What are Straight Spined Knives Good at?

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FullFlatGrind

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Mar 8, 2016
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I'm thinking about getting kind of a wider bladed roach belly with a straight spine (if for nothing more than looks really) but, as every point has something it is praised for, I am wondering what benefits a straight spine boasts. It doesn't stab as well as well as clip, it doesn't have the wide (and therefore not sharp/snaggy) and strong point of a drop, and it isn't up out of the way like a trailing/upswept point. Seems like it might be inclined to snagging when skinning, too. So, why do people like straight spines (like is often seen on Moras knives)? I was thinking that maybe they aren't especially excellent at anything in particular but is a good all around design which can do most everything okay.
 
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I can't chime in with a lot of information but on a wharncliffe/reverse tanto the straight spine lends a lot more energy into the tip of the blade making for great penetration.

Can you show examples of what you mean? I have a clip point, and some bowies with straight spines up until the blade tip.

Maybe I missed something in original post, long night at work ;)
 
http://www.sevenshotstradingpost.co...cgi?category=Custom_Made_Knives&showitem=1283.

The spine on that knife in the link (I would post a photo but I don't know how) is what I'm talking about. The spine doesn't drop to make a drop point, it isn't swept up to make an upswept (skinner) point, it isn't clipped to make a clip point, it is just straight.
I forgot that tantos do tend to be straight spined. But the type of knives I am asking about would (as is more traditional and usually practical) curve to the tip.
 
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Great for precise work, a straight spine is easier to "get it where you want it". Drop points, clip point, etc. just dont line up as well in my experience when you are trying to do some small work.
 
FullFlatGrind said:
http://www.sevenshotstradingpost.co...cgi?category=Custom_Made_Knives&showitem=1283.

The spine on that knife in the link (I would post a photo but I don't know how) is what I'm talking about. The spine doesn't drop to make a drop point, it isn't swept up to make an upswept (skinner) point, it isn't clipped to make a clip point, it is just straight.
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Ah ok I gotcha. My guess it is probably made that way for looks, however, that spine would give the knife great penetration ability.

I can't honestly give a very educated answer sorry. Hopefully someone knowledgeable on how spine shape affects cutting can educate us both :)
 
It will have more belly than a drop or clip point while having a tip that is probably the strongest of any of them.
 
I thin it would be an easy design to make out of straight bar stock. I don't think any of the Moras have a flat spine.
 
To me it looks like a skinner style blade (lots of belly), the tip just doesn't extend up last the spine. Gives you a little straighter tip for piercing and it's probably more economical to make (less cutting/grinding on the spine and you use a little less steel).
 
Never mind. I pulled a couple of my old skinning knives out while I was thinking about this and none of them are totally flat backed. I will be interested to hear what some makers have to say on this.
 
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Another way of looking at this is "What do fancier shaped spines do?" And that really depends on the intended use, but often something like a swedge is just for looks, and can make a blade tip less strong than a simpler shape.
 
AdamFuzzyballs said:
Great for precise work, a straight spine is easier to "get it where you want it". Drop points, clip point, etc. just dont line up as well in my experience when you are trying to do some small work.
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Maybe but I've found knives with bellies to be the hardest to use for fine tip work. I have to rotate my wrist into an uncomfortable position to get to the point. I MUCH prefer wharncliffe type blades for that type of work.

I'm not an expert on flack bellies but they seem to be a cross between a standard knife and a skinner. Maybe that's what their good at?
 
I made a small fixed blade with a straight spine. I'd say it hits a pretty nice sweet spot between a clip point and a drop point. It is a strong point, and I added a swedge to make the tip a little finer.



edited to add: I use this knife for all sorts of general tasks- kitchen duty, rope cutting, light batonning, gutting trout, etc.
 
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