Serial Numbers On Blades: Yes or No?

[Wakkibatty]

Howdy folks. Got a quick straw poll for you all.

For ages now I've resisted the urge to put serial numbers on my blades.

Rather than number them like a mass produced item, I far prefer to treat them more like artworks and just personally sign each blade once they're done.

Furthermore, as I only ever make my blades by hand, in limited numbers and in very small batches anyway, it's always felt a bit unnecessary to me to number them as well (unless if they were a limited edition special release or something, in which case I could see the sense in it).

All that being said, I'm getting more and more orders from overseas now, and the general feedback I'm getting from retailers is they definitely prefer they be included on general principle.

So what's the consensus here? Does it make that much difference to you personally if a serial number is on your blade or not? And if the answer is yes, does it matter how it's included? Does it REALLY need to be burnt onto the blade's playing surface Butterfly-style?? (I mean shock horror gasp! I have the equipment to do this in house if I really have to, but God it would feel weird!)

As against that, would me writing them in by hand (eg: next to my signature?) be enough to do the job? (If I must do it, then this is my preferred option frankly. It really helps to emphasise the whole 'hand-made / small manufacturer / high quality / 'exclusive product by a genuine craftsman' thing, and is a much better reflection frankly of what I'm all about).

Cheers folks, all though welcome. 🙂🙂

 

[Lazer]

I would like a date and a number. The number could start at one each day.

To get a number burnt or stamped makes it feel so much better, somehow it makes it unique and since it is hand made it is really.

I would pay extra for this.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Wakkibatty]

I would like a date and a number. The number could start at one each day.

To get a number burnt or stamped makes it feel so much better, somehow it makes it unique and since it is hand made it is really.

I would pay extra for this.

Cheers
L-zr

Thanks for that Lazer. I do have the option to stamp them on by hand as well now you mention it (just need some stamps with smaller numbers 😂😂).

With a date, would you also want the full date in there? Or would just the month and year do? (I suppose I could restart the numbering on Jan 1st each year too 🤔🤔).

 

[Lazer]

Thanks for that Lazer. I do have the option to stamp them on by hand as well now you mention it (just need some stamps with smaller numbers 😂😂).

With a date, would you also want the full date in there? Or would just the month and year do? (I suppose I could restart the numbering on Jan 1st each year too 🤔🤔).

Month and year is enough. In this case I would keep the date part of the number.
But that’s not important. I would like to:

1 - Make the blade unique
2 - Now the date it was made.

If it was me I would have labeled it:

2024-08-23 (+ a serial number of some kind)

This way you can keep records too.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[lodro]

I can't
see the sense in adding serial numbers and dates at all.
First up it would be imitating what other manufacturers do like DHS and BTY.

Secondly this would detract from value of the blades being a handmade individual units.

Having your symbol on the blade or handle is all that is needed. If people want to add the date that is their "thing".

 

[Wakkibatty]

I can't
see the sense in adding serial numbers and dates at all.
First up it would be imitating what other manufacturers do like DHS and BTY.

Secondly this would detract from value of the blades being a handmade individual units.

Having your symbol on the blade or handle is all that is needed. If people want to add the date that is their "thing".

Thanks for the feedback Lodro.

What about things like certificates of authenticity? It's not the same as a serial number but it does perform the same function - i.e.: confirming a blade's origin in an environment when passing off or out-and-out fraud is rife everywhere, including with TT equipment (of all things 🙄).

 

[vossi39]

I think a certificate needs a reference on the blade as well. I think it would help identify, when the blade was made and is important, when you own a lot of blades and want to keep track of them.

With most serial numbers you will be able to find out about the age of a blade. Might not be relevant in the first years, but in 20 years from now, I think it could be a valuable information.

Maybe you can find something more creative solution, than using the DHS schema. Maybe there is some ancient alphabet/symbols that make a unique marking and match this with a certificate with additional information of the blade (layer structure, weight, etc).

 

[lodro]

Thanks for the feedback Lodro.

