I guess I'm kinda odd or maybe just old...but certain things I want to look old. For instance, I can't stand a new baseball cap. I have to kick it around, rub the bill with a stone til it starts to fray, then I'll wear it :knothead:
I'm kinda the same way with my knives. I want them to look like they were my Grandfather's knife that he carried with him all the time. Maybe because I only met my Grandfather one time and never got anything from him. Anyway since the Bear Quest Knife Trials, I've been playing around with different ways to finish or unfinish my knives. Here's an example of Doug Campbell style caper. What do ya'll think---old look or polish it out? Doc
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/BladeTexture-Caper002.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/BladeTexture-Caper008.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/BladeTexture-Caper005.jpg)
Nice knife, but hope you don't do that with other things like a bow, or your ride..
I like it, looks like it's functional instead of show. I'm all about function :bigsmyl:
Tippit I asked you onetime about that both ends drop shape as it seemed rather odd to me for working, putting too much strain on the wrist,but since y'all just skinned/cut up a bunch of bars maybe you can comment?
I too like function but that combo of the polished and the forged marks on your blades is what makes the visual appeal complete...not to mention the shapes, scales and razor sharpness.
Never get tired of looking at your beautiful work Jeff! :thumbsup:
Mickey, The balance of his knives are so comfortable to hold and they really make the job much easier with that drop for all my cutting tasks... it sure gets a workout and still as sharp as the day I received it :)
Each style has it's appeal. I like the rustic look with forge marks still showing and I like the satin finish blades. Depends on my mood I guess :) I also like getting the nicely polished ones all bloody and letting 'em oxidize to a nice patina!
Mr Ferret, I actually find the straight-handled knives put more strain on the wrist. The knife Doc posted is just about right for me - hold the narrow neck tightly with thumb and index finger with the rest of the fingers naturally resting lightly on the handle. The ones with extreme drop (like this one skinning knife (http://home.earthlink.net/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://home.earthlink.net/~jsteflik1306/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/skinner2.jpg&target=tlx_new) ) are best used gripped with the thumb and middle finger with the index on the blade. That style of little skinner isn't much good for gutting (unless you talk to my buddy's kid) but it sure does get a deer out of it's skin quick!
Shell, Jeremy, I'll be darned. Must be the way I think about holding a knife while skinning which is with the index finger on the back of the blade and my thumb against the side of the handle with the others wrapped around the other side of the handle, using the last 1/3 of the blade up to the tip while skinning. (if that makes any sense LOL)
Reeeeally glad you asked this Jeff. I've been having exactly the same thoughts myself. I personally prefer a quenched finish ( y'know, that off-black colour) with the edge ground to around 400 grit. The most tedious & laborious task in knifemaking has GOT to be hand rubbing a blade to an even satin finish :banghead: For a really well polished finish, I use a sisal mop & compound on the grinder, but for pure functional beauty you can't beat a blackened forge finish..........
Old is cool in this case.
.......like this 'un I've just about finished :readit: ...
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/fishknife.jpg)
wow Rob, that's a deep bevel. Nice looking knife though. Like the handle.
Some of each. Variety is the spice of life after all.
I prefer the "unfinished" look. I can't stand a knife that was made just to look at it. As long as it can hold an edge and it gets used, then its a great knife to me. JMHO
I like 'em like me...rough around the edges with little to no polish,kinda old & worn,but sharp where it counts. :bigsmyl: 'Course the shiny ones are pretty to look at!
I do admit that unfinished look is equally as nice (Rob, wait till my hubby sees that one...superb! :thumbsup: ) but I do love the way the the finished look makes for a simple backdrop for those uniquely hammered forge marks created only but once by the artist's hands....functional art oh sentimental me ;)
Mickey, I skin with the same grip as you mention and will be anxious to use mine if we are blessed with venison this season.
The bacote already proved itself worthy for both skinning and butchering with ease and comfort last season :)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/fishrofmen1/DSCN2625.jpg)
Doc, I like the "old,used" look
Mickey, It's all personal preference. At Bear Camp, the top blade proved to be the best all around design. It will skin in long sweeping swings. With the little drop but thick tip, you could put it under the skin and open the hide like zipper...much faster than a gut hook. It also has enough beef to dis-articulate...cut off ;) joints & heads with power. Only draw back for me...it's a big heavy knife to carry.
The Skinner proved to be the best for skinning and NOT cutting hide. But wasn't really good for other tasks...much more specialised.
The caper is my constant belt knife cause it's small on my side and it can do everything well. So these three are now my arsenal of personal knives...Doc
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/BladeTexture-Caper009.jpg)
I prefer the unpolished look, myself, doc..like the one you made me.
Doc... the "unfinished" look has kinda become a trademark of your fine knives. Makes them identifiable at a glance.
They are in fact classy and far from "unfinished".
