Asymmetric Edge Resource Thread

I've never seen this thread before but was going down the rabbit hole tonight and now here I am. Since it's been brought back from the grave a few times already, figured I'd bring it back again since I'm curious now.

I've got an NOe and had an SHe with this grind, at first glance my BAe appears almost asymmetrical but the original owner had sent it to Reese Weiland for new scales and a blade polish and guessing the edge must have been converted. Anyway, after reading this thread and another linked herein, I still can't find a solid answer on why it went away and hoping someone can tell me what happened to the asymmetrical grind. One of the comments I saw while chasing said rabbit that was from maybe 2002'ish mentioned that this edge was what many, if not most, of what Jerry's kives would have going forward, yet it's gone the way of the Edsel.

In the other linked thread Cobalt commented that it was because that while "The asymmetrical grind was proven to outcut all other grinds when it was being done. However, it was ugly and people did not know how to resharpen it, even though it was easy. So it is gone". In this thread papathud also mentioned the ugliness factor as being a reason. Seems silly to imagine something that many Busse's came with back in the long ago days, and that does have a purpose, stopped being made because of looks. However, I looked on Google and without diving too deep I don't see any other makers still offering them either. Anyone besides Jerry have any kind of definitive answer?

Winston
 
From a personal email exchange with Jerry in July, 2003:

“The general public has turned, what I consider to be a major advancement, into an unwanted orphan of sorts. The problem that I didn't forsee was having to overturn everything that folks knew about resharpening. Those that followed the simple directions have been thrilled with it, but the majority of Busse buyers just went at that edge like it was a regular one and they have been fairly disappointed. Bummer. I am now being forced to go back to a regular symmetric edge in order to quiet the natives.”
 
Winston_Smith said:
I've never seen this thread before but was going down the rabbit hole tonight and now here I am. Since it's been brought back from the grave a few times already, figured I'd bring it back again since I'm curious now.

I've got an NOe and had an SHe with this grind, at first glance my BAe appears almost asymmetrical but the original owner had sent it to Reese Weiland for new scales and a blade polish and guessing the edge must have been converted. Anyway, after reading this thread and another linked herein, I still can't find a solid answer on why it went away and hoping someone can tell me what happened to the asymmetrical grind. One of the comments I saw while chasing said rabbit that was from maybe 2002'ish mentioned that this edge was what many, if not most, of what Jerry's kives would have going forward, yet it's gone the way of the Edsel.

In the other linked thread Cobalt commented that it was because that while "The asymmetrical grind was proven to outcut all other grinds when it was being done. However, it was ugly and people did not know how to resharpen it, even though it was easy. So it is gone". In this thread papathud also mentioned the ugliness factor as being a reason. Seems silly to imagine something that many Busse's came with back in the long ago days, and that does have a purpose, stopped being made because of looks. However, I looked on Google and without diving too deep I don't see any other makers still offering them either. Anyone besides Jerry have any kind of definitive answer?

Winston
Click to expand...
Since you are bringing up Other makers.....?

a few months ago I was digging deeper into this topic.
I tend to like and want to do things that other people aren't fond of, and since I don't have any edges like this, I got the idea to make a few.
I'm still in the process, but as luck also happened, a new customer approached me do do just this exact thing, so it is going to happen.

mostly you see them on kitchen knives, but the few that I will have later on this year are going to be edc. Thin cutters. Taking advantage of that edge. With Hard, tough edged steel.

People Do think they are Ugly, Hahaha...... I hope mine are Ugly too!
 
The edges perform well. They are just a pain to re-sharpen quickly after heavy use.

I found a few quick steady handed passes on a belt sander was the easiest option.

They are generally avoided though

My fatty Satin Jack has quite the factory asymmetrical edge


IMG_0858.jpegIMG_0859.jpeg
 
Nismo17 said:
The edges perform well. They are just a pain to re-sharpen quickly after heavy use.

I found a few quick steady handed passes on a belt sander was the easiest option.

They are generally avoided though

My fatty Satin Jack has quite the factory asymmetrical edge


View attachment 2572061View attachment 2572062
Click to expand...

Are they all with a "micro bevel" on one side, and big bevel on the other?
I guess that IS asymmetrical.

In my mind, I was thinking chisel.... bevel on one side, flat on the Other.

I wonder what the advantage of Your style is,and why it was done That way?
Thanks.
 
Yep pretty much regarding the bevel.

The picture above is original busse edge.

Definitely not a chisel grind. However, if I wanted to choose an asymmetrical option, I’d probably choose a chisel grind over the asymmetrical bevel for small to medium sized knives.
 
Ironic said:
From a personal email exchange with Jerry in July, 2003:

“The general public has turned, what I consider to be a major advancement, into an unwanted orphan of sorts. The problem that I didn't forsee was having to overturn everything that folks knew about resharpening. Those that followed the simple directions have been thrilled with it, but the majority of Busse buyers just went at that edge like it was a regular one and they have been fairly disappointed. Bummer. I am now being forced to go back to a regular symmetric edge in order to quiet the natives.”
Click to expand...
Interesting, and thank you very much. I looked through a few threads but never found that or anything else definitive, but there are many threads on this and I didn't hit them all. Also kind of interesting that Busse was still sending them 10 or so years later, maybe Jerry is just stubborn and hoped people would figure it out...

Crag, I did see lots of kitchen knive still being made with the asymmetrical edge, but no camping/hunting knives.

Thanks again for clearing that up Ironic, much appreciated.

Winston
 
Winston_Smith said:
Interesting, and thank you very much. I looked through a few threads but never found that or anything else definitive, but there are many threads on this and I didn't hit them all. Also kind of interesting that Busse was still sending them 10 or so years later…
Click to expand...

You’re welcome. Jerry has made similar comments in threads along the way as to why he suspended asym edges—as you say, there are a lot of threads on that—so his comment to me was not unusual.
To my knowledge the only asym edges released by the shop later on were either very limited runs such as on the Basic 11 at Blade Show 2010 in Atlanta, or special orders filled back when the Custom Shop still accepted private orders, up to about 2015. For example, Garth put an asym edge on this Basic 8 LE (War Feather mod) for me in 2015…IMG_9095.jpegIMG_9094.jpeg
IMG_9093.jpeg
 
Tbh, I want a basic model with an asymmetrical edge. Only to use against my ds6 with "traditional" edge to see which is best. On paper, the asymmetrical sounds better. I want to see it in real life.

Infi has impressed me beyond belive. But if the asymmetrical edge makes it better???? I want to see it.


Biggest "red flag" I've seen on asymmetrical edge is it isn't as keen as traditional. Which isn't needed for anything except shaving imho.

The idiots who whined about it 20 years ago, should be slapped imho.
 
Winston_Smith said:
However, I looked on Google and without diving too deep I don't see any other makers still offering them either. Anyone besides Jerry have any kind of definitive answer?
Click to expand...
Emerson uses a chisel edge on his V-Grind knives. On my CQC-10, one of the edges is around 27° and the other is around 15°.
 
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