Why don't SAKs come sharp?

[Longstrider]

My new SAK Ranger arrived today. As with any knife, first thing I did was take it out and check it over. When I came to checking the edges on the two knife blades they were way off the mark ! These blades wouldn't have even frightened the hairs on my forearm, let alone done any damage to them. It didn't take me long to put a decent edge on them, but thats not the point. If the steel will take the edge and hold it reasonable well, (which I know it will from my other SAKs), why does the factory not put the edge on in the first place?
I realise that with global sales in the sort of numbers that Victorinox have they must be spitting these knives out like machine gun bullets. I also realise that a good many of these knives are sold to folks who would never consider themselves "knife people", and as such wouldn't have my DMT sharpening kit and strops. They will probably never be able to put an edge back on the knife like the one it SHOULD come with, but surely they deserve to have it truly sharp when NIB ? Are Victorinox afraid that these NKP's are going to complain if they cut themselves on a knife that is "too sharp" ? (No such thing in my world)

 

[sak_collector]

Being a little dramatic arent we? Sucks that yours was dull, but to imply that they simply dont come sharp is way off the mark. I have right at 80 SAKs, I think I can recall one with a less than acceptable edge. Another one had a slight burr on one of the blades that should have been removed, but thats about it. The rest have been typical VIC...very sharp and very consistent.

 

[Longstrider]

Maybe it's just a repetition of the same old story then. Only 1 in a 100 are anything but perfect... and I'm the guy that gets the one! *LOL*

 

[pjhead]

mine always shave right out of the box...

 

[shaldag]

I agree. I don't remember ever getting a dull one.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

...why does the factory not put the edge on in the first place?

The cost of a much higher consistent edge is likely prohibitive.

-Cliff

 

[choubbi]

mine always shaved out of the box, but I only own 4 ones I bought new, so maybe I was lucky, but I often read that they come sharp from the factory, so maybe that's you who are unlucky?

 

[mnblade]

I've never gotten a dull one. Ever. Even if it did, they take like 6 seconds to get up to shaving if you know what you're doing.

 

[PWork]

SAKs may not always be "shaving sharp" out of the box. They will at least have a decent working edge on them.
I've always felt that too much emphasis was put on out-of-box sharpness. Anyone who really cares about sharpness is going to sharpen the knife to their liking anyway. Anytime I get a new knife, the first thing I do is sharpen it...no matter how sharp it came.

Paul

 

[Cliff Stamp]

On Benchmade's forum recently there was a thread discussing the Sebenza vs various Benchmades, the initial sharpness of the Sebenza's was brought up as one of the advantages. When asked about sharpening the guy responded that when it got dull he would either retire it or send it back to be resharpened.

There are actually very few people who actually sharpen knives so initial sharpness makes a big difference to most, it is in fact probably one of the more important aspects in general because people use it to judge even the quality of the steel.

Knives should come sharp, I don't think it is too much to ask. Second to that, but more important to me personally is that the edge can be sharpened readily without extensive reprofiling. The initial angle makes a huge difference here, the SAK's are easy to file so it makes no difference to them.

-Cliff