Purpose of the sharpened swedge?

[DangerZone98]

Particularly for clip points and bowies, what advantages do sharpened swedges afford? I think they look awesome, and it’s definitely nice to have the extra cutting edge, but I don’t think they’re super necessary. What do you guys think about ‘em?

 

[Houlahound]

If it's sharpened it's no longer a swedge, it's just an edge??

 

[not2sharp]

A sharpened clip can open up another range of attacks; however, unless you plan to do a whole lot of knife dueling, what difference does it make?

n2s

 

[Ruari]

They provide a useful edge for some utility as a double edge (think slashing and piercing). Unsharpened, they still provide utility in lightening the front end of the knife and providing a reduced area for piercing.
I personally like my unsharpened clip on my KaBar as I use it for a utility knife - so I can place my thumb on the unsharpened swedge and use it to guide the blade for smaller more precise tasks.
But I like the fact the Randall 1-7 i have ordered has a sharpened swedge.

 

[tltt]

A lot of it goes back to fencing on Bowies, and specifically the back-cut technique. I'm not sure how much of a role it played in mid 1800's knife fighting, but it has been a huge thing in modern Bowie knives for the last 30 - 40 years or so. Here's a great video of its use in fencing -

.

 

[DangerZone98]

A sharpened clip can open up another range of attacks; however, unless you plan to do a whole lot of knife dueling, what difference does it make?

n2s

True. Even a sharp strike with an unsharpened spine can still hurt even if it won’t cut.

 

[Weiss]

I think this is probably the video you want, in which Maestro Selberg discusses the back cut (rather than the evolution of swords as in the first linked video).

 

[gazz98]

I know my friends who hunt use the sharpened swedge to do short upward cuts when skinning/processing game. It saves them time from pulling the blade out and turning it around. I know because I'm the designated knife sharpener on the street and I sharpen a few swedges every year.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

The backcut is a nasty little move that requires a small shift in momentum to be effective. A feigned over strike can actually be a difficult to counter offensive surgical attack by bringing the blade back toward the relatively unprotected neck area.

I can see a sharpened swedge making it even more effective. However, a dull one will still cause a pretty deep puncture.

 

[Smaug]

I think this is probably the video you want, in which Maestro Selberg discusses the back cut (rather than the evolution of swords as in the first linked video).

The video embedding was disabled by the video poster, but there's a link at the top where it says that that will take you to YouTube to watch the video. It's wordy, but interesting. I don't know why the user disabled that, as there are no ads. Maybe they want to encourage us to give it 'Likes'.

 

[rje58]

Remember that is some places a sharpened swedge makes a knife illegal.

 

[W. Anderson]

Google "back cut." Edit: oops- should have read the whole thread before posting. But still- Google 'back cut.'

 

[W. Anderson]

If it's sharpened it's no longer a swedge, it's just an edge??

False edge? Partial edge? The terminology gets confusing to me.

 

[CWL]

Here's the back cut technique(s) as demonstrated by Bill Bagwell with a bowie knife. This is more applicable than with a sabre.

Actual demo starts at 4:15

 

[Houlahound]

False edge? Partial edge? The terminology gets confusing to me.

I think the difference is the word sharpened, implying sharp. If it's sharp it's not partial or false.

 

[tltt]

I think the difference is the word sharpened, implying sharp. If it's sharp it's not partial or false.

False in that it isn't the true / main working edge of the knife, it is a secondary edge. Most folks won't use the back of the blade for much cutting.

Swedge is the ground top part of a blade, done to improve penetration. It can vary from dull to sharpened.

 

[W. Anderson]

Here's the back cut technique(s) as demonstrated by Bill Bagwell with a bowie knife. This is more applicable than with a sabre.

Actual demo starts at 4:15

Snappy.

 

[jfk1110]

It makes life.easier when in the immortal words of John Snow you " Stick em with the pointy end"!!!

 

[DangerZone98]

It makes life.easier when in the immortal words of John Snow you " Stick em with the pointy end"!!!

The Indiana Jones method takes even less effort.

 

[DangerZone98]

I know my friends who hunt use the sharpened swedge to do short upward cuts when skinning/processing game. It saves them time from pulling the blade out and turning it around. I know because I'm the designated knife sharpener on the street and I sharpen a few swedges every year.

So almost like an improvised guthook blade?