Why Mirror Finish?

C

Caden_Vekk

Joined
Feb 28, 2007
Messages
184
I'm a big fan of knives and swords of all types. From the bronze to the steel of today, but what i can't understand is the "greatness" of mirror finishes. if i see a mirror finished blade in a historical movie I (being a nit picky ocd crackmonkey) freak out about it (only in my head of course). Sure there's the shiny factor, we as humans are naturally attracted to shiny things just like canaries (not something we'd like to admit), just look at chrome rims. Personally i can't stand chrome rims either, to me, most are gaudy and ugly, just like mirror finishes IMHO.

I imagine there might be a sense of pride while making a knife in saying that "I took this otherwise dull peice of metal and made it be able to show my face to me" and i do commend you for the patience required to do so.

My question, i guess, is why are we so facinated with shiny things? Such as a blindingly shiny knife. I've seen many a great design ruined in my opinion by being too reflective. To me, a nice satin finish is the only finish i like (besides that one guy's "natural finish".
 
From reading many of the posts here it's obvious that you need one knife to shave with, [ "so sharp you can shave with it " ] and one knife polished to a mirror finish to use as a mirror !! Then you can be clean shaven even in the woods [ where nobody cares !! ] I suppose you could use a shiney one as a signal mirror too .400 grit finish is fine for me.
 
hahaha very true. But i think that if i'm stuck in the wilderness somewhere i'm not going to care much of how i look. Sure you could use it as a signal mirror but what if you're hunting and accidently whip out Shiney, there goes your food.
 
If a blade's grinds are not even, a mirror finish will point that out in a great big hurry. Mirror finishing also provides a measure of corrosion resistance to non-stainless steels, as well as allowing the maker/new owner to insure the quality of the steel (back when steel was made by hand). Furthermore, true hand-polishing is an art-form. Have you seen the prices that traditional Japanese polishers get per inch?:eek:
-Mark
 
Americans love shiny, we always have. Remember the chrome, on the 50s autos. I think we equate shiny with quality. Its a status thing.
It is, almost exclusively, an American obsession.
When I first started making knives, an established maker told me "if you make it shiny, someone will buy it.

Fred

I prefer other finishes, myself.
 
very true, and i didn't know about the corrosion resistance but it makes sense. the smoother the metal, the less crevesses (sp) and microscopic dips in the metals which add to the over all surface area causing more metal to react to the oxygen in the air.

I was thinking of this as a more aesthetic question but that does make sense
 
The up side is water will run off a mirror finished blade like it was running off a freshly waxed car. No scratches nothing for the water to cling to. Waxing a car or any other thing you may wax does the same thing as the fine polish on a blade. The highly polished blade is also less likely to stain from say blood. The down sides are (this has already been mentioned) the reflection can make you seen when you dont want to be seen ( while hunting or in combat) and It doesnt take much to mar a shiny blade. One big scratch and suddenly It doesnt look so great.
 
One of my main problems with mirror finished blades is that they remind me too much of fantasy blades. I like swords and knives as much as the next guy but these perversions of the name Sword these people sell at the mall are despicable. The very reason i have none. Sure some are artful (in a manner of speaking) but most are just plain crap.
 
Shiny SELLS !!!!!!!!!

That is the biggest reason for making a knife shine at all,If shiny was to spook game why polish the handle and guard material,I dont know about you guys but I dont take my knife out untill after I have shot the game (combat is a exception) Think about this,a man is walking up on you in a dimmly lit area and you see a flash of shine,scares the heck outta you as you know what he has,now you make yours shine back and he will think twice (in theory at least)...

Yes a full polished blade has more corrosion resistance,but use it a few times and the shine is gone.The average person can take polishing cream and clean up a polished blade but not the skills or knowledge to clean up a nice satin finish.

