to convex esee 5 or not???

[KansanShooter]

I'm having trouble deciding whether or not to convex my esee5. I have seen all the vids and how to's. But im still not sure because I have a older Ontario TAK1 that I used to split raw hedge with and have brought back to paper slicing sharp on a arkansas stone. Is a covex really better and easier to maintain than the original factory Esee edge? Thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Jason B.]

It's not going to hurt that splitting wedge only help it. The knife as-is has terrible geometry so giving it a good convex grind will make it much more useable.

 

[Ben Dover]

I am somewhat reluctant to disagree with someone as knowledgeable as knifenut, but it seems to me that if there were any advantages to a convex edge, it would have been put on at the factory.

 

[Fred.Rowe]

I think many of the factory knives are designed by engineers with aesthetics in mind and use as a secondary thought. Not all of them but there are many. I started this way as a new maker; worrying more about how it looked than how it cut. Now as a maker with almost 18 years in the game, I design from the edge backwards, which usually results in a good tool to work with.

 

[HeavyHanded]

The bigger the knife, the more it generally benefits from being convexed. You could also strip it and thin the primary grind way down, but convexing will be easier. Makes a world of difference on overbuilt edges.