Groovin...

OwenM

OwenM

Joined
Oct 26, 2000
Messages
6,104
I already posted some initial impressions of the GrooveMaster on Pumpkin 40's thread here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=207594
Got a chance to borrow a digital camera today, and thought I'd post some pics of the grips the GrooveMaster supports, and the sheath for the people who haven't had the chance to check one out.
Notice that the edge bevel is now (not quite perfect but almost) symmetrical. This was achieved through much weeping, gnashing of teeth, and stropping of 100 grit sandpaper. I'm cried out, gnawed out, and out of sandpaper, but I'm very happy the difference it has made in the knife's cutting ability. I need to thin it out some more, now that the bevels are pretty even, but I like it.
Here's the sheath...
 
Size comparison with an ALB, TTKK, B4, and Nimravus (4-5" are my favorite size working knives).
 
Owen,
Thanks for the pics!!:D Man, everyone is getting their knives.
Guess I don't know the right people!!:grumpy: ;)
 
Thanks, nice pix, nice blade Owen. Don't feel bad Chip you ain't the only one. I thought a moderator would have at least a little juice with the powers that be. Oh well. I guess there's a lesson in patience in here somewhere. Damn it. :( :)
 
Owen
Great pics, thanks for getting these posted.

I noticed another grip when handling it at Blade, Choked up, reverse grip with your pinky in the Choil(palm sitting in the Grooves) More of a slashing grip.

Thanks again
Eric
 
I too am still waiting on the BTOJ:( . Everyday as I approach my apartment door I look and hope for the little slip that says that Mr Brownsocks has left a package for me at the compalex office. So far no luck.

There's always tomorrow,

Nick
 
Great pics Owen. Thanks for posting them. So far, everybody who has handled the GM has fallen in love with it. It is an awesome blade and I am looking forward to dressing out some whitetails this fall.

Yours in nuclear groovin'

Jerry
 
Nice pics, Owen. You did a great job on the bevels without tearing up the coating. I have sharpened plenty of full convex Marble's using the sandpaper/Styrofoam setup along with a couple customs using a flat grind/convex edge arrangement, but never one with a coated blade where if you lay it to flat you scuff it. One question though, approx. how thick was the edge bevel before you thinned it down? I have a BA3 on order and if there is one concern that I have, it is that the edge will be a little to thick for what I need in a blade this size. To the nearest .0001" will be fine ;)
 
Jamie, I don't know. It was, well, thick. I think there was a booboo in sharpening. I mentioned in the other thread that the edge bevel on the flat side didn't go all the way to the tip. I think that what could have happened was that the convex side got ground too long, or at too obtuse an angle, and actually erased the flat-side bevel near the tip. I don't know that for a fact, and don't know what procedure is used to establish the assymetrical edge (is the flat side sharpened first, and then the convex, the other way around?). Just guessing here.
The bevel that you see on the knife now is convex, and it's thickness is about what it would be at 40* included, and a good bit thinner than the factory bevel was. I'm going to take it down closer to a 30 degree bevel, which is going to raise the height even more. It probably won't look that great, but I'm sure it will cut alot better.
I've never really cared that much for the assymetrical edge on a knife this size. I think it's overbuilt for what I'll use the knife for. Overbuilt is not necessarily a bad thing for some uses, though.

The coating does have a bunch of small scuffs that don't show up in the pictures. I did try to be careful though, if for no other reason than the coating gums up stones and sandpaper.
IMO, coatings are expendable, in the search for a better edge geometry:p
 
Owen,
Awesome pics, the GM really looks versatile. I really hope my BA3 arrives soon :) As long as I get mine before Hoodoo I will be happy :)

BTW how did you get my Nimravus in that pic? :) Did you grind the serrations off the spine too? BaHDog's Nimi is naked too... I really like it.
Chad
 
I mentioned in the other thread that the edge bevel on the flat side didn't go all the way to the tip. I think that what could have happened was that the convex side got ground too long, or at too obtuse an angle, and actually erased the flat-side bevel near the tip. I don't know that for a fact, and don't know what procedure is used to establish the assymetrical edge (is the flat side sharpened first, and then the convex, the other way around?). Just guessing here.
Click to expand...

