Re: Repair Markings

This is a forum for discussion on automatic an switchblade knives.

Moderator: The Motley Crew

Forum rules
There are a few things you should know before posting in these forums. If you are a new user, please click here and read carefully. Thanks a lot!
User avatar
arlen
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2018 4:07 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: Repair Markings

Post by arlen »

There IS something to be learned here. Most usually an ethical restorer of valuable antique and collectible guns (Lugers, Colts, etc.) will mark the restored firearm with three dots to indicate that the firearm has been restored and is not in pristine, original condition. This is commonly understood in the firearms collecting community.
I assume that it is the same in the knife collecting community.
Regards,
arlen
User avatar
TRYKER
Posts: 3571
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:02 pm
Location: where everythings illegal

Re: Repair Markings

Post by TRYKER »

i used the 3 dots in a triangle to mark all my work, except for aerospace because it would be rejected as a flaw and not replaceable in space. my marks were to distingish mine from others making the same pieces.
TRYKER



A man who brags about how smart he is, wouldn't if he was.

"Rose-colored glassses are never made in bifocals. Nobody wants to read the small print in dreams"
portlandmike
Posts: 757
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2018 3:19 am
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Repair Markings

Post by portlandmike »

You can decide if this is relevant or not…

I own and run a 105 year-old antique repair and refinishing shop. We mark all of our repairs for the simple fact that we need to be able to determine which pieces have been repaired by us and what has possibly been repaired by others. It would be foolish for us not to mark our work no matter the age or value of the piece.

Mike
wicollector
Posts: 158
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:37 am

Re: Re: Repair Markings

Post by wicollector »

I do knife repairs and I dont take it upon myself to add any marks to my customers property that I'm paid and untrusted with to repair and restore. these vintage knives are not my property to mark or add identifying marks to and I have never nor will add such marks to a knife I'm working on.I've even seen on perversely worked on knives I've taken apart that somebody has put there name and dates pencil engraved under the scales . just curious do you tell your customers your marking there rare and valuable antiques before you take on the restoration job ? if there OK with it then I wouldn't have an issue with it if that's what you want to do but I sure wouldn't take there money mark there prized antique and not ask first . I cant really ever remember seeing any episode of antique road show where they say look there three dots pounded into the bottom of your rare antique somebody must have repaired it before LOL .
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Yes.
Posts: 7342
Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 2:50 pm
Location: In de lan o' cotton
Contact:

Re: Re: Repair Markings

Post by Bill DeShivs »

When your work is undetectable, I think it should be discreetly marked.
Some collector-dealers don't want work marked so they can pass it off as original.
Marking my work is done for warranty purposes also.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
wicollector
Posts: 158
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:37 am

Re: Re: Repair Markings

Post by wicollector »

I could detect the knife I took apart you repaired had been worked on the blade was worn down to a nub and buffed to a high luster the knife was a real turd not saying it was your fault the knife was trashed and nobody could have made it new again . I sure your customers are aware of your dots and engraving under the scales if they dont care why should I but for my customers there wont ever will be any marks made on the items they send me . why not give them something in writhing if it has the five year fifty thousand click warrantee . do your repairs come with a warranty ? I stand behind stuff I repair but there's no need for marks I'm pretty close to the customers I do work for .
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Yes.
Posts: 7342
Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 2:50 pm
Location: In de lan o' cotton
Contact:

Re: Re: Repair Markings

Post by Bill DeShivs »

You do it your way, and I'll do it mine.
If someone wants me to polish a turd, I counsel them against it. If they insist, I'll do it.
Or, I may not have polished the knife. I get lots of knives that have been worked on by amateurs.
Sorry if my procedures bother you. This is the second forum you have posted on about this.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
wicollector
Posts: 158
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:37 am

Re: Re: Repair Markings

Post by wicollector »

it doesn't bother me at all about the dots or engraving under the scales there your customers not mine and dont we all get less then perfect knives to repair that have been worked on before and totally butchered by amateurs with the best intentions on fixing there knife which they totally ruin instead . all you can do is offer advice and more than likely still get the repair then move on to better things .
User avatar
arlen
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2018 4:07 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: Re: Repair Markings