Why do we all like to buy a nice new shiny pickup knowing we are going out in the woods and scratch it and cover it in mud,or take it to a jobsite just to mess it up?why do we like bright shiny new pennies,why do we buy our wives and girlfriends bright shiny gold and diamond jewlery?they sparkle and get lots of attention while new and shiny that is why,perioed.....Walk through a knife show or even a gun show,I will say 75% of everybody will have a shiny new gun or knife catch their eye long before the same object that is used and not shiny,it is just human nature and for a business man just plain good business to give the majority what they want:D

In all reality a highly hand polished blade will take longer to finish than a satin finish everytime,but in the long run is usually worth it by attracting potential customers.If you dont believe me make a table full of non shiny knives and see what happens then make a table with at least a few shiny blades set in the lights to cause reflections at the passing customers and see what gets the most first glance attention,the satin knives may sell faster but that shiny one got them their I bet.When I see a car lot I look at the shiny new ones,if I see a new car in all flat paint I would think it was used and not look if I wanted new....Just Human nature as I have said before.

Just my 2 cents worth of rambling.
Bruce
 
Very true, very true. I like you, you really sit down and study the nature of what you're being asked.

and i bet those 2 cents were shiney weren't they. hahahaha. damn humans
 
Thanks,Naw the pennies were a couple I found and kept anyway....:D :D .....the kids get the shiny ones.....

Actually this was a question I had to ask myself years ago when I wasnt getting the attention to my table but others were.I started walking through shows and watching ,plus paying attention to what I looked at first.Heck just walk through Wally World and watch what people look at.They always go shiny and sparkly at first or even all the time even if it is not as good as the other,there are excptions to this when someone is looking for a flat finish or non shiny ,that is why I say 75%...

Heck as a kid Grandpa never gave a dull penny or quarter always bright shiny new ones,even dolloar bills at Christmas had to be new and crisp.Then the first pocket knife was always shiny,and you always wanted to take care of it so it didnt loose the shine....

Kind of like when we first meet our girlfriends and wives we get all cleaned up and spit polished for them (even though we hated it) and they would do the same---advance in time after a few months of marriage and the shine goes away and we settle in to being ourselves again and we all just get back to living:cool: :D

Donna said it is just a 2 word answer here....BLING BLING ....Period Gotta Love her


Bruce
 
The lady's got it right. Though i wonder, if shiney sells. What would you consider the shiney of an antique store? "Look honey, this only has 122 years of rust, as opposed to that rickity 123yrs over there"
 
Heck why put chrome all over a street rod motor when a dull oily motor will work just as well....HE HE HE....That is just nature.....
 
I lean to Mete's likes, I go only to 220 grit, unless it is really special, but then 98% of mine are 18th c. working types, and I age most of them anyway. It's hard to damage an already pitted and stained blade finish.
 
Antiques are a whole different thing,The patena is what you look at,and a coat of wax or oil brings back luster of yesterday.....Allot of people do not like antiques until they re-finish them to make them shiny and sparkly again....To me that just ruins them,even on old rusty antique pieces,oil it and love it for the stories it can tell..

Shiny has always been a status symbol,why put Gold and silver or jewels on a knife when a piece of old weathered bone will work just as well if not better.

Bruce
 
Me? I love the rust, the very thought of this thing in your hands or in your living room being there long before you were born and will be here long after you're gone. it puts things into perspective you konw? Like I'm in Germany right now and i've been to the castles and am absolutely amazed by just the sheer history of it all. I'll go and buy things at an antique store just because they're riddled with rust and patina
 
I could make allot more knives than I do if I didnt spend so much time and effort on all the fit finish,and polishing to bring out the makimum blaing appeal possiable on the knife.

Aging a blade is a great way to finish one,I just cant do it after hours of finish work.But I am going to start doing some and not as much finish work when I get back to feeling better.

Bruce
 
polsh avenger hit it right on the head i think the biggest most important thing about mirror finishes is resistance to rust, ect the mirror finish really closes up those pours not allowing much moisture to stay on the blade
 
I LOVE Antiques....My computer desk and entertainment center are both hand made from old barn boards with rust nail holes left and ruff edges left with a few saw cuts showing as possiable.If I go to a flea market and they dont have old rusty things for me to look at I dont like going....Man I would live to get to wonder around a old castle,Heck I love digging around old barns and shops just to see what kinds of old cool stuff is around.

Guess I am just a old Junk Man at heart,guess that is why I liked working in the scrap yard for years.

Bruce
 
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