That "rustic" look

T

Tilaran

Joined
Jul 29, 2012
Messages
209
Why am I seeing many, many knife makers going with that look ? A look like the knife was found on the bottom of the ocean and then hit hard with a belt sander to be ready for sale ? Should I start finishing my cabinetry with a chain saw instead of using a planer and then sanding for hours and hours ?
How about prepping a car for a paint job with a ball peen hammer ?
Confused.<inappropriate emoticon removed>.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Probably because it's nice to see an alternative to all of the perfectly machined, satin finished, waterjet cut knives out there that all look the same?
 
The worst, have you ever been to one of those mountain man "rendezvous"?
'Period' knives made from (slightly) reshaped lawnmower blades with bits of leather riveted on. :barf:
 
It's the same reason people prefer a log cabin to an urban home. You don't like it, don't buy it
 
CIMG0582.jpg


^looks good to me
 
The same reason you see furniture in magazines with the paint cracked or the wood distressed, or a car with a mat black or grey paint job. Hell, antique dealers love patina and original finishes on old furniture, why should knives be any different?

There are people out there that enjoy the look (including myself).
 
We have some talented makers here who trend towards the 'rustic' side. :thumbup:

"Rustic" doesn't have to mean crappy or poorly finished. ;)
 
Bob W said:
The worst, have you ever been to one of those mountain man "rendezvous"?
'Period' knives made from (slightly) reshaped lawnmower blades with bits of leather riveted on. :barf:
Click to expand...

Well put! I have no problems with a knife that is "under-finished/rustic"....own a few myself. But when "under-finished/rustic" slips into "sloppy enough to be a poor cutter"...then I have a problem. Sad to say, I have a few of those knives too!

Of course it goes both ways. There are more than enough CAD-happy, waterjet obsessed makers out there too, who seem to have forgotten that a knife is supposed to cut stuff, not have a stealthy radar profile.
 
Tilaran said:
Why am I seeing many, many knife makers going with that look ? A look like the knife was found on the bottom of the ocean and then hit hard with a belt sander to be ready for sale ? Should I start finishing my cabinetry with a chain saw instead of using a planer and then sanding for hours and hours ?
How about prepping a car for a paint job with a ball peen hammer ?
Confused.<inappropriate emoticon removed>.
Click to expand...

Hi Tilaran,

The "jerkit" emoticon is for use only in Whine & Cheese. It is marked as such in the emoticon menu.
I edited your post.

thanks

Jason
 
issues said:
The same reason you see furniture in magazines with the paint cracked or the wood distressed, or a car with a mat black or grey paint job. Hell, antique dealers love patina and original finishes on old furniture, why should knives be any different?

There are people out there that enjoy the look (including myself).
Click to expand...
Um. Those are antiques showing their age ( like me).
I'm talkin' off the bench today.
Maybe plastic surgeons should consider adding wrinkles and gray hair to the 20 something crowd. Give them that elegant "aged" look.
 
Tilaran said:
Um. Those are antiques showing their age ( like me).
I'm talkin' off the bench today.
Maybe plastic surgeons should consider adding wrinkles and gray hair to the 20 something crowd. Give them that elegant "aged" look.
Click to expand...

They already have "Touch of Grey" hair colouring :D
 
Hey, if someone doesn't like them, that just takes some of the wait time off the list for me;

DSC_0300.jpg


Doc
 
Tilaran said:
Um. Those are antiques showing their age ( like me).
I'm talkin' off the bench today.
Maybe plastic surgeons should consider adding wrinkles and gray hair to the 20 something crowd. Give them that elegant "aged" look.
Click to expand...

Untrue.

I have a bookcase made of distressed cherry that I bought new but looks old. My TV stand is for a flat screen and it has a rubbed antique black finish, also new. You can watch DIY videos on how to get a crackled paint look for dressers and china cabinets. You see car shows all of the time that show people getting flat black or grey paint jobs on their cars.

Your example regarding plastic surgery is completely out of place and pretty much used to flame. If you don't like this look don't buy it but it isn't something new and no matter how much you hate it, it is here to stay.
 
There are lots of reasons that people make knives like that. Because they like the look. Because they are making "tribal" knives, using only primative tools. Because they are trying to reproduce knives from a certain period in history. But most of all, because they sell. Look at those Taiwanese tribal knives that were posted on here yesterday. They were pretty danged crude. But there were many people on here that want to get some anyway. Not all knives need to be made out of the most recent wundersteel. Sometimes it is more fun using an old knife. Or as close to it as you can get.

-Mb
 
The_Monkeyboy said:
There are lots of reasons that people make knives like that. Because they like the look. Because they are making "tribal" knives, using only primative tools. Because they are trying to reproduce knives from a certain period in history. But most of all, because they sell. Look at those Taiwanese tribal knives that were posted on here yesterday. They were pretty danged crude. But there were many people on here that want to get some anyway. Not all knives need to be made out of the most recent wundersteel. Sometimes it is more fun using an old knife. Or as close to it as you can get.

-Mb
Click to expand...

Crude can also be effective. A chopping knife with an uneven surface finish will tend to bind less than a perfectly flat sided slab of steel; there are fewer contact points along the blade for material to rub against to generate friction. A pretty knife will only get you so far, ultimately when you use it the thing will pick up scratches which are all the more visible on such a knife.

n2s
 
if i own a knife that looks old and weathered, that's because it's, you know, old and weathered

a knife has to earn that look for it to mean anything to me. I prefer the highest quality fit and finish that a maker can provide.

I'll beat my knives up myself. I don't need a head start
 
Tilaran said:
Why am I seeing many, many knife makers going with that look ? A look like the knife was found on the bottom of the ocean and then hit hard with a belt sander to be ready for sale ? Should I start finishing my cabinetry with a chain saw instead of using a planer and then sanding for hours and hours ?
How about prepping a car for a paint job with a ball peen hammer ?
Confused.<inappropriate emoticon removed>.
Click to expand...
Simply because theres a market for it, i like both and any look that gets somebody into knives or keeps a maker in business is alright with me. we all have our preferences, likes and dislikes but i dont see the rustic movement as a threat, its just another facet to our lovely disease:D
Personally i tend to gravitate towards a more rustic look, doesnt stop me from admiring or buying anything shiny though
and yes if i liked the look of a car hammered with a ball peen hammer i'd buy it and enjoy it
regards
gene
 
I like them to look like that. In my opinion they look better. It's not for everyone, which is why there are many more types of knives than just those designed to look rustic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top