Jigging, entropy, and maybe wabi-sabi

C

CoffeeCat2112

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2007
Messages
2,339
The thread about not liking patinas got me thinking about how our knives change over time and brought me to a realization today at lunch. I now know why I never or only infrequently carry some of the quite pretty knives I have. It turns out, I don't like jigging. Or rather, I like it too much to see it fade. I know for some, or probably most, people here, the look of pocket-worn jigged covers that comes from years of handling and use is seen as a badge of honor. That's true; it surely is, but I just don't like the results. Beauty fades just like it does in real life; entropy wins again. On the other hand, smooth covers by their nature may not have as far to fall, but the wear they take manifests itself by accentuating what is already there - the smoothness - rather than taking something away.

To make a slogan out of it, in my mind, smooth bone or wood handles wear in, jigged ones wear out.

I'll see myself out now...
 
I envy the folks who carry one knife every day for years on end. I like the character of an old well-loved, well-used folder. But, alas, I am a knife-nut who swaps out frequently so it takes far longer for my pocket knives to show signs of wear. My jigged-bone handles will last a long, long time... :)

-Brett
 
I understand what you are trying to say. But everything wears, not just stag, jigged bone, and wood, but even the blade, liners, and spring. I accept the wear; it is inevitable.

- Christian
 
Some examples for your thread, Blaine:
Some close to pristine Greenbone first from the Case Tested XX period, prior to WWII:

CaseCattleMilled3_zpse21ef6fe.jpg


And here's some very worn Greenbone that probably started life looking very like the middle knife above! Likely produced shortly after the above knives, in the Case XX period, post war:

WabiSabi1_zpsba86efe9.jpg


That last knife was a Cattle knife pattern 6345, but lost its two secondary blades and their spring. Now it's a 6145!:D
Still a very nice, functional knife!
I leave the aesthetic judgements to others here, just saying in parting that I like the knife!
 
So those crisp jig knives only get looked at then Blaine?

I can understand it, to an extent....but joy through wear too!

I think we NEED a Smooth Bone thread now, I've got more interested in Smooth Bone too, great stuff for worry use.

Cordially, Will
 
Yeah, I know blades wear and get patinas; that doesn't look bad to me. Just worn jigging.

And I find myself treating the new, heavily jigged ones a lot more carefully than the smooth ones. Since I don't really want anything I'm not willing to use, it kind of defeats the purpose of having them to begin with for me.

Like I said, I just realized this enough to be able to articulate it today. I'm probably weird in this regard, but I'll take my lumps for it.

ETA: And also to what Will just said above. I'm always fidgeting with my fingers, so the smooth bone has a much better tactility to it for mindlessly rubbing.
 
I see where OP is coming from.

And even though jigged handles fade and wear smooth, they will always have great personalities.

Beauty is irrelavant. (most of the time ;)). Try to look deeper into the knife's soul and character!
 
Interesting. Myself, I like either. Wear has its place, I suppose. I prefer the look of properly aged pieces. Pieces that look their age,but have aged gracefully. I think my wife is more beautiful now than before all the kids and the years. She gets her wedding ring buffed and "dipped" (I think some sort of plating) every year or so. I prefer mine to accumulate the scratches and wear of a ring that has been worn. I made an oak base for the metal base of my cutlers steady rests so it doesn't scratch the counter top. I could have used several coats of poly and made it look good for a long time, but I used Danish oil so the wood would age with the steel.

I guess it, for me, it boils down to being authentic. I don't like pre-worn jigged bone. I like jigged bone that has been worn over years. I like ebony too. Just because it wears differently doesn't make much difference to me.
 
Another comparison of two Ulsters.I love them both for what they have to offer.

The infamous Nkife and another(very,very little pocket wear),as Charlie said,they probably looked similar when the smooth Nkife was new.
____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
 
While jigging is one of my passions (I don't do as much as the companies) but think its
safe to say I jig 60-80 sets of scales -covers a year. I also EDC- but not like most in a rotation,
same knife day after day year after year. Takes a very long time to get that "pocket worn"
look. What are you're thoughts on "worn" stag?
Ken.
 
Worn (off) texture is worn off texture. Don't get me wrong; like I said in my original post, I love good jigging (and add that I love gnarly stag). I just realized that I don't like it once it's worn. I can appreciate how it got that way, but I just don't dig the aesthetics once it is. Plus, the sharp, deep, random jigging that I tend to like best is also the worst to use as a worry stone. What do I know, though? I'm just some guy on the Internet with an opinion, and you know what they say about those... :black_eyed:
 
I'm all for natural wear...to me, time gives character. It applies to a lot of things in life, not just knives (going back in time it was always awkward to be the kid at the ramps with a new skateboard). It's only that initial "break-in" period going from pristine to slightly used that sucks - minutes to decades to get that well broken in look. Unfortunately, like timberweasel noted, this takes longer when we have to spread the use around.

By the way - off topic - I like Yinzerburgh...I recently had to explain to my wife what a yinzer is, ha ha.
 
What's the background of the Nkife? Was that a factory mistake or a Jim Parker creation?
 
I love classic jigging as well. I will say that before it gets to the point of being worn off like some of the examples in the thread, jigging gets better with some wear. It takes on a sheen, is nice and smooth to the touch and the color softens and it sometimes takes on new color. So, pristine never carried jigged bone has a tendency to look sterile and plastic to me.
 
yeah i like the look of a less-worn knife myself. of course, i also don't like patinas all that much. but as a knife enthusiast, i can live with it even though it's not my thing, but i will try to prevent it if i can. i guess it just all comes down to personal philosophy. i'm an avid reader and love collecting books, but even though i read them, i try to keep them as "new" as possible, and it irks me when i lend a book to a person who doesn't view them the way i do. i know to many in this group, a knife that is well-used should look well-used, but to me, "new" and "used" aren't opposites. it just takes a little more care to keep the aesthetics the way i like them.
 
I happen to like worn jigging and worn knives in general, but to each their own.

I love the thread title, Blaine!
 
I prefer the look of fresh jogging as well but also love an old well used knife. Both are great to me :)
 
The Nkife was a factory error ,it has been evidenced on other Ulsters.

____________________________________________________________________
 
I don't mind worn jigging, actually I think I like it more than new, though I'm not a huge fan of patinas. If I could get that solid patina that many have here I might, but mine are too blotchy. I'm probably Case's target audience for their Pocket Worn series with SS blades ;)
I know what you mean about worry stone Blaine, all my knives get that. I carried a worry stone for a long while until I discovered this place, it's so much better to have a useful tool in my pocket than a rock too!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top