Why are people making knives so Thick?

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droddy386

Joined
Nov 18, 2021
Messages
126
What is with knives being thicker than 1/8"? Hunting knives and others .2 inches thick seems like massive overkill, especially with modern steel. Has someone confused them with a hatchet?
If the knife is supposed to be good at cutting or slicing then it is counterproductive.
 
If you are looking for thin hunting knives, you a find plenty of those. The larger knives are intended as camp knives where efficient wood processing is part of the purpose. You can chop with thin knives, but on harder material the blades tend to be trapped and is harder to pull out. A thicker cross section makes a better cutting wedge, and more stable edge. Traditional examples include engineer/pioneer sidearms, billhooks, khukuris, various slashers and brush tools.

n2s
 
not2sharp said:
If you are looking for thin hunting knives, you a find plenty of those. The larger knives are intended as camp knives where efficient wood processing is part of the purpose. You can chop with thin knives, but the blades tend to be trapped by the material and is harder to pull out. A thicker cross section makes a better cutting wedge. Traditional examples include engineer/pioneer sidearms, billhooks, khukuris, various slashers and brush tools.

n2s
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What you are saying is true, up to a point..... ;)

there is a precise formula between the most efficient knife blade cross-section for chopping and tendonitis....... haha.
Beyond That is Fo Show.


* I agree with poster, I would like to see thinner knives.
(especially with the rise of "Super Steels")
 
I’ve said the same thing regarding edge angles for years. 22 degrees is a very robust edge angle for a pocket knife. 22 degree edge on a half height saber grind on a 0.2” thick blade is getting out of hand. Now, I need a new SRK, so you’ll have to excuse me.
 
There are good reasons to use thinner stock.

  • Better slicing
  • Lighter in the hand
  • Aesthetic preferences

There are also good reasons to use thicker stock.

  • Greater comfort when pushing on the spine
  • Greater efficiency for momentum assisted cutting
  • Greater resilience against hard use or abuse
  • Aesthetic preferences

This is not an exhaustive list, but just off the top of my head.

It is also worth noting that a knife from thicker stock can be ground in such a way that it will slice exceptionally well, and a knife in thin stock can be ground in such a way that it won't cut a mushy potato.
 
droddy386 said:
What is with knives being thicker than 1/8"? Hunting knives and others .2 inches thick seems like massive overkill, especially with modern steel. Has someone confused them with a hatchet?
If the knife is supposed to be good at cutting or slicing then it is counterproductive.
Click to expand...
Plenty of thick and thin choices out there, and plenty of reasons for both, depending on who you are. I’m curious though, what knives are you seeing marketed as hunting knives that are .20” thick?
 
Blue Sky said:
Plenty of thick and thin choices out there, and plenty of reasons for both, depending on who you are. I’m curious though, what knives are you seeing marketed as hunting knives that are .20” thick?
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I've seen a few on the forums here. The majority on here appear to be around .15" which is still exceedingly thick. Anything above 1/8" is overkill in my opinion. .09" is a good thickness for most. I am just wondering why people want to carry around a truck leaf spring as a knife?

I remember years ago that even machetes were thin.
 
droddy386 said:
What is with knives being thicker than 1/8"? Hunting knives and others .2 inches thick seems like massive overkill, especially with modern steel. Has someone confused them with a hatchet?
If the knife is supposed to be good at cutting or slicing then it is counterproductive.
Click to expand...
I make and use knives on game more than most people. And I do make a lot of my personal hunting knives in .20 thick stock. It’s just my preference. But I also wilderness hunt a lot. I’m packed in miles sometimes on horseback! So I want an everything type knife. And I’ve found with a good thin convex grind, it’ll cut perfectly well for any type of skinning or cutting tasks. Just my opinion and my experience after 35 years of being outdoors hunting and camping!!

This blue one is cpm3v at 60 rc. I skinned and quartered and cut up a deer with it the other day, and it did perfectly fine. This other one in orange is A8 mod, and I skinned and quartered an entire elk, and used it to skin two others on Sunday! Both have a nicely done convex grind. And I think that’s the most important thing. But they both can handle camp chores, and heavy battoning without failure!! This is my size preference for my personal blades, and my style of hunting and processing. Others prefer thinner stock! So I make them what they want! I also have a boning knife I made in .120 stock magnucut at 62 rc. That’s perfect for processing the actual quarters off the bone! That one stays in my backpack for the processing part. The field part is usually my thicker blade! Edited to add the boning knife
 

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rodriguezryan14 said:
I also have a boning knife I made in .120 stock magnucut at 62 rc. That’s perfect for processing the actual quarters off the bone! That one stays in my backpack for the processing part. The field part is usually my thicker blade! Edited to add the boning knife
Click to expand...
Sweet boning knife!
 
rodriguezryan14 said:
Thanks, it was tested on elk this past weekend!! My buddy is a butcher, he wants me to make him one just like it.
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Nice! I grew up hunting in Nevada. Now I’m on the “old side” and don’t get out much to hunt anymore. Where’d you get the elk?
 
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