When do you call it quits on a knife?

Um, what; sounds like too much sharpening and not enough actual usage.

Many have used a much lesser steel for more time than a lot of you have been alive without changing knives.
 
Ankerson said:
One can't strop out chips, dings and other damage that mine tend to see in my normal use at work so metal has to be removed, honing isn't an option.

Sharpen once a month?

Yeah right, they would be butter knife dull in a few days and or have so many dings in the edge they would look like a serriated blades.

Some of us use our blades harder than others, and we rotate them out to spread out the wear over more than one knife.

Not everyone just uses their knives to open mail or bags of chips every once in awhile.
Click to expand...


I spend a good part of a day in a welding and machine shop and also lots of time in the woods or on a boat. My knives see a lot more use than opening mail. Some of us are able to use a knife to cut things without putting too thin of an edge on a knife or straddling a log trying to break the knife. If you chip out your edge that frequently then maybe you are using the wrong tool.
 
Is it just me or do threads like this usually drift into "I use my knife HARDER than you, therefore I'm more of a MAN than you."

I've been using my current folder for about seven years now (large Bradley Alias). I use this knife to cut several types of materials, rope, twine, heavy plastic pallet wrap, rubber, blister packs, plastic packing straps, ect, ect, ect. During my last job (warehouse/shipping) I used this folder all day every day and for what it cost me, I never used it for any task that I thought might damage it. After all, I'm not rich and can't afford to replace a knife whenever I feel like it. Aside from showing a minimal amount of sharpening, and some minor scratching, I'd say it's still in excelent condition.

When I need to turn a screw I get a screwdriver. When I need to cut wire I get a pair of wire cutters. When I need to cut grout I use a grout knife. All of these tools are cheap, easy to find, easy to carry or keep handy, and if I somehow damage or lose one, it's certainly not as big a deal for me as if it were one of my folders. I figure I can always afford to take a minute or two to find the right tool rather than risk damaging my folder.

As far as the question of "do I retire knives?" No, I don't get sentimental about my tools and I like to get as much use out of them, and get as much of my money's worth out of them, as possible. After all, I too work for a living. And truthfully, using my knives the way I do, I don't imagine that I'll ever wear a knife out. Who knows, maybe I'm just not MANLY enough :rolleyes:.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
I spend a good part of a day in a welding and machine shop and also lots of time in the woods or on a boat. My knives see a lot more use than opening mail. Some of us are able to use a knife to cut things without putting too thin of an edge on a knife or straddling a log trying to break the knife. If you chip out your edge that frequently then maybe you are using the wrong tool.
Click to expand...

I use mine everyday at WORK..... And I am using the proper tool for the work that I do, the one that works the best.

It's just most things that I have to cut can be very abrasive and or have junk in it that can damage the edge, and that's not even getting into hitting steel here and there.

That's just on a normal day, some days are worse, some better.
 
killgar said:
Is it just me or do threads like this usually drift into "I use my knife HARDER than you, therefore I'm more of a MAN than you."

I've been using my current folder for about seven years now (large Bradley Alias). I use this knife to cut several types of materials, rope, twine, heavy plastic pallet wrap, rubber, blister packs, plastic packing straps, ect, ect, ect. During my last job (warehouse/shipping) I used this folder all day every day and for what it cost me, I never used it for any task that I thought might damage it. After all, I'm not rich and can't afford to replace a knife whenever I feel like it. Aside from showing a minimal amount of sharpening, and some minor scratching, I'd say it's still in excelent condition.
Click to expand...

I don't think think so, it sounded more like people trying to say some are sharpening their knives too often when they really don't know what those said knives are going through...

Some of us are on the other end so to speak of what you do and have to open and cut hundreds of boxes a day (not just tape either) along with the other stuff you cut, plus more and lots of cardboard on a daily basis.

Cardboard can be one of the hardest most abrasive things that people can use their knives on and can cause all kinds of edge damage in a real hurry depending on what kind it is.
 
Ankerson said:
Cardboard can be one of the hardest most abrasive things that people can use their knives on and can cause all kinds of edge damage in a real hurry depending on what kind it is.
Click to expand...

Quite true. And though my opinion on the matter means nothing, I don't see anything wrong with using a folder to cut cardboard. I too had to cut cardboard all day, but I was issued a box-cutter with almost unlimited free blades, so my folders were thankfully spared. :)
 
killgar said:
Quite true. And though my opinion on the matter means nothing, I don't see anything wrong with using a folder to cut cardboard. I too had to cut cardboard all day, but I was issued a box-cutter with almost unlimited free blades, so my folders were thankfully spared. :)
Click to expand...

I carry one, but they are a PITA to use most of the time, a knife works better and faster for what I do.

I use mine to break tape, but that's about it because I would be replacing blades every 5 mins because they are garbage steel that really doesn't hold up very well at all, sometimes for only one cut and they are dull.

I remember back when we had to tray cut everything and I would go through 20 or 30 blades a day easy.... And those were good blades..
 
