What's your favorite bade finish?

Boris74 said:
You got me good there. So the question is then, if even cheap tools can get that mirror finish, why's it so hard to do on knives? Oh well, I'll just keep using mine.

Good thing I emptied my bladder just before I read that.....
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Hahaha yes we don't want any accidents here.
 
I totally dislike painted blades on any knives. It is one of my criticisms for Kabar Becker and ESEE knives. You can get some ESEE models now without the paint, but not the Beckers. The paint can be stripped if you want to do it. I'm generally just lazy and like guns I use them as they mostly come out of the box. The paint is not a deal breaker for the Beckers as I consider them a pretty good value.

Have a Cabelas Buck 192 with S30V (Alaskan Guide Series) that has a black blade but it appears to be more like a gun bluing than painted. It's okay, but I don't know yet how it will hold up with use. Not really too concerned actually on the Buck.

Favorite finish is satin similar to what Bark River puts on their finished product knives.
 
I would prefer a coated blade, but a coating is not a must. I have yet to have an acid wash knife but i do like the looks they produce. Satin,bead blast, stone wash are neither great or bad for me. For some reason i prefer a coating, but i have my fair share and an equal amount or great of uncoated blades as to my coated blade. Also for the most part I'm speaking of folders, for my fixed blade I'm not really concerned about coatings. i like the looks of a developed patina on carbon steel so strictly speaking carbon steel blades i would want an uncoated blade fixed blade or folder.
 
I've yet to have any problems with Microtech's DLC, but then I haven't tried to open any cans either...:D
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banana-clip said:
I like the two tone finish with stonewashed flats and satin grinds.
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That; what he said.

I think mirror polish should be available as an upcharge option.

For a user, I do like the grey, semi-finich on Schrade's SCHF14.
 

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Remember that on carbon steel blades like 1095 and their ilk, manufacturers cannot count of everyone being as dedicated as we all are in cleaning and wiping the knife after use and then applying a light coating of oil - I prefer mineral oil for those knives touching food. Most knife buyers aren't like us.:cool:;)

Can you imagine the warranty claims and complaints from regular folk (not Knife Knuts) when patina (or worse) started developing???:eek:
 
Fwiw, while I stated that I don't mind a good dlc coating from an aesthetics standpoint, my preference for a good mirror finish (or even a high polish), vs. my dislike for stone wash and bead blasted, has far less to do with aesthetics and more to do with the benefits they serve against rust. While I live in PA now (on a lake, so water and moisture is still a common enemy), my younger days spent on the shore and working on salt water, (coupled with my younger more careless nature) taught me to appreciate not just stainless steal in general, but any additional help I can get against iron oxidation... Aka rust.. I do like the look of a clean wiped shiny steel, but more so I know that the smoother the finish, the more water (and rust) resistant it becomes, which I think is why I like the "look" more, for me, the appreciation for rust resistance developed into an appreciation for smooth shiny steel.
 
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