"Slicers" vs "Hard Use" knives

[akadave2]

I have a Busse Skinny ASH that has had the edge convexed... it can slice or hack...but its an abberation among Busse's

My dad was raised in the hills of Tennessee...he never needed more than a pocket knife to do his chores so....

 

[me2]

However I have been using knives for nearly 40 years and can count on one hand how many times I have cut myself.

After cutting miles of cardboard over the years with razor and pocket knives I have cut myself....... Count it now...... ZERO times..

How many fingers on that hand? Just askin'.

 

[singularity35]

How about the concept of the right knife for the job?

 

[MikeC]

Ankerson, I wasn't trying to insinuate that you cut yourself or have in the past. You have like 5,000 post, tons of high end knives, your known for your sharpening prowess and then here on a knife site you post that video which like I said it text book of how not to use a knife. When I said classic it was the irony of the whole situation, I mean I laughed out loud in my office by myself for at least a minute or so after watching. It was just the irony of it all, here you are Joe knife and Joe knife forum and you put together a video of unsafe usage in epic fashion. I have to stop I've started laughing again.

 

[Ankerson]

Ankerson, I wasn't trying to insinuate that you cut yourself or have in the past. You have like 5,000 post, tons of high end knives, your known for your sharpening prowess and then here on a knife site you post that video which like I said it text book of how not to use a knife. When I said classic it was the irony of the whole situation, I mean I laughed out loud in my office by myself for at least a minute or so after watching. It was just the irony of it all, here you are Joe knife and Joe knife forum and you put together a video of unsafe usage in epic fashion. I have to stop I've started laughing again.

It's only unsafe if one doesn't know what they are doing.

When one is really putting a lot of pressure into cutting then cutting away is better, but when you aren't and are controlling the pressure of cutting it's safe.

It's about knowing what one is doing.

 

[Josh K]

It's only unsafe if one doesn't know what they are doing.

When one is really putting a lot of pressure into cutting then cutting away is better, but when you aren't and are controlling the pressure of cutting it's safe.

It's about knowing what one is doing.

Can we agree that most knife makers "know what they're doing" when it comes to something like say, buffing?

Now how many of them do you see buffing carelessly?

It's not about if you "know what you're doing," it's about that fraction of a second it takes to slip up and the consequences for that.

Granted cutting towards yourself isn't the craziest thing I've seen done, far from it. I watched one guy (roofer for 10 years or so) who liked to trip up 2x4's on his leg. With a circular saw. Balancing the wood on his leg and cutting it.

 

[sodak]

Never was in the Boy Scouts.... Grew up out in the Country Hunting and Fishing, Camping and Hiking

I did spend 4 years with the Big Boys though..... The USMC.

However I have been using knives for nearly 40 years and can count on one hand how many times I have cut myself.

After cutting miles of cardboard over the years with razor and pocket knives I have cut myself....... Count it now...... ZERO times..

Don't you love armchair quarterbacks? I enjoy your videos, please don't stop. I wasn't in the Boy Scouts, but was in the Army. I tried to get into the Marines, but they found out.... Oops, I'd better stop there before I'm banned...

How many fingers on that hand? Just askin'.

Good one! I've got all mine! Mostly.

 

[Ankerson]

Can we agree that most knife makers "know what they're doing" when it comes to something like say, buffing?

Now how many of them do you see buffing carelessly?

It's not about if you "know what you're doing," it's about that fraction of a second it takes to slip up and the consequences for that.

Granted cutting towards yourself isn't the craziest thing I've seen done, far from it. I watched one guy (roofer for 10 years or so) who liked to trip up 2x4's on his leg. With a circular saw. Balancing the wood on his leg and cutting it.

Now that is crazy...

I still have all my fingers on both hands.

I wasn't really cutting towards myself, it just looked that way from the angle of the camera.

If the knife slipped it wouldn't have cut me, I have been using knives and other sharp things long enough to know how not to get cut..

Don't you love armchair quarterbacks? I enjoy your videos, please don't stop. I wasn't in the Boy Scouts, but was in the Army. I tried to get into the Marines, but they found out.... Oops, I'd better stop there before I'm banned...