Post by arlen »

I have collected firearms for quite a few decades and all of the ethical craftsmen who restore collectible firearms take on a restoration with the conditions stated before the work is done. They clearly state that they will discretely mark the restored firearm. If the customer objects to the identifying mark, then the restoration is not done by the craftsman. A firearm in 95% original condition is worth very much more than a restored firearm in the same condition. The collector considers the restoration as damage to the firearm just as the owner considers the marks as damage. This is the reason that an ethical craftsman will mark the firearm. If a restored firearm is unmarked and offered as original, the collecting community considers it as fraud and the seller's reputation is rightly or wrongly damaged. (The seller may be 2 or 3 times removed from the restoration.) Knowingly selling an unmarked firearm is considered fraud.
Most collectors can detect the restoration, but the general public is nearly always fooled, thinking they are purchasing a valuable firearm.
The artistry required to restore a valuable collectible is admired and valued. That is attested to by the admiration by all of the restored gun, knife, Model T, etc. But the thrill and financial reward of finding an old, rare knife in immaculate, original, glorious condition cannot be equaled with restoration.
Regards,
arlen
User avatar
Luke_of_Mass
Posts: 444
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:36 am

Re: Repair Markings

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

There's some knives I've got that I've chosen not to get work done because of the possibility/risk that they may be marked if they need to be taken apart - namely the Kriss Latama that's immaculate in every way other than a slight peek.
Knee-deep in the hoopla...
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Yes.
Posts: 7342
Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 2:50 pm
Location: In de lan o' cotton
Contact:

Re: Re: Repair Markings

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Peek can be addressed without disassembly in most cases.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
wicollector
Posts: 158
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:37 am

Re: Re: Repair Markings

Post by wicollector »

I guess you can do what ever your customers want you to do to there property but I wont carving my name into any thing I repair so I guess if they want there property defaced by dots or names and dates etched under the scales they had better send there knives some ware else because I'm never going to do this to my customers most of whom I consider my friends and talk to weekly on the phone or e-mail . I dont have any problem with anybody who does mark items they repaired if there customers are aware of it before hand but for me my choice is to not mark anything and this will not change any time soon . also keep in mind most of the knives repaired are hardly museum quality and never couldn't be no matter who repaired them. people collect them in the condition they can afford to pay so I dont see what the point would even be marking a worn old latama or other vintage knife as nobody would ever wonder in the first place or even care if it was repaired they just want one that works as it was intended to work . I have more work than I can handle right now by some of the top collector in the hobby so if I piss anybody off by not marking there knives that's OK I pretty much satisfied with the clients I have already dont really need any more to keep busy .
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Yes.
Posts: 7342
Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 2:50 pm
Location: In de lan o' cotton
Contact:

Re: Re: Repair Markings

Post by Bill DeShivs »

You're not pissing anybody off by not marking your work.
You are pissing me off by continually harping about me doing so.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
wicollector
Posts: 158
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:37 am

Re: Repair Markings

Post by wicollector »

Luke_of_Mass wrote:There's some knives I've got that I've chosen not to get work done because of the possibility/risk that they may be marked if they need to be taken apart - namely the Kriss Latama that's immaculate in every way other than a slight peek.
a few years ago I was sent a whole collection of Latama Flatguards by and well known knife auction owner just because he didn't want them marked only lightly cleaned so your not along .
User avatar
natcherly
Connoisseur dei Coltelli
Posts: 6336
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 3:59 pm
Location: Baghdad by the Bay

Re: Re: Repair Markings

Post by natcherly »

Marking repaired things is not unusual. Watch makers doing repairs usually put some identifying mark on the movement. That is to indicate that they have done work on the particular piece in the past were it to be brought to them again. It most likely also tells another watch maker / repairer that the movement has had work done on it previously.

As long as the mark is not obtrusive and given the trend these days toward full disclosure, transparency, etc. I see no harm in this practice. Quite the contrary.
Post Reply