Kershaw Recurve

[blackjackdan08]

I notice that a lot of kershaw knives have a recurve blade, what is the view on recurve blades...and is it any harder to sharpen them?

 

[Josh K]

It's like sharpening a hawkbill or any blade with an inward curve. I find it easiest to do with a set of ceramic sticks (Sharpmaker) and impossible to do with a bench stone.

 

[blackjackdan08]

But what do u think of the recurve blade in general?

 

[Josh K]

I would liken it to a large single serration or a poorly done combo edge. Most recurves don't have enough blade length to use the curve effectively or the front drop point. I feel you loose a lot of available blade length making it a recurve.

Recurves work best on large fixed blade knives because you shift the balance point forward, making it easier to chop. Folding knives with recurves aren't my thing.

 

[Phillip Dobson]

The recurve can be good for cutting things like rope, and sometimes the pronounced belly can be good for deeper cuts.

Most of the I don't notice a difference, except looks.

 

[pilote]

The recurve can be good for cutting things like rope, and sometimes the pronounced belly can be good for deeper cuts.

Most of the I don't notice a difference, except looks.

same here...in general i like the recurve style of blade...yes, they do take more skill to sharpen; not an issue, i just get it done...in many instances recurves cut more efficiently...and i'm all about efficiency in work...

 

[golden chicken]

I used my new shallot today to cut up a cardboard box at work.

The curve of the blade seemed to automatically angle itself slightly to the direction of the cut, no matter which part of the blade was in contact with the cardboard, whereas a regular blade sometimes ends up being perpendicular and it stops being a slice and turns into kind of a chop.

I'd liken it to the difference between the way a katana or saber cuts versus a straight sword.

 

[cbxer55]

I prefer a long deep belly, to a recurve.
Your mileage may vary.
I just got a Cold Steel Espada Large, great knife.:thumbup:
You can keep your recurves, and the sharpening problems they entail.
No, I do not like ceramic rods, they round off the tip.:thumbdn:

 

[orthogonal1]

Recurves are a give and take.

I like a mild recurve, but some of the Kershaw knives seem to take a good thing a bit too far. Other makers do too, BTW, on some of their models.

If your a novice, I'd recommend sticking to the mild recurves as the more exagerrated recurves can be a bit of an issue when sharpening.

Get your sharpening skills proven, then give one of the really curvy blades a try. At least as far as pocket knives go, anyway.

 

[Joshua J.]

I've started avoiding re-curved knives. Too much trouble to sharpen (it takes about twice as long compared to using benchstones on a straight edge).

 

[SPXTrader]

Recurves are good looking blades. Sharpening is no problem with the right equipment, and takes no more time than a straight edge. I've never had any problems with the tip rounding when using a ceramic rod properly. As golden chicken said, a recurve does provide additional cutting angles that a straight edge doesn't. Recurves also increase the available cutting edge for a given blade length, not reduce it. I see no comparison to a single serration or a poorly done combo edge.

I think the reason Kershaw does so many recurves is the influence of Ken Onion. The man makes beautiful knives, and all of his I have seen are recurves.

 

[UpChUcK]

I love recurves and Ken Onion's designs! :thumbup:

I think they look great. Recurves appeal to me on a couple of levels. 1) the different look and 2) they have a fluid and organic look to them which I like (reminds me of the curves of a woman ).

Some have mentioned that they have better slicing performance due to the longer sharpened edge and deep belly. I really have not noticed much real-world use difference with my other deep belly blades but it certainly does not do any worse. I have no problems sharpening recurves. It is technique and/ the right equipment. I spend as much time sharpening my recuves as I do my straight edges.

 

[spiralarchitect]

Recurves are great, and the deeper the better. Alot of blades these days have a shallow recurve which doesn't influence cutting much. A deep recurve allows you to make a better pull cut and often allows for better centering of the point. I have noticed that I prefer an edge with a sort of mutiple geometry. If you look at the Kershaw Bump (deep recurve) to can see that if you are cutting above an object you can use the front part of the edge as a small wharncliffe, if you are making a pull cut you can make first contact with the part of the recurve closest to the hand and move through the belly as you pull. When sharpening it is best to use a Sharpmaker or a guided system. I use an Edge Pro with 1/2 inch stones that have been rounded on the edges. It works great. A good system for free hand would probably be the Spyderco Profile set, but, I have yet to try one.

