The cool factor

Tai Goo

Tai Goo

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In all fairness, science and technology have had some positive influences and contributions to the art of bladesmithing, but at what cost? It’s not all good! There’s two sides to every coin. On the downside the abuse, misuse and misunderstanding of science also contributes to a lot of the foolishness in the craft…and a strict scientific approach seems self defeating… It will eventually eliminate the “cool factor”, and give more credibility to the stock reduction approach to knifemaking…

So, what exactly is the “cool factor”? Is it simply a “primal” feeling of heating and hammering the steel that makes it cool? I think it’s a lot more than just that. It’s the history, culture and tradition of the craft that makes heating and hammering the metal “cool“.

We often hear that the craft of bladesmithing is steeped with mythology and romance, as though that were a bad thing. However, it is this “fact”, which really separates bladesmiths from stock reductionisms, is our only ace in the hole and hope for the future and continuation of this craft… as long as it is balanced with honesty, a degree of logic, common sense… and modern science.

Why try and leech the color, flavor and “coolness” out of it, by trying to reduce a wonderful art form and tradition down to a cold clinical academic science? That certainly can’t the reason why most of us got into it in the first place. Besides, where’s the “fun factor” in that?

There has to be some kind of balance between the two extremes.
 
Tai Goo said:
There has to be some kind of balance between the two extremes.
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I absolutely agree with this statement, Tai. Remember guys, not only was Leonardo da Vinci a revolutionary scientist and inventor, he also did some pretty darn good painting and sculpture. :D

Gavin
 
as long as it is balanced with honesty, a degree of logic, common sense… and modern science.
Click to expand...

:eek::eek: Tai, are you a closet scientist!?! ;)

Just as an artist must understand intuitively how his paints will work together to create certain colors, textures, and effects, so too must a bladesmith have some understanding of how to manipulate the steel beyond heating it to glowing and hammering away. For many of us, this comes through instruction and reading, while for others it comes from a lifetime of practical experience. The result is the same, though the thought of a lifetime of experimentation in practical bladesmithing is, indeed, a more romantic, if exhausting thought.

I wish I could join the cool ranks of you brutes hammering away on yellow steel with sparks or burning flux erupting in all directions, and someday I will. I just have to build a forge and find a suitable anvil surface first. Until then, I'll work to improve my skills in grinding and finishing.

I think the mystique of the hand crafted blade will always be there because it remains a mystery to most outside of the craft. I agree that the history and tradition behind smithing is something that ups the cool factor in my mind of a forged blade vs. a stock removal blade, and my opinion is that a skillfully forged and finished blade with proper heat treatment is the epitomy of the craft.

--nathan
 
Here's what I think might be happening... When some of the more scientifically bent bladesmiths feel that the pendulum is swinging to far in the opposite direction, they try to balance it with more science and often over compensate. On the other hand when some of the more artistically bent bladesmiths think the pendulum is swinging too far in the opposite direction, they also over compensate, in hopes of restoring a balance.

This particular forum strikes me as being more scientifically bent than some of the others and approaching a serious state of unbalance...

On the other hand some of the "primitive knifemaking" forums seem to be lacking in the area of modern science and are equally unbalanced. Believe it or not, over on those boards I'm usually the one who plays the role of science geek because there’s more of a need for it there… :D

Balance and "integration" are the coolest!
 
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I think also as a people we value things that are one of a kind or rare. thats where i think part of the market for custom knifes comes from. we also value quality and hard work. most people have this idea that the more effert and time put into something will make a better product. maybe thats true but i think that is only true in certen operations. Like making your own steel, is it cool? yes, will you end up with a better quality steel then what you can buy, most likley not. In a world where everything is mass produced by machines we are starving for quality work made by human hands. Forging is very cool to people but if you look at why it was used back in the day. They did not have stock in the sizes they needed and material was much more expensive. forging saves great amounts of material. I think it comes down to someone thinking that "man someone took a chunk of steel and with great care and skill molded and shaped this knife into a beautiful piece of art". Also the saying "they don't make them like they use to" might play a roll it it as well. people might think that if someone uses the methods that where used in the past that a better product will be the result in the end.
 
I guess you are wrong, some people may regard forging "cool", but the blades you did would be done by stock removal also and your blades wouldn't loose any "cool" points at all.
JT has mentioned very important subject, the forging is a necessity most of all, I forge also to shape my stock to a usable size, it is a necessity. You may think it is cool to forge and you may see your knives cooler than stock removal guys do..
I'm afraid it is rude to impose your way of making to others and label it "cool". You are a very talented artist, we all respect you on this, but there are many good artists, geniuses around who didn't forge at all, we cannot say their creations are not cool....

Emre
 
Tai Goo said:
In all fairness, science and technology have had some positive influences and contributions to the art of bladesmithing, but at what cost? It’s not all good! There’s two sides to every coin. On the downside the abuse, misuse and misunderstanding of science also contributes to a lot of the foolishness in the craft…and a strict scientific approach seems self defeating… It will eventually eliminate the “cool factor”, and give more credibility to the stock reduction approach to knifemaking…

So, what exactly is the “cool factor”? Is it simply a “primal” feeling of heating and hammering the steel that makes it cool? I think it’s a lot more than just that. It’s the history, culture and tradition of the craft that makes heating and hammering the metal “cool“.

