Chisel Grinds?

M

milani74

Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
1,237
My question is this: why isn't there more chisel grind knives out there for tasks like carving/whittling or survival?
There are a lot of convex believers out there and after handling and cutting with a bravo-1, I can definitely see the difference in how the blade seems to want to "dig in". This reminded me of a chisel; where one side will want to cut up and out of the wood, and the other side will dig further into the wood.
It seems that the only chisel grind knives are kitchen duty types and Japanese ones forming the majority of them.
 
i am by no means an expert but from my expeience there is no comparision between carving with a convexed edge blade and a chisel ground blade. the convex edge i find is way more predictable when carving, especially when you can work with both edges. where as with a chisel ground edge i personally find that 90% of the time i work only with one edge only, finding using the other edge awkward to use for such work.
 
As a knife collector and a Journeyman cabinetmaker, the only place I want a chisel grind is where the name chisel grind says it should be - on a chisel. The only exception I can think of is on is a striking knife, a knife-like tool used to mark wood against a straight edge. I see no purpose for them on any other hand-held knife. Just my op.
 
When I carve with a knife, I might use a half dozen grips in five minutes, cutting with both sides of the blade against the wood. A chisel grind would make this much trickier, and I don't really need that.

Just not my cup of tea, mostly.
 
6749 said:
i am by no means an expert but from my expeience there is no comparision between carving with a convexed edge blade and a chisel ground blade. the convex edge i find is way more predictable when carving, especially when you can work with both edges. where as with a chisel ground edge i personally find that 90% of the time i work only with one edge only, finding using the other edge awkward to use for such work.
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Thats a good point and one I didnt think about.
 
I like my folders chisel and fixed not so. Imho the chisel is a tougher edge and that suits my needs,and it is easier to sharpen on the go.
 
Just on the sharpened crowbars, but they do work.

P1170027.jpg
 
Yes, one can certainly carve with a chisel grind, but they are less than ideal.

The bevel on the back side of the Becker TacTool does lend some versatility to the sharpened prybar.
Chisel.jpg

Due to its sharpened prybar nature, when I carry the TacTool, I usually have another edged tool along.
 
I think it's a great edge on prybars, but next to useless for the kind of cutting I do.

Well, maybe not useless, but they are much harder to use when you want to cut straight, and downright dangerous if you try to chop with one. YMMV
 
love my chisel grinds on my collection of Emersons. They cut like lasers thru wood and make very nice 90 deg notches
 
I find that it is dependent mostly on what you do and how you adapt to the tool-

I prefer a fine convex bevel in the kitchen for everything except super fine slicing where I find that a VERY shallow chisel works well.

Obviously great for chisels and prybars, not so obviously great for a regular handyman's knife- someone mentioned striking, but the geometry is also good for other tasks. You wouldn't think that sharpening a pencil would be that important, but it is, and a fairly fine chisel grind gives you a better marking pencil sharpening job.

if a lot of very basic cutting tasks there's no real issue - I can cut twine or tape with any geometry and not care.

While not my choice for a one to three knife carry assortment for bushcrafting, I'd certainly keep one of the strike/kiridashi hybrid things in my homesteading kit.
 
This is only my opinion limited by own experience.
For me, chisel ground edges are too much specialized for particular way of slicing, carving or shaving.
I agree they are the greatest for those particular jobs though.
 
Thanks for all of the input guys. Never thought about these grinds till I was wood working with a chisel or making spoons with a hoof knife.
 
shangchi108 said:
I think it's a great edge on prybars, but next to useless for the kind of cutting I do.

Well, maybe not useless, but they are much harder to use when you want to cut straight, and downright dangerous if you try to chop with one. YMMV
Click to expand...

Hmmm... I've chopped a lot with my Becker TacTool, as well as batoned it through plenty of wood. I've never noticed it to be dangerous. Though not the optimal performing outdoor blade, the chisel grind will shave and carve if it has to.
 
i make chisel grind knives and i can cut whatever i need to cut with them just the same as a v edge or convex edge, sometimes a lot easier. having the right grind helps considerably.
 
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