Old vs. Modern - Tradiitionals only - an unscientific comparison and observation

jackknife said:
At what price do we get technical superiority?

I have no doubt at all that the stainless steel is better than the old brass and nickel silver. But how much better do we need?

I for one, like the differing colors and textures of the brass and nickel silver. I'm sitting here looking at the knife Ihave been carrying for the last year, my Case damascus peanut. I love the soft gray of the blades, mellow golden color of the brass liners, and the nickel silver bolsters. If this knife was done in all stainless steel, it would loose most of it's appeal. It may actually become a bit boring in it's uniformity of parts.

I've never heard of a knife failing in use because the brass liners gave away. Nor had I heard of carbon steel being fragile in day to day use. I like the way the older materials let the knife age along with the person who is carrying it a long way. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In other words, different strokes for different folks. I also like older blued firearms, stainless steel leaves me cold, and I won't even go with what I think of plastic, or polymer as they like to call it.

Life is short, and beauty is to be appreciated where you find it. If one person finds it in older style materials, so be it. I don't see a problem with that. In my own view of life, I find objects made all out of the never aging new materials boring. My opinion only. But I'm free to love what I love.

Carl.
Click to expand...

Here is the whole quote, Carl..... don't feel the quote was fragmented to make a questionable point.

The part left out is you talking about how much you love the changes of reactive material.....basically the sentimental bent.

Personally prefer that technological superiority you refer to and indicated why. I use the crap out of my carry knives....this informs my preferences, even for knives not used for anything other than cutting air.

A friend recently gave me a santoku style chef's knife and asked that I use it at work(Whole Foods fishmonger). I HAD to force a patina because the oxides were leaching into cut white fish and leaving an unpleasant brown line that "rusted". IF I cannot get this to stop, I will have to relegate use to cutting vegetables and that is quite a shame because this knife cuts like a laser. This makes the knife less appealing.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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Well this thread is surely strong on opinions so I would like to post some of mine. I admire Tony Bose and all the wonderful talent that he has fostered. I admire Case's leadership for having the courage to join with Tony in producing those wonderful knives year after year. I am allowed very few of them but always sell all that I can get. I do not inspect those that I do get but I know of no problems whatever with those that we have sold.

I want to thank Roland and all of my other friends who have supported my work here. A. G.
 
Mr. Russell, it is kind of you to thank me. I am indeed 'touched' as i read this. I take posting here on BF seriously and believe that collectively, by sharing our own experience with various knives, we help each other make satisfying decisions as to which knife or knives we will buy next. I try hard to accurately report my experience with the knives that i own and do not comment if i have had no personal experience. Hence my enthusiastic posts about the knives that originated with you, are intended solely to be part of the vast amount of knife knowledge that can be found here, so that others may have all the information they need to make a most satisfying purchase. I make strongly positive posts about the big, made in China folders that have come through you simply because they impress me more than other production knives that i own.
I'm looking forward to seeing the 2012 Texas Ranger.
roland
 
As the OP, let me say that all of us here, as BF members, value and appreciate many aspects of knives beyond their shear utilitarian use and value. Some of these features include - technical and metallurgical superiority, superior design, fit and finish, ergonomics, and the list goes on.. some features are more easily measurable and verifiable, and some are more intangible, but equally real to the person holding and using the knife. If not, there would not be the variety that we all seem to enjoy today. Let us all celebrate these features, and rank them in the order that we value them in. :thumbup::)
 
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