What exactly does "fit and finish" mean?

J

Jesse B.

Joined
Oct 23, 2009
Messages
1,033
I've heard this term repeated hundreds of times since joining the forum and have a pretty good idea of what it means, but I'll be damned if I could articulate a precise definition. Apt to be a short thread though this may be--can someone provide the exact meaning of "fit and finish"? Thanky kindly.
 
Really it pertains to the attention to detail of the finished product that the maker adheres to. If you have a somewhat critical eye, you will be able to pick out the little details that separate the good makers from the true pros.
 
How well the parts fit together, how accurate and symmetrical the grinding and machining is, lack of scratches and dents and other defects, evenness of the bead blasting or polishing or whatever surfaces it has, and no rough edges.
 
newcoyote said:
Isn't the point of a forum to discuss & and share ideas with like minded people? I am sure the OP has heard of Google.
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Yeah, you just gotta love the sarcastic replies people have when someone asks a simple question..:rolleyes:

I figure probably 98% of the questions asked here could be answered by googling, but what fun is that?? :D
 
Dekz said:
The whole point of using TinyURL is to disguise the link so that they dont know that they are going to LMGTFY.

Fail.
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The point of tiny url is to make the url smaller because some url can take up quite a few lines of text. Some things cant take that amount of text.

Fit = how things fit together

Finish = the finish of the product
 
I guess for me fit and finish would be say on a folder: if it has g10 scales how well are they matched to the frame? Are they sticking up over the frame? under? Is the blade centered how is the grind edge is it even or all over the place. How's the lock up? If there's blade play sometimes that's ok if you can just tighten the pivot screw ect. Pretty much detail stuff.
 
I always thought "fit & finish" are obvious.

Fit refers to how good the parts come together. A bad fit can mean too loose (gap, play, flex, rattle, etc.) or too tight (hard to operate, scratches from rubbing, etc.) Finish refers to completeness or perfection of the work. A poor finish can mean less than sharp cutting edge, visible surface imperfections, burrs, spots, rough edges, etc.

These two characteristics usually reflect the quality of the design and craftsmanship. A knife can utilize the best steel and materials in the world, but if it has poor fit and finish then it's badly made. A knife can also use non spectacular steel and materials yet feels well made (like a Victorinox).
 
I think I would say that "fit and finish" could be used almost synonymously with "attention to detail"
 
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