Thread: Crocus finish or Satin?

Speak now or forever hold your pie hole closed.

Do like the Crocus finish
Can't do it but love the look of it

The satin finish was called a glazed finish back in the day. I like them both. What I use depends on the razor. Some razors had both types of finish. For instance the blade is a glaze type finish and the spine and tang a crocus type finish.

I am not stuck on one type of finish. Some razors go better with this one or that. I wish I had a tighter handle on getting them right. Is there a specific application that you are referring too, the finishes in general or is it a word usage question?

A crocus finish on certain blades is very classy and tasteful IMO. I was actually contemplating trying it on my next project. Apparently there is a learning curve, so I may bug Wolfpack for some tips before diving in. He seems to have it down.

Is there a significant difference between a satin and crocus finish? I have yet to see side by side pics to compare.

I'm finishing the Big Choppa, so toying what finish to leave it with...

Originally Posted by ChopperDave

I'm finishing the Big Choppa, so toying what finish to leave it with...

That beast will look badass with any finish, as long as it's done well. I am looking forward to seeing how it ends up, whatever you choose.

Sometimes it is not worth the removal of a lot of steel for the sake of a couple of small pits, hit those ones with a satin finish.

A true Crocus finish is a bright “Mirror” finish. But I have noticed some are calling a brighter satin finish a crocus finish. I have also notice on knife sites were some are referring to shiny mirror finish as “glazed”.

As many may know slipjoint blades were finished primarily two different ways. One was called a "glazed" finish, the other a "crocus" finish. The glazed finish is similar to a "as ground" finish many custom makers use now. The crocus finish while not easily replicated today is similar to a mirror polish. At times many slipjoint manufactures would put a crocus finish on the mark side and a glazed finish on the pile side of the blade.

If you hand sand with Crocus Cloth after 1k you can get a soft satin finish but if you continue to polish or use oil it will go to shiny mirror. The trick to a good satin finish as well is to go to at least 1k or 2k finish then lay your satin one directional finish over the polished finish.

Most modern satin used on knives, is 6 or 800 one directional sanding or one directional stroking or Scotchbrite.

The old Sheffield finish was Crocus, (Iron Oxide) on seal or walrus skin covered wooden wheels with hide glue on Crocus powder/flower at about 800 rpm. Some say only Seal/Walrus skin can reproduce that finish.

Mike, Wolfpack34 has perfected a very nice and uniform “Satin” and his two tone, satin/mirror is awesome. It is a good look on old Sheffield’s. Satin works well with razors where some pitting will have to be left.

Here is a good link to Sheffield Crocus Finish.

Just my 2 pence but glazing is the Sheffield word for polishing. Still now as it always was