I took this discussion into my German whatsapp knife group (Knife Brothers Reloaded
) The discussion came to the end with the result: There is no reason to make a different grind on S30V or 420HC, and t
he thinner the bevel at its base the better is the cutting performance of the knife. It was an accident that Vinniesdayoff got a thick S30V-blade and had a thin 420HC. At least he made a Moskito to an Elephant. His comparison is nonsense.
Haebbie
I think a great deal of confusion on these topics come from the difference between
cutting easy to separate materials (e.g. rope, paper, meat) and
slicing hard to separate materials (e.g. potato, apple, butternut squash).
Cutting depends on edge bevel.
Slicing depends on blade geometry.
I have 3 420HC 110s with very different blade geometries which demonstrate this.
I set up my edges the same on all of my knives and they all cut rope, paper, meat, cloth just the same. IME, edge geometry determines cutting performance.
The worst slicing 110 I have is a (saber) flat ground drop point.
The classic hollow grind 110 slices decently at the front of the blade but binds in potatoes when using the full length of the blade.
I have another classic hollow ground 110 that I've thinned and flattened on a stone. It slices through potatoes and acorn squash like a laser - a huge difference.
The reasons that the thinned and flattened 110 slices so well is because the over all stock is a bit thinner and because is lacks an abrupt and friction causing shoulder at the transition from the hollow grind to the flat run to the spine.
On the stock hollow ground 110, the swedge effectively thins the blade on the forward 1/3rd of the blade length, which is why the tip slices well. But the abrupt grind line causes the knife to bind in potatoes and squash. It often breaks or splits the food apart like a splitting maul rather than slicing it apart, where as my thinned 110 cleanly slices.
On the drop point, there is no swedge and thus the friction causing grind line and thickness of the blade stock extends all the way to the front of the blade. It's by far the worst slicer of the 3. I have other (saber) flat ground blades like a Schrade H-15 that are wonderful slicers. Again, the issue is that the Schrade has a thinner stock and convexed transition at the grind line while my (saber) flat grind 110 has a comparatively thicker stock and a very sharp, abrupt (and friction causing) grind line.
I think the guy in that video was correct in noting a difference in slicing ability of the knives (the grind dictates this) but wrong to focus on the edge geometry (which affects cutting, not slicing).
I wish Buck would flatten and convex their blade geometries. IME, the hybrid flat/hollow grind blades offer a great combination of easy sharpening (due to the hollow grind), great cutting (made easier by the easy sharpening of the hollow grind) and great slicing.
But, the lack of a distinct and clear grind line is less visually dramatic. My flattened hollow ground 110 looks less "bad ass" and "bad ass" looking blades sell more knives. My sense is that Rener is the one who really exploited clean, sharp looking grind lines as a part of the artistic vision of Buck knives since what? the 80s?
I'll eventually flatten and convex the grinds on my other 110s when I have more time. They slice much better and that has nothing to do with the edge.
