I have followed for some time the statements that a flat ground blade is superior to the hollow grind. I realize and have no objections to this; HOWEVER, visually I find the hollow ground blade to just LOOK better than a flat ground blade. Realistically, for 99% of what I use a knife for, there is no difference between the two. I find I can sharpen one just as easy as the other and they will hold the edge just as long. Show of hands here: how many of you like which kind VISUALLY! Oh, my ideal Spydie, for what it's worth: a black micarta Calypso Jr. with a plain edge hollow ground blade. Apparently this is not an option!?
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Flat vs. Hollow Grind - Visual Appeal
- Thread starter cut finger
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 20, 1999
- Messages
- 178
I agree that hollow grounds are visually very appealing. I really like the hollow ground on the Native for instance.
- Joined
- Sep 20, 1999
- Messages
- 178
Sorry, I keep double posting.
- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 4,842
I think the hollow grind looks cooler.
I don't believe that the flat grind is always superior to the hollow grind. One need only look at the Sebenza blowing away its flat-ground competition in performance tests to see what a hollow grind can get you. It may not be the perfect grind for deep cutting, but for shallow cutting, it wins easily.
Although I prefer a full flat grind for general use, I have no problem with the idea of a hollow grind *especially* on folders, where I'm not going to be chopping, and shallow-penetration performance is really really important. Certainly, if you're not going to do a full-height flat grind, on a folder I'd pick a hollow sabre grind over a flat sabre grind any day.
An afterthought. A lot of the bad press about hollow ground knives is based on experiences with the old Buck-style hollow grinds. This was a hollow sabre grind, but it flared back out at the very edge. So you had all the disadvantages of a hollow sabre grind (rapid, non-linear expansion of the edge), without the hollow-ground advantage of an incredibly thin edge. Anyone who has experience with a properly-done hollow grind will think much more of it. Again, still not my choice all the time for general use, but a hollow grind definitely has its place, if done right.
Joe
jat@cup.hp.com
[This message has been edited by Joe Talmadge (edited 12 November 1999).]
I don't believe that the flat grind is always superior to the hollow grind. One need only look at the Sebenza blowing away its flat-ground competition in performance tests to see what a hollow grind can get you. It may not be the perfect grind for deep cutting, but for shallow cutting, it wins easily.
Although I prefer a full flat grind for general use, I have no problem with the idea of a hollow grind *especially* on folders, where I'm not going to be chopping, and shallow-penetration performance is really really important. Certainly, if you're not going to do a full-height flat grind, on a folder I'd pick a hollow sabre grind over a flat sabre grind any day.
An afterthought. A lot of the bad press about hollow ground knives is based on experiences with the old Buck-style hollow grinds. This was a hollow sabre grind, but it flared back out at the very edge. So you had all the disadvantages of a hollow sabre grind (rapid, non-linear expansion of the edge), without the hollow-ground advantage of an incredibly thin edge. Anyone who has experience with a properly-done hollow grind will think much more of it. Again, still not my choice all the time for general use, but a hollow grind definitely has its place, if done right.
Joe
jat@cup.hp.com
[This message has been edited by Joe Talmadge (edited 12 November 1999).]
