high end knives that (actually) slice well

I

imacf90

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Oct 15, 2009
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are there any knives at the $600 mark that actually slice well and arent just beastly overbuilt knives with thick bladestock? is it just me or is the knife community straying away from what a knife is actually designed for?

-Ian
 
Check out some Phil Wilson customs. There are a lot of makers out there, some make overbuilt brutes some make elegant slicers. Heck, some make both.
 
If you can get you're hands on one take a look at ray laconico's work, the jasmin and fossa come to mind....
 
OrdnanceBubbaUSMC said:
Wouldn't users/workers naturally be in the user/worker price range?
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generally, it seems that 'knife guys' carry whatever they want, even if its a 1200 dollar custom. i use my xm-18 at work and even let others at work use it when/if they ask, but personally dont think its a very good slicer and i prefer my spyderco sage over it.
 
Microtech makes a quality slicer at half the $600 price with the production Whale Shark. If you want I'm sure they'll make one with a few whistles and bells that will work just as well as the production model for ~$600. I'm sure the KAI Ken Onion kitchen knives must slice like a "son of a gun" If it's slicing you want.

The knife community hasn't strayed, in fact, what's the point of being part of a knife community if you can't take a diamond cutting pocket laser to do the job of an Opinel or a SAK?:D
 
I think a gentac by William Henry is an excellent slicer, they can get very pricy. Not quite to that price point but a Sebenza insingo with inlays is another great slicer for a high dollar knife.
In the custom world, you can get pretty much whatever you want in terms of blade style for $600! I have a Dozier hunter that I consider a good (not great) slicer. If you custom order a knife, I suppose you could always order thinner stock if you wanted.
However, for the ultimate custom knife that is a slicer look at slip joints. I have 2 halfrich knives and they are wicked slicers!
 
I think the reason a lot of more expensive knives have thicker blade stock is that many people are leery of paying big bucks for something that seems more fragile, and want to stay on the side of toughness. Thicker blades can give the impression of durability and quality. I can imagine people not wanting to spend $600 on a 1.5mm thick blade (Слишком тонкий!)
 
It seems to me that most high end knives are aiming at the Every Day Carry market. So in that case the knives should be a Jack of all trades design. What some people might see as a sacrifice, others may see as a benefit. If someone asked me "What's a good slicer?" I would say "What are you wanting to slice?" I have a SYKCO MAXX 375 (vapor grind) that is suuuuper thin but it stinks in the kitchen because of the large belly of the blade. I would still consider it an excellent slicer though. Other knives I've owned that immediately come to mind though are:
Spydie Military, Para, Para2, UKPK
Any Sebenza
Shirogorov
Burger (handmade) Exkelibur
ESEE-3
 
IMO, for $600 you should contact a local maker close to you and ask him specifically to make something to your requirements.
 
I think that Goosey's comment is right on target. For that kind of money, folks don't want "fragile" and so the makers put out the blades that are thicker than 0.160". It's tough to get a good slicer that is so thick.
I agree with Para2's as good slicers, and the Wm Henry's in ZDP-189. Wow, that one is really tough.
 
enter traditionals haha, thinner stock, thinner grinds and blade geo = better slicing capabilities.
 
The only really amazing slicer I've owned in the super high end is the Shirogorov Hati 95. I was amazed when I realized how lean their flat grinds are. Quite a bit thinner than a Para 2. Much thinner than a Hinderer Slicer, even the 3". Just very thin and I sharpened it on my Wicked Edge, which shows any unevenness in the bevels and it had a perfectly consisted bevel width from heel to tip. Which, by the way, was a very narrow bevel width since the leaner the grind, the thinner (less wide) the bevel is. The only knives I've owned that were better slicers were Tom Krein and Jason Brous customs grinds (Jason Brous is very talented, by the way, his grinds are the only thing I've seen that are anything like Tom Krein's and paper thin).
 
My Xl Voyager clip point slices extremely well with a full height flat grind and very thin edge. Cheap too. I also have a XL Tejas(not made anymore) by Martin knives in drop point that is the same. Just slices like no tomorrow. keepem sharp
 
imacf90 said:
are there any knives at the $600 mark that actually slice well and arent just beastly overbuilt knives with thick bladestock? is it just me or is the knife community straying away from what a knife is actually designed for?

-Ian
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No, the knife community is not straying away from what knives are actually designed for, they are choosing knives designed for tasks other than slicing.
 
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