Why must they touch it?

  • Thread starter Thread starter RJ
  • Start date Start date
I would not have a problem with people touching the blade if I was tring to sell the knife. I have touched a blade before I bought it. I wanted to test lock up and all. I feel that it is essential to know how the knife "feels" before I buy it. But I am not a dealer and what I am talking about is when a friend is over and just wants to see a knife. Most of my friends don't know anything about knives so I know thay are not testing the lock up. They just want to see how sharp it is. Maybe what I will do is just get more Tuff Cloth.

Thanks,
Rich

[This message has been edited by RJ (edited 09 May 1999).]
 
RJ Martin said it best. I would say that if you don't want people to touch the blade then don't hand the knife to anyone. Keep it in a case or hold it in front of their face. I have always found wiping, cleaning, and inspecting my knives to be one of the joys of collecting. If it is a user I could care less if they touch the blade. I would never touch the blade on a Japanese sword but that is an entirely different beast. If you are trying to sell knives and you don't want people to touch them at shows I would suggest embedding them in a block of lucite like those scorpions and spiders you see at tourist trap stores. Or get into another line of work. Paintings are for looking at. If you are talking about high end custom stuff I could see your point. Are we talking mosaic damascus, high carbon tool steel, or stainless (or what) here?
 
Well, RJ, it bothers me a lot, too, when people do that to my knives... but I caught myself doing just that to a friend´s knives, a while ago!!!!
Best regards

Ivan
 
Duh me want tuch sharppointythingamajigger.
Ugh, this not sharp me no cut to bone.
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I am a bit mixed on this topic. As for my personal blades, I do prefer people not touch the steel(esp the Master tanto eh, Dan)
I rarely let people admire or handle my blades. A personal glitch of mine, but I do not have many friends close by who appreciate edged items as I do and have no concept of the bond between man and steel. (mine, mine, mine, mine, mine
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)

Now on the other side of the coin, if I or anyone for that matter are selling/trading/giving a knife you should have no problem with them handling it to get a true feel for it. OK, a good majority of the people are "motor morons" and have no real experience or knowledge, that is why it is up to us to help them. If they want to test the edge geometry or "bite", I say go ahead(under supervision of course)
As has been stated, most people wouldn't know ATS-34 from G10 that is why we must help them, guide them, Educate them.
If I am to purchase a knife and the dealer won't let me handle it to my satisfaction, not only has he lost my business, but the business of everyone I know. I have gone to stores and fondled a particular knife over and over while debating wether or not I really want it and ultimately I have gone back more oft than not and acquired it.

Reader's Digest version: If it's yours do as you like, if you're trying to sell it bring a Tuf-cloth and smile, smile, smile.

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God bless!

Romans 10:9-10

"Military" Fans Unite!!
 
I made a guy I worked with buy a knife of mine that he cut himself with. I told him that since he bled on the knife, it was now BIOHAZARDOUS and I didn't want it back. I refused to touch it. He paid me for it and about 3 days later was walking around the shop tossing it in the air. He dropped it through the top of his foot. I just THOUGHT there was blood on it the first time!
 
I agree with RJ....I would never purchase a custom knife without feeling of the edge! I do ask permission to handle a custom though and do not rub my fingers all over the blade. I could understand why someone would keep their high-end work in a case but that is all.
I use to make and sell knives and I would even hand a custom to a guy/gal if they even appeared interested in it. Just my opinion!
 
Hey William,

Yeah... That was the first thing I asked you when the knife arrived, as I know for a fact that there are curious people around who can't resist touching the knife and feeling the edge.

I couldn't really blame the dealers here who'd feel a bit peeved if they see their knives with smudges all over. I mean, granted they should be all smiles even if they hate it, but it does get pretty frustrating to be cleaning up the display pieces, every few minutes or so. Now if these are coming from people who touch the knives because they want to test lock integrity, edge sharpness, etc. I guess that would be okay, coz it shows interest in the part of the person. But I think it's the people who touches knives just for the heck of it, with no intention of even buying whatsoever, smudges a beautiful piece all over, then leaves... duh!
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But it would be pretty unfair to tell a dealer that he's in the wrong line of work if he feels bothered whenever smudges are found in their knives. Would you be interested in even looking at a display piece with fingerprints all over it?
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Even when armed with a Tuf-cloth, it could still be pretty frustrating.

I guess a simple sign like "Please Handle With Care" plus some of Jim's band-aids ought to do the trick.. hehehe.

Dan
 
The last custom knife show I went to, I brought my own soft cloth for wiping, asked politely before pawwing anything, wiped any marks off afterwards, and thanked the owner/dealer/maker afterwards. I received smiles, "You're welcome," and, "No problem." I even got a couple of, "If you liked that one, check this one out..." There was one fella there, Mr. Tim Zowada, who had some of the most beautiful damascus work I'd ever seen, and I sincerely complimented him on that fact. After a brief chat, I pointed to an exquisite fixed damascus utility knife and politely asked, "Excuse me, I know I may never be able to afford such a knife, but can I see that one?" "Absolutely," he said, "let me show you a couple of things how I made this one." I received a brief lesson about damascus patterns and folding, mokume guards, and mammoth ivory, just by asking nicely.

It was a basic kindergarten lesson. I found that if you're sincere, polite, and clean up any mess you made, everything was fine.

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Don LeHue

The pen is mightier than the sword...outside of arm's reach. Modify radius accordingly for rifle.


