Matt Bailey Knives

[Rooster81]

Hi All,

I'm thinking about picking up a Matt Bailey knife. Do these knives make good users? They just look too pretty...

Thanks.

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

Would you rather use an ugly knife?
Matt makes one helluva knife, and you will have a hard time finding a better one.

 

[Los Angeles]

I'm an avid Bailey user/collector.

You will not be disappointed.

They are pretty, aren't they. But they are also some of the best feeling/working knives out there. Sharp, tough and comfortable.

 

[Rooster81]

Would you rather use an ugly knife?
Matt makes one helluva knife, and you will have a hard time finding a better one.

No, I like pretty knives. But, you know, when you call the IT department and they send up a smoking hot blonde to fix your computer you naturally question her abilities.

 

[Los Angeles]

Part of why they look pretty is the shape and appointments like the materials and filework. But each of these has a function, particularly in the older Baileys. The filework on the thumb ramp gives you grip. The shapely handle feels great in hand. The sexy blade shape lets your intuition take over when cutting. The handle materials feel warm and comfortable. The pretty hamon is the result of a differential heat treat that gives a crisp cutting edge but a tough spine. It is all there so that the blade WORKS.

I've had a hot IT person (who knew what she was doing) help me before. and the experience was ... well ... that much better, you know?

 

[Rooster81]

Part of why they look pretty is the shape and appointments like the materials and filework. But each of these has a function, particularly in the older Baileys. The filework on the thumb ramp gives you grip. The shapely handle feels great in hand. The sexy blade shape lets your intuition take over when cutting. The handle materials feel warm and comfortable. The pretty hamon is the result of a differential heat treat that gives a crisp cutting edge but a tough spine. It is all there so that the blade WORKS.

I've had a hot IT person (who knew what she was doing) help me before. and the experience was ... well ... that much better, you know?

That all makes sense, thanks.

BTW, I went and looked at your website, really dig the art.

 

[Los Angeles]

Thanks, Rooster!

I should clarify one thing, and that is my reference to matts older work vs. his newer work. The primary difference is that he now usually brings his spines forward in line with the back of the handle. When that happened, he discontinued file working the spine of the blade itself and just fireworks the tang. So on newer work, the file work is decorative rather than decorative and functional. There are plenty of other differences like steel choice and leaving forge texture, etc. but the firework is what I was referring to.

 

[corwise]

I'm an avid Bailey user/collector.

LA: You need to clarify this. What you mean is "Every time anyone sees a Bailey in the Makers for Sale section, I've already bought it so you can't."

I've lost track of how many knives of his I've seen you snag 2 minutes after he posts them.

 

[Los Angeles]

Yeah, I really had a string going for a while. The good news for everyone else is that I've refocused my attention, and I haven't taken as many as I used to. It does torture me to see them sit for over an hour

The other good news for others is that i've also sold at least a dozen, many at deep (crazy) discounts. I decided to both downsize and upgrade my collection by looking for his more unusual pieces. Here's a recent photo of my choppers, two of which I paid quite dearly for.