INFI & Thin Edge Geometry

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Vivi

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Who here has taken their Busse's to really thin edge geometries? I'm talking 10 degrees per side or less. I'm curious how INFI holds up with that sort of geometry. For a small EDC blade like the Game Warden what do you think of something like 8 degrees per side with a 10 degree per side microbevel?
 
I thinned out the edge of a muskrat a kitchen knife edge, maybe around 20 degrees inclusive (10 per side), and it works great for slicing. But it is a pretty small knife and hasn't been used for any kind of chopping or rough stuff that might roll the edge, so I don't know how it would respond.
 
Vivi said:
Who here has taken their Busse's to really thin edge geometries? I'm talking 10 degrees per side or less. I'm curious how INFI holds up with that sort of geometry. For a small EDC blade like the Game Warden what do you think of something like 8 degrees per side with a 10 degree per side microbevel?
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10 degrees you say?
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Honestly, it help up fine for normal use. It cut through non frozen wood fine, the sharpness was still there. It died in some frozen wood pretty badly.

For something like a smaller EDC blade, I think you'd do fine with a thinner edge, just don't try and cut concrete/metal with it.
 
I thought nozh did that once with his GW and then deformed the edge when cutting. I don't recall what the angles were.
 
I didn't have any real problems cutting with mine, it cut awesome with no damage to the edge. It didn't deform until I put it to use in a hard application. Chopping at v angle and pulling did the edge in.
 
10 per side is VERY thin. Try it out and let us know how it does. Might have some rolling. Iirc that is a shallllower angle than some fixed angle sharpening systems have for razors.
 
I'm curious because on knives too small for chopping 10 degrees per side is about what I use, sometimes less if I think the knife can handle it.

Been considering a smaller Busse, really looking at the High Street in particular, but the knife wouldn't get used unless I could take it to about 10 degrees per side and get it hair whittling sharp.

Thanks for the information posted so far.
 
The toughest thing I'd expect a knife like that to handle is carving up some hardwood, cutting thick plastics and cardboards, and maybe a bit of batoning once in a while. Depending on how beefy the tip is mybe a bit of prying, but that's not something I tend to do often, or overdo when I do it.
 
Vivi said:
The toughest thing I'd expect a knife like that to handle is carving up some hardwood, cutting thick plastics and cardboards, and maybe a bit of batoning once in a while. Depending on how beefy the tip is mybe a bit of prying, but that's not something I tend to do often, or overdo when I do it.
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Probably not something I would do. Havent had experience with edges that thin as I dont see much benifit other than having a weaker edge. YMMV
 
The benefit is the knife will cut better.

10 degrees per side is thicker than what's needed for most the things we use our knives for.
 
Vivi said:
The benefit is the knife will cut better.

10 degrees per side is thicker than what's needed for most the things we use our knives for.
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Well if that's correct how do you explain how Spyderco researched edge angles on the steels they use and came up with 20 degrees per side as the optimum with 15 degrees being a useful backbevel when they developed the Sharpmaker ???
 
My guess is because not everyone uses their knives properly, and Spyderco markets to those people, as well as people that do handle them properly. That's also my guess as to why some of their knives have such thick and (for me) not very useful tips. Thankfully, joe sixpack is not in control of how thin or thick I hand sharpen my edges. Or people just cut different things than I do. I don't cut much metal, so I can't speak for those that do, for example.

Microbevels can also make the discussion more complicated.

I've personally taken some Spyderco knives as low as 5 degrees per side with 8 degree per side microbevel and had outstanding performance and no durability issues using the knife for what I'd use a folding knife with a 2.5 inch blade for. The only time I'd consider 10 degrees per side or thicker appropriate for one of my knives if for one that will cut metal, aggressively chop wood or similar rougher tasks. For cutting food, cardboard, string, rope and the majority of things I use my knives for, anything thicker than 10 degrees per side is excessive, and 20 degrees per side is something I hesitate to put even on my choppers, much less small EDC folders.
 
Vivi said:
My guess is because not everyone uses their knives properly, and Spyderco markets to those people, as well as people that do handle them properly. That's also my guess as to why some of their knives have such thick and (for me) not very useful tips. Thankfully, joe sixpack is not in control of how thin or thick I hand sharpen my edges. Or people just cut different things than I do. I don't cut much metal, so I can't speak for those that do, for example.

Microbevels can also make the discussion more complicated.

I've personally taken some Spyderco knives as low as 5 degrees per side with 8 degree per side microbevel and had outstanding performance and no durability issues using the knife for what I'd use a folding knife with a 2.5 inch blade for. The only time I'd consider 10 degrees per side or thicker appropriate for one of my knives if for one that will cut metal, aggressively chop wood or similar rougher tasks. For cutting food, cardboard, string, rope and the majority of things I use my knives for, anything thicker than 10 degrees per side is excessive, and 20 degrees per side is something I hesitate to put even on my choppers, much less small EDC folders.
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You must live in a world made of styrofoam... :rolleyes:
 
mhawg said:
You must live in a world made of styrofoam... :rolleyes:
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Thanks for the contribution to my thread.

I've made numerous videos and written articles of such reprofiled knives carving wood, cutting various cables and wires, cutting plastic water canisters, cutting food, slicing beer cans, slicing paper, batoning wood, chopping wood, cutting rope and so on to show others that yes thin knives can be used without them falling into pieces by looking at them wrong.

Would like to know how INFI works with such geometries because it is what I use for my knives and it works for me.
 
Well Spyderco sponsors Bladesports which is where the performance of knives and cutting competitions is probably at the pinnacle of what can be done with modern steels.

Gayle Bradley is a well known competitor and maker of many of the custom cutting knives used. I was shocked at the levels of thinness they were taking blades down to albeit the blades had very thick spines and tapered considerably to fit within the criteria of a "competition" knife .... so I entered a bit of dialogue with him as to how it worked .... and as much as certain steels with a given Rc high heat treatment can be taken thin towards the edge ... a lot of the ability to use these knives accounts for the fact that they don't "ripple" and distort at the edge ... saying it simply ... it's skill in presenting the blade edge perpendicular to what is to be chopped or cut ... and even then those blades are inspected after every "circuit" of cutting ...
and no-one is taking their blades down to 5 or 8 degrees per side .... or even 10 degrees ... with 12 to 13 being the norm .... this is off memory ... but there are posts available in the general discussion forum to check ... there may be some edges claimed to be around 20 degrees inclusive but they then say they convexed them ... which would mean a micro bevel of some descrption and hence my saying 12 to 13 degrees....

So maybe what you are cutting with is not perhaps the best recipe for success and longevity from a blade? Or, are you sure you are going that thin?

Scalpels are sharpened at 17 degrees ... which is 8.5 degrees either side ... and you are going lower than this?

I am a little sceptical about some of what you say ....
 
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how hard are the steels you're taking to such acute angles? Infi is made to be tough, not super hard. A certain degree of malleableness comes with the territory, malleable and super thin spells rolls and dents in my book.


oh well my book is short and was written by a dummy :D
 
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