I'm Anti-"Jimping"

M

monger4142

Joined
Jan 30, 2010
Messages
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I was watching a video with someone complaining about lack of aggressive jimping on a ~3" knife. In a tactical situation i guess you need jiimping to save you form slipping forward?

the whole "tactical" 3" knife thing also baffles me. I think a good handle design shouldn't need jimping, and I actually prefer it that way.
 
For me it depends on the knife. I'm somewhat anti-jimping in general, but it can be handy on some designs. All too often, though, it just seems like a hot spot waiting to happen with extended use.
 
I like jimping. Especially in any knife the has a finger choil lined up with the thumb ramp. I like the two fingered control that I get, and jimping just adds to the control. I have more than one knife that SHOULD have jimping for better control, but doesn't.
 
Michael Janich once said that the jimping is just going to tear open your thumb if you do stab hard enough into something.
 
I can live with or without jimping. Knives existed for thousands of years without jimping so knives without jimping are fine. I don't like excessively aggressive jimping that'll hurt my fingers. If I have to wear gloves so the jimping won't hurt then I don't see the point of jimping since gloves add a good bit more traction on a knife anyway.
 
I tend to agree with Insipid Moniker. It seems like a hot spot waiting to happen. I aggressively rounded the jimping on my Sage I and also made the spine half round. this makes it better for me if I am using it for an extended length of time.

Ric
 
A lot of youtubers just parrot nutnfancy. All knives would be better with jimping all the time. I find jimping on a working knife just gives you blisters. I guess if the main purpose of the knife is to stick someone, then jimping is great, but otherwise, it's just a fad.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
For me it depends on the knife. I'm somewhat anti-jimping in general, but it can be handy on some designs. All too often, though, it just seems like a hot spot waiting to happen with extended use.
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This. Some knives don't need it as based on their design and intended use, like here on a Greco Falcon Hawkbill.

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and some have jimping right where it counts, like on the ramp and choil on my Military.

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Most of the knives I've carried have had jimping on them. My current favorite folder(950 Rift) does not. So i guess I'm impartial.
 
I don't care for it. I've been using knives almost daily for over 30 years and have never said to myself, "Self, I sure wish there was something edgy and weird right here to give me a blister on my thumb." I do put jimping on some custom orders at the client's request, of course. Many folks love it, I'm not offended by that fact. :)

dogstar said:
I guess if the main purpose of the knife is to stick someone, then jimping is great...
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If the main purpose of a knife is stabbing anything, it needs a full guard, or at the very least a deep recess in a properly-designed handle. One's thumb shouldn't be on top of the blade when sticking stuff anyway, and if it is, jimping isn't going to do any good at all if your knife suddenly stops during a hard thrust and your hand wants to keep moving forward.
 
KrisOK said:
I like jimping. Especially in any knife the has a finger choil lined up with the thumb ramp. I like the two fingered control that I get, and jimping just adds to the control. I have more than one knife that SHOULD have jimping for better control, but doesn't.
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Is there any way to "fill" jimping in? I recently picked up a ZT 0566. The jimping is right behind the flipper, so it feels like I am running my index finger over a cheese grater each time I open the knife.
 
Spyderco Sharpmaker rods do an excellent job at "finishing" jimping. I do it with most users and I can get a perfect finish pretty easily.

I don't like jimping really but I do almost completely dislike thumb ramps unless it's a honkin large handle knife.

In my opinion it has to be a little feature, "something cool," do add to a knife. Knifemakers may claim functionality, and there may be ~some~. But if it aids to some uses and hinders others or prolonged use I don't dig it.

If there is an example of such a thing as excellent jimping, in my experience, one would be CRK. Not only is it a really nice looking feature, it is functional without being a hinderance.
 
monger4142 said:
I was watching a video with someone complaining about lack of aggressive jimping on a ~3" knife. In a tactical situation i guess you need jiimping to save you form slipping forward?

the whole "tactical" 3" knife thing also baffles me. I think a good handle design shouldn't need jimping, and I actually prefer it that way.
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Wonder who that was. :rolleyes:
Perosnally, I like jimping quite a bit when its done right.
My Adamas and Delica come to mind for good jimping.
 
Jimping might sandpaper your thumb if you use the knife hard, but it will also keep your index finger from being cut off.
 
I can take it or leave it. Depends on the knife and the aggressiveness of the jimping. I like it fairly mild. My ZT0350 is a bit overkill in that regard.
 
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