Factory Edge

Status
Not open for further replies.
3D Anvil said:
I don't understand why every knife doesn't come from the factory with a shaving-sharp edge. Presumably manufacturers have a person or persons whose job it is to sharpen their knives before they go out the door. These folks likely have thousands of knives under their belts. They should be *really* good at sharpening, and it doesn't take long to put a hair-splitting edge on a knife using a belt grinder. But I can count on one hand the number of factory-fresh knives I've received that satisfy my (admittedly high) standards for sharpness.
Click to expand...
Have you ever worked on a production line? Is everything You do in your job perfect, the first time every time? I'm sure they have people that all they do is sharpen knives. It's all they do all day. And most get very good at it. But they are sharpening knives freehand, on a belt grinder. They have hundreds of knives each day to sharpen. They probably have less than a minute per knife. The guys that are really good probably miss on very few knives. The average guy misses on a few more. The new guy on the job, or the goof off that doesn't care, they might have trouble getting as many good sharpenings as bad ones. But nobody is perfect, nobody will get every knife perfect every time.

O.B.
 
Old Biker said:
Have you ever worked on a production line? Is everything You do in your job perfect, the first time every time? I'm sure they have people that all they do is sharpen knives. It's all they do all day. And most get very good at it. But they are sharpening knives freehand, on a belt grinder. They have hundreds of knives each day to sharpen. They probably have less than a minute per knife. The guys that are really good probably miss on very few knives. The average guy misses on a few more. The new guy on the job, or the goof off that doesn't care, they might have trouble getting as many good sharpenings as bad ones. But nobody is perfect, nobody will get every knife perfect every time.

O.B.
Click to expand...
Then QC pulls it and sends it back to be touched up. Multiple people have messed up when a knife leaves a factory with a bad edge. They grind them coarse because it is cheaper and faster. It costs more time and consumeables to getter a finer edge.

I dont mind a somewhat coarse edge for a work knife. As long as it is sharp, it works great for taking apart wild game, cutting rope/zip ties/etc. I bought my Inkosi from someone on here that put a mirror edge on it. it looks awesome but cuts the same as shaving sharp on the sharpmaker grey stones.
 
I was good friends with a fella who retired from Schrade's knife sharpening line after 35 years. You are 100% correct...
 
If knives are sharpened by machines in a factory, the consistency of edges will be better than those sharpened by hand. Does it bother me that all of my CRK's didn't have hair shaving edges, not at all. Could I send one back and demand for a better edge, absolutely, but I didn't buy the knife for it's reputation of having a sharp edge even though it's a $500.00 knife.
As far as QC goes, I don't put a lot of faith in it because we're talking knives here, not pace makers. I think a lot of it is just a buy in that makers recognized that helps them sell more knives.
 
His knives aren't usually meant to be "slicers"; but they seem to get a very useful edge on them...
 
The absolute worse edge I ever encountered on a factory new knife was a Ratmandu . The edge wasn't even ground to form an apex. It did however come with a slip that said it was QC inspected . o_O
 
I understand the many reasons a knife could leave the factory without a good sharp edge, however it is frustrating when you’re talking about a $200 + knife. At around that point I feel it’s reasonable to expect the maker/manufacturer to prioritize a proper edge. In a “higher end” knife, QC should send back anything that doesn’t cleanly slice paper/shave arm hair imho.

Why don’t they? Well probably because we keep buying dull knives and not complaining about them/sending them back.

Btw I’m guilty of this too - I’ve had a couple of Swamp Rats that were inadequately sharp on delivery, but I keep buying them anyway!
 
scdub said:
I understand the many reasons a knife could leave the factory without a good sharp edge, however it is frustrating when you’re talking about a $200 + knife. At around that point I feel it’s reasonable to expect the maker/manufacturer to prioritize a proper edge. In a “higher end” knife, QC should send back anything that doesn’t cleanly slice paper/shave arm hair imho.

Why don’t they? Well probably because we keep buying dull knives and not complaining about them/sending them back.

Btw I’m guilty of this too - I’ve had a couple of Swamp Rats that were inadequately sharp on delivery, but I keep buying them anyway!
Click to expand...
I knew going in to ordering the knife that I wouldn't be happy the obtuse edge they're known for but was amazed the bevels were not ground to form an apex. Not a huge deal because I'd already planned on stripping the blade and hand grinding a proper cutting edge when it finally arrived.
 
I’m absolutely the same as the OP. I really dislike when I get a new knife and it’s butterknife dull. Seems to be happening more frequently here lately also. MicroTech was the culprit most recently. I must have higher standards or some weird thing. LOL
 
That's why there is the term "factory edge".
I accept this and put my own edge on knives that I plan on using.
Learning sharpening skills is a part of knife using and more important IMO, than the knife itself or the waste of time so many people spend agonizing over which steel to get.
 
ktataragasi said:
Kizer and Spyderco always seem to have good edges on them. I've been using my Gayle Bradley 2 for almost a month with just stropping and it will still shave. I don't mind putting new edges on knives but it's nice getting to open one up and put it right to work.
Click to expand...

I don't expect much from a factory edge but for what it's worth, here are my experiences.

My WE and Civivi edges have all been at least decent out of the box. Kizer is usually good but my Gemini was below par out of the box. I've had a lot of budget Kershaws over the years. While they come pretty sharp, the already lackluster edge retention of 8Cr13Mov isn't done any favors by the fatigue of factory grinding. Artisan/CJRB, Kubey, and TwoSun have all been okay. Petrified Fish is good. Spyderco probably wins for factory sharpness in my experiences.
 
