression, they were so cheap people used them to the point of destruction.

There were a lot of US knife manufacturers back then and a lot of lost history because they were used to the point of destruction.

Personally I use all my knives I may have about a dozen real oldies(pre 40s) that don't see any use, still because they were previously owned, they have character.

I guess you have to seperate the customs into two catagories, knives for use, and knives for the sake of the art of knifemaking.
 
That's a good point, some inexpensive knives do gain character with age. I just don't see a SAK doing so.
 
You're onto something there, buddy. We owe it to our kids to use and enjoy those good knives! I know when my Dad goes, his barlow (and the Old Timer and good old Gerber pocket knives I gave him) will have some stories of their own to tell.
 
I make no attempt to keep my knives looking new or clean. If I hired a man to do work on my house and he showed up with new shinny tools, I would feel he is brand new at this himself and not trust his work.

On the job a new clean shinny helmet is a sign of a new guy or ducker.....

Give me a guy with a burnt, melted, banged up helmet, I'll trust him.
 
There is a japanese principal that says thing sget more attractive the more they are used. The look of well worn boots or a stair banister that has been worn smooth by many people holding onto it, or a vase that develops small cosmetic cracks.

Personally i try and buy multiple copies of knives. One or 2 to use, and one to keep pristine its hte best of both worlds. But well used knives are always beautiful.
 
TorzJohnson made me think of something. My dad always had a pocket knife on him. It was normally a cheapy that he got for free from his company (give away swag). When he retired I had a really nice small custom lockback folder made for him. He really liked it, but never used it because he was afraid it would get scratched. I got it back when he died and it was still in the pacage the maker put it into. It just doesn't mean the same, it is really a knife that I bought, not my DAD's knife. Steven
 
I hate collectors because they are antithetical to the purpose of having a knife in the first place. I can imagine some social outcast in the Neolithic Period, rummaging around a kill site and thinking to himself, "I am glad that the guy who flintknapped this excellent example of a hand axe never used it before the leopard got him. It will be worth something someday."

People who collect other tools in as pristine as possible condition, i.e. hammers, phillips screwdrivers, hand saws, when they don't work for a dedicated museum, are considered by most to be at least somewhat kooky.

You collect. . .knitting needles?:rolleyes:

I have the same sort of regard for people who buy knives without the intent to use them. If you have $2500.00 to blow on a damascus puukko with mammoth ivory inlays and the hand tooled leather sheath, you have the scratch to make higher return investments for the sake of art or profit and just use the damn knife.
 
T. Erdelyi said:
My question is, are we doing our heirs a disservice by not allowing character to develop on the knives we'll pass on?

All our kids will have knives that are indistinguishable from newer knives, no character.
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IMHO, yes. The character in the knives is from you. When you pass on, that's all that's left to your heirs. A knife kept pristine, without scars or marks is no different that a MIB SAK bought at Sears and given to an heir months later. The 'character' shows your ideas about how to do things, it may remind the heir of something you did with that knife ('That mark came from the time when he....') or how you handled that knife ('There's a rub on the back bolster becasue he always tended to rub that part when he was nervous'). Sorry for the ramble.
 
I think condition comes into play only with knives you don't intend to keep long term. I mean, a lot of us are in the position where we have to sell something to get something. In that case, a lot of usage will make the knife's value less. In a knife you intend to keep, I think character marks are a very fine thing.

I think the difference between the current generation of knives and those that came before is that we are a much more affluent society. I mean, when my grandfather had his knives they represented a lot of investment. He NEVER would have had 20-30 knives at one time- let alone in a SAFE somewhere. In fact if he knew how much I'd paid for just my Strider he'd probably choke- let alone what I plan to spend on my RJ Martin Devastator or Jones Brother's knife.

It may be just me, but I like to look at my knives and know where every scrape and dent came from. Its not about the knife, or its value as an object so much as its value as a reminder of the person who used it. Honestly, do any of us have a knife where our family would look at it and say- "wow, that reminds me of when we...."; or "you know, its funny now that I think about it <insert name here> was Never without that knife!"

Any knife that would fit the above statements would be an heirloom. Most other knives would merely represent capital to be gained from the estate sale.
 
DaveH said:
That's a good point, some inexpensive knives do gain character with age.
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I think so.
 
I have a bunch of knives, but I don't have a collection. I don't have enough money or a big enough house to own knives that just take up space. Most of my knives are tools that have been used. I have a couple like the Spyderco Civilian that are pristine, but to be honest I'm not very fond of them. They are just there. In contrast, the use of my working knives has made me attached and even reliant on them.
 
Boats said:
I hate collectors because they are antithetical to the purpose of having a knife in the first place. I can imagine some social outcast in the Neolithic Period, rummaging around a kill site and thinking to himself, "I am glad that the guy who flintknapped this excellent example of a hand axe never used it before the leopard got him.

You must really hate me:D
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My modern tacticals look better when they're new. They're high-tech tools and they should look like that. However, Opinels, old Ka-Bars with leather handles, damascus bowies etc. all look better when they're not pristine anymore.
 
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