1/4" or 3/16" blades

shigawire4sure

shigawire4sure

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Im curious what the census is on blade thicknesses is for "the one blade" theory. Do most prefer one over the other? Why? Personally most of my "just one" blades are 1/4" but I'm starting to question the bennefit.Any input? Paricullarly 3/16" vs 1/4".
 
3/16! 1/4" is good for heavy choppers, but for cutting, 1/8"-3/16" because we aren't going to do any prying, are we?
 
For me either 3/16" or 1/4" is best for large camp knives, 7 or 8 inch blades where splitting and chopping may be involved. 3/16" is good for 5 to 6 inch field knives. For fine work and big game prep, I like no more then 5/32" with 1/8" as the best choice.
Scott
 
If my "one" knife had a blade of less than 5" I would prefer 3/16 - over 5" and I would want 1/4"
 
3/16" for around a 4" blade or shorter; 1/4" or 5/16" for longer blades.:thumbup:
I like thicker blades; that's just my personal preference. (I don't want to even have to think about "babying" my knives.) ;)
 
3/16" is more than enough. I have a few that are thicker, but only because I liked the blades and they didn't come 3/16".
 
Definitely 1/4" for my "one knife", which under almost all conditions will be a big chopper. That extra 1/16" makes for a tougher knife, which is exactly what I want when that's all I'm carrying.
 
3/16" is about my favorite, but 1/4" can be fine as long as the grind is right. I do believe a lot depends on th grind.
 
perksy said:
3/16" is about my favorite, but 1/4" can be fine as long as the grind is right. I do believe a lot depends on th grind.
Click to expand...

I should have mentioned the grind preference, mine being either full flat or scandi(saber) though I do like full convex as well(other than a Bravo1/BRKT I find them hard to find though).
 
Like most here, 1/4" only for a big boy. 3/16" to 1/8" would be the ideal belt knife usually. The kabar bowie is 1/4" and is one of my favorite blades, though. The full flat grind allows it to keep a very good slicing edge.

It's all about the grind.
 
1/8" is best.
3/16" is as thick as I like to go. Thats alot of steel to swing. If you break a knife 3/16" thick you are probably chopping concrete or metal..
 
I think 3/16th is plenty on a sub 5" knife. My favorite 5+" knife is the Busse SFNO which is .220" (which I believe is 7/32 happily right between 3/16 and 1/4). I can't imagine anything breaking it either.
 
Folks do some serious chopping with machetes at, what?, under 1/8".

Real "mountain men" were happy with 1/8" or less.

3/16" should do unless the knife is a dedicated, axe substitute.
 
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