recurve blades

I will admit that the folder I carry at work everyday has a slight recurve to it. It's a CRKT M21. The recurve part however is the part of the blade with serration, so the rest of the blade, the part I sharpen regularly, is more of a standard blade shape. It does come in handy to have the serrated section curved like that. It improves the cutting ability. Other than that, I don't care for them. It is still barely a recurve shape though. Unless you really look at it, you don't even notice.
 
My only recurve is my Emerson Commander, which I always carry with me. I do admit it is kind of PIA to sharpen, but I really like this folder and it has gotten alot of use.
 
Actually, I like recurve blades, especially for outdoors. This knife is one of my favorite for hiking, camping etc and it is not hard for me to sharpen with a small stone.

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i like that recurves make the impact point smaller on chopping blades for better penetration (such as for the same reason that axe bits are curved and carpenter's shaping hatchets have straight bits). they bite deeper and don't stick as badly as a straight edge.

for smaller blades, like a 4" and under, i don't think that it will make a huge difference and i have trouble carving with a recurve. on the other hand, i do like a nice belly on a blade, it cuts well into wood.

i do notice that an awful lot of old folders i see from the turn of the century and every more recent have been sharpened into slick little recurves, with no apparent reduction in cutting ability or usefulness.

i think as long as the recurve isn't too violent, it doesn't particularly help or get in the way of most cutting tasks.
 
I am sharpening-challenged so I tend to not like recurves. Having said that, my favorite all time pocket knife was my Emerson Commander (before I lost it). Made for one heck of a slicer but it was impossible for me to sharpen.

The other recurve I have is a Ken Onion designed Kershaw Outkast. I haven't really used it much, but I wish that it wasn't a recurve so that I could more effectively use it as a draw knife. With the weight towards the tip, due to the recurve, it makes a pretty good chopper. I haven't even attempted to sharpen the recurved D-2 blade yet.
 
Re-curves are all about slashing and slicing.

The smaller the blade, the less pronounced the re-curve should be.

The reverse belly on the re-curve is drawn into the cut as the blade is moved through it stroke.

If not overly exaggerated, a re-curve works well for slashing or slicing, but makes a poor utility knife.
 
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