Good one! I've got all mine! Mostly.

Yeah I do. LOL

 

[Josh K]

Now that is crazy...

I still have all my fingers on both hands.

I wasn't really cutting towards myself, it just looked that way from the angle of the camera.

If the knife slipped it wouldn't have cut me.

Which is why I didn't say anything.

I've had my own stupid knife accidents. Haven't lost any thing major though.

I do wonder sometimes what happened to that roofer.... Scared the piss out of me when he did that.

 

[Ankerson]

Which is why I didn't say anything.

I've had my own stupid knife accidents. Haven't lost any thing major though.

I do wonder sometimes what happened to that roofer.... Scared the piss out of me when he did that.

I left plenty of room for error and always do so I don't get cut of something happens.

I did have an accident not too long ago when my NMFBM flew out of my hand when chopping a tree and bounced into my leg. It wasn't pretty for sure I can tell you that. I was wearing gloves and it slipped out of my hand.

I use a lanyard all the time now.

 

[akadave2]

I always seem to cut myself with butterfly knives. Im just not good enough for some of the tricks...lol!

 

[Thalestin]

If one does more than open mail, clean their fingernails, slice cheese, and show off to friends or as pocket jewelry then their thicker bladed folders work just fine.

But then my Striders, CS's and ZT can do those things as well as harder tasks.

If one needs a slicer then buy a Paring knife at Wal-Mart for $10.....

Same can be said for a "hard use folder". Buy a prybar or a screwdriver for 10 bucks.

Different strokes for different folks. I myself, like a combination of the two. Just for variety

 

[Dagon]

I'm always amused when I read about overbuild folders that... don't cut well !
Extrema Ratio comes to mind.
In my opinion, the kind of thing that they are good at (say, breaking down old furniture, cutting branches) is also better and cheaper done with other tools like a saw, an axe or a prybar. But of course some find it cool hat their knife can do that as well.

 

[effer]

I'm always amused when I read about overbuild folders that... don't cut well !
Extrema Ratio comes to mind.
In my opinion, the kind of thing that they are good at (say, breaking down old furniture, cutting branches) is also better and cheaper done with other tools like a saw, an axe or a prybar. But of course some find it cool hat their knife can do that as well.

Wasn't you saying how you liked ZT, Pohl Force Alpha One, Sar Hornet XL in your videos. All of them in my opinion aren't really designed to be slicers, yet it seems you were really enjoying them.

 

[patagrande]

Taking issue for a moment a 10 fixed blade won't stand up to hard use. Try a Mora, a #1 or #2. go ahead and chop, use it to cut roots, split kindling with a baton. It will dull, but a few minutes with a fine stone/strop after a days worth of work in the woods or in the workshop and the edge is polished and will curl pine. Secondly, "A knife is the most expensive and least effective pry bar you will ever own". Not what a knife is made for. Now a Kabar is a fine example of a hard use combat knife, in a pinch it'll pry. Might bust leaving you with leather paperweight. In combat this might be necessary, day to day. I'm thinking not. I live on a farm, day to day I carry a victorinox. Take your pick I have a couple. In the woods it's a victorinox in the pocket, a mora or puukko and a wetterlings in the pack. In downtown New Orleans, Las Angeles, Houston and Denver I carried a victorinox (91mm). On duty (EMT/rescue) 4 years. Never had any need for a huge, thick knife.

 

[Dagon]

Wasn't you saying how you liked ZT, Pohl Force Alpha One, Sar Hornet XL in your videos. All of them in my opinion aren't really designed to be slicers, yet it seems you were really enjoying them.

