Blade Finish Quality

[billdoier72]

Hello everyone.

Something I've noticed about the last couple of spyderco's Ive bought lately is the blade finish.

At least on my examples, the quality of said finish hasn't been up to their usual standards.

It's not to the point of affecting performance, merely cosmetic.

The F&F of the rest of the knife is great.

Anyone else notice this?

[JRinFL]

The harder steels tend to get a less polished finish in my experience. Do you have pictures of Spyderco knives with better finishes using similar hard wearing steels?

[billdoier72]

The harder steels tend to get a less polished finish in my experience. Do you have pictures of Spyderco knives with better finishes using similar hard wearing steels?

It doesn't get much harder than Maxamet, and my Para 3's blade has a beautiful stone washed finish.

I have 10 or so spyderco's of various models, factories, ect.

Most of them are great.

It's just been a couple of the latest ones that have been this way.

[Giygas]

Comparing stonewashed to satin is apples to oranges...

My experience definitely mirrors what JRinFL said.

[Roefisher]

:

[Sharp Guy]

I agree with the others...this is nothing new. Some have a stonewashed finish and some have grind lines. I have a handful of models with the stonewash finish including older versions of the Native 5 LW and Manix 2 LW. Otherwise I have a whole bunch of Spyderco knives that have blade finishes that are similar to what are pictured

[TkoK83Spy]

I've got a bunch of them like that as well, and as Jim said...I tend to notice it more on my knives that are ran a little harder, mostly my Rex45 knives. I actually like this look though honestly, gives the blade some character and also helps hide those very fine scratches you tend to get with a user knife.

[JRinFL]

The harder steels tend to get a less polished finish in my experience. Do you have pictures of Spyderco knives with better finishes using similar hard wearing steels?

It doesn't get much harder than Maxamet, and my Para 3's blade has a beautiful stone washed finish.

I have 10 or so spyderco's of various models, factories, ect.

Most of them are great.

It's just been a couple of the latest ones that have been this way.

I forgot about Maxamet having that stonewashed finish. I think it is an outlier as most other hard steels get a relatively course belt finish. It can't hurt to ask Spyderco if they recently made a change to their finishes. Perhaps they use one less finer grit belt these days?

[James Y]

My linerless G10 S30V Native blade's finish is either stonewashed or very finely bead-blasted, it's hard to tell which. I'm leaning more towards stonewashed.

Jim

[VooDooChild]

Different finishes.

As far as different grind lines in satin finishes go its all about the belt and steel.

I actually really like when I get a spyderco with those very noticeable grind lines in a satin finish. I think it looks cool.

[Coastal]

I've noticed it too, but I don't sweat it. I prefer a higher polish, but c'est la vie.

[mikey177]

My M4 Mantra and S90V PPT, both discontinued, also show grind lines.

I prefer the rougher finish, as polished blades tend to show scratches more easily.

[Capt'n Boatsalot]

I actually really like when I get a spyderco with those very noticeable grind lines in a satin finish. I think it looks cool.

Ditto for me. I love seeing grind lines as I think they look super cool!

[fanglekai]

Stonewash vs satin has nothing to do with quality. It's just a design choice for the blade finish. I see nothing wrong with the satin finishes on the blades.

[phaust]

Stonewash vs satin has nothing to do with quality.

It sort of does. Satin costs more and is considered by Spyderco a higher level of premium above stonewash. If quality is about superiority, satin ranks higher so would be considered higher quality (again, by Spyderco).

[billdoier72]

After doing a bit of research I have learned something.

I have learned that straight and crisp grind lines are an expression of a high level of skill and craftsmanship.

I was under the false impression that a more finished looking blade was the result of said superior skill.

The world is an interesting place.

Consider me slightly more educated.