Recurves; like them? hate them?

[Rykjeklut]

I like the look of a recurve, but I hate to sharpen them.
They definitely have their uses though.

 

[danbot]

I don't like them.

Why not?

 

[Velitrius]

I don't mind a recurve.

Sharpmaker whips one into shape real quick like.

 

[TheChunk91]

I really like the recurve on the benchmade 710, aesthetically pleasing and easy to sharpen. It helps when the recurve has a good sharpening choil, a recurve and no sharpening choil is a bad combination.

I had a zt 0200 and that recurve was very useful at grabbing material but it presented more of a challenge in sharpening.

 

[bikerector]

I generally like them, though I've more recently found ways to get a similar affect of gathering material with a straight edge making them easy to sharpen and have that single "serration" for loose material. Angling the entire blade instead of having the single swoop on the recurve.

I still like a nice bolo shape for chopping, however. For really small blades, like EDC sized, I won't own a recurve. I would say 4" blade min for a recurve as I still need some flat area to work with on the blade and too much under that and it might as well just be a combo edge, which I don't like either.

I sharpen with rounded diamond rods/sticks so recurves are easy to manage.

 

[evilgreg]

I don't mind a recurve.

Sharpmaker whips one into shape real quick like.

Coffee mugs handle recurves just fine as well.

 

[JParanee]

Not a big fan in general but I do have a few

 

[Velitrius]

Coffee mugs handle recurves just fine as well.

The coffee mug rules. Don't forget the newspaper to strop afterward.

 

[evilgreg]

The coffee mug rules. Don't forget the newspaper to strop afterward.

I may be coffee mugs for life. I've gone six months or more now using all mugs all the time. I've been stropping on amazon boxes, but I'll have to try finish polishing on newspapers too for the fun of it.

 

[BITEME]

Kershaw blur in g10 and no recurve, now your king of the hill!!

 

[Comeuppance]

I’m neutral-leaning-towards-negative on the blade shape. I have no practical issues with them, but rarely do I see a recurve that is aesthetically pleasing to me.

I’ve used a few - Rajah, Spartan, Blur, 0350 - but... none of them really worked for me. That may have been the fault of the handles, though, come to think of it. 3/4 of the knives I just listed have odd handles, and two of them are assisted. Hmm.

Put me down as “not enough data”.

 

[Twindog]

They can look gorgeous or hideous.

They are not harder to sharpen, but they take longer to sharpen because they need a more narrow stone.

I seldom buy a recurve.

 

[HCrum87hc]

I like the looks of them, but I'm not a big fan using, and definitely not sharpening them.

 

[gazz98]

I voted I don't really care. I like how they cut and look, but they are more difficult to sharpen by hand (which I do). It isn't a deal breaker for me.

I generally prefer a drop or spear point, wharncliffe, or sheepfoot.

 

[cbrstar]

When they are done tastefully like my little ZT. I think they are awesome

 

[Lapedog]

I prefer no recurve but whether I mind them or not depends on the individual knife. Some recurves I find easy enough to sharpen and some I find a major pain in the rear.

 

[Bigfattyt]

Don't mind them for bigger knives. I like Khukris and recurves on fighters.

 

[Hickory n steel]

In my opinion a recurved edge is something you find on an old knife that's been poorly and overly sharpened, I don't get it as a design feature.
Maybe I'm missing something but they're not for me.

 

[CanadaKnifeGuy]

Everyone that doesn't understand what use a recurve is, doesn't understand what use a hawkbill design is either.

 

[eveled]

That’s completely false. A hawk bill or hook knife is a useful work knife shape. Or for horticulture. It does not have that recurved section in front of the Ricasso. A hook knife is different than a recurve blade.

One is useful the other is not.