I like the looks of #3.
OLD STYLE
Rob & Jeremy---both know that the old look is a lot less work :bigsmyl: Doc
Old and unfinished. :thumbsup:
Doc,
Your knives don't sell cause you don't sell em!!!! No other reason!!!!
That is a sensational looking knife Doc. Polishing it would be a sin. IMHO.
When ya' gonna' turn pro?
Hey Doc, Send one of each for evaluation and I will get back with ya on an answer. LOL :smileystooges: :D
Doc,
I like the old, out of the forge look.
I've recently been reading about applying mustard (yeah real mustard like you'd put on your hot dog!!)to a semi-polished carbon blade to achieve an aged look. You dab it on with the tip of your finger and let it dry, wash off and do it again. The vinegar ans salt in the mustard is supposed to give a mottled, aged look. Some will finish it off with a cold blueing. Makes for a real antique look. Have you ever played with anything like that?
The "Tippit" style, is what I call the unpolished look. You have made a mark in our minds with your knives Doc. In my mind that's what a good knife should look like. Not that other's knives aren't good knives, Lord knows Jeremy and Doug, just to name a few, make some beautiful blades. I just like the simple functional look to "Tippit" knives.
OLD..... :thumbsup:
Doc, I LOVE the "old" look. but i think i need a closer look. i could test one for ya.
By the way, how do you finish the blade that way....hopefully its not a ancient knifemakers secret.
I like the old look. But not because I am lazy and don't wanna spend time to get a blade to shine like Jeremys . It's just that I like a rugged look in a knife. But sometimes a nice polish ona blade is sweet so what Vermonster said rings so true.<><<><
I don't like my things to shine too much plus the knife has more character if it's finish is left a bit rough. Either way, they're nice knives.
I like the aged look too. If you really use a carbon steel knife , it will get stained anyway. If it's gonna be stained, I would just as soon have it stained in a nice looking pattern. I like the mustard etch because you can make different patterns .
Just a question from a budding knife maker ,,, do people spend more on the polished look , or are they just as happy to spend as much on a knife that looks "rough" ??
QuoteOriginally posted by Coachy:
Just a question from a budding knife maker ,,, do people spend more on the polished look , or are they just as happy to spend as much on a knife that looks "rough" ??
Doesn't seem to make that much difference, to be honest. If an etched or non polished blade suits the style of knife, obviously. Some knives just flat out don't suit a forged finish & look far better with a satin or mirror polish.
A lot also depends on your intended market.
How can you say that a certain knife suits a certain finish ? Sorry I just dont get it . I thought it would be more of a personal thing . How could say ,, a fillet knife suit a polished finish ,, where as a skinner would suit a forged finish ?
Anyway ,, looking forward to more opinions
Coachy,
As I started making knives, I strived to copy guys whose knives I really liked ie. Doug & Daniel Winkler...I said tried! You keep reaching plateaus if you stick with anything long enough just like shooting traditional equipment. My next level was I could finally forge consistent shapes & reproduce what I was actually trying to copy. Then you finally start to break out on your own and keep changing styles to see how little differences effect the function of the blade. That's were the Bear Quest has been so much fun for me with the number of bears to be skinned and usually four guys to a bear...a lot of knives get tested!
Long explanations of how the maker feels when they finish up a blade. Anyway that's my interpretation of Rob's comment on how the finish fits the blade. Still comes back to what the maker & buyer like...except I don't have buyers so it's easier for me to keep playing around :goldtooth: Doc
Coachy,
Also I think there is a difference in a rough look. The knife has to be finished and then have a rough look as opposed to being just rough if you are talking about some spending good money on it. IMHO The rough look on a finished knife is just a style and cost similar. Then Again my customers are all very complimentary of my pricing policy...Doc
Doc,
I love the old look of a lot of your blades. You make some fine looking knives. I look more for function. If it works I like it. :thumbsup:
Quote Then Again my customers are all very complimentary of my pricing policy...Doc
I'm quite fond of it myself! :clapper:
Doc is spot on about a knife having to be finished and look rough, rather than be rough. There's a very BIG difference that is clear when you have both types in your hands.
The nicest knife I've seen to date was a "rough" forged hunter by an ABS Master Smith. It was probably about 95% finished right out of the forge. All the smith did was grind the edge. The blade had the blackened finish Rob was talking about and you could tell it had been hand hammered to shape (nice distal taper and an even bevel from spine to edge) but running my fingers over the blade I could hardle detect the variations in the surface. The skill it takes to do that is well beyond what I'll ever be capable of (a man's got to know his limits) and the smith was asking, received and deserved a hefty price for that knife.
I too like the well worn look, but prefer that the blade and grip have a matching finish. I have some stuff from the buckskinner set called "Old Bone" that is chemically nasty but will oxidize bone, antler or wood to match the metal. I dunno what it is, but it seems to stop acting with a good rinse. It is liquid and bright purple.
