Flat Ground Wish List?

[pinnah]

Frank, thanks. I thought I recalled that the carta test played a role in the development in that profile. I think the engineering point is that you have to pick your performance metrics carefully, as they lead to certain design choices. My sense is that the Carta test is ideally suited for designing hunting knives, on the assumption that the Carta rubber somewhat approximates hide and flesh. So, optimizing the geometry for Carta rubber means optimizing for the intended use.

The possible downside of course is just blind acceptance or blind selling of the "quantitative" test results as implying universally best - a common problem with metrics.

All this to say, Carta test scores aside, I love flat/covex blades for my day to day cutting and still have a love for Buck knives. I hope someday those things can be aligned.

 

[AreBeeBee]

(Moderator -- feel free to move if you wish)

Well, here's last night's cutting test in which three blade profiles — flat, hollow, and convex — stepped up and took a slice at cutting corn stalks. Left to right, an antique cleaver with a convex edge (type 6, above), new Buck 110 with hollow grind and a factory edge (type 1), a "Chinese" Schrade 51OT with a flat grind factory edge (type 5), and a Condor Kephart with a type 5 grind as well.

All were sharpened before the chop test, except the Buck which was factory stock. Scroll down for rankings.

• The best and easiest cut was made by the Buck 110, with a factory stock hollow-grind edge. Sliced right through the stalk with medium pressure.
• Second best was the old cleaver with the convex edge.
• With both the Schrade and the Kephart, I had to bear down firmly on the handle to drive the the blades through.

I did notice that the Buck began to hesitate when the cut reached the shoulder of the blade, but at that point, it was nearly through and I just pushed a bit more and — done.

The cleaver, however, would be the easiest to use for cutting many ears of corn simply because the handle (while it looks awful, it's pretty comfortable) and the heavy blade give you a firm grip and powerful slice.

Frankly, the flat-grind Kephart disappointed me a bit, but it is a general-purpose camp knife, so perhaps it isn't outstanding for any one purpose.

The corn was really good.

 

[RAZORBLADES]

Convex grinds will last longer and outperform nay of those edges,try the same models with the different grinds and then we can have some real results..

 

[pinnah]

Nod. Try an Opinel. I've thought sending an Opinel to Idaho. Copy this geometry.

 

[AreBeeBee]

Nod. Try an Opinel. I've thought sending an Opinel to Idaho. Copy this geometry.

I have an Opi #9 in carbon. I'll give it a try next cornfest, probably on the 4th. See how it compares with the new 110 and the cleaver. Corn stalks are tough, so the Opi's thin blade should work well.

As for sending the Buck people an Opi — they'd probably think it's too thin a blade to be suitable. To the extent you can tell by the product line (and filet knives apart), Buck likes its blades relatively thick and stout. My hunch is that to get them to open up to flat grinds, at least as an option, you need to send a folder with a blade that's thick-spined but flat-ground and similar in size to a 110, 112, or 500. But I don't know what's available well enough to make a suggestion as to make and model.

My grump with Buck is that they don't provide the option in one of their custom models. I'm not trying to destroy the classic 110, 112, etc., etc. Just let me choose a flat-ground drop-point blade with a handle that's standard 110, 112, etc. etc. After all, the 500 is partway there already.

Edit: I just looked at the picture again. Maybe the example to send to Buck is the 51OT! Thick blade, drop point, flat grind — it's all there. Of course, it's now made in China...

 

[pinnah]

Well, they're not getting any my old Schrades, that's fer sure!

I'm not sure I would advocate for the 110/112 to get flat grinds. Drop points, sure. I don't think very many people feel the clip is a big win for cleaning game over the drop point. Loveless changed all that (among others). Hollow ground drop point makes sense to me for a deer knife.

I would much prefer to the flat grinds on the EDC folders (500 series, slip joints, Vantage series) and the general purpose/survival fixed blades (Endeavor and such). I'm not anti-hollow grind. Just want some production level Buck branded flat ground options.

 

[AreBeeBee]

Well, they're not getting any my old Schrades, that's fer sure!

Get a cheapie current model, send that... (The reason my 51OT comes from the "new Schrade" is the high price of the Schrade USA versions on the used market. I guess they didn't make that many of them, and everybody's gotta have one. In any case, the Chinese version has shown itself wholly adequate for my needs.)

Actually, Buck does have a hollow-ground drop-point deer knife. It just doesn't fold: the 113 Ranger.

Just want some production level Buck branded flat ground options.

You betcha.

 

[Mora2013]

I'm going to jump on the flat grind bandwagon for small edc knives like the 300 series. IMHO, the shoulder on the hollow grind binds up various materials too often. Sure, when I cut thin material the hollow grind does great. But the thicker the material, with a small knife, that shoulder bugs me.