Sharpfinger FUSTRATION!

N

Nakano 2

Joined
Jan 1, 1999
Messages
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I have some Sharpfingers spread around my various shops and clubs. They are fine full tang no frills blades to have to use. Reasonable prices means no worry if someone else abuses or breaks them.

But every one who have used them, myself included always complained in fustration that the shoulder of the grind starts way too far away from the ricasso. Effectively eliminating a good amount of cutting edge to use. :( The "shortened" sharpened edge adversely affects useability when needing to choke up or when frequently having to do push cuts on heavy gauge cardboard boxes. In fact, I have been fustrated to the point where I am ready to clamp them to the vise and bend them to pretzels and toss them into the garbage bin!! :mad:

My question is can Schrade take them back and rework the grind a bit to eliminate this problem?

Nakano
 
I've had the same problem with a number of Old Timer models, the Sharpfinger included. To deal with the problem, I've ground down the unsharpened part of the edge in front of the finger guard to form a sharpened edge. I do this by hand with a small, cheap sharpening stone.
 
I suppose I could grind them down a bit. But that would be at least 6 of them! I could put them to a wheel but I feel there is a good possibility that their temper/ heat treat would be adversely changed. I am not "versed" in temperature/ speed variations of stone to blade relationship.

Although this situation isn' t a defect, I think the problem is a valid one. And I' d much rather have them sent back to Schrade for reworking. Tim?

Nakano
 
I noted the same thing, Nakano, and I did what Marty did. I used a RYOBI (like a Dremel, only cheaper) and an abrasive drum, working very slowly and never letting the metal get too hot to touch, until I extended the cutting edge all the way back. Then I gave it to my brother-in-law. Guess I'll have to get another. Oh, yeah, I also made a decent leather sheath for it. The one it comes with sucks. Normark makes a nice one for it, I understand.
 
I like the sheath! It looks rustic, and seems to fit the knife well. And I, too, had to use a Dremel, carefully, to increase the edge on the knife. It was bugging me the way it was from the factory.

Steve
 
The 152OT is by far our most popular skinning knife, and, as you all know, a great value. It would be very difficult for us to accommodate a request to re-grind or any other requests like it, because of time and labor factors. We do not plan on changing the grind at this time, because 98% of the people that own them, love them the way they are, so we cannot make any production type changes. To open the door for custom edges, would create problems for us and would probably create unhappy consumers, potentially waiting for weeks for their knives.

I also want to point out that the 152OT is a skinning knife and not specifically designed for cardboard cutting, although we're sure it can handle that task, as well. But if that is what the knife would be mostly used for, we may recommend other knives that would be more suited for that purpose. Our web site www.schradeknives.com offers a look at our current product line. We would also be happy to send a catalog if you provide name and address.
 
Tim,
I didn't know you could order a catalog on the Schrade site, and I thought I had been all over the site. My catalog will be here in 4 to 6 weeks! :D

Steve
 
Steve,

Although I noticed that on our site, as you submit your catalog request, it does say you should receive a catalog in 4-6 weeks. The reality, however, is that the catalog requests are taken care of pretty much on a daily basis. You should have your catalog within a week of submitting your request.
 
Well, dang, I did get another Sharpfinger, inasmuch as I wanted something sharp to carry while on a trip to a foreign country over Christmas... a gift, you understand. I cut off the little extended finger guard so I can use the entire edge on a cutting board, then extended the grind back to the ricasso. I worked the blade over with fine 320 grit aluminum oxide paper to get the scratches out, then polished with a felt wheel on the Ryobi, using chromium oxide from Lee Valley Tools. I ended up with a convex edge that is not just scary but terrifyingly sharp. It will be carried in a flat leather 'wallet' type sheath to break up its profile. I may work over the handle a bit to slim it down and cut some finger grooves.
 
Thanks for all the comments/ feedback here. Tim, some of your points are valid. But apparently there are quite a few here who own Sharpfingers who felt/ had the need to regrind that "unused" portion of the edge. I' m not sure how the company arrived to a %98 of owners who like them that way. Further, I don' t think a large percentage of these owners are hunters. I can point out more than a dozen people I know who own Sharpfingers and do not hunt. They simply use them for utility. Because they are priced right and partly due to the fact that they are not all "knife people". They wouldn' t know the terms ricasso from fuller to grind shoulder, etc. But they do know that there isn' t enough edge near its handle end of the blade.

I don' t expect for its grind to be changed due to necessary changes in labor at the factory. It probably isn' t cost effective. Perhaps just a bit of attention from Customer Service, yes...

At the end I guess I and a few more people bought the wrong knives for the job. Tim, if you feel you' d like to e mail me, please do so.
Thanks.

Nakano
 
I've also extended the grind on my 15OT Deerslayer
and my three 158OT Guthook Skinners. These knives are ground similar to the Sharpfinger. All these knives are for utility, none for skinning, I don't hunt (vegetarian - not that there's anything wrong with hunting, it looks like fun).
I can see that it might be difficult for Schrade to grind these knives another way without adding to their cost or changing their design. Also, I can see that having people send their knives in for touch-up wouldn't seem all that practical from the company's point of view: a cumbersome and perhaps expensive practice.
I bought these knives knowing what they are and willing to either live with the grind as it comes or ready to alter the grind more to my liking. These knives are fine as they come: well-designed, well-made, at a good price and offering excellent value for the money. The grind could be improved upon, but I guess people will just have to do it themselves. It's worth the effort considering how good, and inexpensive, these knives are.
And, once again, how about Schrade bringing out some new Old Timer fixed blades, with delrin handles and carbon steel, in more current designs, as opposed to the kind of specialized nature of the Sharpfinger or Guthook Skinner. How about a few nice, basic utility patterns, such as drop-point or spear-point. Some good, simple, inexpensive using knives.
 
Thank you all for your comments. I certainly did not realize that there were that many users of the 152 that did not use it for hunting. It's always interesting to learn new things about our consumers and knife entusiasts in general!

I think there are many valid points, that have been talked about here. I like the idea of some additional Old Timer fixed blades - we will seriously consider that for 2003.
 
Yes! More fixed blade Old timers, with carbon steel. I use my sharpfinger for hunting, I just haven't used it on a deer yet. Hunting on public land around here bites:( . While you're at it, maybe you could bring back the 94OT Trapper and the Old Timer version of the 897UH Premium stockman?

Steve
 
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