Potassium Permanganate!
I just added that to my dictionary Doc. I can say it but could never spell it :goldtooth:
Ditto on the old used look...Like Ferret said, looks like it just works.
Jake
Hands down, I like the old worn look. I don't carry anything but carbon steel. To me they look the worst when you first use them and put just a few scuffs on the finish. I can't wait for them to turn gray. By the way, your knives are awesome. I admired them well before this post.
QuoteOriginally posted by Coachy:
How can you say that a certain knife suits a certain finish ? Sorry I just dont get it . I thought it would be more of a personal thing . How could say ,, a fillet knife suit a polished finish ,, where as a skinner would suit a forged finish ?
Anyway ,, looking forward to more opinions
Sorry, just to clarify. Certain 'styles' of knife do suit certain finishes. A buffalo handled, fileworked bowie, for examle, would just look wrong with a forged finish, same with a Scandinavian puuko. However, a frontier style, stag handled bowie would suit a forged or quenched finish. I know that I've made quite a few now that in my head were going to be left 'rough' but when they're actually made, just look wrong. They've been stripped down, polished & re-built & suddenly look right! It's kinda hard to explain, but certain makers make knives that follow a particular 'style' (try a Google search for Dave Budd) that just look 'old' & a forged or quenched finish just seems right for that style.
Again, blade grinds can determine which finish looks the best. A convex ground blade, with no secondary bevel will never, ever look good with anything other than a polished or satin finish, as it encompasses the entire blade from spine to edge. A hollow or Scandi grind blade can go either way, because you've got a large, flat, unground surface above the grind line. Same with a sabre grind. A full flat grind seems to suit a fine satin finish, although it can be left 'unfinshed' behind the ricasso.
It's not nesceserraly the overall shape of the knife you're looking at more the individual parts & the way it all hangs together. If you look at the picture of the knife I posted, with the quenched finish I see it as an iron-age inspired hunting knife. In overall shape, style & finish. If I polished up the same blade & added a rosewood or black micarta handle, it'd be exactly the same knife, but it'd be seen as a kitchen/veggie knife! It's all about perception.
I think!
I've noticed that some people demand that a knife be "perfectly" crafted. They want it shiny and swoopy with no visible flaws. Chances are those people will never use that kind of knife for it's intended purpose, and that's OK.
There are others who like a story to go along with the purchase of a knife. They WANT to see honest, straightforward craftsmanship and a few minor flaws or an aged patina . I read an article about hand-made items that you should always leave a little "mark of the maker" to remind people that the object was made by human hands and not some machine.
Joey
Very well said Rob!!
hey me idont give a fat rats ass as long as it cuts and skins and keeps a sharp edge. :readit: :saywhat: :jumper: :jumper:
Well then Jeff, Next year make another trip with us to Quebec and try one out for yourself. They seems to do the job this year. In fact with bear grease & blood you won't even see the blade :)
Just an opinion, but I too like the old look with one addition, I like an antler handle on my old looking stuff. makes it look more rustic to me. As I said, just one opinion.
WHAT ME HUNT BEARS I DONT THINK SO!!! :scared: i dont hunt things that bite back. :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
jon,
Something like this. Weathered whitetail antler picked up at this years TXS. The more weathered & cracked, the better I like workin' it...Doc
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/BladeTexture-AntlerHandle002.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/BladeTexture-AntlerHandle006.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/BladeTexture-AntlerHandle009.jpg)
i like both looks but am pretty partial to the older aged look. here is one of my favorite blades with a random criss cross pattern.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/adkmountainken/knives/blade.jpg)
now doc thats a nice looking knife right there :thumbsup: :notworthy:
What? We gotta choose one or the other??!! As many have said already... some styles look better polished and some rustic.
Tippit, I've not seen a bad one from you! Your knives are beauties, and as we've heard (read)... very functional!
I sure love the looks of that weathed whitetail handle! How do you stabilize it? Work on it?
Cuty, If it is hard enough, I split it with my band saw. Then flatten the slabs to the thickness I want. Glue it on, pin it, grind to rough shape, and finish by hand. Then I quickly saturate it with thin super glue. If you get too much glue on it will build up and you lose the natural look & feel of the rough horn.
If the bone or antler is too crumbly than I completely saturated with super glue before doing anything else to it...Doc
Good evening Doc,
Did anyone of you try sand blasting your blades. Once the blade is finished old or polished, take masking tape and cover the part of the blade that you don't want the sand to touch. You can use your imagination and cut out a nice design in your masking tape. Sand blast the blade and remove the tape...it adds an awesome two tone effect on your finish. The finish stands out a bit more on a semi posished blade but give it a try, you'll be impressed.
Daniel