Nail Nick or Pull Necessary?

P

Phil Tham

Joined
Jan 8, 2002
Messages
849
Hello good folks. This is my first post in this forum and I hope you can tolerate my asking what is probably a dumb question. I'm working on a slipjoint that is a pretty large swayback wharncliffe and has about a quarter inch of blade available above the scales to grab onto to pull the blade out of the handle. The spring tension is not too stiff, so this is easily done. Do you think I would still need to put a nail nick in the blade or would you consider it optional? I'm kinda liking the way it looks without the nick, but if it would be a turn off for most traditional folder lovers I would certainly add it. What do ya think?
 
On knives that I can "pinch" open I ordinarily don't bother with the nick.

That said, with wet (or bloody) fingertips sometimes a pinch grip might slip where a nick would provide more secure purchase toward opening.

Factor in that the nick does add to the overall "traditional" look and you can take it from there. I think it's a matter (ultimately) of what the recipient is willing to accept.

Welcome to our corner of the forums. :thumbup:
 
I like a nail nick, even when it's not strictly needed. On a clip blade I especially like a long pull, and a lot of times I like the nick with the little march striker teeth milled into them. I just like the looks of them.
 
As Elliot has said, if your hands are wet/bloody it will be needed. It will also look much better with one.
 
I agree with Elliot on this one. It might not be obviously necessary, but it provides a point to grip when your fingers are slippery and to me it sorta 'finishes' the look of a slip joint.
 
IMHO, if you are going to sell the knife, nail knick is not optional, unless you have trouble with nail knicks :)
 
Yep, it might be a little tough to open with wet or bloody hands...nail nick it is. Thanks for the quick replies guys!
 
I agree with the comments you've already received, and I'll add that, from an aesthetic POV, the size, shape, angle and position of the nail nick can make or break a handmade slipjoint for me. I've seen way too many otherwise great looking blades aesthetically...compromised by a poorly implemented pull.

FWIW, I've never liked pinching my blades open because of the big ol' fingerprints that invariably result. They're a potential source of rust on carbon steels and a minor visual irritant on stainless, but I'm wierd that way.:rolleyes:.
 
I'd say it was a 'necessary cosmetic feature', ie I think it will look glaringly obvious if it isn't there, even if it's not strictly necessary to open the blade.
Swedges usually fall into the 'cosmetic' category, but look at how they improve the looks of a knife.
I'd say the knife won't look finished without a nail nick.
But of course, none of us will know for sure without PHOTOS! :D

Welcome to the forum :)
 
The only nail nicks I don't like, are ones that are too small or too shallow. Especially on knives with hard pulls, a too-small nick is a guaranteed nail-breaker, and increases the likelihood of losing control of the blade when opening. I've been bitten by blades with smallish nicks that slipped off my nail when opening.

On the other hand, as others have said, a well-executed nick really adds to the beauty & functionality of the knife. Given a choice, I'd rather have it, than go without.
 
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I like the phrases "cosmetic", and "well executed" That being said I get 2-3 orders per year with
no nail nick. Back to cosmetics----- one in the wrong place or poorly executed can really screw
up the looks of any knife.
Ken.
 
There's also a matter that some folks have large hands/thick fingers -- what may be easy to grab for someone with smaller fingers, might be impossible for larger fingers. Swedging can also sometimes turn an easily pinched blade into one you cannot grab. It being a swayback pattern means that the curve is working against easlly grabbing the blade -- if it was a single blade saddlehorn pattern, for example, then a nail nick would not be needed. Personally, I wouldn't want to skip the nailnick on a slipjoint unless you put in an easy open notch -- done properly, anyone can grab it - even with wet or bloody fingers - and a nail nick would basically never be used.
 
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I'm really glad that cultural differences are seen as a plus in this subforum, otherwise I would really feel odd to answer this kind of question...
To me, a nail nick is a good thing. Even if the knife is smooth and has no backspring, with wet/dirty hands the blade can be slippery and a nail nick helps alot.
On the pure aesthetic side, I can't see the beauty of a nail nick. But again, I grew up without them...
Fausto
:cool:
 
I cut the nail nick in this afternoon. Now I'm hopin that I put it in the right spot.:D I'm not real happy with my nail nick cutting method...been using a cutoff wheel. Hopefully I'll have a mill before too long and that should work a whole lot better. Thanks again for the replies...great forum here!
 
When you get a little older and your joints have some arthritis the nail nick is nice to have.
 
I'm partial to a well done nail nick. A poorly executed one, on the other hand, can spoil an otherwise nice knife.
 
I find myself carrying a lot of smaller knives when I am in slacks. Most have sunken or almost sunken joints so I would have a difficult time opening these small knives without a nick. I also agree with Ken, the placement and cutting of those nicks is an art within an art. When you mix utility, size, placement and the mix is not right with the design that little nick can mess the knife up looks wise and ease of opening wise.
 
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