All About Pocket Knives

Ref the Nickel-Silver bolsters on Northfield knives. Is this N-S a plating or are they solid?

Any nickel silver (also known as German silver) used in the Northfield knives is solid.

Imagine my chagrin when I first learned there is no silver in "nickel silver"!
It is made up of about 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc.
There's a bit of useless trivia for you.

Wow interesting! I'm happy to hear it's solid - no plating to eventually wear through or flake off with age. And no tarnish. Thanks guys!!

arizonaranchman wrote:And no tarnish.

Sorry to disappoint you but nickel silver does tarnish over time. It gets a dull look but the shine is very easy to bring back with your favorite brass polish.

I assume nickel-silver was used for bolsters by the classic makers in the past? Also in looking at the UN-X-LD plate on my #55, is this N-S also?

Thanks for the info, I learn something more every day on this site

Nickel silver has been used for bolsters and shields for many years and sometimes liners and pins. The shield on your UN-X-LD (I'm assuming here that's what you mean when you say plate) is made from nickel silver.

Thanks Jerry and yes, shield - I've got to learn my pocket knife terminology better!

I much appreciate your info. I've been so thoroughly impressed with my Northfield #55. It's elegant beauty and quality, in every aspect, is very obvious. It's been a permanent part of my right front pocket since the day it arrived. I've never had such a nice pocket knife, so it's been a joy to own and carry.

Then this is a place you might want to visit on the forum. Up beneath the scroll on the right side there's a link named Other. In Other is a link to a Glossary of terms and definitions. Here's the straight to it link -- http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/res ... itions.php

Please show us pictures of your 55. We're a bunch of sight hounds here and love pictures.

This is mine. I'm partial to Wharncliffe baldes.

My baby

(OK i'm baffled as to why it's upside down! I even deleted it and rotated it in my computer then re-loaded it and it's still upside down??) Sorry guys, I'll work on it...

OK see the next post. It's starting to take on a darkening along the back edge of the blade where it's exposed when closed. It's in my right front pocket everywhere I go for the past 5+ weeks since it arrived. I wipe it down every couple days with a cloth soaked in 3 n 1 oil. The back-spring in particular is greying nicely. I'll just let it patina naturally over time.

another attempt...

OK not I'm on a pic frenzy!! Back-Spring patina after 5 weeks...

Shield side...

And finally...

arizonaranchman -- I sent you a PM. Check your messages in the upper right corner.