grind question

F

fairweather

Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
15
My wife bought me a bk9 for Christmas last year. When i got the knife the grind on the edge was off. but no big deal. I have stones and I'm usually not happy with a factory edge anyway.

However the other day while I was working on making a kydex sheath for it. I noticed that the entire grind was off. not just the edge but the entire flat grind. there is about a 3/16" difference in the height of the grind form one side to the other (see pics).

Now i want to make it clear. my knives are for using not looking pretty. so at first i didn't care. But a friend of mine said that the uneven grind could cause me problems down the road. something about after sharping it so many times the angle would change on one side. But to be honest i don't know if its enough to make a difference.

So i thought I'd get some other opinions. Should i worry about this or just keep on using her?

Thanks for your help
Chris/fairweather


DSC_0274.jpg

DSC_0279.jpg
 
just keep using it, nothing to worry about.. a lot of production knives have uneven (fractional) errors.. appears yours is off an 1/8".. just more of an anal retentive thing I guess, it will however in no way change the edge geometry whatsoever!!! you can sharpen the sucker down to a nub and still be fine..

btw, welcome to the Becker forum!!!
 
your friend must sharpen inches off his knives. i guess you might notice in 50 yrs and you could fix it in moments with some sandpaper :) otherwise, for real world use he's... mistaken.

use the crap out of it :)
 
Ride it hard and leave it out wet. Don't sweat it, if it's really bugging you I'm sure Ka Bar will hook you up.
 
Use a nice new double cut small bastard file and reprofile it. The 9 is too darn big to be using stones or rods to sharpen it. You can put a shaving sharp edge on a knife or ax for that matter with a bastard file. I like writing about bastard files because I get to use bad word and get away with it. So, to recap, bastard file, re-profile, new beautiful edge.
 
TAGannon said:
Use a nice new double cut small bastard file and reprofile it. The 9 is too darn big to be using stones or rods to sharpen it. You can put a shaving sharp edge on a knife or ax for that matter with a bastard file. I like writing about bastard files because I get to use bad word and get away with it. So, to recap, bastard file, re-profile, new beautiful edge.
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i think you misunderstand the edge inst the problem. the height of the actual flat grind is off.
 
fairweather said:
i think you misunderstand the edge inst the problem. the height of the actual flat grind is off.
Click to expand...

I don't think the sabre grind (not flat BTW) height should affect edge in any way. I don't know what your friend is smoking.
However, that is a fair difference on those grinds. It's an aesthetic issue. If it bothers you, then you ought to contact Ka-Bar about it.
 
What the Biscuit said. If you are unhappy with your puchase, contact Kabar. I would use it, and to be honest, I haven't checked the grinds on mine.

Moose
 
I had a not-quite-the-same but similar issue with my recently purchased BK7. I thought it was a factory defect and returned it for an exchange to Amazon.com, but when I got the new knife it had the exact same uneven grind, just maybe not quite as pronounced as in the first one. With the first one it actually affected the edge at the tip, but with the second knife it's cosmetic only. I finally decided it not to worry about it, which is unusual for me because I tend to be obsessive about such things.
 
Nothing wrong with it. Would you have noticed without measuring? Did it affect cutting performance? If no, just continue to use it. Your friend is probably a nice person, but wrong.
 
From the pictures, it seems that you've been using the knife. Do you think it's affected your work with the blade? I'm guessing not. Beat on it, sharpen it, love it.
 
Grind schmind. Use it, beat on it, knock it through wood, cut stuff, slice stuff, wave it about maniacally while sounding your battle whoop, sharpen it and repeat.

---

Beckerhead #42
 
fairweather said:
...But a friend of mine said that the uneven grind could cause me problems down the road. something about after sharping it so many times the angle would change on one side...
Click to expand...

I could see this on like a scandi grind... But not a saber grind. For that statement to be true, you'd have to sharpen based on the angle of the grind (like a scandi) but not the edge like, well, everything else. If this were some dainty little thing, then yeah, raise hell about it. But for what it is, use, abuse, sharpen (it'll be the same angle on both sides, trust me) and repeat. This knife with all it's uneven-edged goodness will last 20 years.
 
OK that's what i thought.

To be honest the only reason i even noticed was because of the new kydex sheath. The way the kydex was molded it exaggerates the difference in the grind.

thanks for the advice

Chris/fairweather
 
No problem. Stick around and show us some more of user pics.

Moose
 
If you're upset by it, call Ka-Bar. After all, if you bought the same BK-9 I did, one of its features isn't uneven grinds. Will it work just fine, yep! Is it purely an issue with looks. No it's not. It affects both friction when biting into thick material, as well as changes the strength of the blade(higher grind means thinner blade, lower grind means thicker).

If you're unhappy with it, call them and see what they'll do for you. It is your money we're talking about.
 
gytheran said:
If you're upset by it, call Ka-Bar. After all, if you bought the same BK-9 I did, one of its features isn't uneven grinds. Will it work just fine, yep! Is it purely an issue with looks. No it's not. It affects both friction when biting into thick material, as well as changes the strength of the blade(higher grind means thinner blade, lower grind means thicker).

If you're unhappy with it, call them and see what they'll do for you. It is your money we're talking about.
Click to expand...

Now you have me thinking again.

Could the uneven grid twist the blade while batoning? I hate to see it twist and break.
 
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