Competition Cutter Questions

flatgrinder

flatgrinder

Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
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1. I noticed that some guys use a guard and some don't, what is the reasoning behind this and which is preferable?

2. What edge thickness is a good ball park figure? 0.030"?

3. Any typical stock removal steels recommended? O1? 3V?

4. Typical method of sharpening? Fine polished edge or coarse, toothy edge?

Thanks! :thumbup:
 
perhaps to keep the fingers from slipping onto the blade, as well as to give the fingers something to grab for more grip?
 
I've got a couple questions to add to this one myself:

4) Is there a suggested range of overall angle in the cutting profile? Not just the primary and secondary edge angles, but the overall bevel angle.

5) What kind of weight range is ordinary? I'm sure that mass has some benefit, but I'm wondering where the trade off is.

6) Suggestions on handle materials? I imagine that comp. cutters need to have something more grippy in general due to the high velocity of swing.

7) Lanyard hole. Mandatory I assume?

Thanks,

-d
 
I'm watching this thread closely in the hope that someone on the forum knows all the ins and outs of cutting competition blades and is willing to put their knowledge on public dispay.
I recently got into the idea of doing some cutting competition blades of my own and e-mailed the ICCT people via their web page with a request for specs and regulations. Two weeks and I still haven't heard a squeak...
 
The ICCT is in the middle of a change to a non-profit organization. It will be governed by a board of directors rather than the business plan it originated under. In the near future there should be more competitions with lower entry fees. I think the web site and name will remain unchanged for a while as well as competition rules. www.cuttingcompetition.com

If anyone has questions you can send them to me, if I cant help I will forward you to someone that can. While I am no longer involved in an official administrative capacity I am still involved as an advisor. danielwinkler@bellsouth.net

flatgrinder,

Most of the current successful cutters are using full tang knives without a cross guard. The lanyard will stop your hand from slipping forward especially if you use the front safety lanyard system.

A good starting point on edge thickness is about .020 but you need to test this with the steel and heat-treating you use. Thinner is sharper but to thin wont hold up.

M4 is the best stock removal steel I have seen yet. Get it from Crucible.
Most cutters I have seen use a polished edge but this is an area of controversy. Testing again is your best bet.

Go to the ICCT web site and check directly with Gayle Bradley and Warren Osborne about grind angles and heat-treating M4.

deker,

The profile of the knife is important because some cuts work better with a flat cutting edge while others a more convex profile. Concave will cause problems with a lot of cuts. Most cutters are using a blade design with a slight "belly". I don't know exactly what you are referring to with primary, secondary and bevel.

1lb 4oz to 1lb 8oz is what most I have weighed fall between. I personally go a little to the heavy side. Warren Osborne who is a great cutter, a little to the lighter. Testing different weights will help you develop what works best for you.

The best handle material so far seems to be recycled rubber. "Horse Stall Mats" from Tractor Supply. It absorbs shock and has good grip either wet or dry.

A lanyard is mandatory and a forward style is safer for the cutter and adds to your grip if used properly. Hidden tang designs must use a rear lanyard.

Longstrider,

During this transition of ownership a lot of stuff is not getting done. You can e-mail Warren Osborne or me directly and get answers to your questions.

Daniel
 
DWinkler said:
The ICCT is in the middle of a change to a non-profit organization. It will be governed by a board of directors rather than the business plan it originated under. In the near future there should be more competitions with lower entry fees. I think the web site and name will remain unchanged for a while as well as competition rules. www.cuttingcompetition.com

If anyone has questions you can send them to me, if I cant help I will forward you to someone that can. While I am no longer involved in an official administrative capacity I am still involved as an advisor. danielwinkler@bellsouth.net

flatgrinder,

Most of the current successful cutters are using full tang knives without a cross guard. The lanyard will stop your hand from slipping forward especially if you use the front safety lanyard system.

A good starting point on edge thickness is about .020 but you need to test this with the steel and heat-treating you use. Thinner is sharper but to thin wont hold up.

