What are the attributes of a high performance knife?

There seems to be some confusion here.... A railroad tie is the piece of wood that the steel rails are laid on -- not the steel rail.
 
Thanks for tha clarification Cougar, that makes a little more sense given some of the comments about whittling and embedded materials.

-Cliff
 
Hi Ed , I appreciate your response . I fully understand the need for torture tests on blades and am glad bladesmiths do these to ensure a great blade . I just feel that not every blade or bladesmith would see the need for such a test . I surely feel that there are a number of smiths' who make very high quality knives that would not feel they had to do this measure of extreme test to be a performance blade .

I just took the post by you and Bill Burke as : if you don't pass this then get back under the porch with the puppies . Again , there is no disrespect intended to either of you , we owe a great deal to you for advancing the field of performance blades , but there are some excellent bladesmiths in the arena of performance blades . I would have to put these test in the SUPER PERFORMANCE BLADE catagory .

I would expect no less from one of your blades than what the man in Germany got . Ed, I have enjoyed this dialog with you and hope to have more in the future . Take care and enjoy the holidays.


Regards,
Jerry
 
I would love to own a knife that could cut through a steel rail twice (once for that matter). That would be one heck of a high performance blade.
 
When ever anyone orders a knife from me I ask what do you want to use the knife for? If they say heavy duty, that is the kind of knife they get. If they want something light duty, there are knives in that catagory. The knife we tested was a medium duty 5 inch Pronghorn blade. We used only around 2 1/2 inches of the blade for cutting. When the blade started to drag on the cutting tests and we could see shine on part of the edge we quit. How much pressure? I am sorry to say I did not have a scale under the rope. After 415 cuts it was not much pressure, our wrists were getting weak. the blade would still slice paper , only holding the paper by the top. It would wet shave hair, but could not grab dry hair. We could have forced it further, but decided it had done enough.

Strength, we could not bend it with our hands, could flex to about 20 degrees and it would return to straight on its own. We had to add a length of square tubing to the tang to achieve the 90 degree flexes, a lot of pull was required to complete the flex. I would estimate about 100 pounds force on the end of the tubing.

Would I warrantee a blade used like this? Yes, if it was used in the real world in a survival situation. No I don't want folks simply putting their knives through this kind of test just for the fun of it and wanting a new one to destroy. Any knife can be destroyed. I would absolutely refurbish any knife that had to excell in exigent circumstances, free of charge. That is part of the guarantee.

There is no reference to other's blades, only what we have achieved. We will share information with anyone who wants to know.

I call my blades High Performance Blades as we have not yet reached the limit of high perfromance. When and if we do, I may call it the ultimate high performace blade. If I do you will know I am finished as I will be out of dreams.
 
High Performance?
Simple.
The absolute best in class. Skinner, fighter, camp knife, etc.
Not the type of knife class, but where the knife is within the class :)
 
Great thread guys, high performance means different things to many people but I think we can all agree that a high performance knife is one that won't let you down when you really need it. And of course there's different situations. A high performance knife to someone who lives and works in a large city like NY is usually a folder because that is what they are legally allowed to carry. On the other hand, a working cowboy would probably carry a fixed blade for the extra strength and durability.
Then there are the knives that aren't really made to be used. You know you're not gonna use it, the maker knows you're not gonna use it, even the knife probably knows you're not gonna use it. If that's what you collect, that's fine, as long as the maker doesn't push it as a great using knife when he really has no idea how it would stand up to some real life tests. How many makers state rc numbers for their blades but don't do ongoing hardness tests?
A clarification: I've been following Ed's career as a knifemaker almost from the beginning. I don't believe I've ever heard him say anything about another maker's work that wasn't positive, and when he's talking about testing knives, he's usually talking about his own.
Personally, I think if he didn't have anything good to say about someone else's work, he wouldn't say anything unless the other maker challenged him.
Being a fountain of mostly useless bits of trivia, I can tell you that besides the fixed blade he wears 18 hours a day he also carries a folder in his pocket for fine delicate stuff. If my memory is accurate, it's a Parker Grey Ghost.
Don't mix apples and oranges, different lifestyles and situations call for different kinds of knives, but they should all be the best they can be for their type.

Dave

Happy Holidays All!
 
THANK YOU ALL. This thread is Chapter ONE of Loose-leaf binder number FOUR. ALL the pages have come FROM BF!!!!

thank you for continuing to make me the smarter knifeknut!!!!:) :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS...............wolf
 
Hello Lifter , I did not mix apples and oranges . I simply stated my opinion of how I Took the post. I'm very clear on the uses of different blades in different situations . As stated , I own two Fowler knives a pronghorn and what I think is called a Willow ( both bought from a widow whos husband had them ) Ed clarified he would warranty his knife if used in the extreme circumstance . If anyone took offense , I'm sorry but I am not the only one who was looking for clarifacation .

I carry a knife everyday of my life , if my pants are on then there are no less than : a medium fixed blade , one good folder , and a multitool on my person . In an ongoing dialog people have the space to state their views and uptake on a statement . nontheless I was told I would step on some toes . I still would rather reserve my great knives for cutting , but it is great to know Eds' blades are made to take the worst.


Again I think this has been a great thread and I have the up most respect for Mr. Fowler .

