Black Lotus Knives
- pd7077
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Re: Black Lotus Knives
Thanks guys. I firmly believe that the polish wouldn’t have turned out this nicely had the knife not been a fantastic piece to begin with. I’ve been thinking about things, and with the number of people that are participating in this passaround, the polish is going to fade after a few weeks of use. I have no problems if people would like to remove the patina with BKF or metal polish, but you will invariably lose much of the kasumi that I laid down. The wrought iron is fairly reactive so the patterns will definitely jump out after a little bit of use, but I’m considering sending a couple different types of fingerstones with the knife in the event that someone would want to use them on the passaround knife. The softer FS are much easier to use, but the bulk of the contrast was achieved with harder FS that are not the easiest to use if you haven’t worked with them before.
I guess the other option would be to keep the knife in the west coast first. The knife can then be sent back to me for a touch up before heading out east.
What do you guys think?
I guess the other option would be to keep the knife in the west coast first. The knife can then be sent back to me for a touch up before heading out east.
What do you guys think?
--- Steve
Re: Black Lotus Knives
I was just gonna ask if you'd allow people to "meddle" with it. Your idea of sending some FS for those who are willing sounds enticingpd7077 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 9:51 am Thanks guys. I firmly believe that the polish wouldn’t have turned out this nicely had the knife not been a fantastic piece to begin with. I’ve been thinking about things, and with the number of people that are participating in this passaround, the polish is going to fade after a few weeks of use. I have no problems if people would like to remove the patina with BKF or metal polish, but you will invariably lose much of the kasumi that I laid down. The wrought iron is fairly reactive so the patterns will definitely jump out after a little bit of use, but I’m considering sending a couple different types of fingerstones with the knife in the event that someone would want to use them on the passaround knife. The softer FS are much easier to use, but the bulk of the contrast was achieved with harder FS that are not the easiest to use if you haven’t worked with them before.
I guess the other option would be to keep the knife in the west coast first. The knife can then be sent back to me for a touch up before heading out east.
What do you guys think?
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
― François de La Rochefoucauld
― François de La Rochefoucauld
- pd7077
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Re: Black Lotus Knives
Seeing as how I am going to restore the knife before putting it up for auction/raffle, I am okay with the participants doing minor touch-ups to the knife as long as it is something that they are comfortable doing. The same goes for sharpening. I’m not too worried about including FS, and I would be happy to walk people through some of the basics if they don’t already have experience with them. It’s not the most difficult thing in the world to do, but it does require a certain degree of knowledge and patience.
--- Steve
- Jeff B
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Re: Black Lotus Knives
Absolutely stunning Steve!pd7077 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:22 pm The polishing is now complete. I’m gonna send the knife to Sean tomorrow so that he can start working on the handle. I’m extremely happy with how this polish turned out. The knife that Jeff forged was the perfect canvas for me to build upon, and the amount of contrast that I was able to get on the wrought iron cladding surprised even me. I’ll ask Sean to post some progress pics of the handle...hopefully he won’t be shy
Here are a few pics that I just took of the knife...
You can send a few finger stones with it and I'll use them my own knives and leave this one alone.
As long as this pass around is going to take already I'd say just let it ride and clean it up in the end. We can see how amazing the original polish is in the pictures.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
- pd7077
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Re: Black Lotus Knives
I have your address so I’ll just send you some fingerstones for personal use. I’m gonna be making some this weekend anyways so I can make a few extra for you.Jeff B wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 6:49 pmAbsolutely stunning Steve!pd7077 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:22 pm The polishing is now complete. I’m gonna send the knife to Sean tomorrow so that he can start working on the handle. I’m extremely happy with how this polish turned out. The knife that Jeff forged was the perfect canvas for me to build upon, and the amount of contrast that I was able to get on the wrought iron cladding surprised even me. I’ll ask Sean to post some progress pics of the handle...hopefully he won’t be shy
Here are a few pics that I just took of the knife...
You can send a few finger stones with it and I'll use them my own knives and leave this one alone.
As long as this pass around is going to take already I'd say just let it ride and clean it up in the end. We can see how amazing the original polish is in the pictures.
--- Steve
- Jeff B
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Re: Black Lotus Knives
Very generous of you Steve! This kind of generosity is what makes this community so great!pd7077 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 7:10 pmI have your address so I’ll just send you some fingerstones for personal use. I’m gonna be making some this weekend anyways so I can make a few extra for you.Jeff B wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 6:49 pm Absolutely stunning Steve!
You can send a few finger stones with it and I'll use them my own knives and leave this one alone.
As long as this pass around is going to take already I'd say just let it ride and clean it up in the end. We can see how amazing the original polish is in the pictures.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
Re: Black Lotus Knives
I like patina, but I would be willing to give it a rub down with some fingerstones when it come through me. I used to polish all my stuff, and still do when I first recieve them most of the time, but after that, not so much. I haven't had the opportunity to polish wrought iron cladding, so I would be keen on the idea, though my skills are not up to the professional level of Steve.
- pd7077
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Re: Black Lotus Knives
Don’t forget....you are the person that introduced me to fingerstones. I bought some koppas from you few years ago, and you graciously included a bunch of fingerstones in the package...so you are literally the person that led me down this path. I think I’m gonna make some for you this weekend too as a thank you.J david wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 7:22 pm I like patina, but I would be willing to give it a rub down with some fingerstones when it come through me. I used to polish all my stuff, and still do when I first recieve them most of the time, but after that, not so much. I haven't had the opportunity to polish wrought iron cladding, so I would be keen on the idea, though my skills are not up to the professional level of Steve.
