Tolerance for errors on your knives for sale?

[Rasmus Kristens]

Hi.

I have completed a knife that i would like to try to sell for a few bucks.

But in the last hour i screwed up.. The wrap around the knife when I was wet forming the sheath wasnt waterproof, so water came in and created a few rust spots.
I tried to polish it off, but they were to deep for minor polish. Now they are just a bit darker colour that the rest of the blade.

Sooo.. Now i was just wondering if you have some sort of tollerance for minor errors on your knives?
Do you sell 2nd grade knives with small errors or do you scrap the completely?

[M&J]

What blade steel? Most are "fixable" so depends. If the knife can be taken apart and fully refinished that is one possibility. Many options, can you post a pic so we can see the overall build?

Wet forming leather I've used electrical PVC or duct type tapes on the blade to provide a barrier layer.

Granted we improve as the years pass so early pieces tend to make us cringe when we see them many years later. As far as seconds, no, I don't let those out. I'll rework till I feel it is acceptable. The early ones I let my mentors evaluate before putting up for sale.

I have a small accumulation of knives that I kept when they don't make the criteria. These were folders where I've messed up some critical spec that alters the blade arc, closure or lock aspects.

Don't toss them because at some point you'll have the ingenuity to make those unique characteristics work.

[Rasmus Kristens]

Originally Posted by M&J

Don't toss them because at some point you'll have the ingenuity to make those unique characteristics work.

With the time i put in to a single knife there is no way i'm going to toss them ;-)
Another one for the drawer og maybe a present for someone.

It's a very fixed blade, not much to do about it i guess. It will be to difficult to refinish the blade without risking damaging the guard to much.

I will post a picture later.

[jimmontg]

I use a good rust remover and do a satin finish if it's not pitted. If its pitted then find a shop that has a small bead or fine sand blasting cabinet and tape off the handle and guard then sand blast the blade.