Blade "Fluting"

Apebrains

Apebrains

Joined
Dec 15, 2009
Messages
412
What is with this new trend I'm starting to see in custom knives where the smith has "fluted" the blade? I keep seeing these blades popping up with fluting running, not vertically (perpendicular to the cutting edge) like in nice kitchen knives, but laterally (parallel to the cutting edge) running down the blade. Is this decorative only, or is there some purpose to it? I would think it would eventually cause issues with sharpening, and/or corrosion. Perhaps it's been around for sometime (as most "new" things have), but I've only started to see it pop up recently, with a marked increase in frequency. Can someone explain this phenomena to me?
:confused:
 
A single groove is at times used as a fuller. While some call this a "blood groove", it is done (I believe) for weight reduction/balance purposes (stab wounds seem to bleed just fine even without this feature;))

Utilizing many of these on a blade may provide the benefit in food prep (prevents surface tension from allowing food to "stick" to the side of the blade...think about slicing tomatoes).

Without seeing examples of what you are talking about I can only guess that it is a decorative feature that adds interest and complexity to the design.
 
Apebrains said:
What is with this new trend I'm starting to see in custom knives where the smith has "fluted" the blade? I keep seeing these blades popping up with fluting running, not vertically (perpendicular to the cutting edge) like in nice kitchen knives, but laterally (parallel to the cutting edge) running down the blade. Is this decorative only, or is there some purpose to it? I would think it would eventually cause issues with sharpening, and/or corrosion. Perhaps it's been around for sometime (as most "new" things have), but I've only started to see it pop up recently, with a marked increase in frequency. Can someone explain this phenomena to me?
:confused:
Click to expand...

I think that fluting is an aesthetic enhancement that is rising in popularity due to the ease with which computer-controlled machining centers can do the work. If there were a practical benefit to performance, surely the sellers would loudly proclaim it (in which case you would not have needed to ask the question.)
 
Bill1170 said:
I think that fluting is an aesthetic enhancement that is rising in popularity due to the ease with which computer-controlled machining centers can do the work. If there were a practical benefit to performance, surely the sellers would loudly proclaim it (in which case you would not have needed to ask the question.)
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Well stated!
 
Yeah, that's about what I guessed. I try not to ask stupid questions when answers are blatantly available, but I just couldn't for the life of me figure out any advantage other than aesthetics for this design. I can see how CNC would dramatically enhance the potential for this kind of stuff, but wouldn't this decrease the knife's real-world performance? I can't see those ridges helping the blade cleave materials at all. Anybody used one like this that can weigh in on advantages vs. disadvantages? Anybody know the real world disadvantages to this kind of silliness? It does look kinda cool, but I'm a strictly 'form after function' kinda guy...
 
Several disadvantages would be:

1. higher price

2. harder to clean or dry off

3. higher friction cutting semisoft media that wedges in the grooves.

Possible advantages:

1. easier to grip the blade in pinch grip (corollary to 3, above)

2. weight reduction
 
I've wondered what those things were too... Busse seems to grind them in anywhere they possibly can. They seem to me more than anything a pain when it comes to reprofiling, or even sharpening over long term use.
 
Apebrains said:
Yeah, that's about what I guessed. I try not to ask stupid questions when answers are blatantly available, but I just couldn't for the life of me figure out any advantage other than aesthetics for this design. I can see how CNC would dramatically enhance the potential for this kind of stuff, but wouldn't this decrease the knife's real-world performance? I can't see those ridges helping the blade cleave materials at all. Anybody used one like this that can weigh in on advantages vs. disadvantages? Anybody know the real world disadvantages to this kind of silliness? It does look kinda cool, but I'm a strictly 'form after function' kinda guy...
Click to expand...

Well, real world performance for such knives probably only include sitting in a drawer, opening boxes, and slicing an apple once and a while.

Frankly a broken pair of scissors could accomplish those tasks, knives just look nicer. So why not look really nice? :p
 
A blood grove that runs parallel to the length of the blade may add some strength or structural rigidity --- or so I have been told, but the grooves in the picture seem to be for pretty rather than function.
 
Dnullify said:
Well, real world performance for such knives probably only include sitting in a drawer, opening boxes, and slicing an apple once and a while.

Frankly a broken pair of scissors could accomplish those tasks, knives just look nicer. So why not look really nice? :p
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marcinek said:
Strictly a design element.
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JLKII said:
A blood grove that runs parallel to the length of the blade may add some strength or structural rigidity --- or so I have been told, but the grooves in the picture seem to be for pretty rather than function.
Click to expand...

PayetteRucker said:
I've wondered what those things were too... Busse seems to grind them in anywhere they possibly can. They seem to me more than anything a pain when it comes to reprofiling, or even sharpening over long term use.
Click to expand...

Bill1170 said:
Several disadvantages would be:

1. higher price

2. harder to clean or dry off

3. higher friction cutting semisoft media that wedges in the grooves.

Possible advantages:

1. easier to grip the blade in pinch grip (corollary to 3, above)

2. weight reduction
Click to expand...

Sooooo....basically........completely useless to me.

Good to know ;)
 
marcinek said:
Functionally useless. Pure marketing gimmick. But not useless if one finds them cool looking.

Kinda like tantos. :D
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I'll be the first to say that I have no use for Tantos whatsoever, but at least they help increase the tip strength and penetration ability (that's what she said) of a knife. Sigh. I wish people would keep their pretty crap off of the business end. I guess that's why there's a knife for everyone...
 
Apebrains said:
I'll be the first to say that I have no use for Tantos whatsoever, but at least they help increase the tip strength and penetration ability (that's what she said) of a knife. Sigh. I wish people would keep their pretty crap off of the business end. I guess that's why there's a knife for everyone...
Click to expand...

Here, here, my friend!
free-party-smileys-770.gif


There's more than enough "pretty" in a great, efficient cutter. Subtle and elegant. Beautiful.

I never did get the point of "tarting up" a knife until it cannot cut. :D
 
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