$25 SAK outperformed $200 CF scaled modern with semi super steel.

cchu518

cchu518

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I've been rotating my knives for garden use and this little SAK outsliced one of my moderns with cts-xhp steel!

Amazing!
 
More often than not, it's about geometry, not steel. I find a simple opinel out performs almost everything I have when it comes to slicing duty.
 
pmew said:
More often than not, it's about geometry, not steel. I find a simple opinel out performs almost everything I have when it comes to slicing duty.
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Bingo. Thin blades always win, when slicing stuff like fruits & veggies (& most other things, for that matter). Makes a HUGE difference slicing things like apples or melons, which tend to clamp against a thick-spined blade in vise-like fashion. Among traditional knives, Victorinox's blades are about as thin as you'll find*. And fruits/veggies don't exactly put much wear on the steel anyway, so steel type is essentially moot (aside from the advantages of stainless steel for food use).

The thicker blades of super steel may be better-suited for prying open walnuts & pistachios (maybe coconuts too?), and as makeshift can openers, at least as far as kitchen tasks go. :D

(* I recently picked up a set of 3 Victorinox paring knives, precisely for this reason. :thumbup: )


David
 
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That's one great thing about the SAK's, that thin edge is a tremendous slicer, and take s an easy and sharp edge too. Plus as an edc you have all those other goodies :)
 
I have a #8 slim that is an awesome slicer as well but I like to rotate back and forth traditionals and moderns for fun.

Its a tough one except for when I need one hand opening because my other hand is occupied the thin geometry of the traditional beats out the modern. I still love moderns too though lol!
 
Yeah man, geometry cuts, not steel type.

I have my opinel as my desk knife. That sucker is so sharp and so thin. I use it every day for food.

My machete is the same way. You can't touch it with the big choppers. Just not going to happen.

:)
 
Not too surprising, my sak's are some of the best slicers I have out of all my blades (mostly modern and a decent amount of traditionals). I thought about getting some of them zero ground though after comparing apple slicing with my cadet and opinel 9, sak's would be insane if they were zero ground.
 
pmew said:
More often than not, it's about geometry, not steel. I find a simple opinel out performs almost everything I have when it comes to slicing duty.
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Spot on! I have a bunch of bargain basement kitchen knives that outslice any modern folder I have simply because the edge geometry is purpose built for the cutting task. SAK behaves similarly to my smaller kitchen knives and even on mundane stuff like packing tape, mail, etc.... I reach for the Swiss knife first.
 
TheChunk91 said:
Not too surprising, my sak's are some of the best slicers I have out of all my blades (mostly modern and a decent amount of traditionals). I thought about getting some of them zero ground though after comparing apple slicing with my cadet and opinel 9, sak's would be insane if they were zero ground.
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SAK main blades are usually slightly twisted, especially the alox blades. you would need to be careful to keep it in mind.
 
This does not surprise me at all. I think SAK's are the most under estimated knife on the planet. Yes, they don't use cutting edge steel, yes, the blades are technically on the soft size. But ti doesn't seem to matter in the real world, as they get the job done. They wouldn't have lasted since 1890, or be the biggest knife company in the world if they were not doing something right. The blade geometry is one thing, the steel may be another. Soft enough that it can be sharpened anywhere, anytime, on almost anything.
 
TheChunk91 said:
Not too surprising, my sak's are some of the best slicers I have out of all my blades (mostly modern and a decent amount of traditionals). I thought about getting some of them zero ground though after comparing apple slicing with my cadet and opinel 9, sak's would be insane if they were zero ground.
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I've contemplated doing this with one of the Vic paring knives I picked up, and may yet do it (I've done so, with 2 of my Opinels*). I suspect the steel's a bit soft for going much thinner near the edge, however. The quirky thing about this steel is, it takes a very, very fine edge which shaves/pops hairs easily, but it's also a very delicate edge. This is why the blade grind's overall thin profile is helpful, because these will still slice very, very well with a more 'standard' 30° edge on them (or maybe just a 'tad' thinner ;)).

(* I think I did find the limits of the 'Carbone' Opinel I zero-ground. It's wickedly sharp, but the edge is pretty vulnerable to the lightest of bumps or dings.)


David
 
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VictorLouis said:
Please elaborate on what you mean here. THanks.
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http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/303940-Twisted-SAK-blades

I remember reading this thread a couple of years ago, and made sure to modify my sharpening to stay consistent.
One time I was paring an apple with a soldier knife, and the twist made the cut go off course, and bit (deeply) into my finger. That lesson sure was learned! I always remember they're slightly bent when I'm using them, but haven't seen much (except the apple incident) that suggests that functionality is affected.
 
Ryan, I have noted a slight krink in the main-blade for quite sometime. However, I think it's all accomplished before the ricasso. IOW, the edge is straight. Lay the flat of your blade flat against a straigt-edge on each side as you eyeball it against the light. That would be the way to ell for sure. I am at the office, and don't want to get any looks, LOL.

As to your assertion about 'twist', I agree with this past poster:

WadeF said:
Taking a picture of a series of knives like that is NOT an accurate way to judge if the blades are twisted. You would have to photograph each one straight on in the center of the lens's field of view. Each knife to the right and left of center will appear more and more twisted as they get further away from center.

I'm not saying they aren't twisted, just that taking a photograph like that isn't a good way to judge.
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Now that said, perhaps there is 'something' with the Soldier model, or perhaps just your example, in particular, that is unlike the others. I don't know.
 
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