What about things like certificates of authenticity? It's not the same as a serial number but it does perform the same function - i.e.: confirming a blade's origin in an environment when passing off or out-and-out fraud is rife everywhere, including with TT equipment (of all things 🙄).

I think that would be nice to have a certificate with the blade and also

vossi39 s suggestion of special symbols could be nice to form the link between blade and certificate.​

I just don't like it on the blade itself but there is plenty of space on the side of the handle for example

 

[S-Pin]

I would have incorporated the date in the serial number, something like:

2408Z00735 or Z240800735

where the first four digits indicate the year (2024) and the month (August), Z refers to the wood batch or the model, and the rest is the blade number (735).

 

[igorponger]

LONG 5 DATASHEET TO PLEASE CUSTOMERS.

China Long 5 blades did unveil technical information to be useful for advanced customers.

There is even more measurements they missed to display on the data sheet
-- Effective Blade Square 203 cm2
--- Inner Vibration Frequency measured by Hz.

Yes, a good many inquisitive minds seeking for pertinent technical information about blades. Very few manufacturers ever care to provide customers with the such.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

Rather than number them like a mass produced item, I far prefer to treat them more like artworks and just personally sign each blade once they're done.

Furthermore, as I only ever make my blades by hand, in limited numbers and in very small batches anyway, it's always felt a bit unnecessary to me to number them as well (unless if they were a limited edition special release or something, in which case I could see the sense in it).

All that being said, I'm getting more and more orders from overseas now, and the general feedback I'm getting from retailers is they definitely prefer they be included on general principle.

So what's the consensus here? Does it make that much difference to you personally if a serial number is on your blade or not? And if the answer is yes, does it matter how it's included? Does it REALLY need to be burnt onto the blade's playing surface Butterfly-style?? (I mean shock horror gasp! I have the equipment to do this in house if I really have to, but God it would feel weird!)

As against that, would me writing them in by hand (eg: next to my signature?) be enough to do the job? (If I must do it, then this is my preferred option frankly. It really helps to emphasise the whole 'hand-made / small manufacturer / high quality / 'exclusive product by a genuine craftsman' thing, and is a much better reflection frankly of what I'm all about).

Cheers folks, all though welcome. 🙂🙂

I had the good fortune of visiting Japan a few years ago. I am a lover of hand-crafted items and while as a tourist in Japan, I visited a small town while in transit between two tourist destinations. It was in the Nagoya region.

While during the short two hours stop-over for lunch, after lunch, I walked around this little town. I came across a small little shop that sells, kitchen knife. These knives were hand made, each one of them. The owner / blacksmith has a workshop behind the shop. I bought a hand-made yanagi sashimi knife from the craftsman.

Typical of a hand-crafter piece of art, there was no serial no. on the blade itself. However, there is the owner / shop name etched on the blade.

=====================

Now that I have given some background context, I wish to reiterate I value craftsman and their craftwork. If you view yourself as a craftsman, your signature / name / brand is more important.
Hence I vote no serial number.

 

[zeio]

All that being said, I'm getting more and more orders from overseas now, and the general feedback I'm getting from retailers is they definitely prefer they be included on general principle.

You have the answer there. Yes for orders/shipments through the retailers. No for orders through you, unless specified.

 

[Wakkibatty]

You have the answer there. Yes for orders/shipments through the retailers. No for orders through you, unless specified.

Something about this idea really appeals to me as well...

Great feedback everyone, thanks so much -- I really gotta think about this some more though 🤔🤔 great arguments on both sides.

This far it seems like it's the information about the blade and when it was made that matters, more than the manner in which it's recorded... 🤔🤔

 

[pong99]

I have several custom blades from makers like SDC, BBC Charlie, and Ross Leidy.

Serial number is meaningless. The specialness is that I know that the blade was made for me. No serial number is needed because it is the only one.

If you do anything for small batches, just sign the blade.

If I see a machine burnt serial number, I will think this is another mass produced blade. Not a negative when buying a mass produced blade, but not what I want to see on something that is supposed to be limited edition.

 

[mcfly]

definitely a blade number
with a date of expiration in case in the future you need to use your blade to buy rubbers online