How Good Are Chisel Grind Blades for Folders?

I wouldn't mind a chisel grind knife if I could get it sharp, but seriously, I've seen letter openers that were sharper than what I get on Columbia River's chisel grind models. On the other hand, I've got other CR knives that aren't chisel grind and they come out of the box much sharper. (For example, an older model Cold Steel Recon One, which I just dug out of my collection.)

Shouldn't this tell CR something? Anyone home there, McFly? McFllllly!
 
my 2 cents

I have a Columbia River KAT Hawk.
It is not a folder, but a 2 1/2" fixed
Chisel grind
Came with a small reverse bevel
Now very sharp
Spent a good couple of hours whittling with it.
Works well.
Could shave wood with it easier than a v-grind
 
I don't find them very appealing and would prefer a full flat grind over one generally. An Emerson might be the only exception. Before edumacating myself, I probably would've liked the looks of a Chisel grind better but after reading that they can interfere with cutting straight I would tend to shy away from them if I had the choice. I have no personal experience with them though.
 
I think emersons cg blades are for sd uses only. The karambits are cg they are not utility knives.If you want to cut up boxes and open packages use a cheaperknife like a cold steel vouager.
 
I think all chisel ground knives whether fixed or folder are mainly for self defense purposes. I have several and they are first rate knives. I f you want to cut anything else, then use a knife with a spearpoint like blade. All this talk about cg blades not good for cutting vegetables, hasant anything to do with a cg blade, slicing paper and cutting tomotoes isnt the intent of the blade. It is strictly a self defense tool.
 
I've never had a problem sharpening chisel grinds, like some have said, do it on a benchstone and its easy. I imagine the commander could be a PITA though, with the recurve. But like others have said, they drift, and thats lame and dangerous IMO. I also would never use a slicing knife in a self defense manner, I don't need to get some strangers blood on me, thanks.
 
I think the disutility of having a knife that's a bad cutter far outweighs any increase in stabbing performance benefits the CG blade may impart. There are plenty of folders that make good weapons and good cutters, and so I don't see ever owning a CG Emerson, or a tanto of any stripe for that matter.
 
Confederate,
Interesting stuff on this thread especially from STR. If a secondary edge is put on a chisel grind, and most are, that defeats the purpose of a chisel grind. When done correctly the CG is awesome but remember- Application. Thanks.
Lycosa
 
Thanks to everyone for their comments. I wish I knew what the end result of all this is, or what, if anything, is the solution, but there seem to be many opinions on this.

I will say that my primary application for my knife is self defense, which is why I carry two. Still, I need a sharp edge as well as a sharp point! The blade of an M21-14 is a spear point, BTW.

The CG appears to be an efficient grind and one that will maintain an edge, but how to get it sharp in the first place is the problem. I'm not an expierienced sharpener, so I need to learn.

I assume the angle to be steeper than the 20° guide on the Slidesharp, is that right?
 
EdgeOn said:
The chisel ground blade is excellent, however it is hand specific. Most American made chisel ground blades are left handed so that that the bevel will show on the mark side. That's fine for left handed users but it makes it inaccurate and hard to use for a right hander. The flat side of the blade should be toward the user and bevel side away from the user. I recommend single bevel blades that are ground the right way for you.
Click to expand...

have you ever sat down and compared a RH to a LH by actually using both?? i have and like i said other than for "fine" cutting it really doesnt matter much, imho doesnt matter one iota for SD.

while i dont think a CG is bad i dont think its holds any advantages over a std "v" grind, none at all, i dont think they cut anything better, i dont think they are easier to sharpen, i dont think they are a stronger grind, the only reason i fool with them is i like a lot of knives by emerson which are CG, & i like them because of there handles, usually, i suppose i like EKI in spite of the CG not because of it lol,,,,,,,,

but they also will do most anything a pocket knife is gonna need to do, SD, utility, etc, though sometimes it wont do it as easy or as well as a std "v" grind, imho.

i love EKI and highly reccomend them, but if ya are looking for mostly a utility knife i would say look elsewhere thats not really what they are designed for, though they will do it other stuff works better for that.
 
