Yet another pet peeve thread {:->

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Gary W. Graley

Gary W. Graley

“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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So, most that know me, know my largest pet peeve is the sharpening notch before the edge starts, really bugs me and is usually a show stopper for me to buy.

next would be blade play, that also irks me.

But what prompted the thread is a blade that I received today, blade grinding. I've made a few fixed blades and I know that I favour one side while grinding more than the other, much I guess like being right or left handed, you tend to do that a little easier or smoother. The folder I got today has one side, no big surprise it's the side with the logo on it ;) that was ground fairly flat, while the opposite side had a sizeable ripple about mid way of the blade, from spine to edge, which makes sharpening a pain, it irks me, I guess I'm easily irk'd ? :) I'll not mention the company on this but it's a traditional type slipjoint folder, quite small, single bladed.

What hurts the most on this folder, it's pretty small and narrow bladed, so you don't have a lot of blade to try and work out the kinks. I've emailed the Mfg but I'll see where that will take me, probably no where, but small or not, over $50 shipped is not something I can afford to just take it on the chin. The distributor wouldn't be at fault, in fact I had asked them a favour to check if there was any blade play and they did check before shipping, appreciate that! Part of the trouble of not being able to put hands on before you buy. My plan was this knife would be my 'Airplane riding folder' should fit the definition they have put forth, if they keep it in place.

I've sharpened it now, got the rippled side to be flat along the edge now, luckily didn't eat too much of the blade in doing this.

I've seen this on other knives from different company's, some high named ones, I'll not bang on them but the email I received back from them when they got my knife was, I must have twisted the knife in order to have those ripples appear. ? but what's odd is, it's just on one side, to twist a blade to make it do that would also show on both sides, I gave up on that fight. Wasn't worth it if that was their stance.

Hmm I must be in a bad mood ? lol maybe so, you can get cynical I guess at times.

So, I know you guys/gals have your own pet peeve's, so list em' if ya got em'

1. Sharpening notch
2. Blade play
3. Poor grind
4. Poor fit and finish

G2
 
Sharpening notch is a huge one for me. I tend to be able to use the corners of my sharpening stones, and I always find that the notch will catch on more fibrous items more often than not.

A far second for me is redundancies in blades, which is probably why I own only a single congress, and no muskrat patterns, I carry multiple bladed slip joints for diversity of tasks. Although I did buy one with three (shudder) pen blades, because it was $4 and I was interested in the fact that one blade had a long pull and the others nail nicks
 
My pet peeve is crooked blades. I'm not speaking krinked here; I am talking about a blade with a visible bow or bend.

Secondly, I really dislike uneven grinds. I've got a couple of knives with uneven grinds. They happen to both be by the same manufacturer or brand. I even like the knives, but the uneven grinds make me think even an ameteur can put together and grind production knives for this company.

Sloppy fit or wobble if you'd rather call it that on a new knife makes me furious.

A blade that is new out of the box that won't slice open an envelope without tearing it is another thing that aggravates me. Some economy knife manufacturers can put a sharp knife in the box. Why can't the other, pricer folk do the same?

Ed J
 
I like blades which do not wobble.
I like springs which are flat in both the open and closed position.
I like nice even pulls.

Edited to add: The more expensive the knife, the more I expect these things. To me, they are the basics of a good knife. If the basics ain't there, there's no sense adding fancy covers.
 
Yah, sharpness, usually not too worried about that as I end up putting my own edge on there but yeah, it's disconcerting to get a knife that you can't open the package it arrived in, which was how this knife arrived, luckily...I had another knife on hand ;)
G2
 
Nail nicks are mine. Too small or not deep enough, crooked or poorly placed.
I don't like nicks placed within a swedge, and I really don't like double pulls.
 
shallow nail nicks, a 36 grit factory edge, wobble, the blade stop cut too deep so there's a flat spot on the edge right at the useful part of the belly where it hits the spring...
 
I find the choil (sharpening notch) pretty annoying myself. Factory edge bevels that are more than 10° different from one side to the other or total more than 60° included are pretty annoying, too. Other than that, I'm pretty hard to annoy. I've carried and used knives for years that most of you would turn your noses up at, and they've worked just fine for what I used them for.
 
what do you mean by the sharpening notch, sorry but I'm trying to picture it in my brain and I'm drawing a blank?
 
