What happened to polished flats?

[jacobconroy75]

What happened to polished handle flats on the inlay models? All the 31s I've seen with polished blades and inlays have the grey finish throughout the handle (from the pictures on the Internet).

Am I right that the only polished flats these days are on the damascus models?

 

[loon#r]

I believe it costs extra for polished flats, now.

 

[jacobconroy75]

I believe it costs extra for polished flats, now.

It's good to hear that they might still be doing it. Does anyone know a site that often has them come in on order? R1 seems to have polished blade options most of the time lately....but no polished flats.

Edit: I might be using the wrong term. I mean when the flat area around the inlays are polished (on the scales). Polished blade flats would be nice too.

 

[Modernflame]

I have to say the dark wood inlays are best paired with polished titanium. However, the box elder really pops against the glass blasting. It would be interesting to see polished handle options.

 

[jacobconroy75]

The reason I couldn't answer my own question is (I guess) I'm asking about polished slabs...not flats. My Google-Foo was not strong.

It looks like CRK is charging an extra $100 for this option now, which is fine by me. However, I haven't been finding any online dealers that "opted in" to keep their polished slabs when CRK changed the pricing at some point while they awaited incoming orders.

A bit of a bummer. Hopefully some dealers did opt in and will get some into stock at some point. I just like shiny things. A large inlayed 31 with polished blade and flats is pretty similar to an Annual.

 

[Silverstonev8]

Knife art usually gets most of them but I have seen them at other dealers.

 

[XL883N]

Sand blasted inlay models look like dog sheet I hate that CRK is making them. Thunderbird Gear out if Canada has both blasted and polished on their website. I think the reason you're not seeing polished elsewhere is CRK still cannot meet demand. When you see knives with 6 yr waits on CRK.com you know they can't keep up.

 

[jacobconroy75]

Sand blasted inlay models look like dog sheet I hate that CRK is making them. Thunderbird Gear out if Canada has both blasted and polished on their website. I think the reason you're not seeing polished elsewhere is CRK still cannot meet demand. When you see knives with 6 yr waits on CRK.com you know they can't keep up.

Agreed. I'd rather simply order exactly what I want, but don't have near-enough patience for 4+ years. I wonder if there is any problem ordering from Canada? Unexpected shipping costs or delays? Taxes?

 

[hhmoore]

CRK raised prices... My guess is that to maintain some sort of consistency, dealers have opted for the unpolished to avoid sicker shock

 

[BTTLBRN]

I didn't/don't mind the polished flats, but the blasted lockbar always looked a bit odd when on the same knife.

 

[badmatt]

Polished flats and a polished blade is additional cost now..

I’m glad I got mine when I did.

 

[rishma]

Sand blasted inlay models look like dog sheet I hate that CRK is making them. Thunderbird Gear out if Canada has both blasted and polished on their website. I think the reason you're not seeing polished elsewhere is CRK still cannot meet demand. When you see knives with 6 yr waits on CRK.com you know they can't keep up.

I think the glass blast with inlays looks nice.

 

[Tsujigiri]

When they say polished, do they mean the brushed finish? I don't think I've ever seen any part of a Chris Reeve with a mirror polish except when users sharpen the edge. Why would this finish cost so much more to do?

 

[jacobconroy75]

I think the glass blast with inlays looks nice.

I do too. I have one and I think it pairs OK with a satin blade. Personally though, if I have a polished blade, I'd like to have polished slabs as well. All the bling or none.

 

[badmatt]

Polished on polished is just the best. I prefer it to Damascus with inlays.

 

[jacobconroy75]

So, am I to understand that the current offerings are glass bead blasted scales on the inlays, and sand blasted on the PJs?

 

[Modernflame]

So, am I to understand that the current offerings are glass bead blasted scales on the inlays, and sand blasted on the PJs?

That's basically what we are seeing at the dealers, yes. Glass blasting with wood inlays. Sand blasting with natural micarta. The black canvas micarta can pair with either finish.