What does “slicey” really mean, to you?

R

RBid

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Apr 6, 2014
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We all know what the word “slice” means. It should also be apparent that use of “slicey” is subjective. We see it thrown around here, as well as references to blades being thin or thick behind the edge. There doesn’t seem to be much value behind this practice. Often times, it feels like something people say for the sake of saying it.

So, BF, let’s here it. When *you* say a blade is “slicey”, what do you really mean by that? Are you talking about food prep application? Are you talking cardboard? Are you attached to a behind the edge measurement threshold, rather than application? Lay it out, in detail.
 
As far as a pocket knife goes, imo, it doesn't take a helluva lot for one to be considered slicey.
Just like the ZT 0562CF. Many would consider it not slicey I reckon. But, I do. She gets extremely sharp and does what I need her to do.
But, so do my Millies as well. The Millies of course slice a little better. But, the ZT gets the job done too.
 
RBid said:
We all know what the word “slice” means. It should also be apparent that use of “slicey” is subjective. We see it thrown around here, as well as references to blades being thin or thick behind the edge. There doesn’t seem to be much value behind this practice. Often times, it feels like something people say for the sake of saying it.

So, BF, let’s here it. When *you* say a blade is “slicey”, what do you really mean by that? Are you talking about food prep application? Are you talking cardboard? Are you attached to a behind the edge measurement threshold, rather than application? Lay it out, in detail.
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Slicey refers to a thinner ground blade that slices well. Most sharp knives will slice things like paper well enough; however it is when cutting through thicker materials that one finds out if a blade is slicey or not.

For example can the knife an apple in half without wedging the apple in half?
 
For me, it means how little force I need to use to cut through whatever media I’m cutting. I have noticed that some parts of a blades geometry mostly correlate with sliciness: edge angle, and blade thickness wherever it is wedged in the media.

So when I want slicy, I want a low edge angle, and thin blade grind.
 
Slicey as in the context of the acute sharpness of an edge
being able to deliver a series of downward cuts
without the slightest thought of it being dicey.
 
GIRLYmann said:
Slicey as in the context of the acute sharpness of an edge
being able to deliver a series of downward cuts
without the slightest thought of it being dicey.
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That’s very open to interpretation without context or relativity.
 
sXePhenomenal said:
Slicing through something with little resistance and effort
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Paper? Butter? A type of wood? Plastic?

Example: let’s say a Medford Praetorian blows through single ply corrugate in an angled draw cut, but breaks chunks off apples when pressing through. In either case, it’s sufficiently sharp to not require effort to pass through the material.

Could it be said to be slicey?
 
I care about "slicy-ness" when I am thinking about food prep. It means it will cut through produce without wedging. For pocket knives, this comes into play rarely for me.
 
An example is slicing cheese or strawberry or tomato. Cutting with a knife under circumstances like that and the blade performing well. A blade thats thin from edge to spin.
 
A slicy knife has a thin/ thinly ground blade that you look at and think about how well it must slice.
Typically to me they're 1/8" thick or less, 2" wide or less, and have full flat, full hollow, high sabre, or high hollow.
With the high sabre and high hollow grinds it's best if a blade is on the thinner and or wider side.


My test is to cut some form of plastic packaging such as a chip bag, if your knife is nice and sharp it should easily cut through this without tearing but it's not slicy if it doesn't.
 
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Here's an example of slicing versus cutting. Me vs. a sturdy cardboard box, being cut into small pieces to fit into the recycling bin. I decided to do a test - Case 6347 Stockman, ZT 0566, Spyderco Delica 4 FFG. All three about as sharp as I can get each knife.

Cutting vertically down the corners of the box, in line with the corrugation. Winner: Case Stockman. Just went right through it. Straight push cutting, very little sawing required. The ZT 0566 wedged in the cuts, needed some sawing. 2nd place behind the Case was the Spyderco.

Cutting horizonally across the corrugation - if I laid the cardboard down and did pull cuts, all three did about the same. Why? Because they were only going through about 1/8" of cardboard. Nothing to bind up the thicker blades.

Sharp edges are great for cutting, but for slicing (meaning going through thick things) you also want a thin profile.
 
Hickory n steel said:
A slicy knife has a thin/ think ground blade that you look at and think about how well it must slice.
Typically to me they're 1/8" thick or less, 2" wide or less, and have full flat, full hollow, high sabre, or high hollow.
With the high sabre and high hollow grinds it's best if a blade is on the thinner and or wider side.


My test is to cut some form of plastic packaging such as a chip bag, if your knife is nice and sharp it should easily cut through this without tearing but it's not slicy if it doesn't.
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Wow... Opening a chip bag defines slicey??? Any decently sharp knife will open a chip bag or cut some paper.
 
ScooterG said:
Wow... Opening a chip bag defines slicey??? Any decently sharp knife will open a chip bag or cut some paper.
Click to expand...
What i said is that such a material is a good test in my eyes, a blade that's not slicy won't effortlessly cut this material cleanly without it tearing.

I've noticed my slicer blades happen to do this very well while those that aren't don't.
 
You can cut very thin slices out of a tomato using a relatively thick blade because these slices curl easily to make a way for the blade.


This tests the edge quality but not how well the blade cuts into thick medium.
To me, cutting a plastic bag is quite similar to this test, as it also deforms easily.
 
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