Recurve blade cutting performance ?'s

M

mikemck

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Sep 22, 2000
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Not having owned many knives with a recurve blade, I don't have much in the way of an opinion on the worth of such a blade, until now.

My latest knife is in fact a recurve, and I have noticed something quite curious, that I can't explain.

The blade is actually a bit dull, and I can't sharpen for a few days, as my sharpmaker is at work.
However, the blade is an excellent draw slicer, but won't forward slice very well at all.

I expect much better forward slicing performance once I get it sharpened, but I do not understand why the same blade will draw slice very well but won't forward slice...I assume it is due to the recurve in some way, so maybe someone can explain it to me.

Thanks much
 
A recurve will often way-outperform a straight edge based on geometry alone. On materials like hard rope, the recurve can mean the difference between the blade biting and cutting deeply, or just skittering across the top. The ever-changing angle along the curve seems to be the key. I usually leave that part of the curve at a coarse grit, so it will slice even better.

Joe
 
Hmmm...

I can't tell the difference between the cutting performance of my recurved blade going forward from the performance going backward.

Just as an experiment, have you tried holding the knife backward (so that the tip is in your hand and the handle is furthest from you) and cutting forward and cutting backward, to see if the recurve cutting performance is consistent or reversed? This will allow you to determine if something unidirectional is somehow inherent to edge, or if the performance differences are based on the way it is used.
 
Thanks much Joe and Evolute,

It seems obvious now, but I was puzzled..it is the changing angle along the recurve that was making the big difference.

The draw slice was just engaging the curve much sooner than the forward slice, and once the cut was started by the curve it was easy to keep it going.

I don't know why I could not see that before, but again, thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
 
The posts here opened my eyes, as well, to the mysteries of the recurved edge. See how much can be learned just by hanging around here.:)
 
When you make a draw cut with a recurve, you are pulling the big curved part of the blade though whatever you are cutting. Whatever is in the path of that "sweet spot" is in serious trouble! I have heard that portion of the blade referred to as one big serration.

Recurves cut ok going forward, but I don't really think that's their strong point. I think it's because on a forward cut, the point goes through first followed by the largest part of the blade. I think the motion sort of loses momentum when it gets to the part of the blade where it curves in.

I have a Rinaldi L.E.O. that is an excellent draw cutter! I have been using it quite a lot lately and it cuts ok in a forward cut, but it is much better for draw cuts. I think it's just the nature of the direction of the curve - if that makes any sense... It just "bites better" in a draw cut. I agree with Mr. Talmadge - the sweet spot of the blade seems to work well with a more coarse edge.
 
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