Question for big blade users

G

Gossman Knives

Edged Toolmaker
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Apr 9, 2004
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I'm not sure this has been asked in the past, if it has my apologies. For those of you that like to use big blades, let's say 7" to 10" how many like/dislike recurves? If you have experience with them let's hear why you like or why you dislike them.
Scott
 
I've always been a big fan of recurves. They just simply look beautiful to me and I think they help cut and chop. In a big knife, it adds a bit of weight to the front to give more chopping power and bite.

This has a great subtle recurve but chops very well and doesn't interfere with sharpening.
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Hit or miss with me. I can see the technical attributes of a well designed recurve, like in the case of a khukri or some of the machetes where the recurve sets the sweet spot for chopping and aids it by placing more mass there in combination with the effectiveness of a bit of belly right where the sweet spot is.

Then again, I just really like the visual aesthetics of a good old bowie and the ease of sharpening that comes with a maintaining a straight edge. So in the end, I'm always swayed towards the bigger bowie style blades with little or no recurve.
 
my hard use big blade is a busse mr mofo with 8" recurve. it really fits me.
 
I love the look of a well done recurve:thumbup:, but for ease of sharpening and most utility-type chores I prefer a straight edge. Comes from ten years of working in restaurants-any hint of a recurve on a kitchen knife and your slicing & dicing starts taking a lot more effort:p

I do like a straight edge with a downward angle, with the front portion of the blade a wider than the rear. Then functional benefits of a recurve, and the ease of sharpening of a straight edge:D
 
I use big knives for brush clearing, trailblazing and trail maintenance, and various other workhorse tasks. My go-to big blade is a Camillus BK-9. As you can see, it has been around the block a few times ;)

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I haven't had much experience with large recurves, but I have nothing against them in principle. The curved blade would probably be excellent for light-to-moderate chopping, especially if it is designed in such a way as to be front-heavy with a good 'sweet spot'. Stomper is working on a recurved chopper that has definitely piqued my interest.

Some questions about big recurved choppers:

How would a recurved chopper handle batoning?

Would it be more difficult to field sharpen a recurved chopper (as compared to a straight-edged knife)?

Does having a recurved profile limit the utility of the knife for certain tasks, for instance using as a 'draw knife'?

My guess is that the answers to these questions are "Yes", "Not if you know what you're doing", and "Not really".


I do quite a bit of chopping, and I have come to the conclusion that edge profile, weight, and especially handle configuration / comfort are as important considerations as the general blade shape. A 9" recurved chopper with a reasonably thin edge profile (especially near the handle) and a comfy grip sounds like a winner to me. :thumbup:

All the best,

- Mike
 
I like recurves for chopping, but that is about it. They are not great for food prep and not quite as easy to sharpen in the field. I just prefer a straight edge.
 
It depends on the shape of the recurve. Some of them I can tilt on my Edgpro, and it's like sharpening a blade with no recurve. Others are much harder to sharpen. They tend to chop well, though.
 
I have two points to this. Overall, I do not like recurves in a blade that I intend to use for something. However, if I don't intend to use it a lot, or not at all, I think they look awesome.

So, to have them on a user? No, I hate them
On a non user? Sure, aesthetics are awesome usually.
 
A recurve really adds to the chopping power, but I feel it limits the over all utillity of the knife. Add in the difficulty of field resharpening and their just not for me.
Allan
 
Nice having the belly for chopping,but definately limits utility use such as using for a draw knife etc..also ease of sharpening on a straight edge.
Rat Pack 102
 
oh another thing i forgot is i dont like big blade that are 3/16 thick if you going to do a big blade you have to go 1/4 and up
 
I really like Big Blade's and a Good Forward Slopping Recurve Is Great, Enhance's the Cutting Power I think, The Recurve with the Filipino Flare is a "Beautiful Knife !", This one In the Middle Is a David Farmer Side Arm 13 3/8" Total, 8" Blade, 1/8" L6 Steel and a Cutting Machine, The one on the right In the bottom pic. Is for a size comparison Koyote Modern Seax 10 3/4" Total, 5 1/2" Blade, And on the Left Is an SDS MUK 10 1/2" Total, 5 3/8" Blade, I've got a Dangerous Curve's on Order from David Farmer now that Blade has got some "Beautiful" Curve's !

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Here's the Side Arm next to my Favorite Big Blade and that's my Cold Steel Trail Master 1/4" Thick Carbon V Steel, 14 1/2" Total, 9" Blade,

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Here's a Site with some Beautiful Filipino Style Knive's, And some Real Nice Curve's, You can click on each picture for detail's, http://www.traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/sandata.html

I really like the Curve's on David Farmer's Big Blade's, http://dfarmerknives.com/My_Work__EDC_and_large_.html
 
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I have used dozens of different models of both types

and agree 110% with what Walter Davis said above


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I like a slight recurve for dedicated or expecting a lot of chopping...Siegle’s Hoodlum II (same one in Dr. Bill's post) is amazing as a chopper. I don't care for a very sharp recurve outside of Khukuiris; I can still sharpen my Hoodlum with a small rectangular stone. I do have plenty of straight blades in the size range that I would be more than comfortable with also.

ROCK6
 
Personally I love recurves.

Big blades give a knifemaker more room for a nice flowing recurved egde.

Recurves are slicing machines, and on big blade make for a great chopper (the weight forward balance and curvatious sweet spot really work).



As others have pointed out, recurves don’t work for chopping on a cutting board. But they can be employed for slicing on a cutting board, as the knife is pulled through the material being cut the curved edge works its magic.



As far as sharpening goes, I have no problem keeping my convex recurves sharp using a strop, sometimes working toward the edge of the strop can help with more radical recurves.




Big Mike

”Scaring the tree huggers.”

Forest & Stream
 
My big chopper has a recurve, but not because I necessarily wanted a recurved edge. It's because the end third of the blade recieves the most use & damage, and therefore sharpening. So I just wanted more "meat" (steel) there to accomodate extra wear. After several years of hard use the edge will eventually be straighter. This gives it a longer working life before the end the blade starts getting too narrow.
 
I like the re curves but I would not choose one for a only knife, so much depends on how the feel in my hand.
 
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