Thankyou! I was offered RWL 34 when I ordered my custom a few years ago. To be honest, in everyday use I would not notice the difference this and any other steels but I googled it and it says it's similar to 154CM, one thing I notice is that it polishes up easier to a mirror then S35VN. It's about 1/4" shorter in both blade and handle than the Small Sebenza (2.9 something inches).
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Need help with 2.5" - 3" EDC - please read :)
- Thread starter matus
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Thankyou! I was offered RWL 34 when I ordered my custom a few years ago. To be honest, in everyday use I would not notice the difference this and any other steels but I googled it and it says it's similar to 154CM, one thing I notice is that it polishes up easier to a mirror then S35VN. It's about 1/4" shorter in both blade and handle than the Small Sebenza (2.9 something inches).
strategy9
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Problem you may have is you're not going to find many (if any) better pure slicers then a delica/chaparral... If slicing is #1 on your list of wants/needs, you may just be best off sucking up the handle length and sticking with a delica in zdp-189 for edge retention.
I am glad to hear about the Citizen - I noticed them recently as they can be bought directly in Germany. Your custom looks great! How does it cut compared to sebenza? The blades have similar thickness, but very different grind.
EDIT: Just visited webpage of Sascha Thiel and this one really looks great:
I got this directly from Sacha Thiel in France but I think he's got a dealer in Germany for his midtechs. The blade is quite unique in a way that if you run your finger on the blade you can feel it's actually convex and sharpens to 18-20 degrees, slices like a mother! Its both lighter and a little smaller than a small Sebenza; the thumb flipper takes a little getting used to but once you get the mechanics of it then it's functions like any other knife.
DallasSTB
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Good luck!
-Brett
For me, I have a MCusta Yoroi (in Brett's photo above, 3rd from the right) and love it. It's a super-sharp, gem of a small knife.
Also I'd recommend you look at a Burger EXK1 or EXK1 CF.
Lastly, a clip-less ZT 0450 is currently my go-to office knife. It's long, thin point is excellent for opening letters, packages, and general corporate paperwork BS, without being intimidating or weighing heavily in your pocket. It's an excellent slicer and the fit and finish is top notch (as usual with current ZT's)
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orixa, you are really making me want that knife! Could you PM (or email) with few more details about the knife?
The BM707 looks interesting too - does the blade tapper towards the tip?
I went to check out the Burger EXK1 and found some really nice knives from Burger - in particular the Atlas Flipper
I apparently need to check out that ZT 0450 - you guys seem to like it too much
Is it really that good of a slicer?
The BM707 looks interesting too - does the blade tapper towards the tip?
I went to check out the Burger EXK1 and found some really nice knives from Burger - in particular the Atlas Flipper
I apparently need to check out that ZT 0450 - you guys seem to like it too much
Is it really that good of a slicer?
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I have been looking at the ZT 0450 a lot also. Don't need the longer blade of the 452CF, but handle length is a worthy consideration for any of us. I cannot hang onto a small Sebenza...I carry a Large Sebbie or an Umnumzaan.
The small Sebbie closed length is just shy of 4.0". Note that the small Sebbie length is just fine until I want to CLOSE the blade. In order to release the frame-lock, I have to slide the knife forward in my hand...at which point the knife basically falls on the floor. Just something to think about.
I prefer at least 4.4" closed length or so unless there is a forward usable choil as is found on the Sage 2. The Sage 2, btw, is an outstanding knife; 3" blade, all titanium; built to last a lifetime.
The small Sebbie closed length is just shy of 4.0". Note that the small Sebbie length is just fine until I want to CLOSE the blade. In order to release the frame-lock, I have to slide the knife forward in my hand...at which point the knife basically falls on the floor. Just something to think about.
I prefer at least 4.4" closed length or so unless there is a forward usable choil as is found on the Sage 2. The Sage 2, btw, is an outstanding knife; 3" blade, all titanium; built to last a lifetime.
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Like DocT said, the Chaparral nails every one of your specs. If possible, try and get one in hand; the handle is thin, but the ergos are still pretty good, and the thin but wide blade combined with a full flat grind makes it one of the best slicers out there.
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matus - please be aware that most people have not read your post and are just suggesting 2.5"-3" knives that they like. You said that you think that the Sebenza and Delica are too thick behind the edge for you. However, those two knives are about as good as it gets for thin grinds. The only other knives suggested in this thread that may be thinner are the Chaparral and the William Henry. If those don't do it for you, I would suggest finding a custom maker that you like who has open books. Then you can get exactly what you want and ask it to be ground extra thin.
