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What's the Sharpest and Dullest knives you've received out of the box
- Thread starter DayofReckoning
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2022
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- 56
So, fun story (restricting to $100+ knives, I’m sure there are worse SAKs or others that I’ve bought but don’t really recall them).
Dullest: CRK Umnumzaan Drop Point, MagnaCut. Could barely make it through cardboard without tearing it. Pretty good convex edge, but failed to fully apex in some spots.
Sharpest: CRK Umnumzaan Tanto, MagnaCut. Despite the terrible sharpening, the DP MagnaZaan is my favorite daily use knife, and so I couldn’t resist grabbing a tanto version. Received the tanto just days ago, expecting more of the same dullness. I am instead astounded by how sharp it is, beating out others in the $1K+ range. I’m almost sad because I just got a set of new CBN stones I wanted to try but they’ll just have to wait.
Dullest: CRK Umnumzaan Drop Point, MagnaCut. Could barely make it through cardboard without tearing it. Pretty good convex edge, but failed to fully apex in some spots.
Sharpest: CRK Umnumzaan Tanto, MagnaCut. Despite the terrible sharpening, the DP MagnaZaan is my favorite daily use knife, and so I couldn’t resist grabbing a tanto version. Received the tanto just days ago, expecting more of the same dullness. I am instead astounded by how sharp it is, beating out others in the $1K+ range. I’m almost sad because I just got a set of new CBN stones I wanted to try but they’ll just have to wait.
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2015
- Messages
- 409
Sharpest: Every Spyderco
Dullest: Every Case and Busse
Dullest: Every Case and Busse
- Joined
- May 20, 2018
- Messages
- 13,686
Sharpest: Buck 110.
Dullest: cheap Chinese lockback freebie from the NRA.
Dullest: cheap Chinese lockback freebie from the NRA.
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2013
- Messages
- 22,756
I have been fortunate to have received so many knives with an entirely satisfactory edge, that I can't really think to call out just one, although some of the Bucks I've received recently, as well as the Tactile Maverick in my pocket right now have rated right up there. The dullest knife I've received in recent memory was a Spartan Knives Astor, a Les George design that came with carbon fiber scales and a blade in XHP (a hell of a deal at the $100 I paid!!). Beautiful knife, but dull as dirt. I took it as an opportunity to reprofile the edge a bit and put a pretty good edge on it using my Worksharp Precision sharpener, so it wasn't all bad. But still, it was pretty bad from the factory.
Dullest might be a tie between an issued M14 bayonet and some machetes.
Some cheap kitchen knife sets that relatives ask me to sharpen may be a close second.
Sharpest unquestionably a Takamura Chromax Pakka Santoku. Not a fancy steel, 5% chromium, 1% carbon, 0.9% manganese, 1.2% molybdenum, and 0.5% vanadium (similar to A2 steel). This is an inexpensive $80 Japanese knife, but out of the box if it even touched you, you'd need a bandaid. I'm told they say this type of knife are referred to as lasers. At 65 HRC, I just had to try one.
Some cheap kitchen knife sets that relatives ask me to sharpen may be a close second.
Sharpest unquestionably a Takamura Chromax Pakka Santoku. Not a fancy steel, 5% chromium, 1% carbon, 0.9% manganese, 1.2% molybdenum, and 0.5% vanadium (similar to A2 steel). This is an inexpensive $80 Japanese knife, but out of the box if it even touched you, you'd need a bandaid. I'm told they say this type of knife are referred to as lasers. At 65 HRC, I just had to try one.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2019
- Messages
- 4,581
Sharpest: Ruike P801 that 14C28N was wicked sharp out of the box. My Hinderer XM was really well done too for M390.
Dullest: Other than gas station knives in my youth, I would say quite a few Kershaw's over the years and the last one I recall was probably the Norad it couldn't cut paper.
Dullest: Other than gas station knives in my youth, I would say quite a few Kershaw's over the years and the last one I recall was probably the Norad it couldn't cut paper.
Out of the 64 factory edges I've tested on a BESS tester...
Sharpest:
QSP Hedgehog - 115g BESS score
honorable mention: Spyderco Shaman (15v), Kunwu Zen, Kunwu Pulsar -- all @ 120g
Dullest:
Precision Knife Works Wharnetac (full hollow) - 400g
dishonorable mention:
Reate Exo-M - 375g, Tactile Rockwall - 370g.
