Wanna know why I continue to do chisel grind?

[Charlie Mike]

I currently have approx 9 active orders on my bench. I've experienced a dramatic uptick in orders since my 1x42 died in July and I started running my 2x72. I'm going to be running a Tormach PCNC770 hopefully by early next year.

Prior to the 1x42 burning out, I maintained a perpetual 2-4 active orders.

I know for a fact that if I offered V grinds, I would become overwhelming popular. Too much for me to deal with.

In the past, my reasons for chisel ground were initially due to my love affair with the Specwar tanto from my teenage years. Then I learned of its push/pull effect in soft tissue resulting in an aggravated wound channel (cool points in my book). Before I knew it, the chisel grind had become as much my signature as the hand carved CMFTW on the flat side of the tang.

So today, it's because this keeps my orders down.

 

[gzb]

Un-Huh...

 

[lex2006]

Push pull effect in soft tissue resulting in aggravated wound channel
Don't stop now your just getting my interest
Tell us more Charlie

 

[Charlie Mike]

It acts like an airfoil. An airfoil will create lift while going through atmosphere. When you make a cut through soft tissue, the lift gets expressed on the tissue itself. One side will get stretched more than the other side.

 

[SpySmasher]

I have zero orders based on my complete lack of talent.

 

[Velitrius]

You fall off the wagon, CM?

Wish I had my old SpecWar back too... the Benchmade 970... there was a bomb-proof piece.

 

[Charlie Mike]

LOL, no

Any money that could be spent on a future relapse will be funding my CNC.

 

[jackknife]

Aside from it's easy to produce, easy to sharpen up with whatever is hat hand, and it slices well and opens boxes well, is rugged. I can't understand why you continue.

I never had any experience at all with a chisel grind, and would never had got one if I had not been gifted a little Leatherman squirt. I disliked it at first, but I figured to give it a chance before I cussed it all to hell.

The surprise was on me, as little by little I fell in love with it. I've never been a multitool guy but someone gave the the Leatherman so I used the ever lovin dog snot out of it. I gained a lot of respect for Leatherman stuff, and I gained a lot of respect for the chisel grind. Over the course of two years, the Leatherman became a steady fixture in my pocket and I just may go chisel grind on a small 3 or 4 inch fixed blade as a fishing/bait knife.

Life changes. We have to change with it sometimes. Sometimes a chisel edge is a good thing.

 

[Velitrius]

Atta boy. Just finished up watching your "Epic Combat Bowie and Compact MACVSOG" Vid. Can't wait for your CNC myself.

 

[Charlie Mike]

Hahaaa! Whenever you want that thing, I got you!

 

[lieferung]

Aside from it's easy to produce, easy to sharpen up with whatever is hat hand, and it slices well and opens boxes well, is rugged. I can't understand why you continue.

I never had any experience at all with a chisel grind, and would never had got one if I had not been gifted a little Leatherman squirt. I disliked it at first, but I figured to give it a chance before I cussed it all to hell.

The surprise was on me, as little by little I fell in love with it. I've never been a multitool guy but someone gave the the Leatherman so I used the ever lovin dog snot out of it. I gained a lot of respect for Leatherman stuff, and I gained a lot of respect for the chisel grind. Over the course of two years, the Leatherman became a steady fixture in my pocket and I just may go chisel grind on a small 3 or 4 inch fixed blade as a fishing/bait knife.

Life changes. We have to change with it sometimes. Sometimes a chisel edge is a good thing.

I've never handled a chisel grind, symmetry appeals to me more. Maybe though I just need to give it a chance.

 

[W. Anderson]

I've been a fan of chisel grinds on blades since my United Cutlery Sentry knife of almost twenty years ago. Something sinister about them, with that big, flat shiny piece of metal and all...

 

[jackknife]

Come to think about it, I've been dealing with chisel grinds longer than I thought. All my kitchen knives are Victorinox/Forcshner, including the 8 inch bread knife and the two serrated edge paring knives. I sharpen the serrated eyes by using the little rat tailed Eze=Lap diamond sharpener that is a rod shaped coated diamond hone. I just use it like a file at an angle that matches the factory angle of the one side grinds. I do each serration at a time, takes a few minutes, and when I have a burr raised on all the serrations, I just lay the opposite edge down flat on the hone and take off the burr with a 'cutting into' the rod kind of stroke. Leaves a hair popping edge that goes right through meat, veggies, fresh Italian or French bread.