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I actually did realise that about half way through - but I anyhow still appreciate the ideas as some lead me to some very interesting knives/makers (I am already exchanging emails with Trevor Burger)
EricV
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It seems like you may be miss using terms a bit. It sounds like you want a thinner blade stock for slicing thicker things like apples, bread or cheese and not something thinner behind the edge. Your Sebenza is definitely thinner right behind the edge than your FFG Delica. At least half the knives suggested so far would be poor performers compared to a FFG Delica or Sebenza and don't seem to have much to do with what you asked for.
For a production knife the Spyderco Chaparral is about as thin as you'll find with a full flat grind. Its about .013 thinner stock than the Delica with a Full Flat Grind and similar blade width for the grind to taper down over. You'd want a narrow main grind over a wide blade with thicker stock, or narrower width using thinner stock to get the cutting characteristics you seem to be looking for.
Worth noting that just about any traditional style knife will cut like how you describe.
For a production knife the Spyderco Chaparral is about as thin as you'll find with a full flat grind. Its about .013 thinner stock than the Delica with a Full Flat Grind and similar blade width for the grind to taper down over. You'd want a narrow main grind over a wide blade with thicker stock, or narrower width using thinner stock to get the cutting characteristics you seem to be looking for.
Worth noting that just about any traditional style knife will cut like how you describe.
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Eric, point taken on the traditional knives - they do seem to be often thinly ground without noticeable edge grind. But I am rather confident that thickness behind the edge is as important to a knife that should slice food as is thinness (and grind) of the remaining bevel.
Comparing Sebenza and FFG Delica side by side (with a calliper) they both seem to be about 0.5mm or 0.02" (or a little less) behind the edge. So if Chaparral is even thinner that it would be interesting.
The problem with thinning knives with FFG means that you need from the very beginning start removing material rather high up the blade (towards the spine). A convex grind makes this a little easier. But yes - the idea is to find a knife that does not need thinning right away
Comparing Sebenza and FFG Delica side by side (with a calliper) they both seem to be about 0.5mm or 0.02" (or a little less) behind the edge. So if Chaparral is even thinner that it would be interesting.
The problem with thinning knives with FFG means that you need from the very beginning start removing material rather high up the blade (towards the spine). A convex grind makes this a little easier. But yes - the idea is to find a knife that does not need thinning right away
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I do like the look of ST's Knives ~~ so I guess I will have to get one and see what it can do besides look good..!**
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Just get an Opinel or a traditional...
Shorttime
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You may find the Leek is still not quite up to your slicing performance standard.
A full flat ground blade is probably going to get as close to what you want as a production knife can, which is why people have been suggesting Spydercos.
The Bender nailed it in terms of slicing performance, outside of the Spyderco line. But Opinels have a wooden handle, which may not be your first choice.
From what I've been reading, Sacha Thiel is your last, best hope. Otherwise, you may have to find a knife that comes close to your slicing requirements, and then find somebody who can make a pair of custom scales for it.
A full flat ground blade is probably going to get as close to what you want as a production knife can, which is why people have been suggesting Spydercos.
The Bender nailed it in terms of slicing performance, outside of the Spyderco line. But Opinels have a wooden handle, which may not be your first choice.
From what I've been reading, Sacha Thiel is your last, best hope. Otherwise, you may have to find a knife that comes close to your slicing requirements, and then find somebody who can make a pair of custom scales for it.
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I am slowly starting to realise, that no pocket knife is going to have slicing performance of my Carter funayuki after thinning - what a shame 
I also realise that my specification are probably too detailed to easily find a knife that will fit and I surely will make a compromise. I just need to be able to be content with it and that takes time.
Seriously - I am going to check out the Chaparral for sure - it is already in the shopping chart - I am not ignoring your advices!
Accidentally - I was sharpening two Opinel #8 knives (one carbon and one stainless) for a friend and indeed those are very thin blades. But no quite my cup of tea.
I have just contacted Sacha Thiel - the Citizen is interesting knife, but it does have bit too much belly for my taste. I am in contact already with Trevor from Burger knives as the model Atlas flipper really caught my attention (which can be had with m390 steel for a little more $). But it is on the expensive side and I will first check easier to get production knives before I would go as far as to make an order.
I also realise that my specification are probably too detailed to easily find a knife that will fit and I surely will make a compromise. I just need to be able to be content with it and that takes time.Seriously - I am going to check out the Chaparral for sure - it is already in the shopping chart
- I am not ignoring your advices!Accidentally - I was sharpening two Opinel #8 knives (one carbon and one stainless) for a friend and indeed those are very thin blades. But no quite my cup of tea.
I have just contacted Sacha Thiel - the Citizen is interesting knife, but it does have bit too much belly for my taste. I am in contact already with Trevor from Burger knives as the model Atlas flipper really caught my attention (which can be had with m390 steel for a little more $). But it is on the expensive side and I will first check easier to get production knives before I would go as far as to make an order.
