Colour is an excellent means of
communication. Gold means wealth, green is for go, red is for danger,
white is pure, black is evil. Blue is for sadness and melancholy.
When I bought red liner for the
first time, the salesman called it lipstick. He said that a knife
sometimes needs a touch of colour, much like a woman. In the bad old days
of knife making, there was not much of a choice regarding colour. Buffalo
horn for black, ivory for white and various shades of brown from wood.
Jewels where used as highlights and everybody lived to the ripe old age of
thirty-two.
Technological advances not only
brought us a longer lifespan, it brought colour into the world of knife
making. Anodised titanium, coloured and impregnated woods, laminated
woods, scrimshaw in real life colour, electro plating and the chemical
treatment of metals ushered in a new age, that of the "Amazing Technicolor
Dream Knife"
A look through any of the leading
knife related magazines would reveal knives where the makers made use of
the inherent colours of the materials, other where some colour is added to
highlight a feature or to provide contrast and knives where the makers
went splashing.
Each has its merits, it is just a
question of matching the techniques used to colour and its characteristics
with the foreseen use of the knife. Hardwearing colour like titanium can
be used daily, delicate scrimshaw is for the 29th of February.
With colour, one can reach a much
wider audience. Kitchen sets that match the décor, a folder to fit each
tie in a gentleman's wardrobe, a ladies knife to complement her favourite
purse or necklace. A good design attracts, and that is where colour comes
to its own.
