Cheap convex grind knife?

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Kirk_Ferentz

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Feb 16, 2010
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I'd like the equivalent of a mora (a cheap scandi ground knife that will give you a good idea of how a scandi grind performs) for a convex grind.

I ran a search for "cheap convex" and got some results, but it was mostly people wanting something to use to practice stropping. I don't want something to practice convex sharpening with ... I want something that will give me an idea of whether or not I like a convex profiled blade for various tasks, and, more specifcally, whether I like it more than a scandi grind (which I know that I like) on a bushcraft type knife.

It sounds like opinel knives MIGHT fit the bill, but I'm not sure if they are a good representation of a full convex profile.
 
An axe?
Seriously there are not many convex knives around there and those who are are generally handmade so a bit expensive.
Opinels are great and you should get one but not so sure they can speak for all convex grinds, they are so thin actual shape of blade is hard to tell and the angle is such it is hard to tell convex from flat anyway.
Maybe Condor knives have so fairly cheap convex.
Also Valiantco blades have a nice full convex and some are quite inexpensive (prices are in australian dollars).
I've also had some very inexpensive Filipino blades from ebay: full convex, nice grinds but steel/heat treatment was really awful.

I'd say try to reprofile a knife by yourself.
 
Condor if you're looking for a piece with a convex edge, Svord if you're looking for a convex grind (with a thin beveled edge that can easily be converted.)
 
I think you've got a bit of a challenge ahead of you with this project. Cheap and convex don't tend to go together. The convex is the enthusiasts grind and usually occurs on slightly more expensive knives because they are harder to bang out as an automated process or are a homemade a labour of love.

Supposing you do find one there's precarious path to follow littered with chances for a faulty attribution. For example I can think of a couple dirt cheap convex jobs off the top of mah head, one from Ken Warner and the other from Blackjack:

The thing is both of those are very much thicker than a good Scandi or a Mora. Moras cut well because they are thin. To approach a fair comparison you'd need to match one of those against a big thick Scandi. And a big thick Scandi is a dumb device and not at all representative of what typical Scandis are all about. In short, you either have to hobble the Scandi and field one way thicker than a Mora or add another requirement to the convex – it must be very thin.

Supposing you do satisfy that you've also got the hurdles of heat treatment and steel. Confounding is ever lurking here. I can think of a number of folk that could all too easily conclude a 420 Scandi with a mediocre heat treatment was better than a thicker convex in 01 with an excellent treatment just 'cos it out cut it for a bit, or that 1095 has better wear resistance at cutting than say 440C when in fact the thickness and geometry was what was responsible for the rogue result...and so on. In short then, ideally you want a similar steel that has undergone a similar process as another requirement for comparison. Using the same maker is probably a shortcut to that.

In conclusion, if it were me doing this I'd say something has got to give, and given the requirements of Mora cheap, equivalent thickness, parity of steel and HT, I'd bin off the idea of full convex and retain a partial convex instead. All factors considered I think that would give me the most level playing field for comparison, not ideal but better. I would the convex one of these as best as I could and run it against a Mora Scandi.
 
There was a Grohman #1 clone that had a convexed edge I believe. I can't remember the brand though but I remember them being around $35.
 
It looks to me like that R. Murphy knife might be good for a comparison. like the mora, 1095 steel and of comprable blade thickness.

The problem is that I don't think I can find it anywhere. Looks like the "skinner" model that is currently being offered is similar, but I don't know if it has a convex grind ...
 
You might have the best luck by picking up some kind of user off of the market here. Convex is just plain more expensive to produce than scandi, so I doubt you'll find a convex in mora's price range with comparable steel and heat treat quality.

Another option would be to get into a "pass around" of a knife that has a convex grind. Then you can try it out then send it down the line.
 
Kirk_Ferentz said:
It looks to me like that R. Murphy knife might be good for a comparison. like the mora, 1095 steel and of comprable blade thickness.

The problem is that I don't think I can find it anywhere. Looks like the "skinner" model that is currently being offered is similar, but I don't know if it has a convex grind ...
Click to expand...

Mmm. that's a crappy pic on their site and the stimulus one has been on a buffer. Still, I strongly suspect they are the same just because they have been knocking about for so long.

Bloke here describes his as “partially convex”.

ATSMurphyCS.jpg
 
Hi, first post on here so here goes!

