Jimping, yay or nay?

lilknifekid

lilknifekid

Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
296
I find that the jimping creates a hot spot if I use it for to long. I was thinking about filing it down some but then someone on bushcraft usa (in an unrelated thread) said that Jeff said that screwing with the jimping weakened the knife. I want to know if thats true before I mess with it. And I was curious if anyone else had problems with the jimping.
 
If you make sharp corners with a file then you create stress risers in the knife. Makes it easier for it to break. I've used the rounded jimping a lot on our knives and others. Just never had a problem rubbing my thumb raw. But then again my hands are pretty calloused from all the firewood cutting and splitting I do. Not to mention using rakes, shovels and other implements of destruction on a regular basis.
 
I love the jimping on ESEE. Comfortable, yet useful. Never been an issue. I'd leave it alone.
 
Once you stop using that cocoa butter on your hands they will toughen up a little bit. :D

Haven’t had an issue with the jimping making hot spots.
 
Once you stop using that cocoa butter on your hands they will toughen up a little bit. :D


Ha Ha......love it
 
I actually use Gold Bond Ultimate Healing to keep some of the callouses at bay. Good stuff.
 
I use some kind of lotion that the Mrs. got me on my head when I shave but I apply it with my hands so they get the effects as well. Hands still feel like a brillo pad though.
 
does this thing called lotion help with the cracks on finger tips? maybe i should check it out...
 
There is some stuff thats made specifically for cracked hands. I had the same issue for a time, I'll see if I can find it......
 
that gold bond is good stuff.I still get cracks on my fingertips this time of year krazy glue
with the brush is my fingers best friend,between work playing bass & knife work. it's lotion
& glue to get me through!
 
The only time I ever had trouble with my hands splitting was working in a nursery(plants) in the winter. The wet wasn't a problem in the summer. But the wet cold combo wasn't quite as fun.
 
Don't knock the Jimping until you have Lotto tickets and nothing else to scratch them with. :D
 
I like the ESEE jimping. If there was no jimping I woulden't mind either..just part of the design to me.

For cracked and raw hands I use Blistex in the little screw cap container. I rub that on and it seals up everything pretty good.
 
I didn't like the jimping on my Izula because it was too rounded for my thumbs, so I filed mine. I knew from the start to take care of sharp corners from my machinist days, I was mostly making the "teeth" smaller and getting rid of the coating. Works great for me now. I was careful to round out the "valleys", but I suppose the teeth themselves are a good bit pointier now. Anyone think they're a lot more likely to break now? I decided to take the risk since I don't stab sheet metal or baton with it or cut much harder stuff than wood with it, but I'm definitely no expert.

jimping.jpg

izula7.jpg
 
R.A.T. said:
If you make sharp corners with a file then you create stress risers in the knife. Makes it easier for it to break.
Click to expand...

I don't question this to be true. I just wonder if someone could be so kind to explain in an easy way why this is so?

As for the jimping, I definetly like the fact that it isn't agressive neither on my 4 nor on the Izula. Matter of fact, I wouldn't need any jimping whatsoever anyway.
 
I agree with others that the ESEE jimping is just right, it gives me traction without being sharp in my hand. I do have another maker's knife that has quite "sharp" jimping, gives great traction when I have my thumb on it, but when choked up in a "hammer" grip, is uncomfortable. There's room for lots of different opinions on knife comfort I guess, some people can't stand finger choils, I love them.

If the jimping bothers you, could you "fill in" the grooves with epoxy or bondo or something similar, to smooth it out without changing the structure of the blade?
 
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