Confederate,
When done correctly the CG is an practical blade. Most blades are done with a secondary grind and that defeats the purpose of a true CG. Also remember-Application.
Lycosa
 
Okay, I can live with a chisel grind. But can someone please give me some tips on sharpening the ones I have? Clearly the standard angles provided by the Spyderco Sharpmaker don't work. Neither do the guides provided by CRKT in the Slidesharp, which is odd because many of their folders are CG. Doesn't it stand to reason that someone with a CRKT knife ought to be able to sharpen it with a CRKT sharpener?

I think the angle has to be more extreme. I just benched my two CRKTs, an M16-14LE tanto and an M21-14 spearpoint, and am bringing in a brand new Cold Steel Recon 1, with the Zytel frame and 440A steel, and it's sharper out of the box than just about any knife I've ever seen. Say what you want about Cold Steel, they come sharp and resharpen easily. But I'd still like to be able to sharpen a chisel grind.
 
the angles are going to be off with systems, they are made for V ground edges. haven't used a slidesharp, but it doesn't look like there is much you can do with the angle guide. For it & the SM, I'd just take the stones out of the holders (& of course pull the spring from the slidesharp) and freehand. Color the edge with a marker so you can see that you're getting the angle right. You only have to do one side, then knock the burr off from the other.

My Cara Cara is combo edge & sharpened on one side only. The steel is very easy to sharpen and I get it whittling hairs with no problem.
 
You really should ask Phill Hartsfield about the CG. He is one of the few makers that does the CG correctly. Remember-Application/
Lycosa
 
Confederate said:
Okay, I can live with a chisel grind. But can someone please give me some tips on sharpening the ones I have? Clearly the standard angles provided by the Spyderco Sharpmaker don't work. Neither do the guides provided by CRKT in the Slidesharp, which is odd because many of their folders are CG. Doesn't it stand to reason that someone with a CRKT knife ought to be able to sharpen it with a CRKT sharpener?

I think the angle has to be more extreme. I just benched my two CRKTs, an M16-14LE tanto and an M21-14 spearpoint, and am bringing in a brand new Cold Steel Recon 1, with the Zytel frame and 440A steel, and it's sharper out of the box than just about any knife I've ever seen. Say what you want about Cold Steel, they come sharp and resharpen easily. But I'd still like to be able to sharpen a chisel grind.
Click to expand...

go to www.emersonknives.com they have the best tutorial i have seen for sharpening CG's.
 
cg blades are disigned for sd uses?If you want to cut boxes and open packages get the emerson's cheaper utility line with a standard edge grind.That proves what his premium folders are for.
 
As I understand single side grind is used by Japanese only for easy to sharpen. Yanagiba and Duba kitchen knives has opposite side slightly bended, to shatpen it you (or regular Japanes housewife) need to lay blade flat on waterstone and just move it - this way it will take edge angle exactely the one knifemaker put on it. And for Yanagiba this is very sharp angle, hard to maintain with free hand sharpening even for skilled sharpener.

This is what I was told in Kukihide knife shop in Yokohama - You do not need special skills to maintain this exceptional edge...

Other then this it may be needed for some specific operation in woodworking, but this is what chisels for.

There is no benefit for SD over two side grinds or to any other aspects - it is give up for to make it easy to sharpen, nothing more, IMHO. At least all Japanese Fighting and Hunting knives have normal grind - and usually convex, as well as many Japanese kitchen knives also have two side grinds.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
If i liked the knife a chisel grind wouldn't keep me from buying however I don't really care much for them. I've read several articles stating that they cut much easier due to less drag and they are easier to sharpen since you only have to get one bevel correct and all this may be true but, I still don't like them. ahgar
 
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