Jeremy, You have certainly gotten into the realm of personal opinion with your question but I'll give mine. Your concerns are the same as mine. I don't like the knife to be covered up with too much embellishment unless it is obviously being used as a canvas for that specifically. If it is meant to be a functioning usable knife, in my opinion, a little embellishment goes a long way. I consider the choice of burl wood to be part of the over all look so it can affect it negatively. I use blackwood for several reasons, one being the dark color. It plays a part in the look I want sometimes.

Thanks for sharing your opinion, Lin. And I think you're right-this is definitely in the personal taste category. I have a damascus knife (my first) sitting on the bench, where it's been for a while, and the future handle material started gnawing at me. I appreciate your thoughts on the "canvas" and embellishment. I guess I generally think of file work, inlay, etc. as embelishment. But, it does all work together and highly figured woods have their own attraction, just like the others.

Thanks again for taking the time to post your thoughts.

Jeremy

I think by the way you asked the questions, it's a bit obvious that you already know the answers.

When components conflict the knife loses.

It's a fine line to walk, and a delicate balance to achieve, but too much of anything is just, well, too much.

Think of the overall knife as a canvas and you are the artist with the brush.

No one particular part of the knife should grab all of your attention, but the components should grab you and pull you along the entire knife from one end to the other.

If something appears to not belong there - it doesn't.

|quoted:

No one particular part of the knife should grab all of your attention, but the components should grab you and pull you along the entire knife from one end to the other.

I like that statement. I think if nothing else, that's a good place to fall back on when deciding on materials and embellishments. As for already knowing the answers, I suppose yes and no. I know that too much of whatever can detract and perhaps draw too much attention to that one thing. I guess since I haven't yet built a pattern welded knife, it added in an element I've not had to consider before and I was curious for some more of the specifics within that framework from others more experienced. Along with that, it's definitely a subjective, personal taste kind of thing, so I knew others may have differing opinions, which I'm always up for hearing.

Maybe this is one of those "growing" times for me? Looking at knives like yours, Lin's, and others that I admire, I can feel a sense of "I like that" when it comes to the flow and design elements. But never having done stainless San Mai or some beautiful patterned damascus, I realized that I think I took for granted some of those elements when actually trying to choose "the whole package" so to speak.

Thanks for taking the time to add your thoughts, it's really appreciated, Karl.

Jeremy