Sharpest:
QSP Hedgehog - 115g BESS score
honorable mention: Spyderco Shaman (15v), Kunwu Zen, Kunwu Pulsar -- all @ 120g
Dullest:
Precision Knife Works Wharnetac (full hollow) - 400g
dishonorable mention:
Reate Exo-M - 375g, Tactile Rockwall - 370g.
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2020
- Messages
- 196
Sharpest : Opinels, Victorinox and Wenger SAKs, Wildsteer Troll, Mora knives...
Dullest : Ontario fixed blades (SP1, SP2), many french *cheap* traditional folders...
Dullest : Ontario fixed blades (SP1, SP2), many french *cheap* traditional folders...
vjb.knife
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2002
- Messages
- 1,735
Sharpest - Rockstead Kon
If I were to touch the edge of this knife the way I am touching the Mac Mark II in the bottom picture, I would be on the way to the emergency room.
Dullest - MAC Mark II
Right out of the box new, I am grabbing the edge of this knife tightly.
If I were to touch the edge of this knife the way I am touching the Mac Mark II in the bottom picture, I would be on the way to the emergency room.
Dullest - MAC Mark II
Right out of the box new, I am grabbing the edge of this knife tightly.
sceva
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2002
- Messages
- 1,852
Sharpest: A Boker half Congress; took only a few swipes on my AG Russell crock sticks to shave.
Dullest; A Russell Easler drop point. It was never finish sharpened came with a flat down the length of the edge ( But the edged of the guard were dead sharp and not radiused) I messages Russell about this and was told they were that way for collectors and the\y didn't want a sharp edge. As for the guard that was showing his skill at getting a square corner. To give him his due, said to send it back and when returned it was nicely sharp and the guard corners were radiused.
Dullest; A Russell Easler drop point. It was never finish sharpened came with a flat down the length of the edge ( But the edged of the guard were dead sharp and not radiused) I messages Russell about this and was told they were that way for collectors and the\y didn't want a sharp edge. As for the guard that was showing his skill at getting a square corner. To give him his due, said to send it back and when returned it was nicely sharp and the guard corners were radiused.
Wowbagger
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2015
- Messages
- 8,050
I call it : My Little Monster . it is a pretty basic , fairly short Japanese Kitchen knife . Hard carbon steel core clad with iron or mild steel.
The exact model does not seem to be available at the moment but this is a copy of the description from the vendor :
Kitchen Knife 105mm(4.1") 'Kaji Craftsmanmade' Kurouchi Double Bevel
Brand : WolmundMostly it is so stunningly sharp because of the extremely acute blade grind and edge geometry of practically any Japanese knife like this !
But still . . . over the years I have bought three of these and they all are breathtakingly sharp / effective matter separators ! ! !
I suppose there are a few contenders for this title but the trophy goes to practically ANY CASE knife I buy and I have bought quite a few (I own over thirty full size Trappers alone ; I just bought another Black Synthetic with Carbon blade , that makes three of these . . . )
Feckers can't sharpen a knife to save their lives ; rough , rolled , point just plane rounded over and dull . . .
About ten years ago I bought a Case Trapper with Genuine Stag scales (these are very cool ! In the same breath it is beyond me why they don't offer it in Carbon Steel or CV steel) . . . THIS WAS THE EXCEPTION sharpness wise . Quite nice edge though toothy TOOTHY ! The edges held up over time and cut well too !
seeeee ! That is how RARE a sharp knife is out of Case ; I remember the event after all this time has passed !
Probably an oversite .
Somebody broke into the plant late at night and was bored while they waited for their partner to crack the safe or some such and decided to sharpen a knife rather than just sit and do nothing .
Wowbagger
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2015
- Messages
- 8,050
My one and only came to me with edge geometry like what I have to regrind / reprofile into about any other brand folder I buy.
and that is : able to cut a curl off the end of my finger nail ALL THE WAY ACROSS in one piece.
The first time I cut anything with my brand new out of the box Sebenza I tried this test and was easily successful .
Very impressive CRK !
PS : this was a 21 in Macassar Ebony in about 2019 . I still have the knife of course !