Top honors that I have received so far would go to Medford - a slim Midi and 187 respectively; both were absolute lasers from the factory.

I don't remember getting anything new that was horrible by any means; but I have found that quite a few needed honing upon receipt. As long as the factory grind is even (I have seen/received many uneven bevels) and the edge isn't burnt; I typically don't make much of a stink.
 
awjones said:
In my experience Hinderer has the absolute worst factory edges. Ricks “working edge” is just a cool way to say completely blunt.
Click to expand...

Hinderer seems very inconsistent. My xm-24 was great, no need to reprofile. Both my xm-18s (standard slicer and a skinny slicer) had horribly obtuse angles. They were sharp, and cut, just not well at all. Took them to 17 dps and the skinny is actually a great slicer! The standard cuts well but being of such thick stock it can be wedge-like. Still an amazing knife though, and one of my favorites.
 
soc_monki said:
Hinderer seems very inconsistent. My xm-24 was great, no need to reprofile. Both my xm-18s (standard slicer and a skinny slicer) had horribly obtuse angles. They were sharp, and cut, just not well at all. Took them to 17 dps and the skinny is actually a great slicer! The standard cuts well but being of such thick stock it can be wedge-like. Still an amazing knife though, and one of my favorites.
Click to expand...
At those price points I guess I expected a little better? Good knives though still.
 
awjones said:
At those price points I guess I expected a little better? Good knives though still.
Click to expand...

Unless it's a Spyderco, more than likely I'll have to reprofile a knife. Every other company is a crap shoot imo. Just my experience!
 
I'll echo all of the others, and say that I've never been disappointed by Spyderco's factory edge. I only have 7 of their knives, far fewer than some on the forum I am sure.
 
I've owned Case knives - a company that has been around roughly forever - with uneven grinds and questionably sharp edges.
You'd THINK that experience helps, but I suspect a bunch of companies just don't care.

In comparison I'll go to my grave having sharpened far less edges than these guys and I get better edges.
I'm not saying I'm a great sharpener, just that I'm better than that.
 
You will not be able to read this on a phone, but let's see how it looks anyway.
Code: 
<pre>
Sharpness measurements (BESS scores) on 96 blades using an Edge-On-Up PT50A.
The blades had previously cut nothing more than a piece of computer paper.
The column labeled Sharp is the average of 5 or more measurements.
The value of Sharp is also plotted as a hash/pound/number sign.
Individual measurements are plotted as dashes.

Sharp  Steel       Make             Model                                     0.........100.......Sharpness Measurements in Grams.......500........600   Price

  40   ?           Goodline         Double Edge Razor Blade @B                .   -#--               .           :            x                      .    0.76
  46   ?           Goodline         Double Edge Razor Blade @A                .    -#                .           :            x                      .    0.76
 128   CPM-SPY27   Spyderco         Para 3 Blue @D                            .              -#--    .           :            x                      .  140.00
 129   AUS-8A      Cold Steel       Finn Wolf Orange                          .            ---#      . -         :            x                      .   43.99
 130   CTS-BD1N    Spyderco         Manix 2 Blue                              .             - # -    .           :            x                      .  105.00
 132   M390        Bradford         Guardian 3 Blue                           .            -- #---   .           :            x                      .  169.95
 135   AUS-8       CRKT             Nirk Tighe 2 Blue                         .              --#  -  .           :            x                      .   82.95
 136   Elmax       Bradford         G-Necker                                  .               -#-    .           :            x                      .   79.95
 143   AUS-8       SOG              Flash II @B                               .               --#--  .           :            x                      .   62.95
 145   AUS-8A      Cold Steel       Tuff Lite Red                             .                -#-   .           :            x                      .   27.99
 147   440C        Maserin          975 Sax (Combo Smooth)                    .               - # -  .           :            x                      .   67.96
 148   CPM-S30V    Spyderco         Sliverax                                  .               - #--  .           :            x                      .  177.80
 148   CPM-S45VN   Spyderco         Para 3 Black @C                           .              -- #  - .           :            x                      .  147.00
 150   5Cr15MoV    CRKT             Folts Minimalist Bowie Neck Black @B      .               - #- - .           :            x                      .   25.95
 ... a whole bunch of data omitted to stay under 10000 characters ...
 314   440A        Marbles          Large Lockback MR565 Orange               .                      .   --  -  -:  #         x                     -+    9.99
 330   Tru-Sharp   Case             Tribal Lock Orange                        .                      .     - -   :    #  - -  x   -                  .   55.99
 336   AUS-8       Camillus         Mountaineer (Combo Smooth)                .                      .          -:-    # --  -x                      .   56.66
 359   AUS-8A      Spartan Blades   Enyo Bronze Line Field Grade Neck         .                      .   -    -  :       -#   x     -       -        .   88.00
 359   8Cr13MoV    CRKT             Ryan Johnson RMJ Owlet Neck               .                      .    -      :       -#   ---                    .   22.95
 416   ?           Frost            Fire Fighter Red                          .                      .           :  -     -   x-#       -    -       .   10.00
 433   CPM-S35VN   Spartan Blades   Enyo Elite Gold Grade Neck                .                      .           --          -x   #                --+  150.00
 471   H1          Spyderco         ARK Neck                                  .                      .           :       -    x        # --   -      .   77.00
 553   12C27       Opinel           #8 Outdoor Folder(Combo Smooth)           .                      .           :          - x              -   #  -+   39.00
 784   ?           Chinese          Eagle Auto                                .                      .           :          - x         -          -#+   12.00
</pre>
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top