Your opinion on chisel grinds?

[lotus1972]

I'm looking at a custom and the one I'm looking at has a chisel grind. I have never had a chisel grind on a knife so I'm looking for some input. The knife will be used for push and draw cuts and chopping.

 

[smcfalls13]

They'll be sharper than most knives(lower angle of the edge bevel) but they push what you're cutting to the side.

Wish I had a better way to explain it though....

Not sure a chisel grind is suitable for chopping, the edge would be too thin. I could be wrong though.

 

[talonturbo]

They'll be sharper than most knives(lower angle of the edge bevel) but they push what you're cutting to the side.

Wish I had a better way to explain it though....

Not sure a chisel grind is suitable for chopping, the edge would be too thin. I could be wrong though.

I'd rather chop with one than much else besides food prep. Basically, if the material you are cutting is free to get out of the way after the cut (such as slicing carrots), no big probs.

But trying to go through a huge cardboard box (where the material surrounds the blade until the cut is finished) will result in some less than straight cuts. I'm not a big fan of chisel grinds. Only upside I can see is faster sharpenings.

 

[kozak6]

I don't like chisel grinds either.

If you put the edge of your knife on top of something (like a piece of fine cheese, for example), and push straight down, your knife will end up cutting at an angle.

It's really a pain if you are doing delicate cutting.

 

[shecky]

I often carry a Victorinox Gardener. One of the single blade-nothing else Swiss Army knives. It has a single chisel ground sheepsfoot blade. I love using it for anything.

 

[SIFU1A]

CG's work ok but they are diff than a std "V" grind, imho they arent real utlitarian they are more specialised, ie i wouldnt want one on a skinning knife, works great for SD though.

 

[talonturbo]

works great for SD though.

Anything relatively sharp is great for SD. Or blunt. For a knife, using it as a chisel would be it's only practical use from what I can see. I liked my CQC-7 way back but it was more for piercing than slicing or prying. Wouldn't carry one now.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Not sure a chisel grind is suitable for chopping, the edge would be too thin.

There are chisel ground axes, they are not general purpose though and are designed for squaring timber.

-Cliff

 

[DGG]

I think they are fine for push/draw cutting. I would never argue with Cliff about chopping though. He is the forums chopping expert wizard ninja jedi knight! From Cliffs posts and good tests he has whacked about everything there is to whack. I enjoy his reports.

 

[Jeff Clark]

Chisel gound edges are not only thinner than symmetrical grinds they are also geometrically weaker. There is no material on the flat side to keep the edge from bending over in that direction. If you hit anything hard while chopping the edge will be folded over to that weak side. This is a fine edge for doing surface work, but it is too weak for general chopping. It also tends to cut along a curved path in the middle of material. It is not a general purpose edge.

 

[RJ Martin]

I have made about 1000 chisel ground knives, to include kitchen knives.
Chisel grinds do wander when cutting rigid materials like cardboard and rubber. Depending on the thickness of the blade, and the material being cut, the user can compensate to some degree to produce a straighter cut.

In the kitchen, the chisel grind enhances chopping/slicing, by pushing the cut piece away from the blade. I use them and love them.

The vast majority of my chisel grinds are for tactical knives, where the top priority is getting the deepest cut and penetration with the least effort. For this application, the "zero thickness" chisel grinds excell, provided they are done PROPERLY. In this application, you need to be able to cut leather, cloth and flesh, and the occasional metal zipper. Precision of cut is not relevant. Severity of cut is. A 1/4" thick chisel ground blade opens a wound that you can park a truck in!

Chisel grinds are the worst choppers, ever. Period.

So, it depends on what you want to use the knife for.

Stay Sharp,

RJ Martin

 

[partridge]

It's also worth noting (in addition to what RJ said) that most chisel grinds are made backwards for aesthetic reasons. That is to say, they're ground in such a manner that they would work will for a left handed person. Proper chisel grinds seem to be produced in fewer numbers, as they don't look quite right when photographed, but slice much better for a rightie. (For SD use, of course, it doesn't matter how the chisel is ground, as long as it is sharp.)

 

[Cliff Stamp]

The vast majority of my chisel grinds are for tactical knives, where the top priority is getting the deepest cut and penetration with the least effort. For this application, the "zero thickness" chisel grinds excell, provided they are done PROPERLY.

Do they do this any better than zero ground v-bevels?

A 1/4" thick chisel ground blade opens a wound that you can park a truck in!

