Is Kershaw/Kai getting Blackwash happy?

Frankly a finish has never kept me from liking a knife. Black finish, stonewash, blackwash, satin, hell even bead blast, it makes no difference to me.

I'm having a difficult time understanding the hate toward this finish, unless it's just the "If it's popular and people like it, it sucks" mindset.
 
RamZar said:
Sometimes blades and knives are coated just to reduce shine/reflection.
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That would be a reason a small number of knife buyers would have for buying a black coated blade. Probably less than 1% find this possibly useful. I buy black coated blades when the knife I really want has no option to the black blade. While I prefer not to have a black blade, it s not a deal breaker if I really want a knife. I guess variety is a good thing.
 
GronK said:
But is it better than decent plain steel or just for cosmetics.
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Better in terms of performance? Perhaps not. Does it represent extra steps, hand work, a collaborative spirit, and more premium materials? Yes.

That is not the case with coatings, blackwashes, or etc.
 
whp said:
That would be a reason a small number of knife buyers would have for buying a black coated blade. Probably less than 1% find this possibly useful. I buy black coated blades when the knife I really want has no option to the black blade. While I prefer not to have a black blade, it s not a deal breaker if I really want a knife. I guess variety is a good thing.
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I tend to think that the percentage is way higher than 1% based on the number of threads on the forum about wanting knives that don't draw unwanted attention.
 
asdf12345 said:
Better in terms of performance? Perhaps not. Does it represent extra steps, hand work, a collaborative spirit, and more premium materials? Yes.

That is not the case with coatings, blackwashes, or etc.
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None of that changes it from being a cosmetic choice.
 
okbohn said:
I love the BW finish. I think it is the perfect marriage of coating and use. You won't cry when it gets marks.

As to whether they are going overboard. They are producing a lot of them, but they are also producing everything else. The market will tell them when they have overdone it.

JMHO
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I agree with this. I like blackwash as it hides daily wear (and I just like the looks of it as well), but I also like all of the other blade finishes too.
 
I don't currently own anything by Kai but I like the look of their blackwash in photos. Bare steel/titanium feels good but I don't like having shiny metal clips or knife-tops sticking out of my pocket. The blackwash finish seems practical for discretion without having that full blackout/ninja look.
 
I think that any company will try to make differentiated products.

When they see something is popular and sells then they make more of that "thing".

I would guess that the blackwash finish is popular and selling. When it stops being popular and is not selling then they might start going to another finish.

I like it, and have BW on several knives. I think it really looked great on the ZT0560 and the ZT0301 - just awesome looks for a knife.

It's not for everyone, but I also don't see ZT stopping making a lot of other options, are there a lot of knives that are only available with blackwash for instance?

best

mqqn
 
Jim85IROC said:
I'd like to see more standard black stuff instead of the blackwash. I like black blades a lot, but I'm not a fan of the blackwash.
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Just the opposite, I prefer the blackwash over black stuff.

Black stuff/paint shows usage wear more. Eventually to the point I just strip it off.
 
asdf12345 said:
Better in terms of performance? Perhaps not.
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No better in terms of performance. Nuff said. It is cosmetic. But let's continue....

asdf12345 said:
Does it represent extra steps, hand work, a collaborative spirit, and more premium materials? Yes.
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More premium materials? I want one in 3v then please.

"Hey dude, my knife is better than yours; it's got way more collaborative spirit" (spoken in a spicoli like voice)
 
Insipid Moniker said:
[Damascus is] absolutely a cosmetic touch as it offers no benefit other than aesthetics.
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I like to hear the truth spoken. Damascus makes some guys' eyeballs feel good, as do various blade coatings, "blackwash", titanium scales, file work and so forth. Nothing wrong with that. My eyeballs like to feel good too, but I'm more into Kate Upton than damascus. Each to his own. But we gotta draw the line somewhere and stand up for reason. I can't come up with any good reason to conclude that damascus makes the knife cut better. Perhaps it did in the Middle Ages when metallurgy was in its formative stages, but today its just there to look pretty.
 
craytab said:
No better in terms of performance. Nuff said. It is cosmetic. But let's continue....



More premium materials? I want one in 3v then please.

"Hey dude, my knife is better than yours; it's got way more collaborative spirit" (spoken in a spicoli like voice)
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That's why I said it's not necessarily better. No need to repeat what I said as if I was saying the opposite.

Damascus has to be made by hand, polished, etched and then perhaps polished again in order to go on a knife. Contrast that with mass produced steel that's just thrown in a tumbler.

Mock me all you want but isn't collaborative spirit why people purchase all the Hinderer, Sinkevitch, Onion and Rexford production collaborations? Those knifemakers' designs come from years of work, thought and experience. Just like the ability to produce great damascus steel comes from years of work, thought and experience.
 
GronK said:
So who died and left you the arbiter of fail? :rolleyes:
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you have 10 posts in this thread so far, mostly just dismissing on other people's opinions. Do you have anything valuable to say or are you just one of those old codgers that wanders aimlessly pissing on other peoples lawns? Best of luck in your wandering.


personally I like the Blackwash blades. I don't have to worry as much about scratching up a blade, or marring up the DLC. Is it cosmetic, yes....but by that argument any product can be held to similar standards. Is that a bad thing? Really worth 3 pages of petty banter?
I disagree with the concept that Damascus is purely cosmetic. I'd take a Damascus blade over a 3cr13mov blade any day....if you are going to make that argument you have to qualify it somehow. There are different grades of Damascus that have different performance qualities just as standard steels, Damasteel Damascus for example has some pretty impressive performance qualities being all staineless Damascus. For the most part Damascus is cosmetic....but especially in custom or collectible knives Damascus makes a big difference in overall price and desireability. For people that plan on actually using their knives it is generally of little difference.
 
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powernoodle said:
I like to hear the truth spoken. Damascus makes some guys' eyeballs feel good, as do various blade coatings, "blackwash", titanium scales, file work and so forth. Nothing wrong with that. My eyeballs like to feel good too, but I'm more into Kate Upton than damascus. Each to his own. But we gotta draw the line somewhere and stand up for reason. I can't come up with any good reason to conclude that damascus makes the knife cut better. Perhaps it did in the Middle Ages when metallurgy was in its formative stages, but today its just there to look pretty.
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I suppose you also can't come up with any good reason a custom cuts better. Some people will just never understand, and that's okay :).
 
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