Last edited:
I was only pointing out that over sharpening a knife can wear out the blade quickly. I think a lot of people get caught up in having their knife being able to whittle the hairs on a gnats ass at all times. A knife doesn't have to shave in order to cut good. Obviously some people are going to use their knives harder and for things a knife shouldn't be used for. But it is possible to use a knife fairly often without having to sharpen it all the time and without having tons of chips. If you have to cut that much cardboard maybe you should use a BOX cutter. Heck, they even cut when dull and you won't have to sharpen out a ton of chips on your $200 almost irreplaceable knife every night. But its your knife do what makes you happy. God forbid someone try to point out a possible cause of the premature narrowing of a knife blade.

Now excuse me while I go batton open my mail.

Edit: just saw why a BOX cutter doesn't work
 
I just think it's funny that I know guys in labor intensive jobs who have knives 20-30 years old with needle blades from being used and sharpened, yet still they don't have the insane OCD problems people on this forum come up with. Not a stab at anyone; it's provided me with a wealth of entertainment since joining BF.

Things like:

"Blade became unperfectly centered, will this effect the performance"
"This steel is better than that steel blah blah"
"There is slight blade play after blah blah"

It's a riot really.
 
i still cary my first knife

i will retire knife if it has zero function and or i dont want it anymore aka a cheap pos i gave up on long ago but my first knife a sak i still use and i got that jeez 15 years ago and i found it in a parking lot even then

mostly it depends on if i still like it and if i keep a knife i like it
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
I was only pointing out that over sharpening a knife can wear out the blade quickly. I think a lot of people get caught up in having their knife being able to whittle the hairs on a gnats ass at all times. A knife doesn't have to shave in order to cut good. Obviously some people are going to use their knives harder and for things a knife shouldn't be used for. But it is possible to use a knife fairly often without having to sharpen it all the time and without having tons of chips. If you have to cut that much cardboard maybe you should use a BOX cutter. Heck, they even cut when dull and you won't have to sharpen out a ton of chips on your $200 almost irreplaceable knife every night. But its your knife do what makes you happy. God forbid someone try to point out a possible cause of the premature narrowing of a knife blade.

Now excuse me while I go batton open my mail.

Edit: just saw why a BOX cutter doesn't work
Click to expand...

+1

you're right. with that much demand i would opt for a box cutter, but jim certainly has his own way about him.
from what i gather he over uses his knives, over sharpens them and then rips on people that don't do the same.
i love using my blades but certain tasks aren't worth putting them through IMO.
like the tasks that completely destroy the knife when a razor blade would have sufficed.

john, keep using it brother. i find that blades have more character after acquiring some war wounds.
most people can make a knife last (especially s90v) and still use it quite frequently.

again, i'd mention that if your knives are diminishing into nothing..........you may need a box cutter.
 
Box cutters suck. I do warehouse work and choose to use my 100$+ EDC's instead of the unlimited free box cutters because my knives are better. I sharpen almost every day with a fine stone to keep it sharp and will buy another knife when mine die's
 
NightMare Silverado said:
Box cutters suck. I do warehouse work and choose to use my 100$+ EDC's instead of the unlimited free box cutters because my knives are better. I sharpen almost every day with a fine stone to keep it sharp and will buy another knife when mine die's
Click to expand...

my point is, if you're destroying s90v at a rapid pace....you might be over working the blade.

it's just an opinion though. i don't recall ever stating that box cutters were awesome.
 
I feel it just boils down to preference. Also if I dull my D2, S30v knives in a day what would that do to a razor? I used to snap them under the stress I cut with. Never broken a knife cutting sheets of cardboard. This is just my personal experience and preference. If you like a razor by all means use it.
 
Only blade I've semi-retired is a Endura in VG10.

It was one of my first "good" knives and used it a bunch. It is a combo blade so I also tried to make the blade a v-edge throughout so a lot of wear came from reshaping it. I still have it laying around the house and use it to open packages whenever I'm in pajamas or not with my EDC.
 
NightMare Silverado said:
I feel it just boils down to preference. Also if I dull my D2, S30v knives in a day what would that do to a razor? I used to snap them under the stress I cut with. Never broken a knife cutting sheets of cardboard. This is just my personal experience and preference. If you like a razor by all means use it.
Click to expand...

dang bro. you have some serious cutting tasks. i can safely say that i've never dulled a quality knife in one day (except for a sebenza s35vn).

it would take me a reasonable amount of time to dull s90v (even with my daily use).

btw, i hate razor blades and don't use them haha. however, i would if i felt the task was over demanding for my knives.

that doesn't make me hesitant or afraid of using my knives, just cautious about what i use them for.
 
Last edited:
I have to cut cardboard slip sheets to size for layers between boxes. Normally I will set a template on top of a stack and just start cutting, usually get 30+ out at a time after a dozen or so swipes. Knives will go dull by the end of the day but razors snap after I get 10 or so deep. Other than that it's just normal warehouse work.
 
With a long wood saw you could probably get through 4-5 times the amount the knife would get through in the same time.
Just a thought.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top