Chaparral edge grind - Why did I get a thick one?

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lambertiana

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I have a few Chaparrals (Raffir and lightweight) and have handled a total of five. One of the primary reasons I like the chaparral is the combination of thin blade stock and a nice thin edge bevel, which makes it a very efficient cutter. After a long time considering it, not long ago I pulled the trigger on a Sun & Moon chaparral. When it arrived, I was very surprised to see that the edge bevel is about three times as thick as all of the other chaparrals I have seen. To say I am disappointed is an understatement.
Is this the new norm for chaparrals, or did I get one that slipped through? If I had known it would be like this I would not have purchased it.
I emailed customer service some time ago and never received a response.
 
Are you referring to the width of the edge bevel? Is it ground to a more acute angle than you are used to seeing?
Post a picture of the atrocity, please.
 
I would contact Spyderco if you are unhappy. Sometimes things sneak through when you sell so many knives.
 
TaIf7da.jpg


On top is the Sun & Moon in question; underneath is a Raffir that has the thin edge bevel I have seen on all of the other Chaparrals that I have handled. To those who are used to the edge bevels coming out of Golden, this may look normal. But it is not normal for knives coming out of Taichung, which is why, until now, I prefer the Taichung or Maniago models because they cut better with the thin edge grind. Again, my question is: Is this the new norm for Chaparrals, or did this one get a little extra grinding when the edge bevel was put on it?
 
Two questions.

1) What is the thickness of each blade at the top of the edge bevel?

2) What is the included angle on each edge?

If the Sun and Moon is ground at a more accute angle, it will have a wider edge bevel and be even sharper than the other.
 
yablanowitz said:
Two questions.

1) What is the thickness of each blade at the top of the edge bevel?

2) What is the included angle on each edge?

If the Sun and Moon is ground at a more accute angle, it will have a wider edge bevel and be even sharper than the other.
Click to expand...

I only have a cheap plastic caliper, and it is difficult to get consistent readings with it. I did a number of measurements of both, and got a range of measurements. The Raffir gave a range of 0.010-0.012, and the Sun & Moon had a range of 0.017-0.019.
Lacking a goniometer, I can only eyeball the edge angles. The Sun & Moon has a more acute angle.
 
My guess would be confusion between "narrow bevel" and "thin grind". I have knives ground thin enough to have a bevel the width of the one on the Rafir sharpened at 10° per side.
 
yablanowitz said:
My guess would be confusion between "narrow bevel" and "thin grind". I have knives ground thin enough to have a bevel the width of the one on the Rafir sharpened at 10° per side.
Click to expand...

So the real question becomes if a blade with a more acute edge bevel and 50% thicker behind the edge will perform better, the same, or worse.
 
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