What manufacturers use heat treat and geometry well? Any countries do it better?

[kestrel57]

I'm reading that type of steel is only one factor (not too surprised). But is it Spyderco, Benchmade, SOG, or whomever that heat treats well? Also, who typically has very good blade geometry?
Any difference in how particular countries do it. Do companies tend to use better heat treats/geometry on blades with more expensive steel?

Finally, if you like, advantages of thin vs. thick blade --- I hear thin blades tend to cut better (maybe saving blades are an example).

Thanks.

Newbie

 

[BluegrassGuy]

Blade geometry is going to change depending on the style of knife but over all spyderco tends to make blades that cut well, one company may heat treat one steel a bit better than the other but BM and Spyderco tend to do a good job on all of there blades, don't know much about SOG never had a desire to own one.

 

[me2]

A topic near to my heart. My Benchmades (griptillian and tsek) have always seemed to cut better than my spydercos (gen 3 and 4 delicas). My best cutting blades have always been slipjoints of some sort for edc. For kitchen use, its been full flat grinds from as thin a stock as possible. I gave my mother a Food Network knife that was 1/16" thick with a full flat grind on a blade nearly 2" wide. Geometry rules in cutting ability, unless heat treatment is just forgotten, and even then I'm not sure. It depends on what youre cutting.

 

[Ankerson]

I'm reading that type of steel is only one factor (not too surprised). But is it Spyderco, Benchmade, SOG, or whomever that heat treats well? Also, who typically has very good blade geometry?
Any difference in how particular countries do it. Do companies tend to use better heat treats/geometry on blades with more expensive steel?

Finally, if you like, advantages of thin vs. thick blade --- I hear thin blades tend to cut better (maybe saving blades are an example).

Thanks.

Newbie

The thinner the blade is the better it will cut.

The thinner the blade is behind the edge the better it will cut.

The lower the edge angle is the better it will cut.

 

[knarfeng]

Hmm... well let's see. I've got knives from:
Benchmade-China
Benchmade-Taiwan
Benchmade-US
Buck-China
Buck-US
Camillus
Case
GEC
Gerber-US
KaBar-Taiwan
KaBar-US
Schrade-US
Spyderco-China
Spyderco-Taiwan
Spyderco-US.
Queen

The only knife I ever tested and found softer than it should have been was a Gerber EZ-Out. Everything else has been within mfg spec. And since Gerber doesn't publish a spec, I guess they weren't out of spec either.

The best blade geometry FOR CUTTING that I have found have been knives by Buck and GEC. By CUTTING, I mean slicing. I don't mean chopping or other harsh usage.

 

[Bigfattyt]

My best cutters are my GEC. They just plain slice.

also, Opinel have a very good geometry for slicing.

I have a Busse BAD (Thin, and higher hardness than their standard AD) that slices great.

 

[XwafflesX]

The country a product is made in has NOTHING to do with quality. The quality control of that manufacturer does.