"Hard Use". and "Abuse" . . . .What Is The Difference? Opinions Welcome

[Danke42]

Hard use is what I do.

Abuse is what you do.

 

[DMG]

It's hard use until it breaks. Then it's abuse.

 

[J. Doyle]

Too many variables to strictly define every situation.

However, hard spine whacks to "test" the lock I personally consider abuse.

 

[killgar]

This isn't something I put a lot of thought into, but off the top of my head-

"Hard Use" is pushing a knife to it's perceived limits (perceived by me), and perhaps beyond those limits, knowing that it might suffer some degree of fixable damage (like needing a full edge regrind).

I don't generally regard a lot of cutting to be "hard use" as knives are typically made for cutting (unless someone is cutting steel cable, etc).

"Abuse" is knowingly using a knife in a way that has a high likelihood of destroying it (unfixable).

That being said, I don't moralize "knife abuse". Aside from those few knives I own that I regard as "treasures", the rest are "users", and I consider them all to be expendable. I regard my "users" as nothing more than sharpened pieces of steel with handles attached. And as such, if I'm in a tight situation where I need to use one for a task that I know has a likelihood of destroying it, I will without hesitation. Then I'll use that as an excuse to buy a new one.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I think that line gets blurred depending on the urgency and importance of the situation.

Sometimes you may need to be willing to sacrifice a knife in an emergency.

 

[VorpelSword]

As a young man in the early 980s, I worked on drilling rigs as the drilling fluids specialist, or "Mud Man". At times I used my Buck 110 to cut open 50 or so bags of additives for the drilling mud; harsh chemicals in 100 pound bags of multi=layered cloth, paper and re-inforced plastic. In doing this work, I wore out several of these iconic folders. The blades became recurved, , the wood and brasss handles became scratched and pitted and the whole knife loosened up. Some times a few minutes in vice would help tighten it up. Resharpening was done with stones, but began on a bench grinder.

I went through knives doing that. When home in the USA, I'd shop at pawn shops for a knife in good enough shape and well below retail.

 

[VorpelSword]

Any unsafe use of a knife is abuse and incompetency.

Interesting and intriguing: Please elaborate on that thought.

 

[eveled]

The unfortunate side effect is we get knives way over built. So there are less warrantee claims. A too thick skinning knife is useless.

The high end makers make skinning knives super thin. If you break one, its not covered by the warranty because you used it inappropriately.

Unfortunately the only way to know somethings limits, is to exceed the limit.

A wise man makes an educated guess and doesn’t pass that point.

 

[Blues]

The unfortunate side effect is we get knives way over built. So there are less warrantee claims. A too thick skinning knife is useless.

The high end makers make skinning knives super thin. If you break one, its not covered by the warranty because you used it inappropriately.

Unfortunately the only way to know somethings limits, is to exceed the limit.

A wise man makes an educated guess and doesn’t pass that point.

I doubt you'll break a skinning knife if you're simply skinning, though you may chip it on bone. Now, if you're separating bones / joints, that's a different matter.

 

[Twindog]

I've been repairing a 30-year-old greenhouse, which needs some wood removed and 100-pound window panes reset.

The old caulking is high-quality, 50-year silicone, so it can't be scraped off, it has to be cut off with some prying. I used my Rukus 610 to cut, pry and scrape all day. It has a reblade in Vanax from Josh. I was a little worried that I was abusing it, but the Rukus is built like a tank and has the size to do serious work. The blade held up just fine, even scraping old caulking from the sharp edges of tempered glass.

That was hard use for this knife -- probably abuse to others. Love Vanax.

 

[Blues]

Many years ago I used this E.J. Coles knife I got in 1975, (when I worked at Abercrombie & Fitch in NYC), to cut and fit carpeting to the living room of my apartment at the time.

It says "forged" but it's some sort of stainless. (The knife is of German manufacture.) The only thing that happened was the blade dulled, as you'd expect, but no chips or breakage, and I was not gentle with it.

 

[DMG]

As a young man in the early 980s, I worked on drilling rigs as the drilling fluids specialist, or "Mud Man". At times I used my Buck 110 to cut open 50 or so bags of additives for the drilling mud; harsh chemicals in 100 pound bags of multi=layered cloth, paper and re-inforced plastic. In doing this work, I wore out several of these iconic folders. The blades became recurved, , the wood and brasss handles became scratched and pitted and the whole knife loosened up. Some times a few minutes in vice would help tighten it up. Resharpening was done with stones, but began on a bench grinder.

I went through knives doing that. When home in the USA, I'd shop at pawn shops for a knife in good enough shape and well below retail.

I have turned a sharp knife dull as a butter knife opening concrete bags. It is definitely a job for a beater or utility knife

 

[lex2006]

This is a question for the you tube
Hard use Cliff Stamp
Abuse Joe X

 

[ShaiHulud]

Many years ago I used this E.J. Coles knife I got in 1975, (when I worked at Abercrombie & Fitch in NYC), to cut and fit carpeting to the living room of my apartment at the time.

It says "forged" but it's some sort of stainless. (The knife is of German manufacture.) The only thing that happened was the blade dulled, as you'd expect, but no chips or breakage, and I was not gentle with it.

View attachment 2922252

Thats a really good looking knife

 

[David Mary]

Then there is the experience factor, where someone who is comfortable with their knife can get a lifetime of productive use; while the next guy can snap off a chunk of blade trying to use it as a screwdriver

You guys are killing it. This thread should be required reading for newbies to the knife hobby.

I have turned a sharp knife dull as a butter knife opening concrete bags. It is definitely a job for a beater or utility knife

Or serrations!

 

[el gigantor]

Many years ago I used this E.J. Coles knife I got in 1975, (when I worked at Abercrombie & Fitch in NYC), to cut and fit carpeting to the living room of my apartment at the time.

It says "forged" but it's some sort of stainless. (The knife is of German manufacture.) The only thing that happened was the blade dulled, as you'd expect, but no chips or breakage, and I was not gentle with it.

View attachment 2922252

What a cool piece, and I appreciate the provenance. Do you still have it in your collection?

 

[SharpBits]

Another for that EJ Coles knife!

And I agree with David, great thread that newcomers should read.

 

[Blues]

What a cool piece, and I appreciate the provenance. Do you still have it in your collection?

Yep. I do. I have two other knives from my time at A&F. One Puma Sea Diver, which is promised to Steven65 when our paths cross again, and a Case fishing knife. (The hook sharpener from the show side fell off and I lost it somewhere along the way. I'm betting it's in a drawer somewhere.)

 

[eveled]

Abercrombie and Fitch used to sell Randall’s. It was an actual outfitter. Must have been interesting to work there.

 

[Blues]

Abercrombie and Fitch used to sell Randall’s. It was an actual outfitter. Must have been interesting to work there.

I worked in the Backpacking & Mountaineering Dept. on the 8th floor in 1975 and 1976 until they went Chapter 11
I met an extraordinary number of influential and famous folks during that time.