Whats happened to Brass?

Same thing that rhymes with Orange.
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and considering that brass is sort of the same colour ;) - a couple of poems discussing this very point:

"Sad, Mad Song"
Love flies out of the window
When I come through the door;
When I come in through the window,
Reverse, and pour--
So, partly serious, but more in jes',
I try to find rhymes for oranges.
--Samuel Hoffenstein


"The Unrhymable Word: Orange"
The four eng-ineers
Wore orange
brassieres.
--Willard Espy


"Local Note"
In Sparkill buried lies that man of mark
Who brought the Obelisk to Central Park,
Redoubtable Commander H.H. Gorringe,
Whose name supplies the long-sought rhyme for "orange."
--Arthur Guiterman

or.......
http://pst.rbma.com/content/Rhymes_with_Orange?date=20041220
Rhymes With Orange

As Albert would have said.......It's all a matter of relativity....AKA perception ...one likes one doesn't.....choose what YOU like and the devil take the hindmost....
 
Mark Williams said:
As many knives as you've made Jay, I'm kinda shocked that you havent made one from Uranium :)

How'd you hear about the forums Jay? You just kinda burst onto the scene.
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Hey, Mark, I might have made one of those. That's what explains my surly nature, all that heavy dust filtered through my beard... oh yeah, I shaved- forgot...

I've watched the forums for years, had a membership here once, but when I moved they didn't recognize my password/email so I had to re-sign-up. Usually, I don't comment much because there are a lot of hobbyists (no offense guys). It's hard to get too technical because most minds are set and guys know it all after they've made and sold ten knives. You know the type. Then there is the internet anonymity thing, that you can say and get away with anything if you don't use your name.

I was a moderator on the Guild forum for a while, did the "tech" section on internet knife sales, websites, answered questions that I could. But the Guild forum is pretty much dead, traffic wise, and I noticed they just "removed" my name and section without a word... hmmm (maybe I spoke my mind) You know, I did that once and one of my fellow knifemakers that sits on the board said I shouldn't have an opinion! Yup. Hey, I hope he reads this. I still visit the Guild Forums because it suprises me once in a while. And yes, I'm still a voting member (unless I forget to mail that check!)

What rhymes with damascus? Why "harass-us" of course!
 
Heck I Love Brass,That was my material of choice for guards when i started making knives,Plus it helps working in a scrap yard so the stuff was real inexpensive to mess up ;) After 13 years in the scrap business I finally got in some NS,guess brass gets used allot more :D The only reason I switched to NS was because of the reproductions I so LOVE to make,but there was allot of them in Brass or plated brass or Bronze.The only problem I see with brass is it turning green in a show case that is lined with felt,seems that a chemical in the material really advances the aging process to make it turn green.That is the reason I was told why collecters like the NS instead of Brass.I fought the transition for years and finally used NS but was kicking and screaming the whole time,now that is about all I use as it sells better than Brass.But I am in no way against using it on any knife if I feel it is a better choice.I agree with Mr. Ed that Brass has a nice warm lively feeling that NS doesn't seem to posses.
Bruce
 
Hey Bruce,

Good to see you stopping in for a bit. I guess the yard is still keeping you too busy for knives?
 
Thanks Mark,Yea the yard is keeping me busy,Plus Donna and me started a bent and dent grocery business,which has started doing real good for us and now things are getting were I can start getting shop time again(Finally)I may not always post anymore but I am still here,rather grind or forge than type :D
Bruce
 
For those that don't like brass, no one's expecting you to eat from a brass fork...

All the doorknobs in my old house are either glass or brass, and over time it has proved a very well-suited material. Old hardware is more attractive in brass, usually. And for knife guards, as well. It is not the BLADE of the knife, after all.

I had a knife for a short time that had a Nickel silver guard, made by a popular Master smith. It had, at one time or other developed some pitting and it had developed a deformation area in the surface. Ultimately the sharp corners and unfriendly feel of this knife made me change my mind about it altogether. In my opinion, the stark quality of stainless steel bolsters and guards are similar to porcelain teeth... they can't admit they are getting older. I think this thread should also address what is important about a functioning guard.

Have you all seen knives so dressed up the Queen of England would be afraid to use them? That's what bugs me. Despite the material.

I asked one who I consider a great knifemaker why there were so many sharp corners, and "unfriendly" characteristics in so many well-known makers knives. He remarked that many knifemakers come from machinist backgrounds. It makes me wonder why it is important, symmetry isn't always in the best interest of a knife user. When I think of quality, it may be important that it look like a knife, but having sharp corners and an unfriendly feel will soon convince me what is best by what works, not how many diamonds it has.
David
 
2knife said:
For those that don't like brass, no one's expecting you to eat from a brass fork...

All the doorknobs in my old house are either glass or brass, and over time it has proved a very well-suited material. Old hardware is more attractive in brass, usually. And for knife guards, as well. It is not the BLADE of the knife, after all.

I had a knife for a short time that had a Nickel silver guard, made by a popular Master smith. It had, at one time or other developed some pitting and it had developed a deformation area in the surface. Ultimately the sharp corners and unfriendly feel of this knife made me change my mind about it altogether. In my opinion, the stark quality of stainless steel bolsters and guards are similar to porcelain teeth... they can't admit they are getting older. I think this thread should also address what is important about a functioning guard.

Have you all seen knives so dressed up the Queen of England would be afraid to use them? That's what bugs me. Despite the material.

I asked one who I consider a great knifemaker why there were so many sharp corners, and "unfriendly" characteristics in so many well-known makers knives. He remarked that many knifemakers come from machinist backgrounds. It makes me wonder why it is important, symmetry isn't always in the best interest of a knife user. When I think of quality, it may be important that it look like a knife, but having sharp corners and an unfriendly feel will soon convince me what is best by what works, not how many diamonds it has.
David
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2Knife, I followed you part way, but then I got lost - no doubt my fault, not yours. But perhaps you could clarify:

1) When it comes to nickel silver and stainless steel - is there something about the materials themselves that contribute to the unwanted "sharp corners and unfriendly feel"? If not, how is brass better in this regard? Surely this is a design / construction issue and not a materials issue?

2) If this thread should address what's important about a functioning guard, perhaps you could explain in what way brass is superior to stainless steel from a functional standpoint?

3) Just out of curiosity, what is it about a highly embellished knife that bugs you? If there are people that like to build them and other people that like to buy them, where in that equation do you take offence?

Cheers,

Roger
 
Roger,
Sorry, I got to ramblin' .... then switched my line of thought. There's not any relation from a functional standpoint, you're correct in pointing that out. I guess that shows I'm not particularly fair to all views of aesthetics, and there isn't really a connection with materials and design. So, all of them are fine, (except uranium) :eek: Otherwise, it's ultimately about what you like... Maybe I need to be more accepting.. woops! Sorry. :footinmou
David
 
And just what do you have against uranium? :p :p Just yankin' your chain. :) Hope you had a happy Christmas.

Roger
 
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