Repurposed Knife

[Gliden07]

A friend of mine gave me some SS cheapo Kitchen knives (Tri-Star). Cleaver, Boneing and Chef, they are SS but obviously don't know what kind. I repurposed the Cleaver into a smaller version of a Serbian Chef Knife. I gave it back to my Buddy as I couldn't sell it because i couldn't gurrentee the steel. He wanted why I didn't sign it? Which brings me to my question, since I reprofiled iand ground the hollow grind off replaced it with a convex grind is it alright to put my makers mark on it? This is a pic of the reshaped blade with convex bevel during hand sanding. Forgot to get before and after shots! The original was the classic cleaver shape. Way to thin to really be a Cleaver.

 

[billyO]

Which brings me to my question, since I reprofiled iand ground the hollow grind off replaced it with a convex grind is it alright to put my makers mark on it?

Why not? Especially if your friend asked you. It's not like you are buying a bunch of cheap knives, doing a little clean-up, and then marketing and re-selling them as your own creation to compete with the original company. If I were in this situation, I'd probably emphasize to my friend that if he's going to show this to others, he makes it clear that I did not forge the blade, and only advertise where the knife came from and what modifications were made.

 

[Jesse Latham]

I would not! Nothing gets my name on it that doesn't represent my knives. No seconds, no almost good knives and certainly no remakes of someone else's crap. YMMV

 

[chrisstaniar]

Before I put my mark on something I like to know exactly what the steel is behind my mark. If that blade goes bad a few years from now your mark will still be on it and associated with your name.

For myself, I'm a stock removal guy and my own standard for putting my mark on it (in addition to knowing the steel type and source) is that I've cut, profiled, beveled, etc.

 

[Chris Railey]

I would not simply because I cannot vouch for the steel or heat treat. But it is up to you.

 

[SS369]

If you have a way, maybe put his name on it. He'd get a kick out of that.

 

[Drew Riley]

I've seen other makers mark modded or re-ground blades, but typically it's in addition to the original manufacturer's mark, and sometimes it'll even say "regrind" or something similar to help clarify that it's not an original piece.

Personally, I wouldn't mark a blade that I didn't make; at least not with my standard mark.

 

[Gliden07]

I couldn't be sure of the quality on the steel that was the reason I didn't mark it. As far as the shape other than the handle you wouldn't know it was the same knife. Looks nothing like the original for sure!

 

[billyO]

I agree with all of the above as well.
I guess I would only do this if it were for a really good friend or who was really insistent and would know better than to advertise this as one of mine. But then again, I would just make them an original, so that's not something I've ever considered.

 

[Gliden07]

Well the whole thing started out as "ooooohhh free material", after I started the process of making i started to consider the other issues mentioned above! So no mark!