blade finish..

[sam the man..]

Dear Spyderfolks...



How do you like your blade finished? Satin-polished? Bead blasted? Stone washed? Blackened?



My choices - Satin.. its flashy and classy.. Someday, I hope to see a stonewashed <img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>! <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>



Sam



have scars will travel..

[yog]

I don't like blackened blades, it makes me feel like I've joined the Mall Ninga brigade. I really wish Benchmade would offer the choice of no coating on some of their coated range, especially the 710 in M2 steel. I know it's meant to be a rust inhibitor, but good maintanence should be enough.

Satin finish is a good alrounder, and it's probably the type I have most of.

Bead blasting is ok, especially when used like Chris Reaves does on some of his sebenzas. Most of the blade is bead blasted, but you have the option of having the hollow ground section polished, makes for a beautiful contrast.

If you don't have a stone washed knife, then you really owe it to yourself to get one <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> especially for a working knife.
It's like the knife comes pre-worn, and so you automatically don't feel so bad using it on harder tasks.
I know some say that stone washed blades can retain very fine bits of dirt and moisture, and so speed up corrosion, but on the stone washed S30v blade I have that dosn't even begin to be a problem.


Walk softly, carry a big stick.

Edited by - yog on 6/21/2003 3:32:43 AM

[Alan2112]

Another satin fan, but the polished blades sure are pretty! RKBA!

[sam the man..]

Thanks for the input Yog! Yeah, my Microtech LCC's stone washed finish is certainly a no-frills blade finish... Hey, anyone fancy mirror-polished blades?

Sam

have scars will travel..

[Jurphaas]

Sam, nothing beats a fine mirror finish. Just look at the first series of FB01's! Not only were these the first production knives with VG-10 (about 10 years ago gentlemen) but they were also mirror finished by the maker G.Sakai. These knives have never looked so classy again. The high cost of production and the value of the Yen have killed this type of finish. So sorry!
I had a stone washed LCC and I didn't like the look of the finish. I've sold it and never looked back.

Clipits work!

[vampyrewolf]

I prefer polished, for looks, but it tyakes fingerprints and scratches too easily.

Satin on the other hand is a great work finish.

gun con·trol n. definition 1. The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her pantyhose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker received that fatal bullet wound. 2. The ability to hit what you are aiming at. 3. The first key step of a corrupt political agenda where good citizens are disarmed so that a dictatorship may replace a democracy in the future.

[Sword and Shield]

Brushed finishes are perfect for me. I use my knives hard, and it requires only one good scratch to ruin a mirror finish.

By the time you read this, you'll have already read it.

[J Smith]

I would like to see a stone washed Spydie.For gents knives I like mirror polished everything else I like stone washed or satin.

I learn something new everyday,even though I don't want to. Jeff

[Zrexxer]

1. Satin finished, straight from the grinder. Not the longitudinal, hand-finished satin finish achieved with sandpaper.

2. "Stonewashed" which is just a fancy name for an abrasive tumbled finish.

3. Bead blast looks like crap after being used hard, and the only thing that looks worse after use is

4. Black finished.

I have an RTAK that has a parkerized finish which isn't as bad as the black coated blades. The parked finish seems to hold up better than coated ones ala Emerson and Microtech.

Dan

I got these lines in my face from trying to straighten out the wrinkles in my life

[tique]

My favorite has to be a nice hand satin finish, but production satin finishes are great too and cost less <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

I'm not a big fan of stone wash, I like the character marks that come with using knives with another finish. I like black and then bead blast above stone wash, only because bead blast seems to rust faster than the black finished blades.

[sam the man..]

'brushed finish' yeah... that's interesting too! I think those black-ti coatings are really cool.. I don't really worry about scratches on these black blade.. <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

Sam

have scars will travel..

[CKE]

Blackened blades(or the ones I have/had) wore off or scratched off too easily. I prefer a mirror or satin finish. I do like the stone wash Microtech LCC style.

"everything else is just a jeep"

[dynaryder]

I like the way polished blades look,but they pick up fingerprints too easy. Beadblast is ok except for the Wenger SAK's. They're dull as butterknives out of the box. Still haven't figured out how to sharpen the saw on my RealTree Backpacker. My old Benchmade 830 has a black blade that looked good for years until I moved into my apt in '01. Was chopping up some boxes and hit a couple staples. :-P

[Jimd]

For a practical, using knife, I've never cared for the mirror finish.

I like bead-blasted and satin; they're no-frills, but look decent on a using knife.

As for black...my Benchmade has a black blade (Stryker), and I think the more it gets worn, the more character it has. It looks like an old veteran.

As for stone-washed...I've not yet had a knife with this finish. Perhaps I need to look into it, it sounds appealing.

Sniper -- One Shot, One Kill Email: ST8PEN01@aol.com

[fredswartz]

Personally, I like the way Spyderco finishes their blades at present. Scratches can be buffed out and made to look like new with the right combination of fine emery cloth and jewelers rouge and lots of patience. I don't like bead blasted blades and have a couple of Microtechs that I would like to sell because of this. Stonewashed is OK but I like Spyderco's blades the way they currently are.