We often hear that the craft of bladesmithing is steeped with mythology and romance, as though that were a bad thing. However, it is this “fact”, which really separates bladesmiths from stock reductionisms, is our only ace in the hole and hope for the future and continuation of this craft… as long as it is balanced with honesty, a degree of logic, common sense… and modern science.

Why try and leech the color, flavor and “coolness” out of it, by trying to reduce a wonderful art form and tradition down to a cold clinical academic science? That certainly can’t the reason why most of us got into it in the first place. Besides, where’s the “fun factor” in that?

There has to be some kind of balance between the two extremes.
Click to expand...

Tai,

I have come to understand a bit better the balancing role you try to play. I would love to see you with your science geek hat on. :D

For me, I agree that science and art both have a role. One problem I see is that there are a lot more misconceptions about the science aspect of bladesmithing than there are about the art aspect.

There are some fundamental "scientific" principles that every bladesmith should know so they can make halfway decent knives. Before you can take a trip in your car, you need to know the basics of starting, steering and refueling. These are a small part of the whole experience of the trip, but they are pretty important.

If you knew that you had to put only gasoline in your car, but every third person you met said that the best fuel to use was orange juice, you'd probably find yourself talking disproportionately about gas rather than about your trip as a whole.

Some of our extremely scientific-minded members are doing a great service by putting orange juice in their cars and then telling us what happens. We wouldn't need the long, technical discussions if the myths weren't so stubbornly rooted.

Science helps us understand our medium, and art is, in part, applying that knowledge. A camp knife and a straight razor have very different uses and designs, and knowing a bit of science can help me tailor my approach to each to produce a better outcome.

For me, the "coolness factor" isn't diminished by metallurgy or science in the least. My forged blades aren't superior to my stock removal blades, but I enjoy creating them more. I like seeing a finished blade sitting next to a piece of round drill rod and saying, yep, I made that from that. It just feels more mine that way.

Josh
 
Cool factor has more to do with the look and feel of the product. When I used to make and sell bike parts years ago, I learned first hand how important cool factor was to a design. I had some of my stuff show up in the Museum of Modern Art in NY. That was pretty cool. :)
 
Stock reduction has it's own place in history. Actually, it pre-dated any metalsmithing by quite a few years. Flint and obsidian.
 
At this point, on this forum and in my personal career, I don’t really have any “comfort zone”, which really works towards my favor as an artist... :D

As a metallurgist and scientist, in all the time I’ve been a member at Bladeforums, no one has ever agued over the “specifics” of my science and metallurgy,… just my “conclusions“, because it was too big a can of worms to deal with. I guess that’s about as good a track record as anyone could hope for… cool huh?

Anyway, yeah,... it ain't about me,... please.
 
galadduin said:
I guess you are wrong, some people may regard forging "cool", but the blades you did would be done by stock removal also and your blades wouldn't loose any "cool" points at all.
JT has mentioned very important subject, the forging is a necessity most of all, I forge also to shape my stock to a usable size, it is a necessity. You may think it is cool to forge and you may see your knives cooler than stock removal guys do..
I'm afraid it is rude to impose your way of making to others and label it "cool". You are a very talented artist, we all respect you on this, but there are many good artists, geniuses around who didn't forge at all, we cannot say their creations are not cool....

Emre
Click to expand...

So,... what you are saying is "coolness is in the mind of the beholder". Great point! I was hoping someone would pick up on that. :)

It takes all kinds in this craft,,, hope we never all become clones.
 
fitzo said:
Stock reduction has it's own place in history. Actually, it pre-dated any metalsmithing by quite a few years. Flint and obsidian.
Click to expand...

Actually, the first ferrous tools and blades made by mankind were from meteoritic iron through stock reduction and since stock reduction is also a part of the smithing process/processes, I think it can safely be considered an aspect of metalsmithing. However, a cold caveman sitting in a cold cave and rubbing or splitting a cold stone with a cold stone, just doesn't seem that "cool"... Where’s the romance in that? :D

We've sure come a long way since then... :)

"Your theory is crazy, but not it's crazy enough to be true."
-Bohr
 
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Tai Goo said:
However, a cold caveman sitting in a cold cave and rubbing or splitting a cold stone with a cold stone, just doesn't seem that "cool"... Where’s the romance in that? :D
Click to expand...

That was probably more the beginnings of science than romance. Pragmatic application of knowledge to stay alive.
Romance was probably more geared towards baubles and fetishes of bone, shell and stone.
Ahhh, primitive romance....images of wild-haired naked hairy women clad only in a shell necklace on a bearskin rug.
Dang...reminds me of the late 60's. :D
 
I'm just going to blot that image of the cold romantic caveman sitting in a cold cave rubbing his bone,... clean out! LOL :D

We don't need to go there do we? !!!
 
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