Regards,
Jerry
 
Happy Holidays to all!!!
Lifter has really said it all....what Ed EXPECTS his knife to do, most people would NOT even dream of...I guess I need to tell you all a little secret---Ed builds his knives for himself really...HE needs his knife to perform in ALL conditions w/out failing...I have SEEN him use his knife in the most UNREAL situations....that is why i believe so strongly in his work---I HAVE BEEN TO THE MOUNTAIN, AND SEEN IT!!!
I know not everyone agrees w/Ed on his methods---but those folks would never ask their knives to do the work that Ed's do---on a daily basis. That is the truth...and their is room for everyone's work, i just wish folks would give Ed the same understanding. Folks need to understand that when Ed says performance, he means performance under all kinds of weird situations. We know that not every knife in the world needs to do that. Rex Walter has done the metallurgists studies that prove scientifically what Ed has always felt was going on w/the 52100 steel and how he works it. (See the photomicrographs in Knives 2002.) No one has ever called w/questions that Ed would NOT answer. He has no secrets to his work. He is willing to share all he has...folks just need to ask!!
Angie Fowler
:D
 
Jerry,
While I didn't remember it was you that said that maybe it seemed they were saying that makers that didnt test their knives like this should go under the porch, by the time I got 3 paragraphs down and mentioned the apples to oranges, believe me, you were not in my thoughts. I was talking about comparing high performance knives in general which is what this thread was about. I specifically said that different situations call for different types of knives and that city people often carry different type knives than those in rural areas. I was talking about comparing folders to fixed blades to art knives,etc.
Why, with over 30 other posters in this thread you would think I was talking to you is beyond me. We're talking about high performance knives and I said that high performance in one category has nothing to do with high performance in another category and they shouldn't be compared to each other, at least not with the same tests. You wouldn't test a Lake folder against a Henry bowie, would you? Just how the heck you think that is about or to you is a mystery to me. I didn't mention you by name, and you didnt say anything that stepped on my toes. Obviously if you own 2 Pronghorns, you're a Fowler fan. Ed doesn't need me to defend him, if he can't do it himself(which he can) believe me, Angie will. Lighten up Jerry(and I only mention your name because you mentioned mine), there's over 11,000 BF members and 30 other posters in this thread, it aint about you.
Sorry knife people, can we get back to high performance knives now?

Dave
Happy Holidays All!
 
I'd like to apologize to Mr Fowler for my comments earlier in the post, it was a poor attempt at humor and it was in no way my intention to belittle the comprehensive information that he was kind enough to share with those of us less educated in the art of the blade.
 
On a happier note...
My hat is off to golok, for yet another thoughtful, insightful question.
:D
:cool:
:D
 
Hello Young cutter: No appology needed, your comment said a lot. To many the Spyderco is high performance. Sal Glasser does a good job with his knives and they are plenty good enough for most of the knife community.

There is no way my methods would be cost effective for a factory outfit. One of my next projects is to work up a formula for getting the most out of steel at the least time and expense. It will be a trade off, loosing some performance from the ideal and gaining some in another arena. It took me over 30 years to get to where I am now and thousands of experiments that did not work out like I had planned. Thanks to everyone who participated in this discussion.
 
Ed, dont leave me hanging here!
Was I right? Is it a Parker Grey Ghost pocketknife you're carrying?

Dave
 
Lifter, you were right! I love the Parker Cutlery Grey Ghost dearly, I carry it and find it be the nicest blade design for a folder that there is. Mine in used mostly for lancing abcesses on cows and digging out splinters. Funny thing, my ex wife and I were riding in my prized 69 Pontiac Grand Prix modle J. on the way to a knife show. We were going to share an apple. I took my Pronghorn out to cut the apple and she said "No use the pocket knife"(she had seen the work my Pronghorn does, but failed to figure how easy it is to clean). I smiled and used the Grey Ghost. Next time we had a cow with an abcess jaw, she was watching as I tied her down (the cow), took out the Grey Ghost and lanced the abcess. It was real juicy! I simply whiped the blade off on the cows neck and and put it back in my pocket (sanitized it later when whe wasn't watching). She did not say a word, but the next apple got cut with my Pronghorn. I wish one of the factory would make that design blade again.
 
Hello Ed it is very nice to see that somebody still bothers to apply high standards to his work and not do like Microsoft :) . By the way have you defined somehow the thickness and length of the blade you use for the bending test? They have together about as much influence as material properties.

TLM
 
TLM,

I believe that I can answer that question for you;
I have been to the Willow Bow and actively participated in several destructive test. On this occasion there was no specific blade size and shape that was sought out. The prospective subjects were simply lined up on the bench and the need for a voluteer was issued forth. After the sparks and the horn dust had settled, (there is always a great battle that ensues for this honor). The victor was plucked from the bench and embraced with pride and let to know that his sacrifice would forever be told of with reverence and that his performance would forever inspire his siblings to push the barriers of the high performance blade into the outer reaches of mans' imagination.
Now one might think that the bigger and brawnier blades would always win the contest for who would be the chosen one but such is not the case. Often times it is the stealth and cunning of the smaller blades that wins the prize. So it can be said of an Ed Fowler knife any one of them can and will sacrifice themselves in the name of high performance.



And so far their offspring in the form of Bill Burkes' knives have carried on the tradition.


Bill B????
 
What a great thread!!!

It really tells me who I should approach when I've saved enough to purchase my high performance knife.

:) :) :) :D :D :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top