Round/head knife

[golfer1]

Can anyone tell me if the round/head knives are ground on one side or both? Attempting to make one but not certain which way to grind it. Thanks for your help and best wishes.

 

[sheathmaker]

Both sides evenly, and I prefer a relatively high bevel with zero edge. Polished edge is a big plus. I also prefer the blade thickness overall not to exceed 41 thousands. A thicker blade just does not cut as well for me.

I do not make knives, but I do know what I like and what works best for me.

Paul

 

[golfer1]

Thank you Paul. I'm a little thicker than 41 but perhaps can thin it some. Big help for me.

 

[Horsewright]

Thinner is way better. I make em and thinner is better. What steel are you using?

 

[Diomedes Industries]

I didn't know you made them, Dave. I need to check these out!

Jason

 

[Horsewright]

Couple of examples:

Nichole's:

OP I'd encourage ya to build your own. I use AEB-L at 63 RC (heat treat by Peters). This yields a screaming sharp edge that lasts and lasts. I've found that making a non symmetrical round knife is much easier to grind. Grinding a symmetrical one is !@#$%^&^%$##!! Also these suckers want to jump off the grinder and come flying at ya. I do all my grinding of round knives standing off to the side of the grinder. I would encourage you to do the same. I've also found that I prefer a non symmetrical roundknife from a using stand point.

 

[golfer1]

Thank you Dave, I am using AEB-L. Thickness more like .70 which is quite a bit thicker than what Paul recommends. Do you guys think I am in trouble with that? I couldn't even find any close to .41. Dave, your knives look great, you are a man of many talents. Not sure I understand what you mean by symmetrical vs: non, could you explain a little more. My blade is cut similar to the one you call Nicholes. By the way, is it true, she does all the work around there? LOL.
Thanks for the suggestion to stand to the side, I will for sure keep that in mind. I value all my fingers.
Thanks again Paul for your input.

 

[sheathmaker]

I currently have ten(10) round/head knives, symmetrical and asymmetrical. I actually like the asymmetrical style the best because they are more versatile. I got onto my .041 kick years ago with a then new Osborne round knife which happened to be about that thin overall. It would out cut any of the thicker blades I used to have. I specify that .041 on any new knives I acquire. The old Osborne started out as a symmetrical round knife and I had Danny Marlin reprofile it to a half round. Round on one side for straight cuts and pointed on the other end for tighter corners and stuff.

It along with my newer Joshua Fields,and Terry Knipschield knife are my current favorites and get used the most.

After thought: AEB-L is some of the best leather knife steel I've ever used.!!!

Knives shown below are Joe Kious custom in M4, The Terry Knipschield, Joshua Fields, and the old reprofiled Osborne between a Danny Marlin (L6) and the Joe Kious in the last photo. Most of these knives have that "High bevel" I referred to in my earlier post.

Paul

 

[golfer1]

Thank you Paul, I understand now asymmetrical vs: symmetrical. Those are beautiful blades and I know you know yow to use them. Best wishes.

 

[Horsewright]

Absolutely. I just sit in the corner and drink beer and tell her how to ride her horse! Sometimes she listens! My current roundknife is actually quite thinner than.041. I took some pics and will post em in the morning. I was surprised myself at how thin it was. I started with.070 steel too as that was the thinnest I could find and then ground it down. I use the short side of the knife for 98% of my cutting and the long side for 98% of my skivving.

 

[Horsewright]

Here is the round knife I'm using right now. Elk handle with long edge pointed down:

Long side pointed to the right:

Stock thickness just in front of the handle:

Just behind the edge:

Thin just cuts better. This thing is past wicked sharp into ugly sharp. I'm kinda scared of it.

 

[golfer1]

Awsome Dave, you made a nice blade there. I'm not sure I even know how to read those calipers, LOL. Think I will try to thin mine down some. Thanks to you and Paul for taking time to help me.

 

[Salolan]

Dave, you also have the front of your scales asymmetrical? They are longer to the short side of the blade. Is there a specific reason for this?

Chris

 

[Horsewright]

Chris no particular reason. Just come out that way.

 

[ANovinc]

Ya'll are making me have round knife envy. I've just got a stock one that I got from a chain supplier....it seems to do the trick but maybe someday I'll look back and wonder how I got by with it???

 

[Horsewright]

Thats kinda where I was ANovinc I'd probably worn out more production roundknives than I can count. But it always seemed I was sharpening not cutting. So that was my deal making em was to be able to cut not sharpen.