The forgotten mirror finish

K

knifemaker3

Joined
Dec 26, 1999
Messages
119
Guys,
What's happened to the mirror finish that was seen on about all of the better custom knives 10 years ago? Am I the only person (or fool) left who still thinks the mirror finish is the best for a quality knife?
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Granted, the hand rubbed, bead blasted, and black coated blades all look cool and would really benifit someone in the military or law enforcement jobs, but have we all become Rambo wannabes?

Not to say that I won't and don't use hand rubbed and coated finishes on my knives if that is what my customer wants. But I still prefer taking the extra time to polish and buff out the blades 'til they SHINE!

Am I the only knifemaker left who is still trying to promote the mirror finish??

I'll get off my soapbox now!

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Craig Blankenship
Blankenship Knives
http://www.blankenship-knives.com
 
I like mirror finishes. It took me years to learn how to do them properly, and now I won't sell a hunting knife without it. It is more tarnish resistant and will not accummulate fat as will a brushed finish.

I must admit though, a flat finish makes some sense on tactical knives.

At knife shows, the number one question I am asked by new knifemakers is, "How do you get that mirror finish?" It's a whole lot easier than most people think, once you get the hang of it.


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Jerry Hossom
knifemaker
www.hossom.com


 
Yes I do the mirror finish on alot of my knives I just like it better but it does keep even carbon steel clean and virtualy free of rust and stains

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TbarK Custom Knives
I am Opposed to Millionair's but it would be Dangerous to Offer Me The Job,Mark Twain
http://vip.hpnc.com/~tbark
 
Don't send the dogs out after me guys, but I've never been a fan of mirror finishes on blades. Possibly because all of the blade materials I use are of the non-stainless variety. On carbon and alloy steels, a mirror finish means that the blade will tarnish and rust much quicker than a satin or hand rubbed finish. The reason being that when a carbon blade is given a satin or hand rubbed finsh, any oil/wax applied has something to "grip" and a small amount will remain on the blade for protection.



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Ed Caffrey
"The Montana Bladesmith"
http://www.caffreyknives.com
 
I tend to agree with Mr. Caffrey on this one, except for the artsy/fartsy knives that will never be used. A mirror finish on them looks outstanding!
Once a customer uses that mirror polished blade tho, it won't ever be pristine like that again.
I take my blades to 600-800 grit, then either buff with a fine wire wheel & valve grinding compound, or do a traditional "hand rubbed" satin finish...just wish somebody would invent a machine to do the "hand rubbing..."
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Another good reason for having a hand-rubbed satin finish on a non-stainless blade is that the customer can maintain the original finish if so desired. As long as the blade has not been allowed to develope deep pits, the finish can be brightened up by securing the blade and carefully drawing a piece of 600-800 grit paper wrapped around a tongue depressor or Popcicle stick down the length of the blade. A fine grade Scotch Brite pad works well also.
 
I tend to agree with the hand-rubbed finis for using knives. The mirror polish looks great until it's used, but it is a kind of fragile finish that scuffs up almost instantly and can't be restored by the average knife owner/user. But like Primos says, an owner can with care restore a 600 or 800 grit handrubbed finish.

I also think that the increased popularity of Kydex/Concealex sheaths in using knives has influenced makers and owners away from the mirror polish. It simply can not survive in Kydex.


I do like polishing D2 though as people are constantly telling me that you can't mirror polish D2.

Gary B www.toptexknives.com/bradburn.htm
 
Thanks for the replies all. Ed, I'm not going to send the dogs out on nobody!! But, I still think a mirror finish has gotten a bad rap. 10 years ago when everyone was using mirror finishes, they all claimed it was the ONLY way to go for non stainless steels as the scratches left from satin finishes let water have a better place to hold and cause rust to form. I tend to believe that is more of the case as I have had blades made from L6 that was only sanded to a 400 grit lay on my bench overnight before I got them polished and the next morning they would have rust starting to form. But, the blades I have left that had already been polished have never rusted as quick.

I can see where the oil might hold better on a satin finished blade, but moisture will hold better as well.

As for the finish being hard to maintain, I agree that it is easier to maintain a satin finish, but I have carried and used a stag handled blade I made 8 or 9 years ago and have skinned skads of deer, cut no telling how many twigs and branches clearing a shooting lane,etc. and the finish has held up quite well. Maybe I just don't abuse my knives enough
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Anyway, I don't mean to make anyone mad and I hope I haven't from this thread. I just still prefer mirror finishes and think they have taken a bad rap.

Thanks!
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Craig Blankenship
Blankenship Knives
http://www.blankenship-knives.com
 
Craig, I agree. On good hard stainless, a mirror finish holds up extremely well. I have a practice of resharpening customers' blades whenever they need it, and I have seen blades that went through a season and 4-5 deer with hardly a scratch and still with a reasonably good edge. If there are any scratches, I can touch them up in a matter of seconds and it looks like new.

Since I do brushed finishes on my non-hunting knives, my experience has been they show scratches more easily, because the brushing runs the length of the blade and scratches tend to be across the blade.

Whatever our individual feelings or reasons, this is an argument that has no right answer. We each do what we do, and our customers buy our knives based on their own preferences. Heck, if there was only one way to do things, this just wouldn't be fun, and customers would only need one knife. Now they can own one of mine and one of Ed's and enjoy the differences.

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Jerry Hossom
knifemaker
www.hossom.com


 
i only use stainless and d-2, so most of my blades are mirror finished, unless it's going to be easiky scratched, like for i chopping blade i'd use a brushed finish.
 
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