Convex or V Grind

PartialSerrations

PartialSerrations

Joined
Nov 22, 2001
Messages
1,106
Gentlemen

I am find that v grinds are sharper than convex grinds and easier to maintain. Some people like convex grinds but I leans towards V grind because I feel I can get a knife sharper. What do you think??

:D
 
Convex grinds are thicker, so they don't get as sharp, but they are much tougher. They are also tougher to sharpen correctly. If you sharpen a convex grind in something like a sharpmaker, you will eventually turn it into a V grind.
 
I like the convex grind better. For me it`s easier to sharpen in the field, and chips less when you hit bone.
 
I have both styles. I definitely think that my convex are sharper, and much much easier to maintain than my v-grinds. I usually just strop them a few times on each side and they are back to being hair popping sharp. I can do a proper convex edge profile on sand paper and mousepad, and then maintain it on a strop. With a v-grind, I have to use a system like my lansky, or Smith ceramic/diamond hone. Takes much longer.

If you damage a convex edge, you can take most of the damage out by steeling, or using sandpaper/mousepad to remove more if necessary to fix, etc. You can also use stones on a convex edge, as long as you don't keep the angle exactly the same every time (which is actually hard for most people to do freehand) it will maintain it's convex nature. When I originally did one of my knives convex, I first took the reverse curve out of the knife with sandpaper on a glass sheet. Even though there was no give to the glass, and it was perfectly flat like a stone, it naturally began a convex process because of the natural variation in every hand movement.

As to v grind or convex being sharper, you can get either stupid sharp if you do it right. Convex grinds can be thicker or thinner than a v grind, and vice versa, it is all in what angle you choose to use. My fixed sharpening system has a settings ranging from razor to axe/cleaver angle. The same goes for convex, you can use a very obtuse angle for a tougher edge, or use a lower angle for a thinner edge.

I am just really loving every convex edge I have ever had, but until recently hand no idea how super easy they were maintain.
 
I like convex. I don't use sandpaper on a mousepad, though. I got a bunch of emery boards from the nail care isle of CVS. They're color coded by grit, two sided/two grits, for a buck and change each. That's how I reprofiled most of my pocket knives. I'm still no sharpening guru but I've had more success with the emery boards than stones. Also, emery boards are prety easy to take with you. YMMV

Frank
 
if you freehand sharpen, your edge will be slightly convex, simply because you are not a robot. . . or are you? :D
 
PartialSerrations said:
do you actually sharpen or just strop? you just can't lay a convex flat on a stone and sharpnen due to the curve?
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You can sharpen convex edges with a bench stone, you start off at the highest angle of the blade and when you push forward, you roll the angle down a bit for the curve.
 
A slight rolling of your hand as you draw it across the stone will give you a good convex edge. Evetually all my edges wind up this way. I always sharpen freehand.
 
I prefer convex.
Most of my folders are V grind tho, because I don't need them to be as tough as my FBs. But I am slowley changing all my knives to convex as then need to be sharpend.
 
I have quite a few convex edged knives and some seem to get sharper than others, I think it's the way the blade is ground. It used to be my sharpest knives were my spydies but now it's a couple of my barkies.

But like I said, there seems to be a limit as to how sharp I can get a couple of them. The convex edge is much stronger though and much easier to maintain. My canadian special and mini skinner are the sharpest. I was handling one of them the other night and watched as the blade cut a sliver of skin. Not a deep cut, but I never felt either the cut or the blade hit the skin. It was like magic.
 
PartialSerrations said:
Gentlemen

I am find that v grinds are sharper than convex grinds and easier to maintain. Some people like convex grinds but I leans towards V grind because I feel I can get a knife sharper. What do you think??

:D
Click to expand...

Convex without any doubt.
The convex edge enabled me to whittle hair thats sharp enough for me.
 
thx for all the replies. My thinking is that we may have needed to convex the edges for the older and softer steels but do we really need to convex them with the newer and harder steels and does it make that much of a difference. I have a knife in good old 1095 and it is convexed by the way. Thx
 
PartialSerrations said:
I am find that v grinds are sharper than convex grinds and easier to maintain. Some people like convex grinds but I leans towards V grind because I feel I can get a knife sharper. What do you think??
Click to expand...

PartialSerrations said:
My thinking is that we may have needed to convex the edges for the older and softer steels but do we really need to convex them with the newer and harder steels and does it make that much of a difference.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about grinds or about edges?

dantzk.
 
i was wondering what the easiest way to determine the edge geometry (hollow grind/convex grind/ETC.) is there an image of any sort that someone could post so i can expand my blade knowledge slightly
 
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