 
Donl,
From your mouth to everyone`s ears who go to shows. It is all about respect and common curtesy.If more people did as you do Knife shows would be even more fun to work.Youhave motivated me to bring a cloth to the blade show,whereI will be touching a lot,with permission,of course.
Respect is like a lot of things.You have to give it to get it.
BE SHARP
David
 
A lot of good points have been made here, if only the guy who picks up a knife without asking, flicks it open at a hundred mph, flips it around a couple of times mid-air, paws both sides of the blade to see if the finish is just painted on, bends the clip over the side of the handle to see if horizontal carry will work, and then clanks it down on top of another knife would read the intirety of this thread
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Rich,
I feel I owe you an apology. When I first read your post I thought you were talking about someone touching the blade that you were trying to sell and not a private piece. There is a difference.

Recently I bought a custom knife made by fellow BF member Corduroy. A beautiful symmetrical concept hunter. An amazing knife--very well done and a solid piece. I showed it to several of my knife nut friends and they started to touch the blade and got their finger prints all over it. I about died! I'm thinking, "get your filthy paws of my knife you stink'n animal" (I'm paraphrasing from Planet of the Apes
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).

At that exact moment I knew what you meant.

I took the knife home and immediately polished the blade.

Regards,

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~Greg~

 
At shows, people always go right for the blade. You have to expect it. The thing that bothers me a little is that the handle is ignored for the most part. I put a lot of time into the handle. What with multiple spacers, file work etc. & I would like to have it appreciated a little more, rather than just focusing on the blade, but what can you do? I remember at one show... a elderly gentleman tried to be nice by wiping his prints off the knife before returning it to the table, (a rather large Bowie) by running it across his sleeve, just about an inch or so from his wrist. My god, I just about came out of my boots! Not only was I thinking of him scratching the blade, but I could picture blood spurting all over the place... Whew!
(I must admit, my first thought was him scratching the blade. Isn't that terrible?).

I think that whether it be a knife show, or a personal knife that you are showing a friend.
Everyone, except for an educated few, will go for the blade, it's just one of those things. Just be sure to have a wipe cloth at the ready. Interesting, fun post
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Take care...BCK

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Happy Knifemaking...
www.freeyellow.com/members6/cut/index.html

[This message has been edited by BCK (edited 20 May 1999).]
 
There are VERY FEW people I know who I would even consider handing one of my knives to them. One guy asked to see my Delica and then walked over to a wooden pillar to see how far he could cut into it. Needless to say I took it from him before he could find out.
On the other hand, at a gun show or such, I ask permission to see a knife, and if yes, then I want to check for slight play, proper lockup, basic sharpness (with my thumb), and I usually wipe it off myself after. I usually only ask to observe what I might buy. If I can't check a knife at least for these strengths/possible flaws, I'd rather go to a table where i can. Treat the knife with respect, especially before it's yours. and even after!
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Jim
 
Yes, if I were examining a knife that there would be a chance of me buying, I would *carefully but effectively* check the blade for play and lockup. But if it were a very expensive custom that "why in God's name did he let me touch this?!" I would never touch the blade for any reason.
 
Everybody loves to touch, what bothers me it when people want to see how sharp it is by running their finger down the blade (my respondence is hey, don't do that you're going to get cut).
Reminds me of the time I was milling a part, a new EE comes up to my mill while my back was away (machine off) feels the end- mill and says "are these things very sharp" , I turn to say yes...but the blood coming out of his finger kind of answered that. I looked at him what do you think, he says ya...I guess they are.
 
God, I thought I was the only one who acts like a freak when it comes to knife handling skills...

I do on occasion hold the spine of the blade when I am looking at a knife to buy. You should always check end-play and lockup. But hey, that's what knife reviews are for.

EK

[This message has been edited by ekaagan (edited 20 May 1999).]
 
An older guy I work with asked my advice about getting a knife to hang on his vest while white water rafting. Since he expressed an interest with sharp & pointies I showed him a knife I was carrying. The first thing he does is go for the edge and wipe his thumb across it. When I got it back I wiped it off explaining that I wouldn't carry a dull knife, and that skin oils were corrosive. He agreed saying "oh the oils from your hands are terrible, people don't know how bad they are".

The next day he asked to see another of my knives, and the first thing he does is go for the edge. Man, what a dufus! Now when he asks if I have anything new to show him I just say no.

LD
 
When I let someone see a knife I would be terribly disapointed if they didn't touch the edge. For me that is the only significant part of a knife and it cannot be appreciated by sight. I fully expect 10% of the people who touch the edge of one of my knives to cut themselves. The danger is greatest if I let them use one of my knives. They have achieved a more fundamental appreciation for just how sharp I can get a knife. When I kept my collection in a more accessible location I would always keep a silicon cloth out for friends to wipe up after themselves.
 
Personally, I only touch the blade with permission, and only if I really am considering buying the knife. But then again, I don't touch any part of the knife if I won't wanna buy. I do test the knife that I am thinking about buying, by cutting some hair or callus on my hand. BUT only if I am up to that stage of testing. That's just pretty much for my assurances. I don't like dull knives. And those I test this way end up coming with me anyway.

I would not even think of touching the blade of a high end (engraved, polished...) piece. Period.

Now most of my friends have no such problems. I, being the dumb person I am, bragged about the CS Recon's car-door penetration test to some of my friends. When they asked to see the knife a while later, I completely forgot about it, and gave it to them. Then I had to run off to get something done, and when I came back about half an hour later 2 of my friends were trying to pull the knife out of the steel of a motorcycle's fuel tank. Now after that, the least of my worries was that they touched the blade. They actually got some of their own 'testing' on video, and I saw it later. It's a tad bit worse than what the CS testers do to it. The knife is OK btw, only the epoxy is not in the best shape.

On another note, it's hard to test a folder with a thumbhole without touching the blade. The problem I have with the folders is that my friends have no idea how they lock. So even if they open it carefully, not touching the blade, once it's locked (whatever method) they have to use their other hand to try to force it closed. Thereby touching the blade. And don't they feel dumb when I show them how... hehe.
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May your shadow be found in happy places.
 
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