Recommendation? Blade grind discussion thread

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I have been liking convex grinds but realized recently that for many people to thin a convex after years of sharpening it is not going to be an option.

I have a convexed Magnacut knife that I made right after the steel was released and the knife has seen a bunch of use and sharpenings but no thinning. It is my wife's favorite knife and when she was helping butcher an elk this year she complained about the knife being dull so I sharpened but it was still not cutting as well as it should and that is when I realized the edge had gotten thick in a few years of use.

Took it back to the grinder and thinned the convex down to an acceptable bte and now good to go but it really got me thinking about long term maintenance on convex knives if one wants to maintain the cutting edge geometry.
 
I think the trick to the convex is making friends with the strop. My convex knives that are even remotely users always get a strop, even if they haven't been used in awhile. I find it polishes the cutting edge to a hair popping sharp regardless of the thickness behind the edge.

For me, the edge of a knife needs to slice well, whatever the grind. All of them can pop hairs. Where the convex shines, IMHO, is when you are forced to used the knife hard it's generally going to take a lot more damage before the edge fails. You can power through with some dings and flats. It's harder to make a thin edge thats all broken out work as anything but a steak knife. A convex edge can be stropped or hit with a file in an emergency and keep on trucking.

It's why, for me, even in the era of every kind of super steel (which I love and buy), I'll never truly give up on a good piece of somewhat soft by modern standards carbon steel with a convex edge. It's ancient tech, but it works. It's why I find so much joy using a well made axe or hatchet. A stick, some steel, a proper edge. That's it.
 
My observations

Flat ground is far superior for cutting tasks. But weak in side to side strength. Especially if real thin

Saber ground and Scandi ground have more side to side strength better for stabbing and prying. They are also more wedge like so better for splitting. Not as slicy as a Flat ground.

Hollow grind is an attempt to make a strong heavy blade more slicy while maintaining its side to side strength but compromising its splitting ability.

Convex is an edge grind not a blade grind. I spent a long time learning to free hand sharpen without ending up with a Convex edge. I’m not going to do it on purpose now. My father would come back from the dead to dope slap me.
 
eveled said:
My observations

Flat ground is far superior for cutting tasks. But weak in side to side strength. Especially if real thin

Saber ground and Scandi ground have more side to side strength better for stabbing and prying. They are also more wedge like so better for splitting. Not as slicy as a Flat ground.

Hollow grind is an attempt to make a strong heavy blade more slicy while maintaining its side to side strength but compromising its splitting ability.

Convex is an edge grind not a blade grind. I spent a long time learning to free hand sharpen without ending up with a Convex edge. I’m not going to do it on purpose now. My father would come back from the dead to dope slap me.
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I like a convex blade but with a v ground edge sharpened on stones.

An apple seed convex is only found on my axes.
 
Seedy Lot said:
I have been liking convex grinds but realized recently that for many people to thin a convex after years of sharpening it is not going to be an option.

I have a convexed Magnacut knife that I made right after the steel was released and the knife has seen a bunch of use and sharpenings but no thinning. It is my wife's favorite knife and when she was helping butcher an elk this year she complained about the knife being dull so I sharpened but it was still not cutting as well as it should and that is when I realized the edge had gotten thick in a few years of use.

Took it back to the grinder and thinned the convex down to an acceptable bte and now good to go but it really got me thinking about long term maintenance on convex knives if one wants to maintain the cutting edge geometry.
Click to expand...


"really got me thinking about long term maintenance on convex knives if one wants to maintain the cutting edge geometry."

I'm thinking it would of been a greater chore If that blade was hollow ground, for the end user?
 
Crag the Brewer said:
"really got me thinking about long term maintenance on convex knives if one wants to maintain the cutting edge geometry."

I'm thinking it would of been a greater chore If that blade was hollow ground, for the end user?
Click to expand...
Hollow grinds get thinner as you move towards spine from the edge not thicker so I think hollow would be easier to maintain until you start moving above the hollow ground section.
 
I've got a big 14" wheel, just never got into them....yet.
Maybe if I did Bowie knives?

*But I don't think the average person would be able to reprofile their heavily used knife.

Good excuse for Spa service....haha
 
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