Last edited by pd7077 on Thu Jun 06, 2019 7:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
--- Steve
Re: Black Lotus Knives
Thanks Steve. I will accept them with gratitude and return the favor with lots of raw uchi and what I suspect is a soft suita suitable for fingerstones. I know you will get more use out of it than I will.pd7077 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 7:25 pmDon’t forget....you are the person that introduced me to fingerstones. I bought some koppas from you few years ago, and you gratuitously included a bunch of fingerstones in the package...so you are literally the person that led me down this path. I think I’m gonna make some for you this weekend too as a thank you.J david wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 7:22 pm I like patina, but I would be willing to give it a rub down with some fingerstones when it come through me. I used to polish all my stuff, and still do when I first recieve them most of the time, but after that, not so much. I haven't had the opportunity to polish wrought iron cladding, so I would be keen on the idea, though my skills are not up to the professional level of Steve.
- pd7077
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Re: Black Lotus Knives
The knife is with Sean, and the handle is underway. I’ve organized the list order in such a way that it makes its way back to my area so that I can pick it off after a few users. That way, I can clean it up and take some more photos of the full package. Then it will keep trekking through California before make its way east by way of Texas, then the south east, then up to NY before moving back through the Midwest. This seemed to be the most logical way to keep the shipping distances shorter. The list order is as follows:
1. nakneker
2. Andreu
3. Bluenoser87 (I’ll pick it up from Jon and send it to #4)
4. BobZ
5. Slobound
6. Altadan
7. Appleton
8. Cutuu
9. Jdavid
10. JeffB
11. Keithmarder
12. Ashy
13. GeorgeK
14. BoydC
15. JustinP
The usual passaround rules will apply. 1 week time limit. Participants are welcome to sharpen the knife if they feel comfortable doing so. Removal of any patina buildup is fine but nothing more than metal polish/BKF/fingerstones please. Once you are finished with the knife, please write a short review of your impressions here on the forum. If you have an IG account, please post photos there as well and tag @blacklotusknives. When shipping, please send the tracking number to both myself and the recipient.
Once the passaround has been completed, I will clean up the knife to get it back to “like new” condition. From there, we will either do an auction or a raffle...not sure which one yet. Have fun fellas!!!!!
1. nakneker
2. Andreu
3. Bluenoser87 (I’ll pick it up from Jon and send it to #4)
4. BobZ
5. Slobound
6. Altadan
7. Appleton
8. Cutuu
9. Jdavid
10. JeffB
11. Keithmarder
12. Ashy
13. GeorgeK
14. BoydC
15. JustinP
The usual passaround rules will apply. 1 week time limit. Participants are welcome to sharpen the knife if they feel comfortable doing so. Removal of any patina buildup is fine but nothing more than metal polish/BKF/fingerstones please. Once you are finished with the knife, please write a short review of your impressions here on the forum. If you have an IG account, please post photos there as well and tag @blacklotusknives. When shipping, please send the tracking number to both myself and the recipient.
Once the passaround has been completed, I will clean up the knife to get it back to “like new” condition. From there, we will either do an auction or a raffle...not sure which one yet. Have fun fellas!!!!!
--- Steve
- Jeff B
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Re: Black Lotus Knives
$20 says this runs into 2020.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
- pd7077
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Re: Black Lotus Knives
Someone will be in trouble if it comes to that 15 participants with one week each and a few days of transit between each person should take this passaround to mid/late October.
--- Steve
Re: Black Lotus Knives
Best case scenario, in my experience, is 10 days per person (includes shipping time) x 15 persons = 150 days or 5 months. It will be close.
Re: Black Lotus Knives
Best.
Case.
Scenario.
Hahaha, where I served, we had all sorts of rhyme and sayings about "should"
In any case, I'll try to make sure I've got a good cut/mince/slice/dice/chop menu for the week, and send it trucking to the next in line. Make the best of it.
I'm excited to handle this thing.
Also, please forgive my ignorance, but could someone explain the difference
between this wrought iron, and regular iron cladding? Is there a difference? And lastly, are we looking at layers that can be considered damascus?
Thanks!
Case.
Scenario.
Hahaha, where I served, we had all sorts of rhyme and sayings about "should"
In any case, I'll try to make sure I've got a good cut/mince/slice/dice/chop menu for the week, and send it trucking to the next in line. Make the best of it.
I'm excited to handle this thing.
Also, please forgive my ignorance, but could someone explain the difference
between this wrought iron, and regular iron cladding? Is there a difference? And lastly, are we looking at layers that can be considered damascus?
Thanks!
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
― François de La Rochefoucauld
― François de La Rochefoucauld
Re: Black Lotus Knives
Wrought iron is low carbon steel with lots of slag (low grade). The slag gives it its lines that looks similar to Damascus but they are not nearly the same in composition. What we refer to as regular iron cladding is much more refined and likely higher carbon (though it varies greatly from one smith to the next). The Smiths use the good steel for the core and sometimes whatever bullshit they can get cheaply for the cladding. This is a marginal amount of money per knife, but x 1,000 it makes a big difference in bottom line. Some wrought iron is sold as "vintage" and can be pricey, but for the most part, it is cheap material. It is polishers like you, Steve, that makes it sought after.
- pd7077
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Re: Black Lotus Knives
Haha, thanks David. I’m far from a metallurgist, but the pattern that can be seen in wrought iron is due to the slag, which are oxide impurities like silicon dioxide. They are present as fibrous bands, and it are these bands of slag that give it that patterned look. I’ve worked on some really clean wrought iron that had minimal slag, and there were significantly less patterns within the cladding. This stuff that Jeff used was super slaggy, which is why the polish came out as cool as it did. Dirty wrought is where it’s at!!!
--- Steve