Are fully convexed grinds and edges overrated?

L

lonestar1979

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Mar 2, 2014
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Although I love slightly convexed full blade grinds and edges and theyve been hyped up for past decade ,I think for most uses theyre overrated and everything comes down to thickness of blade and behind the edge.Most edges done by hand are slightly convex anyways,but what im talking about here is fully convexed blades from top to bottom without secondary edge .I find these useful for choping but for most other uses other grinds are equally useful and think its mostly hype from some companies to sell more knives as convex is not cure for everything.All opinions are welcome.:)
 
Yes. That's not to say that they're bad, but they're just one type of geometry that can be good or bad depending on context, so hyping them in a broad-brush manner is silly. Hyping a specific geometry for a certain context might be sensible, but that's not what we usually see. It's usually a case of "this tool is awesome because it's using this geometry" when it should really be "this tool is awesome because it's using a geometry optimized for its intended function, which happens to be convex in this case."
 
I think it's just a matter of personal choice and taste. Convex is easy to maintain by stropping, and, as you said, most freehand sharpening is going to add a bit of convexity in any case.

If you find it makes little or no difference in your own cutting needs, you have your answer.

Years ago, on another forum, we talked Bob Dozier into building his first convex blade (which he later gifted to me).

He was highly resistant at first...but was actually very pleasantly surprised after he had actually ground the blade and tested it.

So, I don't think there's a right answer beyond what's right for the user...either as a practical matter or for reasons of aesthetics.
 
I like convexed grinds too but think some makers overhype them to be a one shot cure for everything and ultimate this and ultimate that.Seen so many convex grinds that resemble axe on a knife,and its almost a joke unless bought by someone that doesnt have any idea about knives or buys them for collecting purposes or brand loyalty.
 
I think its the thickness of blade and behind the edge that plays major part in performance,not the specific grind.btw Dozier knives are awesome and i love proper hollow grinds.Slight fully convexed almost flat grinds by some knifemakers that make traditional bowie knives are awesome.What im talking about here are axe like convex grinds on thick stock hyped by certain maker and claiming that theyre best for everything.
 
The ONE thing I've noticed as a distinct advantage in a convex edge is, it can help prevent or reduce binding up of the blade in tough materials, like heavy cardboard, as can happen with a V-bevelled edge in cardboard, where the crisp-edged shoulders of the bevels add more drag and sometimes get hung up. You can actually see the cardboard get scrunched up at the shoulders of the bevels, if you've ever had a blade just STOP, mid-cut, in the cardboard. That binding up adds a lot of resistance to the cutting effort. The benefit of convex is more noticeable when the blade is relatively thick and the convexed 'shoulders' are mirror-polished; it can make cutting heavy cardboard a scary-slick experience. The best blades for cardboard would ordinarily be thin grinds otherwise; but, if using a heavier blade for it, convexing & polishing it can make a big difference.

Otherwise, a lot of the (debatable) hype about better durability, greater edge strength, etc., is usually overblown as I see it.

I see sort of a 'plus' in convex anyway, as it's a natural result of the freehand technique. To me, it's a more natural & simple blade/edge profile to maintain, in the long run. It's what our hands want to do anyway; therefore, more easily trained to do it well. ;
 
I think its the thickness of blade and behind the edge that plays major part in performance,not the specific grind.btw Dozier knives are awesome and i love proper hollow grinds.Slight fully convexed almost flat grinds by some knifemakers that make traditional bowie knives are awesome.What im talking about here are axe like convex grinds on thick stock hyped by certain maker and claiming that theyre best for everything.
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Well, that's a whole different animal. And unless I was splitting wood I don't think I could endorse that philosophy on anything approaching a universal level.

It just ignores reality.
 
Over hyped a bit yes, for bushcrafting I love Convex grinds and for dressing game I like Hollow grinds, and for all other cutting jobs a flat / scandi / sabre grind will do, as long as it's sharp. the edges of my knives are flat. and I don't think they are sustaining more damage than convex ones would during uses. But that said I sharpen my knives from slicing to general depending on uses and edges lasts that way.
 
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