I've noticed the same thing. I reprofiled my LMS, and my AS, and on BOTH of those knives there's a.... um.... well, the best way I can describe it is a lump on the convex side toward the tip. So what happens is, when you reprofile the blade (I used a Lansky kit), the stone hits the lump much higher on that side, which gives you a lot more exposed metal on the bevel of the lumpy side. Doesn't hurt anything, but it looks kind of wierd. Follows the convex edge on the two knives I've done this to: the convex edge on the LMS is on the right hand side, and so is the lump; the convex edge on the AS is on the left hand side, and so is the lump. The lump is actually palpable with your fingers if you go slow and pay attention.

My Steel Heart CG and my Satin Jack don't have it - only the LMS and the AS. It's strictly cosmetic, and you'd never notice it if you weren't reprofiling the edges. I would love to know what causes it - anyone have any ideas? Jerry, perhaps?

I recut both blades to a 19 degree angle (that's 19 degrees per side, does that make it a 38 degree included angle?), then followed up with a serious stropping session. WAY sharp!! After I finished with the LMS I took it to the woods and cut a bow drill with it. After several hours of pretty serious whittling (it was a long afternoon) the edge was still un-Godly sharp, and needed only about 2 minutes on a loaded strop to bring it back to hair-popping status. I suppose that's a testament to INFI's qualities, lumps not withstanding. :-)
 
Thanks for the info Owen. You really have my curiosity at full height. I am more interested in what the edge is going to look like than the rest of the knife now. If it is indeed as thick as what yours was, I will probably thin mine down as well. May even knock the coating off it and start sharpening it as I would a full convex grind and see what happens. I just hate the thought of a 1/4" bevel, YUCK! :barf: If INFI is as tough as what I have heard, this blade should be able to handle a much thinner edge with no problems.

Or, I could just leave it as it is. I have a slew of fixed blades in the 4"-5" that are pure slicers already. What I don't have is a hell for stout beater blade in this range.

Ideally what I am hoping for is a nice thin edge, properly ground. My initial understanding of these blades, the BA3 and the GM, is that they were geared toward the outdoorsman and hunter. For this type of work and usage I am really looking for a scalpel edge, not a chopping one. I am probably getting ahead of myself here and should just wait and see what arrives.
 
Thanks, guys. I think this design is very practical, even if its looks are a departure from the norm (actually because of those differences). From the pics, I suspected it would be comfortable, but handling one at Blade, and now using this one really brings home how well those different grips work. I'm especially fond of the choked up grip, and find that I go to it almost automatically when unsheathing the knife. Lets you do controlled cutting with the tip with alot more force if necessary.
Except for trying it out on some cardboard, I haven't really used it much with the knife upside down, like for skinning, but the control is excellent, and again, that cutout on the spine allows alot more pressure than just having a finger riding the spine would. Lets you to pinch the tip of the thumb and index finger towards each other for a very secure grip, that would also lessen the chance of the thumb sliding up on the edge if the tip banged into something, or met unexpected resistance.
The first thing I thought when seeing this thing for the first time was "now that's an ugly knife!", but it sure feels pretty in the hand. The looks are even starting to grow on me...

Originally posted by chad234
As long as I get mine before Hoodoo I will be happy :)
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's the main thing. Peer dominance is a worthy goal, until the checkbook starts reading on E(mpty) like mine is right now:D

BTW how did you get my Nimravus in that pic? :) Did you grind the serrations off the spine too? BaHDog's Nimi is naked too... I really like it.
Click to expand...
The thumb serrations are still there. The edges are rounded, but I didn't want to do away with them altogether.
All three of us have the same knife? I have heard that weak minds think alike.

edit:great minds, great minds
 
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