The sharpening notch is sometimes called the choil. It is located right where the base of the blade meets the tang.

images
 
TLARbb said:
My pet peeve is crooked blades. I'm not speaking krinked here; I am talking about a blade with a visible bow or bend.

Secondly, I really dislike uneven grinds. I've got a couple of knives with uneven grinds. They happen to both be by the same manufacturer or brand. I even like the knives, but the uneven grinds make me think even an ameteur can put together and grind production knives for this company.

Sloppy fit or wobble if you'd rather call it that on a new knife makes me furious.

A blade that is new out of the box that won't slice open an envelope without tearing it is another thing that aggravates me. Some economy knife manufacturers can put a sharp knife in the box. Why can't the other, pricer folk do the same?

Ed J
Click to expand...

Boy, I don't know how to have put that better.

And of course, there is the great unanswered question I highlighted in red. I don't know how the manufacturers would explain themselves to some of these peeves, but that question seems unanswered in several aspects of today's high price folders.

I have one now that I didn't know I had. I have a new knife that has light pull on two of the blades, but not bad. But the third blade requires me to close it manually now from time to time. I should sent it back, as it irritates me now... two close acceptably, and one has to be pushed closed. I am reluctant to carry this knife as I am afraid that it will get lint or something in it and I won't push it shut and I will have a nice little cut to alert me to my error.

I have received a few offshore offerings as gifts now as I recommend them to my family as gifts under $15 so they can buy me a knife, but don't have to spend $50. All of them have crisp, snappy pulls, good to excellent fit and finish, and came quite sharp. I know what they paid for these knives; they are 1/8 to 1/10 the cost of their domestic counterparts and much better built than many more respected knives. So to answer the question I highlighted...

I got nothing.

Robert
 
I'm a user not a collector(although I accumulate), so my mayor dislikes on a knife have to do with cutting performance.
I don't mind a little play or some gaps but things that affect the way a knife cuts that I can't stand. So the sharpening notch is not a problem and actually makes sharpening the heel of the blade easier, my mayor hate goes to thick grinds and unnecessary thick blade stocks.
The other thing that annoys me a lot is cutting edges hitting tha back spring but a little less because it disappears as you sharpen.
Two of my newer knives of a very praised for F&F and beauty production brands were awfully thick behind the edge and I had to regrind the flat grinds.
The last one I cannot deal with are uncomfortable designs in hand, that's why stockmen and wharncliff trappers are out of the game because the protruding blades.

Mateo
 
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Thick blades with thick edges are something I try to avoid. They do not cut well and are a lot of work to fix by hand.
 
TLARbb said:
A blade that is new out of the box that won't slice open an envelope without tearing it is another thing that aggravates me. Some economy knife manufacturers can put a sharp knife in the box. Why can't the other, pricier folk do the same?

Ed J
Click to expand...

X 2. I just don't understand this. If I buy a high-end fixed blade, it's generally considered unacceptable for the knife to be shipped with a dull edge, and I would send one back if it did. But with some high end folders, a sharp factory edge is considered optional?

That said, I own three GECs, and they have all arrived with wicked sharp factory edges (as have all of my Bokers). But some other companies seem to not see that as a priority, or a reflection of quality.
 
Gaps irritate me.My new CS canittler is beautiful but you can see daylight through the frame. Its puzzling because when I look at my old USA Schrades they are as tight as a fishes clacka valve yet they were made up to 40 years ago.
 
Smithhammer said:
That said, I own three GECs, and they have all arrived with wicked sharp factory edges
Click to expand...

3 for 3 is doing pretty good - I'd estimate about 25% of my GEC's came acceptably sharp. Usually an easy fix, but still a pain, especially if the grind is off.
 
Uneven and obtuse grinds drive me nuts since I'm not the greatest sharpener in the world. :(
Wobble bothers me too, and uneven springs, but it's the grind, I can't abide sending a knife out for that. Makes me want to spend too much on one of those fancy sharpening machines, but I'll probably mess that up too :o

I just sent a very expensive production folder back to the mfg for pen blade wobble. So far I'm two for three with that particular mfg, though they did make the first one right.
 
zippofan - I'm pretty new to sharpening as well. I like to think that GEC has my best interests at heart and is trying to make me a better sharpener :)
 
Overbuffed blades. I hate it when the spine and tip of the blade is so rounded that it isn't pointy anymore.
And some of the already listed things, especially dull, obtuse and uneven edges.
 
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