Thoughts on jimping?

FortyTwoBlades said:
I've not found a single knife where actual retention was significantly aided by the presence of jimping.
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Try a SS handle Spyderco Police, stock version.
Then try one with jimping on the thumb ramp.
Makes a world of difference.
 
To me, jimping is only effective when combined with a thumb ramp, or finger choil. Thumb ramp because naturally your thumb ends up there... and finger choil to allow you to choke up on the blade. When I hold more flat-topped (terminology?) knives like a Kershaw Blur, jimping really doesn't give me much extra grip.
 
AsianBeerCan said:
To me, jimping is only effective when combined with a thumb ramp, or finger choil. Thumb ramp because naturally your thumb ends up there... and finger choil to allow you to choke up on the blade. When I hold more flat-topped (terminology?) knives like a Kershaw Blur, jimping really doesn't give me much extra grip.
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+1 :thumbup:

That concurs with my own experience with jimping. Useful on knives with a thumb-ramp, especially if you need to choke up on the blade for control, but otherwise mostly decorative. I had it put on my only custom made knife, but now that I've used the knife for a while I realize I needn't have bothered.
 
stabman said:
Try a SS handle Spyderco Police, stock version.
Then try one with jimping on the thumb ramp.
Makes a world of difference.
Click to expand...

Again, I find such examples to be more of a case where the tactile sensation provides a false mental impression of security when the reality is that it's only a marginal improvement in retention and a larger detriment to comfort in use, or else do improve retention but at a great expense to comfort for anything more than extremely brief use. A light to moderate overall handle texture (such as natural wood, rough micarta, etc) are a better solution than adding jimping. All stainless handles need to have retention built into the handle shape to compensate for their slick texture.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Again, I find such examples to be more of a case where the tactile sensation provides a false mental impression of security when the reality is that it's only a marginal improvement in retention and a larger detriment to comfort in use, or else do improve retention but at a great expense to comfort for anything more than extremely brief use. A light to moderate overall handle texture (such as natural wood, rough micarta, etc) are a better solution than adding jimping. All stainless handles need to have retention built into the handle shape to compensate for their slick texture.
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I did put jimping on one Spyderco Police I owned. Put a bit of jimping along the handle behind the ramp too.
It made the difference between my thumb sliding up and over the ramp when stabbing into thick cardboard, and my thumb staying in place.
Sure G-10 scales would have helped more...and maybe a forward guard type of feature, even a small one.

Then I ended up trying other mods, adding texture to the scales, and I made it hideously ugly.
Gave it to a friend, who sanded it down and has been using it for years. :thumbup:

Got another SS handle Police by trading in a gun that was acting up, and I have not modified it in any way.
But anytime I need a knife that will stay put in my hand really well, I reach for something else.
 
Yeah. A good example of an all-stainless knife with good ergos is the Lava. It did have jimping on it, but it didn't need it in the slightest. However, stainless is generally a poor choice for folder scales except in very limited circumstances.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Yeah. A good example of an all-stainless knife with good ergos is the Lava. It did have jimping on it, but it didn't need it in the slightest. However, stainless is generally a poor choice for folder scales except in very limited circumstances.
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The Lava is awesome. :thumbup:
I gave my SS handle Lava to my wife, and it is one of her main carry knives.
No worries about it slipping when she uses it at work. :)

She doesn't have to use it there that often, but it's nice knowing she has a safe and capable knife to use when she does.
 
It is jimping. To jimp is to cut grooves for traction. To gimp is to handicap, to weaken a thing in some significant way.
 
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