why not thinner blades?

cotdt

cotdt

Joined
Oct 2, 2006
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I like 1/16" blades. They cut well. They are very rare on the market. Why is that?

They can be made tough if the steel is tough. There are videos of 1/16" blades batonning through concrete block, nails, etc.
 
Because of the tactical hype and the thinking that you have to pry with your knife, open cars or step on it.
A lot of knifes is build solid because of all those fools ruining their knifes with abuse and then start crying because of the "bad quality"...
 
cotdt said:
I like 1/16" blades. They cut well. They are very rare on the market. Why is that?

They can be made tough if the steel is tough. There are videos of 1/16" blades batonning through concrete block, nails, etc.
Click to expand...

Yep, kitchen knives do cut well. ;)
 
I have a set of Ginsus that someone gave me for Xmas one year.

I saw them cut through a hammer head on TV once.
 
Hmmm. I just posted in another thread about why not thicker blades.

Some of my best slicers and cutters are the think Green River blades.
 
Extremely thick blades - it really only comes down to "if a little is good then alot is better" thinking.

There has long been a theory that the heavier and beefier a blade then the better it is, that weight equals quality. IMO nothing is farther from the truth.

When the general public is fed this from all angles then it tends to get eaten up by alot of folks, esp new guys to quality knives. When new guys constantly hear stories of people using their knives as Jaws of life extractors, driving a knife through a Bank Vault door to give people trapped inside some fresh air and then dispatching Zombies breaking down the front door then there are those that come to believe that any knife that isn't made to do all these things is inferior.

I have seen many Filet knives, Boning knives and some rustic made folding knives in 1/16" that performed admirably. And while I don't believe that thinner is better for all knives I do believe in the cutting ability of a well HT'd blade of thinner stock.

Effecient Slicing & Cutting is the most important goal of some knife owners.
 
I've often asked myself the same question, but I really do think it's the fact that thin blades aren't idiot proof. You actually have to know how to use a knife to not risk damaging them while doing something stupid.

I've seen it mentioned that many antique axes have smaller eyes than modern ones do, because they were more familiar with proper axe usage back then and weren't as rough on their haft. The thinner, lighter handles made the axes more pleasant to use, but you needed to have an extra degree of familiarity with them for them not the be destroyed out of clumsiness.

Basically I think most production companies just don't want to deal with the hassle of even modestly educated knife users destroying thinner knives and then claiming it's the knife's fault instead of recognizing that it was user failure.

To sum it all up, the more experienced you are the more able you are to do more with less. ;)
 
Thinner is almost always better when it comes to knives IMO

1/16 stock blades are somewhat rarer because they are more difficult to make, at least in my experience.

Starting with 1/16 stock doesnt leave much room for error while grinding. In addition, heat treating long blades of 1/16 can be super fun as well with the warping and twisting.

Of course it can be done, just not as easily by the homebrew maker - (Again just my opinion)
 
Thinner blades and thinner grinds would be welcome. I agree it's probably an issue of warranty and coolness.
 
You can do things with thicker blades that you can't do with thinner ones. And thick blades can be made just as sharp as thin ones, if you know what you're doing. I like blades that are "in the middle" between being thick and thin. I like 'em thick enough to take a pounding, but thin enough to still slice like a knife, not a railroad spike.
 
I think to some degree, thick blades are common with boutique knives because they command a higher price, not because they cut better, or are even theoretically more durable. Aesthetically, they occupy a slot that distinguishes them from things like common Swiss Army knives or traditional pen knives.

Also, there's always a bit of "bigger is better" mentality. In addition, a good deal of knife nuts fancy themselves somewhat always-prepared self reliant survivalists. We demand bulletproof tools, and regularly go through the mental exercise of asking ourselves questions like, "Do you trust your knife with your life?" This exercise tends to demand thicker blades better suited to abuse such as prying. Ironically, if you were to post a Spyderco or CRK with a broken tip, which you claim to have done while prying, be prepared for the round of finger wagging about prying with the knife. :D
 
Shuya said:
Because of the tactical hype and the thinking that you have to pry with your knife, open cars or step on it.
A lot of knifes is build solid because of all those fools ruining their knifes with abuse and then start crying because of the "bad quality"...
Click to expand...

I think you nailed it. :p

Some folks just can't seem to grasp the concept that knives, axes, prybars and screwdrivers are different tools.

And for the " pimples and potato chips" crowd, the single most important quality of a blade is that it look "kewl" p
 
Thinner cuts better. That just seems like common sense to me.
I use a knife primarily for cutting, therefore thinner is better.

If I want a knife to chop, pound, and abuse I will have more than one knife. One thinner and one thicker.
 
A set of screwdrivers, a set of knives, - allows for the right tool for the job. An Opinel, a ZT, a Scrapyard SOD, and a multitool. The trick is in getting to the table with the right tool in hand.

We should come up with an American knife that is thin but better than an Opinel, those Frenchies need to be put in their place every so often.
 
Sparljo said:
Thinner is almost always better when it comes to knives IMO

1/16 stock blades are somewhat rarer because they are more difficult to make, at least in my experience.

Starting with 1/16 stock doesnt leave much room for error while grinding. In addition, heat treating long blades of 1/16 can be super fun as well with the warping and twisting.

Of course it can be done, just not as easily by the homebrew maker - (Again just my opinion)
Click to expand...

The thinner blades are harder to make but the steel used is a couple dollars cheaper, so I think the price evens out.

An air-hardening steel with plate quench could prevent the warping of the thin blade.
 
Wow, I think you guys are all missing the point- it's all about VALUE! When you buy a knife, you're buying STEEL. Why would you pay the same for a 1/2 pound of steel when you can get a WHOLE pound from someone else for the same price?

You guys always try to make it too complicated!
 
Ben Dover: you should get a T shirt printed up with your sage advice/comments. I have a properly profiled axe that cuts better (and deeper) than any of my heavy bowie style knives when the target is heavy, hard wood. Yet there is a 'cool factor' to having the BM on the coffee table...makes for good conversation! When I attempt to cut the fish up for dinner I sure won't be using my Basic 9. Next thing some nimrod will be trying to cut down a redwood with an SAK and then feature the exercise on u-tube.

That being said, my rapala fillet knife is AMAZINGLY sharp. I have sliced everything from old carpet, cardboard, fresh meat, you name it...the thing takes a keen edge and can double time for the deer processing. The thin blades are easy to use and require less effort in the slicing role. Our problem is that many of us don't have the right tool for the right job at the right time. This is why the tips on folders get the brunt of the undeserved punishment. Yes, different tools have different strengths and weaknesses. Most folk here have not grasped this seemingly simple concept and continue to come up with endless ways to justify their choice of tool for a job that requires ANOTHER TYPE of implement. Totally hilarious in my book.
 
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