Whats happened to Brass?

N

Nomoemuny

Joined
Nov 19, 2004
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30
I have noticed that alot of knife makers dont use much brass in their handles anymore. I was wondering what was the reason? Maybe I am fond of the stuff but I use it on just about all my knives except kitchen untensils. Is brass just not the "in thing" or is it just me? Here is a very bad shot of my last knife (my digital camera is really, really old) but as you can see I like the traditional use of it on both ends of the handle.
 

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As the old saying goes, "brass has no class" which is closer to the truth than not. You will not see many, if any, high end knives with brass hardware.

Nickel Silver is the more traditional choice. Although it tarnishes, just like brass.

Craig
 
I agree with Craig. I will not use it unless a customer request it. But I do like the looks of brass when it is polished.
 
You will not see many, if any, high end knives with brass hardware.
Click to expand...

Some knifemaker use it nevertheless..
As for example, Randall Knives...

skinning-sm.jpg

military-big.jpg


I like the brass color because that fit well with certain materials and that
gives a beautiful warm color. On the other hand it is necessary to be ready to make some cleaning after some time... The ideal replacement for the brass would be probably the Bronze, but it is more difficult to find...

Alain M-D
http://www.miville-deschenes.com/amd_anglais/
 
At the risk of offending some Randall nuts(me being one occasionally), I have to say Randall can get away with using brass because they can sell all the knives they make anyway. Nickel silver is much nicer looking, although tarnishing is almost as much of a problem. I think brass makes good spacer material.
 
I agree. Even though I am a youngster as far as years of knife making go brass is so little wanted by my customers. Not in any order; copper or nickel silver are most often requested when I ask their choice. It is a mystery to me. I love copper and nickel silver is nice but brass I think should be in there too. It seems so often not to be.

RL
 
I like both, but if I had a choice it would be nickel silver. I think brass has it's place with certain handle materials. I had two Randall model 25's and prefered the one with brass fittings. It seems to enhance the stag and leather combo.
Scott
 
There are many types of bronze each with different color and different tarnishing. I came across a new one for me - silver bronze ,copper with a few percent of silver , used for electrical contacts.
 
Alain M-D said:
Some knifemaker use it nevertheless..
As for example, Randall Knives...

skinning-sm.jpg

military-big.jpg


I like the brass color because that fit well with certain materials and that
gives a beautiful warm color. On the other hand it is necessary to be ready to make some cleaning after some time... The ideal replacement for the brass would be probably the Bronze, but it is more difficult to find...

Alain M-D
http://www.miville-deschenes.com/amd_anglais/
Click to expand...
Alain; MSC carries bronze in flat stock. I like using copper pins with the bronze for bolsters. :confused:
 
Brass looks great on Chuck Burrow's work because he ages it. Bright shiny brass has its place on some knives imho, like old Marbles styles maybe. I made a hunting knife for my father last year with brass guard and pommel. Thats the only brass I've used in ages.
 
I think people mostly forgo brass because it's so prone to tarnish. Same goes for NS and copper, though copper can take on some nice colors. I now use 416 SS almost exclusively (unless someone asks for something else specifically) because it stays the way you made it. I'd rather someone not come along a couple years later and see some crusty fittings and have that reflect on my work. But brass is pretty when it's polished and I do miss seeing it as much as we used to. I keep my own collection pretty well cleaned up so tarnish isn't an issue for me. I learned the virtues of Brasso very well when I was in the Army... :D A good coat of wax over the brass does a lot to delay tarnishing.
 
It's, "brass has no class" ??? I thought it was, "brass sucks a$$"


HAHAHA, just kidding.

I don't use brass at all anymore. And I honestly believe it would hurt my standing with some collectors as it's looked down upon by so many.

I will admit though, I still think a hunter with a nice satin finish, brass guard with a few black/brass spacers and an elk antler handle (right off the buffer) is pretty darn pretty!

The problem is that about 1 day after it's away from that buffer, it's already getting ugly.

I'm with Dave, I use 416ss...unless of course it's blued or browned steel or damascus fittings.

And yes George...I have a couple collectors, even if I did have to bribe them!!! :D ;) :D

-Nick-
 
I've seen a few brass knives that looked very nice. Usually it's just brass accents if anything at all.

I have one knife that has brass handles on it, but it's also one of my favorite knives. It is a production piece, but it's still one of my favorites. :)

35471450.jpg
 
NickWheeler said:
It's, "brass has no class" ??? I thought it was, "brass sucks a$$"


HAHAHA, just kidding.

I don't use brass at all anymore. And I honestly believe it would hurt my standing with some collectors as it's looked down upon by so many.

I will admit though, I still think a hunter with a nice satin finish, brass guard with a few black/brass spacers and an elk antler handle (right off the buffer) is pretty darn pretty!

The problem is that about 1 day after it's away from that buffer, it's already getting ugly.

I'm with Dave, I use 416ss...unless of course it's blued or browned steel or damascus fittings.

And yes George...I have a couple collectors, even if I did have to bribe them!!! :D ;) :D

-Nick-
Click to expand...
Bro!! I wouldn't say a word. :rolleyes:
 
Well...don't pay any attention to any of them. I like brass and as a matter of fact it goes very well with stainless steel.

I recently copied two Mepps Spinnerbaits. One in Brass and one in Stainless. :o
 
You know, it's funny how some guys poo-poo brass, because it tarnishes, yet are fine with a carbon steel blade that flat out RUSTS.
Think about it.
Here are some very fine knives with very fine brass bolsters - enjoy!
FSTROPHYGAMESET3.jpg
 
Maybe it's just me, or the florida weather down here, but brass is really unacceptable as anything more than a liner or a functional (not decorated) guard. It refuses to stay polished as soon as it's handled. Now, if I polished them every time I handled them it'd be fine, but it's not something I really want to do for a user piece. Nickel silver on the other hand is "stainless" compared to brass, I've carried folders with nickel silver bolsters which have never "needed" polishing, just did it when the surface looked less than 100 percent brilliant, which was every few weeks of daily pocket carry.

** edit: And for the record, I've never had rust problems ;) I find a patina on both brass and steel to be classy, gives a knife character, but for a pocket knife or something with engraving brass just doesnt work for me. Having large green spots in my pockets every day is most uncool.
 
Jay, fantastic!!! Absolutely stunning. I thought about what you're saying about carbon steel too, because I use O1 for everything... :D Hey, contradictions are the spice of life.

I blame Nick for turning me onto 416; something he said once about it staying made just clicked for me and it's been 416 ever since. And the stuff works nicely too.

Brass and NS are traditional, and they have their place in our craft for that reason. And nothing else looks quite as "right" with stag. But I bet if 416 had been available "back when" brass and NS came into use, they wouldn't have had a snowball's chance - everyone would've been using 416 and S30V. :D
 
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