General Grading Rubric

KNIFE

Plate - KNIVES 

Surface Detail 

Form / shape 

Best

The plate exhibits NO wear or loss.

 Surface detail is strong on both sides of a hollow handle or flat handle item.  

Original shape and form are present - with either the original blade or a desirable replacement blade. 

Excellent

There is no loss or the spot is smaller than 1/8” in diameter where the knife would rest on the table (bolster area).

Surface detail is well defined re-plating of the surface may reduce contrast 

Original shape is intact.  There may be some minor blemish on the original knife blade edge or surface.

Good 

The HH of the knife may have a wear spot where the item rests on the table (bolster or deepest portion of design in end grape HH. The wear is less that 1/8 inch to 1/4 in diameter.

Minor definition of loss of definition Blade may possess some plate loss

There may be some minor shape wear on the outer edge of the knife or on the surface of the blade.  

Usable 

The item may exhibit plate wear on the area where it rests on the table by more than 1/4 inch diameter .

May exhibit some minor loss of pattern definition

May have some indention or minor damage on the outer edge of the HH.

The blade may exhibit some shape modification or corrosion on the edge or surface.

Crafty 

The plate wear is excessive and may be present both front and back and may exhibit pitting.

Blade may broken or misshaped from use or incident.  

BLADE is much of the grading criteria of knife condition 

Initial or monogram is incidental 

Knives are susceptible to blade damage from the inherent quality of the manufacture process of the time.