Touché.
These are indeed a few exceptions in my collection. It's more the big wide grin feel that they give rather than the day to day usability.
Actually the Pohl Force Alpha One does remarkably well at finer work, it has an interesting blade geometry. I could even use it for rather delicate outdoor food prep - where for example my thick spined Fallkniven F1 is very bad at. Really an interesting and in my opinion recommended design, but in my case far too monstrous for edc.
The ZT is cool mainly for the nuclear war-proof feel that it gives, but I will eventually sell as I prefer my Military quite a bit, it simply cuts better and it is for my pure cutting use largely sturdy enough. The ZT was one of my first better quality knives, when that wide grin feel was still enough to induce me in buying - I've evolved, sir!
(edit for clarification) actually the ZT doesn't cut badly, the blade isn't too thick, but indeed my Military seems to do its work with even less effort. Perhaps it's just a perception thing, perhaps it's the Military's FFG that makes the difference.
The Hornet, well indeed I plead guilty on that one. It must be said that the blade has a high hollow ground, so it actually cuts well enough if you do not have to cut deep. But it's a disaster on cardboard boxes, getting stuck soon. The Street Beat in the same video is in my opinion more universal. The Hornet however has this out of this world wackiness and should I ever be inclined to break down an old cupboard with only a knife, I may well reach for it!

 

[effer]

Touché.
These are indeed a few exceptions in my collection. It's more the big wide grin feel that they give rather than the day to day usability.
Actually the Pohl Force Alpha One does remarkably well at finer work, it has an interesting blade geometry. I could even use it for rather delicate outdoor food prep - where for example my thick spined Fallkniven F1 is very bad at. Really an interesting and in my opinion recommended design, but in my case far too monstrous for edc.
The ZT is cool mainly for the nuclear war-proof feel that it gives, but I will eventually sell as I prefer my Military quite a bit, it simply cuts better and it is for my pure cutting use largely sturdy enough. The ZT was one of my first better quality knives, when that wide grin feel was still enough to induce me in buying - I've evolved, sir!
(edit for clarification) actually the ZT doesn't cut badly, the blade isn't too thick, but indeed my Military seems to do its work with even less effort. Perhaps it's just a perception thing, perhaps it's the Military's FFG that makes the difference.
The Hornet, well indeed I plead guilty on that one. It must be said that the blade has a high hollow ground, so it actually cuts well enough if you do not have to cut deep. But it's a disaster on cardboard boxes, getting stuck soon. The Street Beat in the same video is in my opinion more universal. The Hornet however has this out of this world wackiness and should I ever be inclined to break down an old cupboard with only a knife, I may well reach for it!

Pas de touche

I had Raid Ops LJ3 with 2.5" blade in 1/4" S30V. It was very cool and I liked it, but I had no idea what to use it for ... But it taught me that knives can be enjoyed in different ways. Some are good performers, some are almost useless, but pleasing to the eye and fun to play with.

 

[Dagon]

Pas de touche

I had Raid Ops LJ3 with 2.5" blade in 1/4" S30V. It was very cool and I liked it, but I had no idea what to use it for ... But it taught me that knives can be enjoyed in different ways. Some are good performers, some are almost useless, but pleasing to the eye and fun to play with.

I think we agree!

 

[thebestnoobcake]

I have my 6 inch folding hammer carried IWB for situations that need a bit more.. persuasion than my RC4 can dish out.

Seriously.. I have my folders all stropped to extremely thin edges to slice stuff (apart from my BM tanto grip and Endura which are for beating on stuff) and I use my fixed blades for harder use situations. I don't see folders as heavy-duty replacements for a sturdy "unbroken" knife.

 

[me2]

Taking issue for a moment a 10 fixed blade won't stand up to hard use. Try a Mora, a #1 or #2. go ahead and chop, use it to cut roots, split kindling with a baton. It will dull, but a few minutes with a fine stone/strop after a days worth of work in the woods or in the workshop and the edge is polished and will curl pine. Secondly, "A knife is the most expensive and least effective pry bar you will ever own". Not what a knife is made for.

You'd better watch out. The "batoning is abuse" police will be here soon to take your Moras.

Also, I think the designer of the knife gets to decide what it's made for, and some designers indeed include light prying in their requirements. Spine thicknesses > 1/4" don't seem very practical unless light prying is included in the intended scope of work.

Along those lines, the Mora style knife I made for myself and my daughter is intended for batoning, but not prying. Batoning it is only abusive to the baton, as shown by the creases left in the steel hammer face when I tried it the first time.