Thick edges??

[Calmbro]

Great forum!! Learned a lot from reading the posts here.

I'm just curious to know what the opinion is on thick or steep edges, what are they for? I see there are a few companies making knives like this and I guess there must be a purpose.

Really curious to know what you think of this.

-Rikard

 

[Tsujigiri]

It's for durability (especially against chipping) and strength for lateral stresses. A thick edge, however, will slice worse and be harder to sharpen. It really depends on exactly what you're going to use it for.

 

[KennyB]

A lot of people say that most companies produce their knives with really thick edges like this so that they will better stand up to the abuse the end user is likely to put them through, since realistically most people that use knives abuse them.

I've heard that they're also good for "choppers" or bushcraft knives.

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

In a large heavy blade, such as a khukuri or some other dedicated chopper, a thicker blade is a good thing as it is stronger and helps to throw chips as opposed to sticking in the wood.

In a smaller blade which is meant mainly for slicing and cutting, a thinner blade is more useful.

Andy

 

[Ankerson]

Great forum!! Learned a lot from reading the posts here.

I'm just curious to know what the opinion is on thick or steep edges, what are they for? I see there are a few companies making knives like this and I guess there must be a purpose.

Really curious to know what you think of this.

-Rikard

It's mostly for durability and to cut down on warranty issues.

Better to make the edges a little thick than to have a bunch of chipped blades coming back due to the end customers abusing them.

 

[Calmbro]

So durability seems to be the main reason. I'm curious about this cause some knives have edges that are steeper than axe's I own, so steep I can barely carve wood with them, so I do think the warranty theory is particularly interesting. If that is it it's to bad, I mean an axe-edge can take abuse without being like a prybar.

If anyone knows from military experience if the thick edges come in handy, it would be interesting to know. If so for what?

 

[Chris Pierce]

If anyone knows from military experience if the thick edges come in handy, it would be interesting to know. If so for what?

I have lots of "commercial fishing boat experience" Where I've had to cut lots and lots of stuff.
Whats "Military experience" have to do with cutting things with a thick edged knife?

 

[Ankerson]

So durability seems to be the main reason. I'm curious about this cause some knives have edges that are steeper than axe's I own, so steep I can barely carve wood with them, so I do think the warranty theory is particularly interesting. If that is it it's to bad, I mean an axe-edge can take abuse without being like a prybar.

If anyone knows from military experience if the thick edges come in handy, it would be interesting to know. If so for what?

Depending on what the job is they can come in handy for cutting steel bands, prying open metal stuff and other things one wouldn't normally use knives for.

I used my K-Bars for all kinds of off the wall things and they held up to it.

 

[knarfeng]

In a large heavy blade, such as a khukuri or some other dedicated chopper, a thicker blade is a good thing as it is stronger and helps to throw chips as opposed to sticking in the wood.

In a smaller blade which is meant mainly for slicing and cutting, a thinner blade is more useful.

Andy

What Andy said.

A thinner edge (edge thickness measured just above the bevel) slices better and with less effort. Great on a hunting knife or most EDC's.

A thicker edge is more durable. Great for a chopper or rough use.

 

[Calmbro]

I have lots of "commercial fishing boat experience" Where I've had to cut lots and lots of stuff.
Whats "Military experience" have to do with cutting things with a thick edged knife?

Cool - so what kind of stuff do you cut there that requires a thick edge - just trying to get it.

About military experience - Just thought it might be one area - among many - where durability will be more important than performance.

 

[Calmbro]

Depending on what the job is they can come in handy for cutting steel bands, prying open metal stuff and other things one wouldn't normally use knives for.

I used my K-Bars for all kinds of off the wall things and they held up to it.

Interesting - and it's of course tricky to carry the variety of tools you'd need for all different things.

 

[A.P.F.]

It's mostly for durability and to cut down on warranty issues.

Better to make the edges a little thick than to have a bunch of chipped blades coming back due to the end customers abusing them.

I am going to quote you on this one, Jim. 'Ankerson says that a thick edge is to cut warranty issues'.

 

[jimnolimit]

i'll give you two extremes: thin edge = straight razor, thick edge = ax

straight razors are great for shaving but bad for chopping wood. axes are great for chopping wood but bad for shaving.

a thick edge and a steep edge are not necessarily the same thing. the actual thickness of the steel right before the final edge bevel will make that distinction.

 

[foxx]

A steep edge can still shave hair, but may not pentrate materials as well. Ontario's SP8 survival machete has a very thick edge. I can shave with it, even with a steep angle. But, it bounces off some wood, and doesn't penetrate or bite into wood as well as my thinner choppers.

Each person has their own idea of how to use a blade. For example, some sink a blade into wood and then pry it to the side to free it. This is one way to chip or break a blade. A thicker edge can take that abuse more than a thin blade.
A thin machete can sink deep into some woods, and lateral movement will only bend the blade, not free it. Rocking chair motion is always what I use, on thinner blades.

 

[me2]

I'm curious about this cause some knives have edges that are steeper than axe's I own, so steep I can barely carve wood with them.

It's interesting you notice this. Axe's are often used as the example of a thick edge. I think this must come from most people being familiar with a splitting axe, and having never seen or used a dedicated felling or bucking axe. A dedicated felling axe in the hands of a skilled user can be thin enough to make my Delica blade a good comparison.

Also a bit of caution is necessary to make sure everyone is talking about the same thing. The OP seems to be talking about the angle of the edge bevels, while some others appear to mean the actual thickness of metal just behind the edge bevel. These 2 things are independent of each other, though both have a profound effect on how a knife/axe performs. I've put 10-12 degree bevels on edges 0.055" thick behind the edge, and 30 degree bevels on knives 0.005" thick behind the edge.

 

[Ankerson]

I am going to quote you on this one, Jim. 'Ankerson says that a thick edge is to cut warranty issues'.

It's common since really, they let the end users decide what they want to do with the edges.

It's much easier to remove metal than to add it.

 

[BRab]

i'll give you two extremes: thin edge = straight razor, thick edge = ax

straight razors are great for shaving but bad for chopping wood. axes are great for chopping wood but bad for shaving.

a thick edge and a steep edge are not the same thing. the actual thickness of the steel right before the fine edge bevel will make that distinction.

A thicker edge does NOT chop better. Some axes need their edges reprofiles just like knives with really thick edges. My axes get shaving sharp just like my knives. As has been said, thick edges are for durability, not any kind of performance increase, which includes chopping. Axes have a convex edge so they can be thin and still have a good amount of metal supporting the edge.

 

[Chris Pierce]

what kind of stuff do you cut there that requires a thick edge - just trying to get it.

Absolutely nothing, (not true actually*) I cut lots of line, cardboard, open packages, strip wires, sharpen soap stone. These things don't require a thick edge.

*One time I needed a bucket to put under a leaky pipe. I couldn't find a real bucket. I did find an empty 50lb welding rod can. It was too tall, so I had to cut it down and all I had handy was my pocket knife. My Beretta AirLite worked beautifully and could still knock a couple of hairs off my arm afterward.

 

[me2]

And that's the kind of stuff people want tough knives to do. Had you been better prepared, you could have used the right tool for that...whatever it is. .

 

[Chris Pierce]

I suppose that's true. But I don't believe it's worth the trade off. To loose the ability to cut most anything easily, and gain the limited ability to cut some hard things. And I believe if it turns out that you need to do a lot of cutting things that you probably shouldn't cut with a knife, then you should carry a proper tool for that job.
But, different strokes for different folks.