Blade finish?

[Tristan]

I've always went by the shiny approach. I think with customs, dramatic san mai and dammy did the job of adornment.

If it was a mono steel custom for performance, the buyer probably had some input if he wanted a certain type of finish?

[PierreRodrigue]

Yes the buyer gets what he wants of course!

As far as hand rubbed verses polished, either hand or machine polish, all the way to a mirror finish, is there a finish, that in a customers eye, is more desireable? Does the actual finish impact performance to a point that a knife with finish A will be selected over knife B where the only difference is the finish?

[El Pescador]

The courser the finish, the better the release.

[ajhuff]

I've been pondering this for awhile and I'm just going to go ahead and ask here. Why does no one do a bead or sand blast finish? Seems to me that it would be A) easier for the knife maker and B) provide a nice consistent satin finish.

-AJ

[RRLOVER]

Yes the buyer gets what he wants of course!

As far as hand rubbed verses polished, either hand or machine polish, all the way to a mirror finish, is there a finish, that in a customers eye, is more desireable? Does the actual finish impact performance to a point that a knife with finish A will be selected over knife B where the only difference is the finish?

I like the way a polished blade glides through a potato/onion,I have had some rough finish's and I can feel the blade grabbing the food.I think you should polish one up and leave one at 400,let us know what you think cuts better.

[SpikeC]

Sand or bead blast finish requires a perfect finish first, any imperfection will be very apparent.

[mr drinky]

I must say that I don't care about finish that much (if at all), though I have enjoyed trying Dave's near mirror finish, and Mario's beautiful knives along with Scott's shiny Flitz 'rub outs' have made me consider mirror finishes more. With that said, I've wondered about mirror finishes on carbon blades that patina versus mirror finishes on other steels that don't patina. No particular reason, it's just crossed my mind a few times if there would be a difference.

k.

[jmforge]

Spike, I have been told that a "stone wash" finish does not necessarily require a perfect finish beforehand, but in the case of thin blades like kitchen knives, that method may round over some things that you don't want rounded over. The typical blasted finish also may not be fine enough compared to what kitchen knife folks are used to.

Sand or bead blast finish requires a perfect finish first, any imperfection will be very apparent.

[Deckhand]

Hand rubbed finish personal taste

[Lefty]

Yeah, I'm more of a hand rubbed to mirrored satin finish guy. I don't like worrying about scratching my knives up and the more "perfect" the finish, the less I enjoy using a knife. It's all mental for me.