Do double-edged blades have any practical purpose?

They're useful in any situation where you need to stab, whether that be self defense or perhaps hunting. Outside of that, I'd rather have a nice thin drop point or wharncliffe any day, no question. IMO, double edged knives are just for fun if you don't hunt and you're not LE/Military.
 
Tired_Yeti said:
Yup...killing. That's what they were originally designed for. Outside of that, I can't think of much use.
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How about for chopping wood?





2 edges to chop with; keep on going after one side gets dull.
Just like with a double-bit axe. :)
 
Gaston444 said:
Some of the "Cutlery Shoppe" exclusive Gerber Mk IIs (with green handles) were ground thinner at the edge than the standard models, and these were acceptably sharp even though flat ground on a narrow symmetrical blade. Their green handles . . . .
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That would be a gray handle in the palm swell area. ;)
 
Tired_Yeti said:
You're so smart. But those were already mentioned, right?
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So was use for combat purposes. In fact, it's the most frequently mentioned application. :)

Here's an example that's double-edged but not so good for stabbing stuff:

3585024.jpg
 
Tired_Yeti said:
Well, I apologize for posting in this thread. Apparently, you're offended by my presence.

I will say; however, that I like the looks of this tool. I wouldn't mind trying on of those out.
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No need to be touchy--I'm not at all offended. :) Your post just seemed to indicate (perhaps incorrectly) that you hadn't read through the other posts so I was pointing out that there were lots of practical examples of double edged tools elsewhere in the thread. :thumbup:
 
It seems double edge blades are job specific. I think another practical application of a double edge is in a dive knife. If you get tangled in discarded monofilament or something similar, the double edge would allow you to cut yourself free efficiently.
 
I used to like the SOG paragon thinking the plain/serrated edge would be nice, but the grinds were so steep the plain edge was not worth much without a lot of re-profiling, so it sat in a box. I also tend to carry a leatherman as a backup and it's serrated blade gets a lot of use, and my single plain blade knives I tend to sharpen toothy.

I thought the spyderco dyad might be super popular with it's plain/serrated blade option, but to me the design is just very unappealing.
 
I once saw a guy demonstrate survival skills by skinning and butchering a goat with the pieces of a broken soda bottle, and he did a good job of it too. My point is, in many situations the design of the tool doesn't matter nearly as much as the skill of the person using it.

Naturally every tool has limitations depending on what you want to use it for. Not all double-edged knives are designed the same. Some are nothing more than barely sharpened spikes useful for little more than letter openers, while others have broad blades with finely-ground edges. A double-edged knife isn't complicated, it's just a piece of steel with two sharpened edges and a handle. Depending on the design of the knife, I think that any half-way competent person could effectively use a double-edged blade for a wide variety of utilitarian cutting chores.

Years ago I worked the shipping dock of a warehouse. Those of us who worked that dock were cutting a variety of things all day long. And while a folding knife could handle the cutting chores, some of us (myself included) preferred to carry a fixed-blade. One of my co-workers, an old-timer 20 years my senior, was a guy named Gus. Gus was the guy who showed me the ropes when I started there. Gus carried an old Ek "commando" knife (double-edged dagger style blade), the same knife he had carried in Vietnam.

Gus used that knife all day long without the slightest difficulty. He put two different edges on the blade- one edge was fine and smooth, perfect for slicing through plastic pallet wrap, the apple in his lunch, or to whittle a toothpick, etc, etc. The other edge was thicker, and sharpened using a coarse stone giving it a micro-serrated edge. That edge would cut through rope and thick plastic packing straps like a hot knife through butter.

I never heard Gus complain about his knife not being up to the job. I never saw him cut himself with it, never saw him with a bandage or stitches. And without even looking at the knife he could tell just by the feel of the handle in his hand which edge was facing which direction. The man was an absolute artist with that knife, like it was a part of him.

Thinking of you Gus, wherever you are in the afterlife. One of the nicest, coolest guys I ever met who took the time to teach me a thing or two.

Like I said, the design of the tool is often far less important than the skill of the person using it.
 
maximus83 said:
I realize that many folks will carry a double-edged blade for defensive carry purposes, and I have considered that myself but currently don't. Interested to hear others' thoughts on a couple of things:

1) Whether a double-edged blade REALLY has any practical usefulness even for defensive carry,
and
2) Whether a double-edged blade has any OTHER practical uses.
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By defensive do you mean stabbing someone who is trying to do you bodily harm? Than yes, stopping the bad guy before he stops you is the goal and a double edge blade will do just that. Is there any other use for a double edge knife you ask, see the pic below, its called a Duct knife. :)

 
The sharpened swedge on this one is handy for cutting heads and legs off of trout and squirrels and wings off doves without using the thinner bevel of the main edge.It is a lot easier than breaking and twisting them off.I must be careful to not forget to remove it after the hunt because of Tennessees law agin carrying a double edged knife though.

