Which Blade Tip Style Do You Prefer?

[nothinghappenedtoday]

No offense intended (seriously), but can I ask you a question? What in the heck were you thinking?

No offense taken. The Razel is actually a very versatile knife, for only having about a 2 inch blade. Having a chisel and straight blade in one knife gives me a lot of options. Plus, there is a point where the 2 angles meet that's quite strong since it is at a 90 degree angle. The chisel is great for hammer-cut notches, push cutting, or "stab cutting". This has become my go-to outdoors knife.

 

[din]

with the exception of tanto, I love them all. it just depends on the knife.

 

[jw2n]

Drop point for me. I can handle any of the others, but I dislike straight and trailing points for general woods work. I like the tanto for it's point strength, but it takes time to adjust to the ergonomics. The point style has to be matched with the steel, HT, grind, edge geo, and correct handle in order to suit me overall.

 

[Joben]

I didn't vote, cause this is something I've been thinking about of late and I still haven't decided.

I like the way clip points look.

I find myself liking to use blades with a fair amount of straight, or almost straight edge.

A fair number of the tasks that I use my knives for at this time are slightly complicated by a lot of belly, not made easier.

I kinda like how a tanto gives a straight spine with a nice triangular tip.

It is pretty hard to go really wrong thought with a nicely done drop point.

 

[Turbomammoth]

other (or would this be considered "none"? it makes quite a suprisingly effective outdoors knife)

+1

And sheepfoot.

 

[Rockywolf]

Drop and spear points. Although I have found my eye wandering toward some clips recently. Gotta be true to myself! I am a knife nut after all...

 

[ROCK6]

A drop point becomes a spear point when the point is centered exactly along the axis of the handle, and the drop mirrors the belly of the edge. I think a drop point becomes a clip point when there is no curvature to the drop-IE a straight cut from the spine to the tip, and then inward from there.

At least that's how I define it...

I figured that was the "true" definition, but there's a point where spine drops just prior and even some, a little lower than center (reverse Tanto?). I'll need to take some pictures; I'll conceded there are a few catagories but with several variations. Fehrman has a slight drop (drop point), but almost a tanto upswept tip. Samael shows the KaBar with the classic clip point, but some variations are the straight clip (more stout) and the extreme recurved clip where the point is very narrow and thin (weaker, but with excellet penentration).

Some good discussions, but ultimately a skilled user could be just as effective in the outdoors with a Razel or tanto as with a drop, spear or clip point. Technique can overcome design...

ROCK6

 

[wildmike]

I much prefer a straight spine with a good point. Or a very slightly dropped point.

Never have cared for a spear point unbless it was on a dagger.

 

[fasteer]

My own prejudices almost exactly match the polls graph.
Drop point is first, by far.
Spear-point second.
Clip-point a distant 3rd, though I have a couple nice ones.
Don't like up-swept just for esthetics, they look fragile to me.
Don't like tantos as you can't roll through a cut with no belly.
Never tried a warncliff.

 

[mymindisamob]

Drop Point
Spear

I despise clips and simply don't like tanto or upswept.

 

[bbbowers]

+1 for the razel. I love straight edge, and it will piece like a razor. They have videos of it splitting a bullet, and videos of it going through a steel door (standard steel door with insulation) with ease + no broken tips.

 

[Frostyfingers]

I like the drop-point so much that I sometimes drop the points on my knives more than they already are, the most recent example being a Mora 510. It started as a straight spine, but I dropped the point and like it even "mora" now!

ETA: Dumb, I know. But I like a good dumb joke...

 

[desmobob]

Drop point, followed very closely by a spear point.

+1


Stay sharp,
desmobob