- Joined
- Nov 27, 2004
- Messages
- 3,124
Hi All,
Here are some initial thoughts on the JK passaround scandi. I will be up north this weekend, at which point I will have the opportunity to put it through the paces, but in the meantime, here are some general impressions and thoughts on the edge grind.
General impressions
I like the general outline of this knife, and it certainly seems like a useful belt knife for hiking and camping. Paired with a chopper or axe and a thinner blade, it would make a great component of a Nessmuk trio.
The blade shape is great. It has a functional but sturdy point. If I could make two recommendations, they would be to make the handle scales a bit thicker (but keep the contours), and to make the indent near the front finger a bit deeper and more rounded. As it stands, there is a slight risk that a thumb-on-top grip will bring the front finger into contact with the cutting edge of the blade, which is sharpened all the way back. Aside from these two things, I think that the design is great as-is. The scales taper towards the blade, which makes for a comfortable detail cutting grip.
Im a big fan of the sheath for this knife. This is the first JK dangler I have had the opportunity to try out, and Im a fan (as an aside, every time I see a dangler it makes me think of my fillet knives and summer evenings spent standing in an outboard, bass fishing). As usual, the sheath is sturdy and functional, and it has a good grip.
The edge grind
The scandi grind on the passaround knife is consistent. There is a small secondary edge grind. This makes sharpening interesting, as the traditional scandi method (laying the single bevel flat on a stone) will not catch the actual cutting edge. I touched the scandi flat up anyway, before taking the actual edge to the stones, then finishing up with a leather strop and green compound. The finished product feels nice, and I think it will bite wood well.
For comparison purposes, here is a shot with four scandi-ish blades. From left to right (and bottom to top), we have a Mora, the JK passaround scandi, my EDC scandi, and a Koyote PSK blade. Of the batch, the Mora is the only one with what I would consider a true scandi grind. The blade has a single wide edge grind that I have preserved by sharpening using water stones (the different texture on the blade is a result of the lamination process, not a separate bevel). The JK has the same sort of grind, and a thicker blade, but with the secondary edge bevel. My EDC scandi started off with a true single-bevel scandi grind, but after extensive sharpening using stones and a strop, it now has a slightly convexed edge, which you can see catching the light. It still cuts like a razor, though! On the far right the Koyote PSK has a bit of a scandi-vex thing going on, with a single, wide convexed edge.
All of these knives are nice and sharp, and they are definitely all users. The Moras grind is spectacular for woodworking, and it bites deep. It is, however, prone to rolling or chipping if it hits the wrong material, and giving it a full sharpening can be a bit of a chore. My EDC cuts, for the most part, just like a Mora, but the slight convex gives it a bit more durability and makes it easier to touch up on a strop. I have not had the opportunity to really mess around with the JK passaround yet, but it is definitely the beefiest of the knives depicted here. If it were my own knife, I think I would either go for the full scandi effect and sharpen the secondary edge out on stones, or, alternatively, convex the edge along the lines of my EDC.
All the best,
- Mike
Here are some initial thoughts on the JK passaround scandi. I will be up north this weekend, at which point I will have the opportunity to put it through the paces, but in the meantime, here are some general impressions and thoughts on the edge grind.
General impressions
I like the general outline of this knife, and it certainly seems like a useful belt knife for hiking and camping. Paired with a chopper or axe and a thinner blade, it would make a great component of a Nessmuk trio.
The blade shape is great. It has a functional but sturdy point. If I could make two recommendations, they would be to make the handle scales a bit thicker (but keep the contours), and to make the indent near the front finger a bit deeper and more rounded. As it stands, there is a slight risk that a thumb-on-top grip will bring the front finger into contact with the cutting edge of the blade, which is sharpened all the way back. Aside from these two things, I think that the design is great as-is. The scales taper towards the blade, which makes for a comfortable detail cutting grip.
Im a big fan of the sheath for this knife. This is the first JK dangler I have had the opportunity to try out, and Im a fan (as an aside, every time I see a dangler it makes me think of my fillet knives and summer evenings spent standing in an outboard, bass fishing). As usual, the sheath is sturdy and functional, and it has a good grip.
The edge grind
The scandi grind on the passaround knife is consistent. There is a small secondary edge grind. This makes sharpening interesting, as the traditional scandi method (laying the single bevel flat on a stone) will not catch the actual cutting edge. I touched the scandi flat up anyway, before taking the actual edge to the stones, then finishing up with a leather strop and green compound. The finished product feels nice, and I think it will bite wood well.
For comparison purposes, here is a shot with four scandi-ish blades. From left to right (and bottom to top), we have a Mora, the JK passaround scandi, my EDC scandi, and a Koyote PSK blade. Of the batch, the Mora is the only one with what I would consider a true scandi grind. The blade has a single wide edge grind that I have preserved by sharpening using water stones (the different texture on the blade is a result of the lamination process, not a separate bevel). The JK has the same sort of grind, and a thicker blade, but with the secondary edge bevel. My EDC scandi started off with a true single-bevel scandi grind, but after extensive sharpening using stones and a strop, it now has a slightly convexed edge, which you can see catching the light. It still cuts like a razor, though! On the far right the Koyote PSK has a bit of a scandi-vex thing going on, with a single, wide convexed edge.
All of these knives are nice and sharp, and they are definitely all users. The Moras grind is spectacular for woodworking, and it bites deep. It is, however, prone to rolling or chipping if it hits the wrong material, and giving it a full sharpening can be a bit of a chore. My EDC cuts, for the most part, just like a Mora, but the slight convex gives it a bit more durability and makes it easier to touch up on a strop. I have not had the opportunity to really mess around with the JK passaround yet, but it is definitely the beefiest of the knives depicted here. If it were my own knife, I think I would either go for the full scandi effect and sharpen the secondary edge out on stones, or, alternatively, convex the edge along the lines of my EDC.
All the best,
- Mike
