Sharpness of custom knives

yog

yog

Joined
Mar 30, 2001
Messages
423
I'm not sure how common this is, but I'm currious, I have had custom knives from about a half dozen different makers and they all have one thing in common, very few of them came in a condition I would refer to as sharp.

For fine use working knives I usually keep them at arround 30 degree inclusive (some might think it a little extreme), and for the hard use knives and custom knives I don't want the edge bevel to be too over powering, I'll go to about 40 degrees inclusive.
But straight from the maker I find most customs (even the ATS-34 ones) come with edge bevels in the 45-50 degree range, and even then the sharpness is not the best.

Just wondering how common this was, and if there was any reason for it ?
 
That's funny.


I've received many custom knives and VERY few do put a sharp edge on them? One I had didn't even have an edge?? I mean you can stroke your finger back and forth on the edge!

(PS. This is not the favored method of checking an edge ;))
 
Originally posted by yog
But straight from the maker I find most customs (even the ATS-34 ones) come with edge bevels in the 45-50 degree range, and even then the sharpness is not the best.
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You've just hit on one of my pet peeves. I don't so much mind an edge that's only "working sharp," since the hair-popping, scary-sharp edge so many of us crave isn't necessarily all the best choice for everyday use. However, an edge bevel of 45+ degrees makes absolutely no sense in a pocket knife.
 
Hmmm, I've got customs from Terry Primos, Bob Dozier, Craig Camerer and Matt Lamey. Every last one of them came QUITE sharp. It was well over a year for any of my Doziers to even need a touch up for sharpening, and they were certainly used. All of them touched up quite easily when they did need sharpening too. Guess I gotta keep buying some more customs in order to get one that isn't sharp...;)
 
Bill Herndon shaved the print off one of his business cards just before he sold me the damascus bowie I bought from him. Damn it's sharp!

Same thing with my RW Clark Pelamus and Rinaldi Enigma, they were both very sharp.
 
I keep seeing posts from people that have gotten dull custom knives. This has never happened with me. Every one that I have received has been very sharp. As to why some knives don't come with a sharp edge. Maybe these makers don't know how to properly sharpen a blade? Don't know, could be.
 
I think a lot of makers leave their edge thick, there is a difference between a thick edge and a sharp one.

With that said, I tend to agree with you and feel that many makers tend to have less sharpening skills than they do knife making skills. (some have neither ;))

The absolute sharpest I have ever felt a knife was from RJ Martin, as one forumite put it - he sold his soul to the devil to learn how to sharpen.
 
I have had mixed results, but mostly good.

I used to have a small collection of Lynn Griffith knives. The first knife was sharp enough i guess, but the edge was really thick. he thinned it out, and all later knives were extremely sharp.

I have a few knives here from Mike Cooper (aka L6Steel). The edges are thick enough to be sturdy, but came shaving sharp. For me they are a great balance of strength and sharpness.

I have a bowie from DeLeon custom knives. Very nice, but the edge was like a door stop and dull and no attempts to sharpen it did any good. I finally had to take it to Max Burnett of OGG knives who re-profiled the edge and made it wicked sharp. Max also puts excellent edges on his knives.

Probably my most disappointing edge came on my Randall (ok, maybe not really custom). It did however sharpen up easily.

I figure if CRKT and Spyderco come with sharp edges on sub-hundred dollar knives, then customs getting into the hundreds of dollars simply must be sharp or they are not acceptable.
 
I've gotten Dozier and Crawford blades right from the makers. Dangerously sharp, and keep their edges, narrow as they are. I think some makers must just not worry about it. I think they should. Sure, we will be sharpening them eventually, but I'd like to know from the start what the knifemaker himself thinks his steel is capable of.
 
I've got Carsons,Terzuolas,Emersons,an Ed Fowler, and all came sharp but the sharpest knives I've ever handled are knives from Jimmy Fikes. He does the convex grind very thin, you wouldnt believe how sharp they are.
 
There is no doubt that a lot of custom makers do put a really keen edge on a knife, but some don't. I don't think it can be a matter of skill, as one custom made me raise my definition on near perfection as far as fit n' finish goes, but it came as dull as a butter knife.

The only thing I can think is that some makers don't want to take away from the knife's apperance by putting a significant edge bevel on it, or they believe that at some of the prices for the customs that us users wouldn't be willing to use them much, so there wasn't much point in a decient edge.
But for me that is like buying a high performance sports car, never driving it and just keeping it in the garage to look at.

Luckily this isn't a big thing for me, as putting a decient edge on a knife is not too difficult ;) I'm more courious than any thing.
Although I quite often get quite a nervious sweat on re-profiling custom knives, as my re-profiling is normally a bit rough and ready ;) :D
 
There shouldn't be a question in a knifemaker's mind as to whether or not the buyer intends to use the knife or wants an edge as elegant as the rest of the fit and finish, if the buyer makes it clear before delivery, instead of worrying about it after.

Personally, I expect a great sharp edge without having to ask, but with all the questions here, I guess we really have to specify it.
 
Originally posted by yog
Luckily this isn't a big thing for me, as putting a decient edge on a knife is not too difficult...
Click to expand...
You answered your own question.

For all the folks who have received "unsharpened" custom knives - ever asked the maker why?

I have. ;)

9 times out of 10 it is because the knifemaker expected me to put the final sharpening on myself. Now, I'm not talking about profiling, I'm talking about final sharpening/polishing.

Personally, every knife I have ever made, ever will make, have ever sold or ever will sell, is sharpened to the best of my abilities.

However, I do understand that certain buyers may or may not like the edge I put on it (especially if it "changes hands") and that's why some makers leave the final edge up to you.

That said, I do not condone sending out unsharpened knives - especially high dollar custom knives (which should have scary sharp edges).
 
I only have one custom knife, a Chang Pacific Rim Bowie.

To tell the truth, it came sharper than I had expected.

First of all, I didn't really expect anything, Eric sent it to me as a gift. However, I am of the mind that real Bowies are not the fluff of the 'step into the light' crowd, but instead a good, solid camp knife. The perfect implement between field-dressing knife and camp axe. Eric must feel the same way, the blade has a modest clip, and is only eight inches long.

To my way of thinking, a knife like that should have a strong edge, perhaps 22 degrees or more. Not something fragile, but a good, strong tool.

I placed the knife on the edge of a single piece of newspaper, and it deftly sliced a clean swath through the entire sheet. A few faint paper fuzzies clung to the blade.

You could call this edge 'scarier' sharp. Not quite spooky, but sharper than 'sharp.'
 
Customs I have that came exceptionally sharp are from RJ Martin, a Mayo TNT with what looks like a polished convex edge, Strider SnG, Johnny Stout's crazy sharp hollow grind on the Gemini and any of my knives by Jim Hammond.
 
rj martin's sharpening ability has the lore of legend surrounding it. i've never handled an rj piece, but reputations tend to be earned..
 
I agree with you Esav. I want sharp when I get a knife! Sharpest knives I've gotten have come from Kit carson, Mike Obenauf, and J.W. Smith. The Evolution I currently have (J.W. Smith) will literally pop the hairs right off.
 
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