Compared to a v-ground bevel of the same cross sectional area? What is this conclusion based on exactly. Is it medical records or test cuts on other media extrapolated?

-Cliff

 

[kel_aa]

When it's zero ground, I think the difference is pretty insignifcant (0/6 in chisel vs approx 3/3). I think it's hardly noticable.

 

[Knife Outlet]

I don't like chisel grinds either.

If you put the edge of your knife on top of something (like a piece of fine cheese, for example), and push straight down, your knife will end up cutting at an angle.

It's really a pain if you are doing delicate cutting.

The reason for this was actually mentioned above by partridge. The single bevel knife style comes from Japan where it is made in right or left handed versions, The flat or concave side should be on the inside of the cut. Most American knife makers, in their ignorance, tend to put a left handed grind on the blades so that the convex side will be on the mark side because it looks right that way. People like Kozac who say the knife twists when they cut are using a left handed knife with their right hand. Not their fault. It is really the fault of the makers who simply do it wrong.

Traditional Japanese kitchen knives use a single bevel because that allows the greatest amount of accuracy and control. But a right handed Japanese cook would know better than to use a left handed knife.

In other words, don't buy a chisel ground knife from an American maker unless you are left handed or unless the maker is willing to grind it the right way for you.

 

[Lavan]

I had a Benchmade 910 that was correctly ground with the bevel on the right side of the blade and still didn't like it. Fortunately it had another issue that warranted returning and exchanging for a V-grind that works much better on that thicker stock blade.

But, man, use a SAK Trekker with the chisel grind and it is like a laser. EASY to sharpen to an unbelievable edge that actually lasts a while considering the relatively softer stainless they use. But it is SHARP and almost THINKS its way through stuff. BUT.... the thinness of the blade is a definite asset to that particular trait.

I'd say the thicker the blade, the better you will like a regular V-grind.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

The single bevel knife style comes from Japan where it is made in right or left handed versions ...

Chisel ground knives are not strictly japanese, you can for example find chisel ground goloks. There was an article on this in Knives 2003. Many small chip knives for carving woods are also chisel ground as are many wood working tools in general like drawknives.

Most American knife makers, in their ignorance, tend to put a left handed grind on the blades so that the convex side will be on the mark side because it looks right that way.

It isn't ignorance, they are just not intended for cutting foods. If you are slicing into rigid material you will notice the knife tend to curve irregardless of which side it is ground. On kitchen knives this doesn't tend to happen as the media falls away from the cut side, especially when you are making very precise cuts.

-Cliff

 

[Bors]

Chisel Grinds "ONLY" belong on wood working tools and certian cooking knives Thats all period.

Don't wast you money.

Stick with companies that are willing to spend the time and money to grind their knifes on both sides.

 

[A druid]

I'm still trying to understand this. If you are holding the knife with a point away from you should decrying be on the left or right to do best for food preparation if you're right-handed. Also the closest thing I had to compare is a spyderco temperance serrated version which is beveled on the left side as it faces away from me. Should a grind be on the other side for food preparation or does it matter what the serrated edge.


As for the actual question I was considering and still considering getting a cqc7 one of these days to try out the chisel grind. I think if you don't have a chisel grind and you have a decent collection of knives including one might be a broadening experience. Also you look at the Emerson you will see the other side of the argument he claims the chisel grind the best thing since fire and the only uses the grinds to appease the general public.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Druid, the chisel grind should be on your strong side -- on the right as you hold the blade pointed away from you if you're right-handed, on the left if you're left-handed. Unfortunately, most American chisel grinds are on the left although most Americans are right-handed.

That most chisel grinds are also on tanto blades doesn't make the utility aspect any easier to justify. Chisel grinds are basically sabre grinds on one side of a relatively thick blade. This also degrades the utility aspect.

Note that the primary grind may be a v-grind or a chisel grind, and the edge, the secondary bevel, may be a chisel grind. Emerson's tantos are chisel-ground all the way, but his bellied blades are v-ground -- except the secondary bevel is chisel-ground. Many companies cut serrations on only one side of the secondary bevel, even if the unserrated portion of the secondary bevel is v-ground.

When a chisel grind cuts through thick material, it slides away from the beveled side. This is why people say it makes a curved cut. When a chisel grind cuts something lighter or thinner, like a small piece of food, the knife edge goes straight down, but the cut-off piece of food slides off to the side, which is what you want.

I like to check out new knives in the kitchen. I was never able to use my Benchmade 975 (Emerson CQC-7) on any food effectively.