Belly - what's it for?

Joined
Apr 7, 2002
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I prefer my knives with a straight blade - my Spyderco Delica, Endura and Benchmade Mini Grip 555. I just find them more useful for utility work.
Why do most knives have belly?
In what circumstances is a belly more useful?

Any other straight blade fans out there??
 
Steven, I'm not sure what you mean by belly, do you mean a hollow grind, where the blade curves up from the edge toward the spine, or do you mean a recueve, where the blade curves along the edge? Or somehting else?

Nathan
 
Knives have bellies because they provide a larger cutting surface. I asume you mean recurve blade such as Arclite.

Beside, recurved blade is comfortable for peeling onion/orange.

Yes, I like to cook with my knives.
 
Originally posted by Steven Andrews
Why do most knives have belly? In what circumstances is a belly more useful?
In making deep sweeping cuts. The belly allows a more natural follow through with the wrist motion, and results in less drag on the blade edge; the wrist stays at the same angle in relation to the object being cut.
 
Nathan,

I know what you mean. I used to have knives in a bunch of different configurations including tanto, single edge spearpoint, clipoint, double edge spearpoint.

Nowadays all my knives have one similar theme, tons of belly - Single edge spear point or clip point. I have since sold off most of the other edge configurations.

Clip points and spearpoints with a high grind provides tons of utility. The straight edge knives are more for stabbing and cutting and less for slicing.

Steven,

Belly refers to the curve and height of the blade at the front of the blade. Effectively, this area represents the contact area of the blade as it passes through the target. It is therefore responsible for the support and control of slices. Recurve blades are designed to maximize the blade's "belly".

Tantos, and double edge spearpoints has very little belly, if at all. For reference: consider Strider's tanto design. It has no round belly, instead it has what is coined "the triangle of death".

So the grind can enhance the belly of the blade. Optimially, the grind should extend as high as possible.
 
Steve.
A belly in a knife is helpful when you are skinning a animal. The belly allows you to rotate your wrist making small slices as you pull the skin.
I like a belly in a knife when I have a ham. I just go slice slice slice and all the fat and ham skin is off.
A belly knife is not for everyone or every application,
In fact I carry a wyncliff blade for edc..Good Luck
Jack
 
My straight-edged blades do cutting plenty well. When I first felt how well my 921 Switchback cut flat media, such as cardboard, very nicely, I thought that the modified Wharncliffe was the answer to every question. Since I'm an avid indoorsman, skinning isn't a consideration for me and, since I'm a bad cook and prefer burritos, I need very little belly for slicing fat off of raw chicken.

Your uses and the shape best suited for them may vary.
 
Different blades for different uses, that´s why I like a stockman so much, the sheepfoot gets most utility use (a straight edge, generally useful, easy to sharpen), the clip does the long slices (as with bread), the spey is kept very sharp and handles delicate cutting, the belly allows you to push-cut holding the knife at different angles, you can also position the tip of the blade or the base of the belly and "rock" the blade so the edge "rolls" somewhat like a pizza cutter, and of course the already mentioned skinning slices.
 
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