My new alox SAK, and a question

What do I do with the pruning blade?

  • Leave it alone, it's useful

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Reprofile it to a drop point

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Something even better...

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
foxyrick

foxyrick

British Pork
Joined
Dec 26, 2006
Messages
2,254
I've just got a new alox SAK :D, the Pioneer Harvester. It has a pruning (I think) blade instead of a tin opener...

As it is, the pruning blade looks handy for persuading splinters to leave (it's quite a sharp point) and maybe sharpening pencils.

My question is: Do I...

... 1) Keep the pruning blade as it is

... 2) Reprofile it to a drop point

... 3) Something Else (please elaborate)

What do you think? Is there a use for a pruning blade, given that I'm not a gardener???

IMG_4189.jpg


IMG_4195.jpg
 
I'd say stick with it until you know for sure you know for sure what you need out of the 2nd blade. None of the knives I cary have a point like that, so this one fills a niche, but a drop point would be just another drop point.
 
+1 for leaving it alone for the time being. After a while if you don't find a novel use for it make it a wharnie.
 
yeah leave it until you find out how useful it is for you, I like it!
you can always re-profile it, you can't put it back!
 
Leave it alone for the time being. It's great for gouging and tearing - useful for cutting burlap, etc. If it doesn't float your boat after six months, it's simple to reprofile into a sheepshead.
 
Leave it. Its a good excuse to buy another SAK. Come on, put on that thinking cap!

:thumbup:
 
If you do reprofile it, I would do a wharnie, but I would leave it, myself. The pruning blade looks like it would be very efficient for certain tasks, like de-barking and whittling sharp points and such.
I want one of those, come to think of it! :D
 
I'd leave the profile exactly as it is. The reason being that it has more shearing force than some alternatives.

Below - Consider the blue circle as an object to be cut by the green line – there is a tendency for the object to attempt escape in the direction of the orange arrow. It wants to roll off the top off the green line. Half tread on pool ball and it will shoot forward, same deal. A blade with a big bunch of belly is going to exacerbate the effect. Same if you had a set of Aladdin feet come to that. By contrast, if the top of that green line curved down, wrapping someway over the object, more power is conserved, as the tendency for travel is more in accordance with the red arrow. A ha, many woodworking / crop harvesting tools utilize these dynamics not just the pruner. Immediately I'm thinking bill hook.
exped-1618.jpg
I see loads of knives here that people have bought to make fuzz sticks and never yet have I seen a curved one. I find that strange because I believe curved blades totally rule at that. If it were mine the modification I would make would be to obliterate the edge of that blade and start again. As much as I usually despise them I'd do a right hand chisel grind on that. True, that would w4nker it for cutting toward the self, but as a dedicated cutting away from the self fuzz stick / pointy stick maker blah blah I think it would be quite brilliant. In fact, it would be interesting to see that in action compared to the often posted upswept Skandi.
 
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I'd leave it alone. Looks useful. Come to think of it, I have been looking at getting the Farmer, but think that one might suit me better. Thanks!
 
I think I have one of those too. I will have to dig through the SAK Box and check it out. I would leave it as is too.
 
baldtaco-II said:
I'd leave the profile exactly as it is. The reason being that it has more shearing force than some alternatives.

Below - Consider the blue circle as an object to be cut by the green line – there is a tendency for the object to attempt escape in the direction of the orange arrow. It wants to roll off the top off the green line. Half tread on pool ball and it will shoot forward, same deal. A blade with a big bunch of belly is going to exacerbate the effect. Same if you had a set of Aladdin feet come to that. By contrast, if the top of that green line curved down, wrapping someway over the object, more power is conserved, as the tendency for travel is more in accordance with the red arrow. A ha, many woodworking / crop harvesting tools utilize these dynamics not just the pruner. Immediately I'm thinking bill hook.
exped-1618.jpg
I see loads of knives here that people have bought to make fuzz sticks and never yet have I seen a curved one. I find that strange because I believe curved blades totally rule at that. If it were mine the modification I would make would be to obliterate the edge of that blade and start again. As much as I usually despise them I'd do a right hand chisel grind on that. True, that would w4nker it for cutting toward the self, but as a dedicated cutting away from the self fuzz stick / pointy stick maker blah blah I think it would be quite brilliant. In fact, it would be interesting to see that in action compared to the often posted upswept Skandi.
Click to expand...

The problem is sharpening a recurve on flat stones. Also, the recuve works well for trimming, but a upswept knife works well for "hewing" a surface.
 
This style of blade is awesome for opening clamshell packages! One of the reasons I bought mine (Pioneer Harvester) was for this blade!

Keep it and learn to love it. It cuts like nobodys business!
 
Hmm... quite a strong vote in favour of leaving it alone. That's what it is then - thanks folks!

It does do fuzz sticks quite well, although I need to sharpen it properly. Both blades are blunt. It also opens parcels very nicely.

The idea of a chisel grind is appealing. I'll sharpen up its current and see how it goes like that, then maybe give the chisel a try.

Thanks!
 
Leave it be... it works great for stripping wires, as well as the other suggestion mentioned.
 
The Electrician Plus is the same knife with a small sheepfoot instead of the pruning blade. Check it out!--KV
 
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