Chisel grind?

K

kaizo

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Oct 17, 2014
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Hi everyone. So I've been looking into buying some Japanese machete aka ken-nata to take with me for camping etc... But what are the benefits of using a chisel grind when the rest of the world seems to have a grind on both sides?

My housemate wanted me to make a kitidashi so it'll be nice to know for that too.

Thanks for your help! :)
 
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Ease of sharpening in the case of your tool choice.
 
Chisel grind is mainly for cutting meat. Ernest Emerson is using that grind in CQC-7B and his customs but on wrong side of the blade for right handed.

I think you mean "kiridashi".
 
Chisel grinds do make sharpening easier and I do really like my Emerson knives but, as stated, for us right handed people, the grind pushes the media being cut into the uncut media instead of away - it's backwards for us right handed folk!:mad:
 
Chisel grinds are nothing more than an edge of a given angle with the bevels skewed so that one bevel face is at 0°. Since you have to approach the cut at an angle equal to or greater than the bevel angle, that means that you can approach the cut at any angle on that face of the blade, at the expense of the opposite face being steeper (and therefore having to approach the cut at a higher angle for the edge to bite.) However, there's also no relief to the 0° side, which means you cannot effectively break from the cut and so can only curve the cut in one direction. There isn't really such a thing as a "handed" chisel grind, though. Just a left-sided bevel or right-sided bevel. The two just require mirrored motions in order to make the same cuts, some of which are more convenient with one vs. the other when using a particular hand. A knife with the bevel on the right side, for instance, making cuts on the top face of an object using the right hand, will make paring/shaving flush cuts with the edge facing away from the user and gouging/scooping/carving cuts with the edge facing the user.
 
The CG works great for basic cutting and as stated, easy sharpening. Also, they work well for some applications in the kitchen, altho, for kitchen work, I'd use a V grind knife.
rolf
 
Thanks for your help guys! I think I'll go grab myself a chisel grind nata in that case :)
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Chisel grinds are nothing more than an edge of a given angle with the bevels skewed so that one bevel face is at 0°. Since you have to approach the cut at an angle equal to or greater than the bevel angle, that means that you can approach the cut at any angle on that face of the blade, at the expense of the opposite face being steeper (and therefore having to approach the cut at a higher angle for the edge to bite.) However, there's also no relief to the 0° side, which means you cannot effectively break from the cut and so can only curve the cut in one direction. There isn't really such a thing as a "handed" chisel grind, though. Just a left-sided bevel or right-sided bevel. The two just require mirrored motions in order to make the same cuts, some of which are more convenient with one vs. the other when using a particular hand. A knife with the bevel on the right side, for instance, making cuts on the top face of an object using the right hand, will make paring/shaving flush cuts with the edge facing away from the user and gouging/scooping/carving cuts with the edge facing the user.
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I think I get what you are saying, but explain how that helps me as a right handed person cutting pepperoni and cheese with an Emerson. I am right handed and the pieces I am cutting off are being pushed left (into the pepperoni stick, if you will) by the bevel.

Luvs me my Emersons but ....
 
My main knife for work is a japanese yanagi. It's a chisel grind, I've used this style of knife more than any other. For slicing fish, it's great! I couldn't see a use for chisel other than fine slicing...
When I see Emerson chisel, i laugh to myself.
 
SALTY said:
I think I get what you are saying, but explain how that helps me as a right handed person cutting pepperoni and cheese with an Emerson. I am right handed and the pieces I am cutting off are being pushed left (into the pepperoni stick, if you will) by the bevel.

Luvs me my Emersons but ....
Click to expand...

Rotate the knife in your hand until the edge facing the pepperoni or cheese is oriented vertically. The degree of tilt required will be equal to that of the edge angle. The cut material will then no longer be pushed off to the left. Alternatively, hold the knife with the edge facing you, like a paring knife, and cut the slices that way.
 
Ah sorry forty two blades quick question. Have you ever tried making chisel ground machetes? How did they compare to v grind?

I just wondered what your opinion of them as a machete maker. Thanks for your help.
 
I'm a designer and modifier more than a maker. :)

In general I find that I frequently swing in both directions with a machete, and my edge angle is already about 15° per side, so I would find a chisel grind more of an impediment because it would cause the tool to no longer perform in a symmetrical manner with little to no upside to "feature".
 
Ah right thanks that makes perfect sense. Thanks for your help :)

Out of pure curiosity does anybody know why some natas have chisel grind? As forty mentioned it makes much more sense to have a v grind and since katanas has a symmetrical grind they must have had the knowledge of making one so I just wondered why they evolved in such a manner.
 
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