M4 is the best stock removal steel I have seen yet. Get it from Crucible.
Most cutters I have seen use a polished edge but this is an area of controversy. Testing again is your best bet.

Go to the ICCT web site and check directly with Gayle Bradley and Warren Osborne about grind angles and heat-treating M4.

deker,

The profile of the knife is important because some cuts work better with a flat cutting edge while others a more convex profile. Concave will cause problems with a lot of cuts. Most cutters are using a blade design with a slight "belly". I don't know exactly what you are referring to with primary, secondary and bevel.

1lb 4oz to 1lb 8oz is what most I have weighed fall between. I personally go a little to the heavy side. Warren Osborne who is a great cutter, a little to the lighter. Testing different weights will help you develop what works best for you.

The best handle material so far seems to be recycled rubber. "Horse Stall Mats" from Tractor Supply. It absorbs shock and has good grip either wet or dry.

A lanyard is mandatory and a forward style is safer for the cutter and adds to your grip if used properly. Hidden tang designs must use a rear lanyard.

Longstrider,

During this transition of ownership a lot of stuff is not getting done. You can e-mail Warren Osborne or me directly and get answers to your questions.

Daniel
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply Daniel! :thumbup:
 
David, I think that Daniel has answered this question far more accurately and fully than I ever could ;)

Daniel, Thanks for the offer and the explanations.
Trying to make a cutting competion knife that is "legal" is not an easy thing to do when you are unable to find out exactly what is, and what is not, allowed in the design of the thing. :o
 
Here are the current regulations for Competition Knives.

Knife specifications


#1 – Knife Maximum size specifications:

- Blade length – 10” (Measured from the front of the handle to the blade tip.)

- Overall length – 15” (Measured from the back of the handle to the blade tip.)

- Blade width – 2” (Measured at the widest part of the blade.)

- Blade and handle thickness – No restrictions.

- From the plunge cut at the ricasso through the knife tip must be a single plane. (No swells or bulges are allowed.)

- False edges and grinds along the spine to reduce drag are allowed.

- No added weights forward of the handle.

- No holes allowed forward of the handle.

- All Knife design features are subject to approval by Event Officials.


#2 – All Handles must have at least 1 visible pin that passes through the handle material and tang.

#3 – All Knives must have a secure lanyard hole with a sturdy wrist lanyard.

ICCT Event Officials may disqualify any knife if the lanyard system, in any way, presents a safety hazard.

#4 – All Knives must have a sturdy Sheath to be allowed in Event area.

#5 – It is recommended that Knives be built with a full or a full tapered tang.

Hidden tang designs are acceptable with the following restrictions.

· Only tangs that have been drawn soft to eliminate brittleness are to be used for hidden tang designs.

· No air hardening steels may be used for hidden tang knives.

· The event officials at any ICCT gathering may ask questions to determine if hidden tang knives meet specifications.

· Due to the possible loss of strength in the tang area a lanyard must not pass through the tang on a hidden tang knife unless it is an extended tang behind the hand grip area.


#6 – Production Knives


· A knife will be considered a production knife if more than 20 is manufactured of the same design in a 1-year period.

· 2 finished models and 1 heat-treated blade blank must be sent to a designated ICCT Cutter-maker for testing prior to licensing.

· Each approved production knife must have a certificate designating it as a tested and approved model.

· The ICCT accepts no responsibility for the performance of any knife. Knives that are submitted will successfully pass a number of extreme tests before the design is approved.


#7 – Knife Damage Disqualification

· If the knife poses a threat to either spectators, Officials, other Cutters or him/her self the Cutter will be disqualified and be awarded 0 points for the event.


· If the damage is determined as minor, there will be 10 points either subtracted from the Cutters score or 10 seconds added to the Cutters time. Depending on the type of Event.


· ICCT event officials may request possession of any disqualified knife for evaluation. The surrendered knife will be returned to the owner after it has been evaluated. (This action will help to improve the understanding of knife performance. Useful information gathered from study will be made available to ICCT members.)
 
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