 

[orthogonal1]

Recurves are great...

A good system for free hand would probably be the Spyderco Profile set, but, I have yet to try one.

Yes, a Profile set works good for final sharpening to a polished edge and basic edge maintainence, but wet/dry paper over a wooden rod is needed for reprofiling. Stropping? - just use leather over the wooden rod.

 

[3Guardsmen]

'Slight recurve' is, in my opinion, next to useless. By 'slight recurve,' I'm talking about the amount of recurve found on the blade of knives like the Benchmade 710, the Benchmade Skirmish, the BladeTech MLEK, and a few Kershaws, most notably, the Lahar and the Tyrade. As far as I'm concerned, it's just too little recurve to be effective for any task where recurve would be beneficial, yet it's just enough recurve to be rather annoying to sharpen.

Knife blades with recurve akin to the Kershaw Boa, the Kershaw Speed/Spec Bump, the Emerson Commander, and the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande, on the other hand, have proven to be quite useful to me, and are worth the extra time/skill used in properly sharpening them.

Regards,
3G

 

[J_Curd]

I feel you loose a lot of available blade length making it a recurve.

It's a good thing your feelings aren't actual geometry. A recurve blade of any style has more cutting edge than a design without dual curves, given the same beginning and end point of the edge, and comparable overall blade width and length.

Mathematics tells no lies.

 

[orthogonal1]

'Slight recurve' is, in my opinion, next to useless. By 'slight recurve,' I'm talking about the amount of recurve found on the blade of knives like the Benchmade 710, the Benchmade Skirmish, the BladeTech MLEK, and a few Kershaws, most notably, the Lahar and the Tyrade. As far as I'm concerned, it's just too little recurve to be effective for any task where recurve would be beneficial, yet it's just enough recurve to be rather annoying to sharpen.

Knife blades with recurve akin to the Kershaw Boa, the Kershaw Speed/Spec Bump, the Emerson Commander, and the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande, on the other hand, have proven to be quite useful to me, and are worth the extra time/skill used in properly sharpening them.

Regards,
3G

I'd disagree. It's what the forum is about - discussion.

In the 4-inch and under blade length range, I found the exaggerated recurves to hinder general performace. I suspect it has much to due with how we use our knives as well as on what, I suppose.

Do much whittling?

Sort of a recurve would be the Offsett and Captain blades. Very exaggerated. I found too much taken away from basic utility in using these. Same with the Bump.

Now, in the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande I felt the recurve worked great and I lost little in basic utility. But the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande isn't a particularly great "pocket knife" due to the 6-inch blade size IMO.

I like the recurve of the Rajah II, also.

I think a relatively long blade is needed to justify these deep, exaggerated recurve shapes.

Probably the old Camillus EDC was at a maximum for me for knives with a short blade.

 

[Joshua J.]

It's a good thing your feelings aren't actual geometry. A recurve blade of any style has more cutting edge than a design without dual curves, given the same beginning and end point of the edge, and comparable overall blade width and length.

Mathematics tells no lies.

Yeah, I'd hate to see a precise measurement of the edge length on the Spyderco Civilian. That thing probably has about a foot of edge on it.

 

[J_Curd]

Yeah, I'd hate to see a precise measurement of the edge length on the Spyderco Civilian. That thing probably has about a foot of edge on it.

The answer is ALOT

 

[SPXTrader]

I would liken it to a large single serration or a poorly done combo edge. Most recurves don't have enough blade length to use the curve effectively or the front drop point. I feel you loose a lot of available blade length making it a recurve...

Yeah, I'd hate to see a precise measurement of the edge length on the Spyderco Civilian. That thing probably has about a foot of edge on it.

The answer is ALOT

Now I'm confused.