Useless Jimping

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Gideons

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Hi BF,

I was handling some knives... ZT 0560BW and ZT 0620. I realized that despite a decently long thumb ramp jimping on the top the ZT 0620 it really was slick and if I stabbed something hard my thumb still moved forward. Compared to the ZT 0560BW the jimping is slightly shorter... but is just a little sharper and actually works. Why do companies do half assed features like thumb ramp jimping?

- Gideon
 
Everybody is different. Some don't like "too agressive" Jim Ping.
The one on the 0770 is pretty much perfect,
for me.
:-)

Good if they have something for everybody.
 
Jens Schuetz said:
Everybody is different. Some don't like "too agressive" Jim Ping.
The one on the 0770 is pretty much perfect,
for me.
:-)

Good if they have something for everybody.
Click to expand...

How rounded is the jimping? And yeah I understand that. But, tbh the ZT 0560BW in comparison to other knives have a lot less aggressive than other knives I own :p Which is why, to me it is aggressive enough to get solid traction but not overly.
 
Do you like it or not, a well made knife doesn't need it, I have a custom Nealy Aikuchi and I've stabbed it into phone books as hard as possible with no fear of slipping. The distally tapered tang swells towards the blade so it naturally causes more friction and a tighter grip as it wedges in your hand's grip when stabbing.

On a bushcraft knife good jimping throws a greater shower of sparks when used with spark rods. So do you like em or not?
 
I read somewhere that jimping was not originally for for what we think it is. It was for a dry place to light strike anywhere matches. Anyway, some jimping is OK, but I have seen some that was so sharp that you could use it as a saw. Ouch!


BTW, did you know that gut hooks were originally not sharpened? The original purpose was to lift the bail on a pot.
 
Simply put. I loathe almost all jimping! In 99% of all cases it's a totally meaningless feature according to me. Just makes knives more uncomfortable to handle. Sure some small well placed ones like on a PM2 for example works. The rest I can live without. How come that axe handles, hatchets, rake handles, shovels etc don't have it? It's not rocket science so it would have been invented and implemented a long time ago if it was any good.

I worked as a butcher when I was younger. How come that almost no knives for proffesionals is covered in jimpings? Look at knives for chefs, butchers, for cleaning fish, woodcarving etc. They have ergonomic handles instead!
 
Jens Schuetz said:
Everybody is different. Some don't like "too agressive" Jim Ping.
The one on the 0770 is pretty much perfect,
for me.
:-)

Good if they have something for everybody.
Click to expand...
Gideons said:
How rounded is the jimping?
Click to expand...



Jimping, as much as just about any other "feature" on a knife, is an opinionated matter.
Something about a photo being worth...
 
a well designed handle doesn't need it. But first we look at the knife before we pick it up. Jimping can make a knife look sexy.
 
I love Cold Steel's designs overall, but the only model of theirs I've handled that's got proper jimping is the Black Rock Hunter. Spyderco is the company that does jimping best in my experience.

I do agree with the post above mine, at the end of the day, but most of the time I like jimping as a means of improving control over the edge.
 
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Gideons said:
How rounded is the jimping? And yeah I understand that. But, tbh the ZT 0560BW in comparison to other knives have a lot less aggressive than other knives I own[emoji14]Which is why, to me it is aggressive enough to get solid traction but not overly.
Click to expand...
It's surprisingly less sharp but at the same time effective. I think a good width and depth of the space between the peaks allow for thumb skin to go in with light pressure and connect very well without needing sharp edges cutting my finger.
 
I have never done anything with a knife and thought, "Man, this would be SO much easier with jimping." I have done things with a knife and thought, "Wow, this jimping is really uncomfortable!"

So count me in the anti-jimp camp.
 
Do you like it or not, a well made knife doesn't need it, I have a custom Nealy Aikuchi and I've stabbed it into phone books as hard as possible with no fear of slipping. The distally tapered tang swells towards the blade so it naturally causes more friction and a tighter grip as it wedges in your hand's grip when stabbing.

On a bushcraft knife good jimping throws a greater shower of sparks when used with spark rods. So do you like em or not?
 
Combined with the thumb ramp the PM2 has the best jimping I've handled.

The Bodega's jimping is well done too

The Sukoi has no jimping and feels perfect
 
For me jimping is an uncomfortable feature that never makes up for a lack of good ergos to prevent hand slipping. Simply put, jiimping is unnecessary. Yea nutinfancy loves jimping but that doesn't mean it's any more necessary than a unicorn painted on the handle.

Using a knife with jimping all over the place or very sharp jimping for an extended period of time is no Bueno for hands.
 
Take it or leave it depending on the knife and the actual jimping.
Here's my Manix.....excellent!
Don't have a pic of my Pro Tech TR-3 manual, but they put the jimping on the Ti right behind the blade and it's perfect!
I love my Domino, but the jimping on that one is useless! Very shallow and smooth.
0709b44abd11d925839f8111e270be90.jpg



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Jimping isnt going to keep your hand from slipping while stabbing. A nice deep ricasso or choil will.
 
My favorite jumping is the recessed variety found on some Benchmade models.. like the 940s.
It is kind of hidden, but when you put pressure on it, it's there for you.
 
Jimping is fine IMHO, but all is not created equal.

I've always liked the look and feel of checkering on knives but I haven't seen it on many...

IMG_9762_opt.jpg



Hardcore jimping:

DSC02206.JPG
 
One time I jimped my jimping with extra jimping.

It almost opened a jimping space time portal.

Now I leave the jimping to experts.




But seriously. On many of my knives, the jimping is not a wanted feature for me.

Be used good and bad. If you are doing wood carving, feather sticks, and notching, you can find very quickly that a thumb reinforced grip and levering into the cut with your other hand, you can quickly blister, or tear off skin on your thumb. Even without jimping. I was working on small wooden swords for mu sons, and in the dark, did not realize that the pad of my thumb was blistering and tearing. That was a relatively smooth spine, with no jimping.

I've used knives where I liked the jimping. Koster does a nice job.

But I don't have many combat knives. I tend to be more biased toward general use.
 
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