Makers Mark / Logo - On The Left or Right?

MTBob

MTBob

Well-Known Member
Here's one of the those dumb questions from a newby knife maker...

Am I right that most knife makers place their primary Mark or Name on the left side of the blade? I've been placing my name on the left side because that's what I see other do with their knives.
But, why isn't it more appropriate to place the Mark or Name on the right side, since that would show the image on the outside of the blade in a right hand draw from a sheath. Said differently, if the mark is on the left side for a right hand sheath, then the mark is not visible when pulling a knife out of the sheath.
Perhaps I'm overthinking this, but it seems like the mark should be placed on the right side for a right hand sheath, and on the left side for a left hand sheath.
 
I’ll be honest right side has always made More sense to me personally but left is traditional so I’ve always marked on the left
 
the left side is convention. who decided this or why.... no idea. Probably the first right handed maker who was holding his knife up to look at it and thought “If i put my mark right there, people will see it every time they hold my knife! I’m a genius!”
 
Funny this should come up. I marked the little bird and trout knif I forged out yesterday on the right side. I didn’t realize it until after the fact. But like you I then wondered why it’s traditionally marked on the left.
 
Most people are right handed. The owner/user sees the mark on the left as they hold it in their hand.

The left side is almost unanimously considered the "show" side. Also sometimes called the "private" side, front side....etc.
 
Didn’t Loveless mark both sides sometime. Or was it just the back side of the reclining nude he used on some of his blades?
 
opaul said:
Didn’t Loveless mark both sides sometime. Or was it just the back side of the reclining nude he used on some of his blades?
Click to expand...
I think he had an occasional small run of the nude backside logo which are highly prized by collectors. I’ve only seen one in person at the Blade show and they wanted 5 grand for it.
 
Ok, got it - The left side is the conventional location, called the private or presentation side.
But, it seems a lot of folks question why it's done that way. If fact, as a presentation side, it makes photographing the knife with logo and sheath impossible at the same time, in the same orientation. And, if I'm drawing a knife from a sheath, wouldn't I want my logo to show as it's coming out of the sheath? Why hide it?
So... why not change the "Rule" and shift to the convention of a right sided logo?
 
I can picture if the mark was on the right side with the handle facing left in a show, it would be awkward for a right handed to pick up the knife. And we know the world revolves around the right handed community. As it should.
 
I just checked mine, and they are all marked on the driver's side of the blade. So that must be correct.

I've also quit finish sanding the right side and nobody has noticed. I don't think anybody actually looks at that side of a knife.


:)
 
I always thought of it as obverse and reverse sides of the blade. I have to admit that I never payed much attention when I stamped my blades.

Doug
 
Mark Barone said:
I can picture if the mark was on the right side with the handle facing left in a show, it would be awkward for a right handed to pick up the knife. And we know the world revolves around the right handed community. As it should.
Click to expand...
I have been told that the left side of your brain controls the right side of your body,.... that means left handed people are the only ones in their right mind.
 
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