Matchstrike & Nailnick on Slipjoint

A

Absinthe

Well-Known Member
So i have seen several different blade embellishments that allow one to open a slipjoint. It seems that one can do a long pull, or halfmoon nailnick, but many of the main blades I have seen in stockmen and a few others lately are what people call matchstrike. I really love the look of these but am mildly confused about how they are/were made.

So far, the basic halfmoon looks like it is cut with an angled stone. The long pull seems that it is cut with a slotter, or ground with a cutoff wheel on a dremmel. But the matchstrike, to me seems like something that might be "stamped" into the blade like maker's marks or other such things. It seems that if they are not stamped, then they are cut with a very small diameter angled stone many times across, or even a whole bunch of overlapping drills, with a cleanup cut at the top. I am not sure how much I want to re-invent the wheel, but I may do some experimentation to see what I can achieve.

So the question is 1. how were these traditionally made, and 2. What is the most convenient way to make them today? Does anyone actually like them? Or use them to strike a match anymore? (Can't get Ohio blue tips anymore, and the Diamond's don't taste the same :) )
 
I've never seen one! Very interesting looking. A stamp (punch) would be a good method.. CNC milling would be the easiest, nowaday. A pantograph engraver would work very well (pantograph engraving machines are very cool. Look up Stephan Gotteswinter on YouTube and find some of his videos on his Deckel pantograph.).

If I had to guess, I'd say they stamped them on production knives. Seems like the most straight forward method for production work.

edit: typo
 
Oh, and if I had to guess, TRADITIONALLY, it was probably a punch. Just have to file the "nail nick", then file in striations.
 
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