I've had company over and theres a list of people who have cut themselves on my knives while helping in the kitchen, in spite of me telling them "Be veeeery careful with that knife, it's very sharp." A few minutes later theres a yell or curse. Badaids sometimes don't do it and gauze pads and tape is needed.

Chisel edges can be vicious!

 

[Zombie411]

Can I ask about sharpening a chisel grind?

In particular is it more difficult to maintain the symmetry or base line of the edge?.

What I mean is in sharpening actual chisels I find soft spots in the edge that pull out or tear out changing the original edge shape.
I then have to go back, and square that edge, and begin profiling it again.

Is this a common theme for chisel edges?
As a side note... I love them on knives. Wicked is the term that comes to mind.

 

[Charlie Mike]

I do much of my sharpening on my grinder freehand. I do some on my modified Edge Pro Apex which is permanently set at 20 degrees. I haven't had any problems but the trick is to be very light with the pressure.

 

[austonh]

I will need to acquire a chisel grind at some point. Not going to pretend I would use it much, but I still want it!

 

[NJBillK]

It acts like an airfoil. An airfoil will create lift while going through atmosphere. When you make a cut through soft tissue, the lift gets expressed on the tissue itself. One side will get stretched more than the other side.

Depending on handle shape, wouldn't this have a negative effect on your grip on the knife when used in such a manner?

In additional to the handle turning, you also have two other potential issues:

The top/bottom of the handle is facing up to 45° which is steering your hand and being forced perpendicular (or off plane) to the initial slash.

If you were slashing relatively straight, regardless of direction (aside from strong t weak side) wouldn't the chisel grind that is commonly associated with right or left handed potentially aid in twisting the knife from the users hand.
- A right handed chisel grind would want to push down when sweeping to the right, but the right arm would naturally rise when doing so. This puts excessive pressure on the fingers and the weak part of the grip (finger/palm junction vs palm/knuckle area).
----
Any insight would be appreciated. I do not have significant experience in using a chisel ground knife (some, not much). This was just my thinking on it...

 

[tiguy7]

If the edges on your chisels have soft spots, you may need a higher quality chisel, or the edge may have been damaged by overheating caused by power sharpening.
Chisel edges are inherently twice as sharp as a double bevel edge. 15 degrees per side means a double bevel is 30 degrees inclusive, and a single bevel is 15 degrees inclusive like a D/B that is 7 1/2 degrees per side. I usually sharpen chisel edges with the edge leading, and I wipe the resultant burr back into the grinding plane with something hard and flat as I progress through grits.

 

[Zombie411]

I do much of my sharpening on my grinder freehand. I do some on my modified Edge Pro Apex which is permanently set at 20 degrees. I haven't had any problems but the trick is to be very light with the pressure.

If I understand you correctly... you are adding a secondary bevel of 20* on the edge of the blade?

I can see that being MUCH more user friendly (ie: sharpening)

Is this then still an actual chisel grind or is it known as a modified chisel? or some other term?

I have ALWAYS had one heck of a time sharpening true chisel (tool) edges. The tip on "light pressure" is perhaps my failure point. I'm kind of always in a hurry to see a task completed.

I'll try keeping a lighter touch...

 

[Zombie411]

If the edges on your chisels have soft spots, you may need a higher quality chisel, or the edge may have been damaged by overheating caused by power sharpening.
Chisel edges are inherently twice as sharp as a double bevel edge. 15 degrees per side means a double bevel is 30 degrees inclusive, and a single bevel is 15 degrees inclusive like a D/B that is 7 1/2 degrees per side. I usually sharpen chisel edges with the edge leading, and I wipe the resultant burr back into the grinding plane with something hard and flat as I progress through grits.

Ok... I understand this fully.
I may have always been too heavy handed. Combining Mr. Charlie's post, and yours I will try experimenting with a lighter touch, and a little de-burr between passes.
Thank you!