V vs Chisel?

S

SuzukiGS750EZ

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Dec 30, 2008
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I've only used a v edge. How does the chisel edge perform? I'm wondering why all the Emerson's have a chisel if the majority of knives have a V.
 
Pretty sure Emerson has this on the FAQ on his site, but what the hell.

There are several reasons for the chisel grind. For any of you who have ever used a correctly sharpened wood chisel for woodworking, you know what a chisel can do. Although a knife is not a chisel, those properties, when applied to a knife grind have almost magical effect. A chisel ground knife, being beveled, (ground) on one side only, possesses greater strength, (due to increased cross sectional mass) and they cut with an ease not found on any other type of blade. This is because there is no parasitic drag produced by the flat side when cutting — no drag points. On top of that, they are much easier to sharpen — you only have to sharpen one side
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- Emerson's Website
 
I wouldn't say that I am a "hard user" by any stretch, but I have done some stupid things to my blades that have caused a bit of damage to the cutting edge such as prying, scraping metal, punching thru steel banding, cutting wire....
One thing I have seen is that a proper chisel ground edge can put up with that nonsense for longer and the damage is not quite as severe. It also takes me about half the time to return the edge to good working condition.

Eta: one complaint I frequently see about chisel edges is that they are no good for precise cuts, which is odd because every surgeon I know who traded in their scalpel for an Ernie has not regretted that decision.
 
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All of the Emerson's I've had have been their V-grind with a single sharpened bevel. I don't notice any difference between they way they cut and the way my Spydercos and Benchmades cut, except that the Emersons are easier to maintain. I use the same strops and Sharpmaker that I use on anything else.
 
My CQC-7 doesn't cut very well, but I just love the knife anyway. It's probably my favorite knife. Just something about it.

My other Emersons are V ground with chisel edges and I actually wish more knives had the chisel edge because it sharpens up really easily just going free-hand and it cuts just like any V-edge I've ever used.
 
I mainly use my knife in my left hand. I had heard that type of edge would be perfect for me. That first three days I didn't like it much. But that fourth day I held the knife at a flatter angle and now I love it.

For me at least that slight changing of the angle of the cut (a little whittling) made all the difference in the world. I am now a believer of the chisel grind of The7. :-)
 
MrPocketsOfSteel said:
I mainly use my knife in my left hand. I had heard that type of edge would be perfect for me. That first three days I didn't like it much. But that fourth day I held the knife at a flatter angle and now I love it.

For me at least that slight changing of the angle of the cut (a little whittling) made all the difference in the world. I am now a believer of the chisel grind of The7. :-)
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Are you a Southpaw by nature, or do you just use a knife in you wrong hand. Wrong handed is what righties some times call Southpaws.
 
I find the chisel grind edge very easy to maintain and sharpen. Surprised more manufacturers don't use the chisel grind.
 
Akapennypincher said:
Are you a Southpaw by nature, or do you just use a knife in you wrong hand. Wrong handed is what righties some times call Southpaws.
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I just didn't want to bother with specifics. I'm one of the lucky/unlucky ones that use both hands and for the life of me some of it doesn't make sense. I write left handed but when I write right handed it's more comfortable. I threw a baseball with my right hand but a football with left. Use to shoot hoops with either. And well with both.

With knives. Either hand. But in the last year I damaged (I think) my ulna nerve in my right arm and it affects my hand. My right hand - half of it is numb and it feels weird to hold or cut with a knife. So it's good I use both hands. It feels cool to close a Ti framelock (made for RH) with my left hand...actually it feels more natural. Sorry for the long answer but there it is. FWIW I always thought of myself as a southpaw because 99% of the time write LH and hold my utensils with my LH.<shrug>
 
coop1957 said:
I find the chisel grind edge very easy to maintain and sharpen. Surprised more manufacturers don't use the chisel grind.
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I can now see why one would feel that way. Though I haven't sharpened mine, I don't see how it could be a problem. Having said that, it felt "different" when I stropped. That is slightly of concern to me now though I'm sure I'll figure it out, but that was/is the weirdest feeling strop I ever did.
 
If the V or Chisel are zero ground, you will experience the sharpest blades.
rolf
 
I can attest to that. I cut myself to the bone within a second on a Gentleman Jim. I didn't even feel it until I literally smelled the blood on my hand. :D these are some of the sharpest knives ever made, believe that.
 
I bet you^ won't do that again. :D
The same happened to me with a Hartsfield. I was drink'n though.
 
You're not missing anything, RD.
No more booze for me either and sadly, no more Hartsfield's.
 
Care to share anything on the zero ground? I just heard that term in reading this group. I take it a chisel grind isn't a "zero ground"? Please forgive my dumbassedness...heh. Looks like I have some more reading to do.

With The7 ; what is the proper way to say it. It is a chisel grind? Or is it a chisel edge? And/or is it both. Can/ does the *Zero Ground* be incorporated into a blade with a chisel edge. Oh.....the dumbassedness is really obvious. Hopefully this will help someone else also because I know I ain't the only feller to wanna know. Oh Zero Ground Chisel Edge-Grind find your way to my steel:-)
 
MrPocketsOfSteel said:
Care to share anything on the zero ground? I just heard that term in reading this group. I take it a chisel grind isn't a "zero ground"?
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- If you take the CQC-7 as an example, it has a secondary bevel. A zero grind would not have that secondary bevel.

http://www.spyderco.com/edge-u-cation/knifeanatomy.php

Zero Grind
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