Edge Strength

V

Vesta

Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
3
I have read in a couple of different places that a chisel ground edge is stonger than a traditional ground edge due to it having more metal behind the edge. It seems like this only depends on the angle of the grind and I am unsure why a chisel ground knife is stronger than other styles ground at the same angle. Can someone please explain this to me?
~Vesta
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

A chisel ground edge is NOT stronger than any other edge, and -- as you correctly surmised -- may actually be weaker, depending on the angle.

Chisel grinds may be used because of their exotic flavor, or because it's cheaper to grind one side than two, or because it can produce a sharper (not a stronger) edge for a given angle.

The problem with a chisel grind in use is that it has a tendency to curve away from the grind side in slicing. It should always be ground on the user's strong side. Chisel grinds are succesful as very fine slicers in Japanese cutlery.
 
Vesta, maybe you were thinking of a convex grind? I have heard a similar argument that a convex profile has more metal behind the edge and thus is often more stout than a V grind.
 
A Chisel Grind is actually weaker than a symmetrically ground edge. The edge has no support on one side to keep it from bending over. If you push on it hard enough it will bend to the flat, unsupported side. If you are slicing close to the surface of a material with the blade flat side inwards (toward the bulk of the material) the chisel grind bites into the material like a wood plane and does a good job of whittling into the surface. Likewise it is good for cutting thin slices of the end of a material since it avoids ramping out towards the end of the block. It is great for slicing baloney.

I did some bone chopping experiments and my chisel ground blade folded over to the flat side.
 
Yeah chisel grinds make great slicers, but are only efficient cutting one way. Ever use a wood chisel? Slices like adream bevel up, but if you turn it bevel down it forces itself out of the cut.

Chisel grinds are easy to do because you don`t have to worry about balancing or centering your grind, but they`re not stronger....they`re actually weaker because the cutting edge is only supported on one side. A convex edge is the strongest shape because it`s the most fully supported edge. The down side is that it`s more difficult to maintain that shape during sharpening unless you have a beltgrinder and are used to using the slack part of the belt. So lot`s of customers shy away from them.
 
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