 
A. G. Russell said that many folks liked his Sting boot knife because when one edge became dull, they used the other.
Works for me.
rolf
 
ToddM said:
I used to like the SOG paragon thinking the plain/serrated edge would be nice, but the grinds were so steep the plain edge was not worth much without a lot of re-profiling, so it sat in a box. I also tend to carry a leatherman as a backup and it's serrated blade gets a lot of use, and my single plain blade knives I tend to sharpen toothy.
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I agree a fully serrated edge on one side would make sense as an option.

I think the grind issue you mention on the SOG Paragon is an inherent problem with the overall blade design: The blade is thick, and the pattern has no edge "flare", so the edge never gets far enough from the central spine because the blade gets continuously narrower. In theory it should cut better near the handle, but that is ruined as well by the "flaring" center grind, near the blade's base, which again brings the grind closer to the edge... The Gerber Mk 1 had a similar issue of lacking blade flare, but without worsening things with a center blade grind "flare". (Interestingly enough, these Mk Is could vary in blade length from 4 3/4" to 5 1/4"! Quite loose tolerances...)

The EK daggers had a really broad center grind on a narrow blade throughout, not even with deep hollow grinds I think, and I could never understand why they were a popular design or how they could cut anything.

The Cold Steel Tai Pan illustrates how efficient at cutting a double edge design can be, and in general I would say a double edge dagger without some edge flaring, and/or deep hollow grinds, is not really trying.

Still think by far the biggest issue with these knives is dulling one edge or the other on drawing from traditional sheaths...

Gaston
 
Gaston444 said:
I agree a fully serrated edge on one side would make sense as an option.

I think the grind issue you mention on the SOG Paragon is an inherent problem with the overall blade design: The blade is thick, and the pattern has no edge "flare", so the edge never gets far enough from the central spine because the blade gets continuously narrower. In theory it should cut better near the handle, but that is ruined as well by the "flaring" center grind, near the blade's base, which again brings the grind closer to the edge... The Gerber Mk 1 had a similar issue of lacking blade flare, but without worsening things with a center blade grind "flare". (Interestingly enough, these Mk Is could vary in blade length from 4 3/4" to 5 1/4"! Quite loose tolerances...)

The EK daggers had a really broad center grind on a narrow blade throughout, not even with deep hollow grinds I think, and I could never understand why they were a popular design or how they could cut anything.

The Cold Steel Tai Pan illustrates how efficient at cutting a double edge design can be, and in general I would say a double edge dagger without some edge flaring, and/or deep hollow grinds, is not really trying.

Still think by far the biggest issue with these knives is dulling one edge or the other on drawing from traditional sheaths...

Gaston
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Yup. You have to think of daggers as being like two knives back to back. The centerline is the spine thickness and most examples are very narrow, which means you're often limited in the geometry of those "twin blades". In very narrow examples it gets to the point where in order for the knife to cut well you'd have to zero grind it or hollow it then hone zero with two-point contact of the central spine and the edge.
 
I once found a set of four cheap sheathed throwing daggers in a public restroom that I threw in my car and forgot about. They had some sort of coating on the blade and were pretty sharp.

Months later I was doing interior work on my car. Guess which knife fit perfectly into some of the micro screws in my dash panel. Yes this damaged a blade slightly with zero lost functionality.

Much later I again find the throwing daggers, slightly rusted in the back of the car again. I’m camping and looking for something to pair an apple. The center insertion back and forth with both blades technique is so effective I apply it to other fruits with varying effects. Very useful

One day I’m at my friends. He has a large mesquite chunk perfect for throwing knives into. I remember the set of four rusty daggers and go get them out of the back of the car. I find that I am somewhat skilled and that throwing daggers into a hard chunk of wood is enormously gratifying. I set up a similar throwing range at home and perfect my technique to across the room 90% hit rate head sized target using the same rusty daggers.

After many years of use some daggers were lost in throwing practice some are broken being used as screwdrivers or pry bars. Eventually they were all lost or broken. Overall the most useful four knives I’ve ever owned and I was not only confident I could stab with them I got pretty good at throwing those double edges into a fairly distant target in addition to cutting up apples with them like Bobby Flay.

I just got a manticore s otf double edge. I’m going to get my throw down with it. I’ve always liked the throw as a potentially deadly way to stop someone short or as a segue into the grab for more serious hardware. Not many men out there who can resist flinching when a dagger is cast their way. Plus I can’t think of a more stylish way to cut an apple
 
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