What Cuts Best?

Burke · Dec 15, 1999

I'm curious as to what different people find cuts best for them. What knife do you have that cuts most easily through the greatest variety of materials? Right now, I think I like my Spyderco Military (serrated, 440V). The blade goes right through wood, rope, and duct tape with very little feeling of resistance, and cuts are fairly neat -- the edge is just grabby enough to start them, but not so rough that it wears down quickly or just saws through.

Johan · Dec 15, 1999

I'm a big fan of 440V (two Milataries, wellone's coming soon, and a Starmate). I find it really holds an edge. I'm getting a Busse Basic #7 soon and I'm really curious to see how their steel holds up. ATS-34/CM-154 is my standard, but IMO isn't as good as 440V. I've been thinging about getting an M2 Nimravus just to see what it's like.

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"Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n"
John Milton
There are only two types of people; those who understand this, and those who think they do.

Arizona · Dec 16, 1999

Kind of ambiguous question. I bet your standard $2.00 carpet knife with replacable razor blades would cut best through any variety of materials.

I know what you meant though and my vote goes to something in A2.

stjames · Dec 16, 1999

My best cutter is a hollow ground, BG-42 bladed Sebenza.

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James Segura
San Francisco, CA

Smoke · Dec 16, 1999

Mine's the Spyderco Moran.

MICKEY77 · Dec 16, 1999

Mine goes to the M2 stryker

Scarman · Dec 17, 1999

At the moment my Sebenza and Military are neck and neck....only time will tell overall.
Both are excellent cutters though.

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The vague and tenuous hope that GOD is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the conscience of millions.

*A. W. Tozer

2 Cor 5:10

TANGUS · Dec 16, 1999

Mines the 440v in my Random Task or Richochet

dogboye · Dec 16, 1999

What cuts best? My 1095 REKAT UNK.
What cuts best and holds an edge a long time? My M2 Nimravus Cub

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"Absolute safety is for those who don't have the balls to live in the real world."
St. Mary's County, Republik of Marilundt

sdw · Dec 16, 1999

My Sebenza is the best.It cuts everything with the least effort.My Military does very well too but will bind up do to thick blade when making deeper slices.I had a Calypso Jr with flat grind and I tell ya,that thing was an excellant cutter too.
scott w

Waxes Eloquent · Dec 16, 1999

I've owned many knives that kept cutting and had easy to maintain edges. Whereas some people want knives that take forever to dull, and once they do they're difficult to sharpen, I don't. I prefer a knife that holds a good edge, but is reasonably easy to sharpen. I own two such types of knives.

The first is a Blackjack Anaconda bowie with a 10" blade. I once chopped down two 20 ft pines, sectioned them into 1 ft sections. When I finished, the knife would still shave. Believe it or not, it's just AUS-8 steel.
It's in this pick of my Blackjack and Ek knives: http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=155974&a=1139954&p=14457873&Sequence=0

The other two I've worked out with a bit with wooden sparring dummies, as well as hacking against beef and bone. They also held up beautifully. Of course, they're ATS cryo stress relieved blades treated by Paul Bos.

These from www.hossom.com

I love all three of these knives.

Matt

[This message has been edited by Waxes Eloquent (edited 16 December 1999).]

Burke · Dec 16, 1999

Okay, here's a follow-up question: *Why* do these knives cut so well? Is it blade geometry, handle-blade angle, type of steel, or some mystical combination of the above?

JoHnYKwSt · Dec 17, 1999

My sebenza cuts the best.

The reason it cuts so well is it's blade geometry, not so much the steel. However, the steel affects blade geometry. The blade on my sebenza is a high hollow grind. It is very thin at the edge (edge angle and base edge thickness are both thin), and it stays thin as the grind moves up the blade. BG42 is a good enough steel to withstand this blade geometry. Basically, the better the steel the better the blade geometry can be made. For example, with a more brittle steel, you may want a thicker edge. A thicker edge is more durable, but also does not cut as well as a thinner one.

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Johnny
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What Cuts Best?

Sebenzanista