I'm a real fan of convex grind knives. I like the ease with which you can maintain them and i like the grind for the kind of tasks I ask the knife to do bushcraft/dressing game. I'd grab an Opinel anyway. I use a #8 and it has pushed everything else out of my pocket for EDC. For the money (£8) they are a bargain and the only blade I've found which comes convex for anywhere near that money. They take a little getting used to as you must remember to twist the lock. Despite only having a shallow convex I definitely notice the difference in cutting ability between the opinel and and equivalent thickness flat-ground blade for cutting green wood. But the reason the Opinel has stayed in my pocket is that it also does so many other tasks well, slicing packaging, food prep, cardboard etc. Despite the thinness of the blade by being slightly convex it puts a little more steel behind the edge so although I wouldn't do anything really heavy with this knife and I don't think it would appreciate any twisting torque whilst in a cut the blade is surprisingly strong. As for getting used to sharpening convex the Opinel is a great one to practice on. Both the mouse mat method and a strop are a doddle, I keep a convex micro bevel to retain slightly more strength but you can have a zero bevel which brings a scary post-stropping edge. And, just like any other convex edge it strops back beautifully.

Because I live in the UK I carry a smallish folding knife as an EDC and have a good reason for carry. So far I have tinkered with Spyderco (flat and hollow ground), Ka-bar Dozier, Bucks, Eka and Svord Peasant. The Opinel out-cuts all of them and stands up pretty well against my convex fixed blade knives until things get really heavy!

Best of all, if you do push it too far or you lose it it'll cost you the price of a CD to replace :)
 
baldtaco-II said:
Mmm. that's a crappy pic on their site and the stimulus one has been on a buffer. Still, I strongly suspect they are the same just because they have been knocking about for so long.

Bloke here describes his as “partially convex”.

ATSMurphyCS.jpg
Click to expand...

I love that top Coldsteel !
 
No, it's long disco'd. They used that same handle on their Carbon V filet knives...I still have one someplace. I normally don't go for finger notches, but they did a good job of it with that handle. It's very comfy, if not very versatile.
 
With so many variations of convex geometry it would be hard to guage all of them with one cheap convex knife. My Bark Rivers all have such different geometries, the height and spine thickness make more difference when cutting through material. If the entire knife must be pushed through, the curve will determine how easy that happens.

Sure you can compare the same knife, one scandi and one convex, but that's only one example of convex grinds. They really improve the cutting performance of a thicker knife, one that would have been a V grind or scandi otherwise.

I say, get a Bark River from the Exchange, use it, sell it if you don't like the way it cuts.
 
I convexed by hand using sandpaper
It was a piece of work

I took a Queen Country Cousin in D2 (a soddie) $25
It has enough meat to the blade to work it into a convex
And the D2 is good to hold an edge for a long time
 
Well, to give a little more info, what I am really trying to decide is what grind to get a bushcraft knife in. I really like the way that my moras cut with their scandi grind, so I was thinking of getting something like a koster or fiddleback in scandi grind. Then I noticed that some bushcraft knives come in a convex grind and a lot of folks prefer that over the scandi. Probably still leaning towards a scandi since it would primarily be used for cutting on wood and it's so easy for me to get one razor sharp with my stones, but I wanted to give a convex a look before I decided...

How do you get involved in these pass-arounds?
 
Kirk_Ferentz said:
Well, to give a little more info, what I am really trying to decide is what grind to get a bushcraft knife in. I really like the way that my moras cut with their scandi grind, so I was thinking of getting something like a koster or fiddleback in scandi grind. Then I noticed that some bushcraft knives come in a convex grind and a lot of folks prefer that over the scandi. Probably still leaning towards a scandi since it would primarily be used for cutting on wood and it's so easy for me to get one razor sharp with my stones, but I wanted to give a convex a look before I decided...

How do you get involved in these pass-arounds?
Click to expand...

If ya like Mora's I got Mark Wohlwend to make a full tang knife that is close to a Mora rather than just copying the current woodlore knives. That involved thinner stock than most and a slightly different scandi grind than is commonly used.
I should receive mine anytime now so maybe wait for my review !;):thumbup:
 
How thin? The .1'' moras seem to be fine for me. Seems like 1/8'' is standard for the scandis ... I was assuming that they would cut about the same as a mora, with a little stronger blade.

I just picked up a fallkniven f1 off the exchange since I saw one at a good price, so I will try out the ole convex grind with that knife and see what I think. Maybe sell it after that if I don't think I have much use for it. I like carbon steels and micarta slabs, so we will see.
 
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