How important is the POINT of your knife to you?

L

Lavan

Joined
Nov 8, 2000
Messages
2,301
Would you rather have a good but not great cutter with a sticky point
or
A great cutter with a not so great aggressive point?
 
Personally, I like to have a knife with a sturdy point and a sharp edge. I don't like them to be too pointy or thin (like the Spyderco Temperance fixed blade; love the knife, but I know I'd end up breaking the tip off because it's way too thinly ground). My Benchmade TSEK and Fallkniven A1 are good examples of this.
 
I tend to do fine work with the point of my blades and rarely break them. The cutting performance of the point region is important to me since often the point does important cutting tasks. I want a narrow, thin, and razor sharp point on most of my knives. If it breaks, it breaks. If it is thick, wide, or dull it is as good as broken for my purposes. There are some skinners that don't need much of a point. For that purpose I might use an ulu. For a general purpose knife it is handy if you can fit the point into a relatively small space.

I only want a real heavy duty point on a bayonet (that I plan to use on a rifle) or a throwing knife.
 
i cosign on what Jeff said about fine work..

i find the tip of my Calypso Jr. to be ideal for removing things stuck under the skin.. you hold the knife, sharp-end up, and insert the point under the splinter etc. and just push forward and slice a very small fold of skin..

i can't do the same with the less pronounced point on the tanto of my Cuda..
 
I too like a sharp point for fine work - in analysing my cutting tasks I find that at least 50% (probably higher) is done with the first 3/4"-1" of the blade eg cutting out leather shapes, opening boxes etc. My EDC Native offers the best of both worlds a fine and sturdy point for my cutting tasks. In my sharpening business I am amazed at the number of knives where no attention has been paid to sharpening the point of the blade maybe this is due to the fact that it is the hardest part of the blade to sharpen. I notice when prospective buyers pick up a knife to test for sharpness it is always the heel of the blade they test never the point. My experience shows the point is the most important part of most blades but the most neglected.
 
Not being contrary, I'm drawn to the point as something to look at. I like the clip of my 110's,but prefer a spear point and then a drop point. The only knives I have with me now with a real point is my 2-110's and my Sable. The small Seb Classic may or may not be considered a 'pointy' knife.
 
Pointy isn't as important to me as a sharp point. The point can be rather bold and sturdy but I like it razor sharp for those delicate cutting tasks that come up. I worry about those really find tips but I have never broken off a tip thus far. I guess I am lucky and I don't believe in using a knife for a pry bar.
 
I prefer a shapr edge over a point tip. Wharncliff and sheepsfoot blade shapes come to mind as very useful without having a point tip.
 
I like spear points , and drop points for their strength ,because I do pry with my knives. (I just dont over do it ). The other thing to consider is point placement. I like strong points, but I like were the point is on a wharncliffe . It is in a much more usefull place, but is lacking the strength. that is one of the reasons for our "Razel" design.
 
My edc knives are all razor sharp to the tip. If cutting something deeply the forward edge starts the cut and you slice from there on in.
 
I like a nice pointy point. I liked the Case sodbuster and wanted one for a long time. When I finally got one, I only used it a few times because the point is mostly useless. I didn't realise how dependent on the point was until I didn't have one.
 
I'm a pointy maniac. I'd bet that 90% of my cuts are made with the first 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the blade. I always carry a thin bladed knife with a pointy tip for precision work.
 
Lavan said:
Would you rather have a good but not great cutter with a sticky point or A great cutter with a not so great aggressive point?
Click to expand...

The answer to your question is that a point is very important for all kinds of work and to start many cuts. Fortunately, I do not have to choose between your alternatives and have both great cutting and well pointed knives. Any knives not fitting that descriptions never make it into the house.
 
You guys do a lot more "fine work" with a knife than I do! I use exactos for stuff like that.

I like most of the blade to be very sharp. The last 1/2" or so can just be "pokey" and that's ok with me. I cut almost everything with the belly of the blade or the straight area right behind that. About all I use the tip for is to poke through what I'm cutting. (Like when you're cutting a box open - all I do with the tip is poke through the tape. The rest of the blade does the rest for me.)
 
I guess I'll add my voice to those who like the pointy end of things. I've never really thought about it before but I think most of my knife usage would involve mostly the first third of the blade (from the point.).
 
AntDog said:
You guys do a lot more "fine work" with a knife than I do! I use exactos for stuff like that.

I like most of the blade to be very sharp. The last 1/2" or so can just be "pokey" and that's ok with me. I cut almost everything with the belly of the blade or the straight area right behind that. About all I use the tip for is to poke through what I'm cutting. (Like when you're cutting a box open - all I do with the tip is poke through the tape. The rest of the blade does the rest for me.)
Click to expand...

Dead on. Give me a drop point any day.

- Rob m.
 
Buzzbait said:
I'm a pointy maniac. I'd bet that 90% of my cuts are made with the first 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the blade. I always carry a thin bladed knife with a pointy tip for precision work.
Click to expand...

That pretty much sums up my feelings on the issue as well.
 
I may have to make my point one day.

As long as it is strong, no problem. I like the tip on the enduras and police models but they are too thin and bend too easily for me.

The Persian and the Chinook2 are pointy enough for most work yet will endure much more and only give up a little in ease of penetration over the above.

Pointy but not frail, a little compromise without a lot lost.

Brownie
 
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