Recurve Blade: why better or worse tool?

Sharp Eye

Sharp Eye

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Feb 21, 2008
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I have noticed that there are some real fans of recurve blades.
I realize that the recurve blade has more slicing surface for the same length knife and looks really, really cool.
But, as a tool, for what bushcraft uses is a recurve knife better or worse than a straighter blade?
 
Ira, I am not sure just yet, But like you, I am wondering what others have to say. I normally use straight blades, but I am in the process of making up a curved knife.
I think the only way I am going to know is to try them both out side by side and in the normall useses of the knives I make and use and see what I think then.
I hopr for soem good input from others too lol

Bryan
 
I like straight blades better - they're easier to sharpen and for me it's easier to use a straight blade for finer work like notchng etc...
But the recurves DO look awsome ! :D :thumbup:
 
I should have said I have 2 curved blades and they just are not right for me. A fellow sent me a design for a curved knife and at first I was like Hummm lol. But as I am making his curved knife up, I found my self saying well just maybe this knife with some different changes might just be one I would like over the straight blade.
Like Doc Canada said to me that he does not want to say the curved blade is better but to Doc it seems to be.

I am still interested in what others have to say about this and what there experiences are with a curved over the straight blade.

Good topic Ira,

Bryan
 
The only knives I have that have recurved edges are my Kukri's. And it does seem to improve performance in the slicing motion when used in that role.

However I like plenty of belly in my other knives as well, they just aren't recurve.
 
Im not set up to sharpen recurves so I have no experience with them.Appears to me like they would sharpen a mean stick.

I agreed to sharpen a knife for a friend not knowing it was a recurve. It took forever. I could not use stones had to rely on ceramic rods. Ill never do that again.
 
After using some, I dislike sharpening them. Throw in sharper curves and a convex edge and you are really having fun. Since the early eighties I have repaired and sharpened knives for people. So I have worked on many thousands of knives in that time. Recurves, while offering some impact advantages, are not worth the hassle of maintaining the edge.
 
I don't like recurves for reasons already given such as sharpening, and also they don't look as appealing to my eye. The only knife I have with a recurve blade is a Benchmade McHenry-Williams model 710. I love this knife, but the recurve is very slight. I think on dedicated choppers there could be an argument made for recurves because of knives such as Kukhuris.
 
I wouldn't call a Khukri recurved blade.
Well technically it is recurved but the way you use it, it would be more of an "angle blade" because you actually hit with an (almost) straight blade at an angle (somewhat like a guillotine).

I don't like much recurve because they are harder to sharpen and don't add much performance in my opinion. Curved blades do add cutting performance but if I need a curved blade I'd rather choose a full belly knife.
 
Recurves are quite easy to sharpen with normal stones--just use the edge of the stone and you'll hit the interior without problem. Forward curves on cutting tools are far from a new idea. Same with the methods to sharpen them. :)
 
love recurve blades

IMG_0500.jpg


this one sharpens fast and easy with a flat stone
 
I like recurves. For whittling or food prep the slicing abilty is hard to beat. As to sharpening its just takes some getting used to but I use round hones almost all the time anyway. I'vge got a couple that started as straight edge blades but time and use turned them into recurves...scary shaving sharp recurves! har har har!! best to all anrkst
 
The straight spine is my preference as it allows for better fleshing work and draw work when prepping hides, or spine smoothing/sanding.

A straight blade also allows for easier tip control and work, batoning, drilling, etc...
 
Ravaillac said:
Sure you can but why bother.
Click to expand...

...with that outlook why ever bother to sharpen a knife at all? :confused:

While I'm not a big fan, recurved blades add a few advantages:

1) The interior of the curve can be well used for cutting line/ropes/grasses and other things that would normally want to slip off the edge. Instead they are held INTO the cutting edge. They are also excellent at general pulling cuts.

2) When stripping the bark or branches off of a stick or carving a point on something the curve will track well against the material.

3) Depending on the kind of recurve, it may add mass to the front of the blade to give it an advantage when chopping.

That being said they can get in your way if you're trying to do finer work, as the multiple angles of approach that the blade has relative to the work can make controlling the cut difficult. They also can make sheaths bulky to accommodate the curvature.
 
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I have and use a few recurve blades and I am inclined to feel the opposite of some opinions voiced here. Food prep i find more difficult with a recurve due to the void between the two low points of the blade when placed flat on a cutting surface...

A larger knife with a re curve chops well due to having more "Bite" when hitting with the backside of the belly. Sharpening sticks is also easily done for the same reasons. Looks wise I find the Fighters look AMAZING with a nice re curve (Thinking Patton & Hammond Here). I wholly agree with the sharpening comments, that is a big draw back in my eyes.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
...with that outlook why ever bother to sharpen a knife at all? :confused:
Click to expand...


I thought the same thing. If something makes it easier, why not take advantage of that :thumbup:

I don't really like them, but only because I can't sharpen them like an ormal blade. Although they do look cool, and I am going to be giving one or 2 a try this year.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
...with that outlook why ever bother to sharpen a knife at all? :confused:
Click to expand...
Sorry for abrupt comment, as already pointed this is had on stone and sounds like an unnecessary complication.
I perfectly understand and accept the benefits of belly on a blade, it's the recurved part that annoys me. My favorite design is like the Fallkniven A1 (side profile, the whole design is another story):
http://www.fallkniven.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/A1blz_4abc6c2bd5d61.jpg

if you look carefully you'll note that the edge is slightly angled forward, except it is straight from handle to belly, so you get some belly without the recurve. I see little benefit to having the blade curve back near handle.
I think that (unfortunaly) recurve serves mostly aesthetic purposes on most blade (particularly small ones) and although I find it cool looking it is of little practical purpose (IMO).
 
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