LT Wright "vertical" flats finish

N.W. Gean · Nov 10, 2020

As the title says, this thread is about LT wright knives and their vertical scotch brite finish on the flats of their blades. Here's a video where they talk a little about it (around the 21 minute mark)

And here is one of their knives where the finish can easily be seen https://www.dlttrading.com/lt-wright-bushcrafter-a2-saber-ground-snakeskin-micarta-430

My question to my fellow makers is this;
What's your opinion on finishing flats this way? Utilitarian? Would you do it this way?

Please note, this thread isn't meant to bash LT wright or his knives, I'm just gathering opinions on this style, as I'm exploring options for fit and finish on a more production run style of knife.

Scaniaman · Nov 11, 2020

Vertical on grind and on flats too just don't look that good to me..

Armin Drumm · Nov 11, 2020

What finish?

Hengelo_77 · Nov 11, 2020

To me the scratch pattern has to go handle to tip or it looks off.
A random pattern like a stone wash or so also looks good to me.

Randydb · Nov 11, 2020

Scaniaman said:
Vertical on grind and on flats too just don't look that good to me..

I'm not an expert in any sense or fashion, but I'm with Scaniaman.

Seeing as you are asking fit and finish, personally I would like the front edge of the handle to have a bevel down to the ricasso on the knife you reference.

Natlek · Nov 11, 2020

N.W. Gean said:
As the title says, this thread is about LT wright knives and their vertical scotch brite finish on the flats of their blades. Here's a video where they talk a little about it (around the 21 minute mark)

And here is one of their knives where the finish can easily be seen https://www.dlttrading.com/lt-wright-bushcrafter-a2-saber-ground-snakeskin-micarta-430

My question to my fellow makers is this;
What's your opinion on finishing flats this way? Utilitarian? Would you do it this way?

Please note, this thread isn't meant to bash LT wright or his knives, I'm just gathering opinions on this style, as I'm exploring options for fit and finish on a more production run style of knife.

Vertical scotch brite finish hidden bigger scratches from grinding ...

N.W. Gean · Nov 11, 2020

So far the consensus is no. I like hearing your guys' opinions, so feel free to contribute :thumbsup:

What doesn't change is the fact that I've always wanted an LT wright knife with a scandi grind, but that's just an aside

Travis_Wright · Nov 11, 2020

It's a $165 knife and it adds a little character to the knife.

I usually leave my flats with forge scale so I'm an even worse heathen than LT Wright! Lol.

HSC /// · Nov 11, 2020

I think it depends on several things like type of knife, intended use, overall styling, price point and maybe others

it can be appropriate depending on the above attributes

N.W. Gean · Nov 11, 2020

Might not work with my styling. I've been into ironwood and stainless bolsters lately, but I still intend for my knives to work hard. Kind of going for a look good, work hard style, you know?

Nick-D · Nov 11, 2020

I think when its done well it can look really good. Also AFAIK with some of today's super hard steel hand finishing isn't much fun so it's kind of the only option

daizee · Nov 11, 2020

I find the vertical finish on the flats to be visually jarring. I don't know why makers don't grind the long way instead if they're doing a belt finish. There may be a production reason. Finishing the flats by hand is usually less work than the bevels. Tho I think some makers do their finish work *after* the scales are on - maybe that's it? I do all my steel finish work before scales.

I don't mind forge scale on the flats, its the directional finish going perpendicular to the blade that I find weird. I don't know WHY it doesn't bother me on the bevels, as long as the flats longitudinal.

Joshua Fisher · Nov 11, 2020

daizee said:
I find the vertical finish on the flats to be visually jarring. I don't know why makers don't grind the long way instead if they're doing a belt finish. There may be a production reason. Finishing the flats by hand is usually less work than the bevels. Tho I think some makers do their finish work *after* the scales are on - maybe that's it? I do all my steel finish work before scales.

I don't mind forge scale on the flats, its the directional finish going perpendicular to the blade that I find weird. I don't know WHY it doesn't bother me on the bevels, as long as the flats longitudinal.

The biggest issue when doing a scotchbrite finish is it’s very hard to keep the transition clean from the bevel to the flats and you can end up with little scratches showing one way or another if your grinds are going different directions. It’s a production and price point thing, I normally leave scale on my flats but occasionally I do a brushed finish on the whole blade and I have the scratches going vertical, never had a customer even ask about it and for the price point I’m at I consider my knives tools and finish them in the most utilitarian way possible and focus on performance. If I took the time to hand sand and change the direction of the scratches in my opinion it gets to the point of being more art and less utility. Just depends on what you want to make and if your selling work and doing large batches or one off blades. And for what it’s worth I think a vertical scotchbrite finish looks better than a poorly hand sanded finish going the length of the blade to me it looks more clean.

N.W. Gean · Nov 11, 2020

Nick-D said:
I think when its done well it can look really good. Also AFAIK with some of today's super hard steel hand finishing isn't much fun so it's kind of the only option

I have to agree with the clause of "done well". I messed around in the shop today with a progression of:
220 ceramic>brown scotchbrite>red scotchbrite>400 cork>800 cork.

It left a really nice, a little shiny satin. The vertical scratches only visible in the right light. Very easy on the eyes and took about 10 minutes on one side. I can only speculate that perhaps a blue and/or grey scotch brite before the cork belts would leave an even nicer finish.

Edit: Also wondering about maybe 1000+ grit belts for a psuedo mirror finish? That could look pretty decent for a user knife.

David Schott · Nov 11, 2020

I'm not so sure about this but its obviously a personal choice, not a performance one. I find it hard to believe that whatever grit that scotchbrite is exists as the highest grit finish on that blade. Like others have said, these finishes can sometimes be attempts to "put lipstick on a pig." That is NOT saying this particular knife is doing that but it's what I personally think of when I see similar. To me a ricasso to tip hand rubbed finish OR a grinder finish that demonstrates the skill of the maker is a defining aspect of a custom knife.

Any individual scratches you can see from this far away has got to be 200-300 grit max, no?

This is also a <$200 knife. I seriously doubt anyone could afford to make these with nice handrubbed finishes in any volume and make a profit. For that reason alone I think it is perfectly fine and simply an aesthetic choice. Running the flats lengthwise might add much to the process so I dont think its any major step-skipping but instead just a design choice to keep costs down.

Natlek · Nov 12, 2020

Scotchbrite make life easy and give beautiful satin finish .You can t see one individual scratch going from one end to other end and that make difference .Never hand sanding can make that kind of finish , vertical or horizontal ...never . I have not scotchbrite belt but i have this .............
To bad that i simple can not take good pictures so you can see what i see .This is hollow grind blade on 40 grit and after that right on this scotchbrite .....Also make very nice finish on wood on handles .
I was preparing some parts for hard chrome on it , so it looks like that now

Vertical ..........