Clip and spey

williamsld8

williamsld8

Joined
Sep 19, 2010
Messages
226
Does anybody notice a difference when sharpening a clip point vs a spay blade? In my own experience, the clip point is a lot easier and faster to get a shaving sharp edge on, while the spay blade almost seems thicker and tougher to achieve that razor sharp edge on.
 
I'm not sure or haven't noticed. The Spey Blade is my most used blade on a stockman or trapper so I get lots of practice. :D
 
I find the opposite to be true for some reason. I'm more comfortable sharpening the dramatic belly of a spey blade than I am the point of a clip. I still can't get my clip blades (especially near the tip) as sharp as a good spey. Sheepsfoot blades (as on a stockman) are easier still.

Frosty
 
I think it depends on the knife. With most of my stockmans I'd say yes, they are harder to sharpen. The Buck stockman knives I have in particular seem to be very thick and ground to a steep angle. On my Case Trapper I don't notice a difference.
 
Tips with a lot of curve tend to give trouble when sharpening. I have to pay more attention than I do with a clip blade.

That said, do use the spey blades more! The shape is more "hand" friendly when cutting chease and fruit etc. I keep the spey edges closer to factory, and do a much shallower angle convex on the clip blade.
 
By hand friendly I mean less apt to poke my hand when dicing and slicing.
 
I've consistently noticed that the belly of the spey gets sharper, easier, than with other blades on my stockman knives. I assume it's something to do with individual technique/motion, as the blade gets swept across a hone. I've also noticed this with the bellies on other blades. That seems to be the 'sweet spot' in my sharpening stroke, for whatever reason. The spey is generally reserved for more 'surgical' tasks on my stockman knives, for this reason.

I have speculated that the shape/depth of the belly on a blade really influences how consistently it stays in contact with a hone. I was looking at one of my blades, laying against a hone, one day. I noticed that areas in front of the belly, as well as behind it, will have less consistent contact during the sharpening stroke. The belly, being the 'low' point in the edge profile, will always stay in contact. That can be either a good thing or a bad thing. If angle is too steep, or pressure too heavy, it's too easy to overscrub the belly and take too much metal off, too fast. On the other hand, if the angle is carefully controlled, and the pressure is light, and the 'sweep' of the edge across the hone is evenly-paced, it really pays off in how sharp the belly will be.
 
As you draw or push your blade across your stone try to rotate your stone to keep your angle. Holding the stone and knife in your hands works best and try holding the stone and knife up where you can mind your angle. Go slow and keep pressure in middle of the back of the blade for better control.
Hope this helps and that I didn't over step any boundries.
God Bless
Tracy
 
I just have to admit that I'm jealous of anyone who can get their blades "shaving sharp". I can get mine to the point that I can push cut paper and fillet a clam-pack with minimal effort, but I've never been able to pop the hairs on my arm. However, I agree that I can get the best edge on my spey as compared to my clip.

Chuck
 
I tend to have the opposite result. The long straight edge on the spey blade sharpens up like a razor for me. But I also make an effort to make and keep that the sharpest blade on my knife.
 
555 said:
I'm not sure or haven't noticed. The Spey Blade is my most used blade on a stockman or trapper so I get lots of practice. :D
Click to expand...

Interesting, would you mind sharing your spey blade uses? So many folks don't use one much I like hearing of how it is used. Thanks.
 
+1.
The spey blade is what has kept me away from buying a Trapper as my first American pattern in the trial path...I've never handled one, but the shape leaves me doubtful of its use (apart from castrating livestock, its original use, which I guess is not really among my most frequent uses of a knife... :D )

Fausto
:cool:
 
I've found the factory grind on the spey blades varies more than on other blades. Some are not so good meaning the first sharpening can be difficult.
 
quattromori said:
+1.
The spey blade is what has kept me away from buying a Trapper as my first American pattern in the trial path...I've never handled one, but the shape leaves me doubtful of its use (apart from castrating livestock, its original use, which I guess is not really among my most frequent uses of a knife... :D )

Fausto
:cool:
Click to expand...

I've recently begun re-thinking the possible uses for a spey blade. In particular, the rounded end of it might be preferable for slicing/cutting chores where a protruding sharp tip, such as on a clip blade, might inadvertently 'poke' something on the back side of material being cut. This occurred to me after poking myself in the hand (twice) with the tip of my No. 08 Opinel, when slicing an apple. I've since been giving spey blades some consideration for this job. A long spey, in particular, such as found on a trapper, might be almost ideal for that. I've seen a few 'fruit testing' knives with long slender versions of what amounts to a spey blade, in shape.
 
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You may have a point David...another post (don't remember who wrote it) got me thinking about this.
I've grown up with clip blades, then got used to drop blades, so that's why the spey blade leaves me with doubts :confused: even though it might work well as a slicer/food blade. It just never convinced me enough I guess. Also, trappers are not easily found around here...
If you decide to give it a try as a food/slicing blade (or anyone else uses a spey for this purpose) let me know... :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
The longer spey blade on my moose makes a great skinner, while the shorter one on my stockman makes a great scalpel. I use it to shave thin layers off of things or for precise cutting. I keep them razor sharp, except right near the tip. I haven't noticed any difference in sharpening the various blades, except for accommodating for the different types of edge curvature.
 
quattromori said:
You may have a point David...another post (don't remember who wrote it) got me thinking about this.
I've grown up with clip blades, then got used to drop blades, so that's why the spey blade leaves me with doubts :confused: even though it might work well as a slicer/food blade. It just never convinced me enough I guess. Also, trappers are not easily found around here...
If you decide to give it a try as a food/slicing blade (or anyone else uses a spey for this purpose) let me know... :)

Fausto
:cool:
Click to expand...

Will do. In fact, I'm taking a close look at the spey on a Case 10375 stockman of mine right now, and I see an apple in my future, sometime this afternoon. ;) I also have a 311 Buck slimline trapper, with a slender spey that's very similar to the fruit testing blades I mentioned. Might give that one a go, too.

I seem to recall seeing someone post a good while back, about preferring the spey on a stockman as a steak knife. Sort of keeps it within the spey's 'Flesh Only' tradition, for that purpose.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
I seem to recall seeing someone post a good while back, about preferring the spey on a stockman as a steak knife. Sort of keeps it within the spey's 'Flesh Only' tradition, for that purpose.
Click to expand...

I guess it's the same post I was referring to. I don't really have an "outdoors use" for a spey blade, but who knows, it might find its role among food. After all, around here, everything is about food, and food prep is also the main use for all of my knives (in and out of home). :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
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Well, sharping a Clip blade or a Spey blade? I never realized that there´s a difference. Maybe it´s because I sharp mostly on stones, freehand.

Kind regards
Andi
 
Hi,

I like a good Spey blade myself. But good ones are not so easy to come by these days. Most aren't radiused enough on the end. Kind of a cross between a pen and a spey losing the best of either blade. Or they're too thick for me, like Buck's version.

The Spey blade is mostly about 2 things, being thin and that radius on the end. That's what makes the an excellent skinning blade are often found on Trappers. You won't ever poke a hole through a hide with a Spey. Yet that radius allows for delicate cuts in tight corners.

I like my speys for delicate slicing cuts like you do while skinning. I also find it useful for scrapping in tight corners. I also use it for trace cutting things like gaskets. I tend to get better edges due to the slicing action.

Dale
 
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