Nothing without good finish?

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
5,703
How much would you say that handle fitting/finish counts in the wow factor of a knife. I mean to me the difference between a "Well done, nice looking knife" and a "OMG, can I trade you my first born for that knife" seems to have to have 80%-90% to do with the fitting/handle. (guards, spacers... included). And the time spent on a knife seems to reflect this also.

What'ya think?

Pad
 
i'm all for the good fit an finish over high end materials

i've seen some knives with awesome materials, with a decent fit and finish with some shabby filework and decent grinds.

but compare it to a nice clean hide away knife. such a simple knife, but nice clean grinds and a nice finish to the blades.... someting without even having a handle is much omre apealing to the eye.

its the basic things that make the difference. i'd much rather have a nice fit and finish on a simple knife than a suped up mother of pearl damascus auto with a shabby fit and finish any day

i think most people agree with this. you can't hide poor fit and finish behind deeply etched mosaic damascus and shiny pearl handle material :D
 
How about rustic/traditional finishes? There is a huge difference between a poorly finished blade and a rustic/traditional finished blade. There are many poorly executed "rustic" knives being produced. Then you look at Dan Winkler or Tai Goo (many others also). Traditional and Rustic finishes well executed and the fits are superb.

Chuck
 
I'd much rather produce a well finished and fitted up simple knife than a fancy ill finished and fitted knife. You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig.
 
I started a fancier (for me anyway) knife a long time ago that I wasn't ready to do, and I put it on the shelf unfinished. I didn't have the skill needed to pull it off. My first knives were pretty shoddy when I look back to them, although at the time, I was extremely proud. They got better, but I still ended up putting them in the drawer. I have a couple of personal users that I've made that turned out just ok, but I'm still ashamed to show them to others because they don't have the fit and finish I felt I needed to have. The last knife I finished was for my dad, and I finally felt I had a fit/finish level that I was proud of.

I still haven't finished that knife I started about a year ago, though I'd likely be able to pull it off now, and I have yet to sell a knife. I will continue to never sell a knife unless I feel the fit and finish is the best I can do and can stand up to close scrutiny. I'm picky, but I think a lot of makers out there feel the same way. I don't want anything out there with my name on it, unless I can be proud of it in front of a fellow maker. I know my quality and skill level may never be up to the caliber of many of the guys on this board, but I'll continue to strive for perfection. Every knife I make gets better, and maybe someday soon, I'll actually sell a knife :D.

--nathan
 
I'm not saying not attempt fancy knives, that's the only way you'll advance in the craft but know your limitations. Pretty sure we've all seen some people's attempts at fancy knives; Mokume bolsters that were ill fitted, mammoth scales that weren't flattened, file work that wasn't even, uneven finish and plunge cuts. They time on materials that should've been spent IMHO on quality.

I think I complete about 60-70% of my knives. I get unhappy with the blades at various stages and into the bucket they go. I've heard that a few mastersmiths complete even fewer blades because they can't match up the handle material to what they envision with the blade, I'M NOT SAYING THEY'RE MESSING UP LIKE I AM.
 
Gotta learn the basics and get them down before moving on....Everything revolves around the basics and if they aint correct nothing will be correct...

Bruce
 
Will Leavitt said:
I'd much rather produce a well finished and fitted up simple knife than a fancy ill finished and fitted knife. You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig.
Click to expand...

I like that. I had the damascus bug bad and made some of my first blades from it as well as some 5160. I am now working thru some 1095 and more 5160. Working on my grinding and fitting. I did step up in materials in the handle department in that I use mostly stabilized wood now. I figure as my skill and knives improve I will start making some damascus blades again.

I know this much some of my later damascus blades sold slowly for $200 and my last 5160 blade sold for $225 to the first person who asked how much. Grinds, fit and file work.
 
I think fit and finnish is very important, better to have a very nicely done simple knife than a fairly done fancy knife. I really like file work on a blade, but my practice work has not been good, so I stay away from file work until my practice pieces get to the quality of my fit and finnish, whitch improves with every knife. My file work sucks just as bad as the first time that I tryed it, I may never put any on a blade.
 
this is basically the way it is.....

The blade makes the knife - The handle sells it

no way around that my friend.
 
even with the rustic finishes, you still need a good fit to go along with it. i've seen some with that style with very poor fits grinds etc
 
i think you can polish a turd... look at old rusty truck springs, you can make a nice looking knife

but you can take a nice piece of pearl and grind 60 grit scratches in it and call it a handle
 
striper28 said:
you can't polish a turd
Click to expand...

Sure you can the stuff is called coprolite; dino doo-doo












Sorry just being a smartass, something I'm good at.
I do agree that some makers just don't take the time to finish properly, its why I don't make many narrow tang knives, I am not happy with the way they come out.
Thanks,
Del
 
Thanks for all your input. I am glad to see that I was right. Now I off to work on the finish some more.;)

Pad
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top