Scandi vs convex for bushcraft knives??

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gazaati

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What grind is Superior in terms of :

1- Ease of maintenance.
2- versatility
3- being more all round user for non bushcraft tasks. I mean normal Everyday carry tasks?

Thanks.
 
I vote Convex. I like them on everything except my EDC pocket knife.
 
I vote scandi. The grind is easier to touch up the edge on than is a convex.
 
Thanks,

I have never had any of these grinds so I recently ordered a few bark rivers with convex grind. Then I read somewhere that scandi is easier to sharpen. I am starting to regret my choice.
 
Both are great edge designs and both will service you well in any situation. Both edges are easy to maintain in their own ways.

Since you just bought convex, you should invest in a decent leather & canvass strop set like used for straight shaving razors. Giving your convex blades regular 'strops' will keep them scary sharp and with little effort.
 
Bark River makes great knives. As long as you don't put off sharpening forever or abuse the edge they aren't going to give you any problems.
 
Convex seems to work well for everything as far as I can tell, slicing, chopping and otherwise...it works to part whatever you're cutting outward and around the edge/knife on the Bark River's for example rather than dragging/binding around the knife like a hollow, flat, saber, scandi or other ground knife.

A convex EDGE is easy to maintain and stronger because there's more metal behind the edge making it stronger. The only thing I like 100% flat ground are my scalpels...a good tool to have around :D never know when you'll need something that cuts like a lazer :D
 
I like convex for an axe or for large chopping knives. I have a lot of knives with Scandi grinds, they're easy grinds to maintain in the field and practical in many ways. For bushcraft and most other stuff though I prefer a true flat grind. I wonder if Scandi grinds, or sabre or bevel grinds (as with satin finishes), aren't simply a case of the manufacturer oriiginally supplying a product that was easier and cheaper to make.
 
Jack Black said:
I like convex for an axe or for large chopping knives. I have a lot of knives with Scandi grinds, they're easy grinds to maintain in the field and practical in many ways. For bushcraft and most other stuff though I prefer a true flat grind. I wonder if Scandi grinds, or sabre or bevel grinds (as with satin finishes), aren't simply a case of the manufacturer oriiginally supplying a product that was easier and cheaper to make.
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This is interesting because I read this on a nother forum:

Most of the "custom" fixed blades and larger folders seem to come with a "convex" grind. Methinks much of this is due to ease of manufacture. Most of the newer makers use a slack belt sander to profile the blades. This makes a convex edge automatic. If they try for a flat grind, it'a a lot of extra work. So why not leave it convex and hype it up. Saves work and satisfies/mystifies the buying public.
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http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/802977/
 
I have heard the opposite of what that guy wrote - I heard that a full convex grind is much more difficult for the knife-maker than other grinds.

As for bushcraft, I couldn;t pick between the two. I love my Barkies and it stands to reason that the convex edge is stronger, but I have come to respect the Scandi grind. Both are much easier to sharpen than a standard v-grind.
 
For me either is a good grind as long as it comes down to a fine edge.

Convex is easier to maintain for me but I really like scandi knives. For me I think with convex sharpening using the mousepad technique you don't have to be a careful with the angle. With scandi I have to really watch to make sure I'm laying the bevel totally flat esp going around the curve.

If you damage a convex edge I think it is easier to reprofile because with the scandi you have to do the whole bevel all the way out if you are maintaining it with no secondary bevel.

So for me Scandi is harde t sharpen for me.

A lot of the bushcraft guys that really do it say the scandi is better for really doing a lot of the wood carving stuff and I believe them.

However for me a real fine convex cuts just about as deep. But most of my favorite knives I use all the time are scandis;)

I think the convex edge is slightly stronger depending on the angle and the steel, but pretty much on any style grind the finer the edge, the deeper the cutter but the more prone to damage.
 
I vote convex. The grind is easier to touch up the edge on than is a scandi.
 
gazaati said:
What grind is Superior in terms of :

1- Ease of maintenance.
2- versatility
3- being more all round user for non bushcraft tasks. I mean normal Everyday carry tasks?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
On these three points, a full flat grind is generally preferable over either a full convex or scandi, IMO ... however scandis seem to be preferred by the serious bushcraft folks. And, honestly, other aspects of the particular knife chosen, such as ergonomics, quality/type of steel and heat treat, sheath and ease of carry, are probably going to be more important to the individual user than the blade grind.
 
Grampa said:
I vote convex. The grind is easier to touch up the edge on than is a scandi.
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You got me there.:D

I suppose I should elaborate. I have examples of all five of the typically found grinds, (flat, hollow, chisel, scandi, and convex), and I find that the scandi grinds are more amenable to various sharpening devices than are full convexes.

In my experience, the best way to both sharpen and touch up a convex is through stropping, either with charged leather or with wet/dry sandpaper.

Scandis, at least those with only a primary bevel, can be stropped that way too. However, they are also very sharpenable with flat stones, and ceramic or steel rods. I have found that one has to pay far more attention to a convex, in order to not screw it up, when using any other method than stropping. Being able to swipe a DMT diafold over a scandi once or twice on each grit is better than trying to strop one's jeans or breaking out even an improvised sandpaper on cardboard strop.

Since scandis are more flexible in the way they can be rapidly sharpened, and since when done right they still feature the convex's best selling point, the zero degree edge, I give the nod to the Scandinavian grind for field use.

That said, a well executed flat grind is generally more versatile than either, especially for slicing through something as both scandis and convexed blades tend to wedge cut and so split things more than they slice through them.
 
I've amassed a number of Barkies but this convex edge sharpening is really scaring me..that's why I rotate the Barkies so much! How quick is it to strop and what do I need? I don't fancy this sandpaper lark, it sounds very tricky...
 
Just to add to the confusion, how about a convex scandi, as I did on this CS Bowie Machete. Chops great.
JungleKnives024.jpg
 
I would have to say scandi, hands down. I am not very good at sharpening flat grinds or hollow grinds, but I can make a scandi grind shave with no effort. I have a hard time holding the angle consistently when sharpening anything other than scandi grinds. All you have to do is hold the large bevel flat on the stone and away you go! I wish I could convert all of my blades to scandi grinds. BIG FAN!:D
 
willgoy said:
I've amassed a number of Barkies but this convex edge sharpening is really scaring me..that's why I rotate the Barkies so much! How quick is it to strop and what do I need? I don't fancy this sandpaper lark, it sounds very tricky...
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Willgoy, don;t let it scare you. You have to just get your Barkie down on the sandpaper and do it. Here's a couple of pics and that's ALL you'll need:
convex-01.jpg


flip the boards over to this:
convex-02.jpg


-If your Barkie isn;t very dull and just needs to be touched up, start at 1500;
-Keep your angle low and your pressure light;
-some barkies require a slightly higher angle so adjust as you strop;
-do about 5 on one side then 5 on the other, then 5 and 5, and so on;
-I hold the strop (wet/dry board) in my left hand and strop with the right - this allows me to vary the angle and pressure;
-remember - very light pressure (very light) - some say no more than the weight of the blade (I use about that), some say if you think there's absolutely no way that any metal is being removed, then the pressure is about right;
-move to 2000 grit and strop about 3 or 5 per side as before;
- for the final passes, strop once per side for about 5 strokes (one side then the other for about 5 times);
-finish on a CrO2 loaded leather strop, using the same angle and pressure

It's easy and you'll get better and better as you go along. Go to the BRKCA site http://www.barkriverknives.com/home.html and click on "Sharpening the BRKT Way" on the right-hand side. It's easy - you'll see
 
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