Out of box sharpness

[Gary W. Graley]

Greetings folks, I know this subject comes up each year, but I figured to start a fresh one and see what the current offerings from knife makers/manufacturers are giving us lately. What got me thinking about this was a recent trade off the forums from Monofletch , thanks again for that. and this Delica with K390 blade arrived exceptionally sharp and I've handled a lot of sharp knives...!

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Stunningly sharp, as you might expect from Spyderco as @Sal Glesser and his crew are all about sharp things!

So what have you guys or gals seen lately that surprised you with either dullness or sharpness?

G2

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

Was truly surprised by the out of the box sharpness of my new cold steel srk (taiwan 3v).

Outside of a few mora's it was the sharpest factory knife I have ever received.

 

[Ruari]

A recent 2nd hand MIB Cold Steel Recon Tanto purchase was DULL, but upon sharpening, it was good to find that the edge was bang on 20deg either side. Sharp now.

 

[Armithius]

Sharpest knife I've received from the factory has to be my TRM Neutron 2. It cuts like a laser.

Dullest out of the box was probably my most carried knife, my Malibu. Wouldn't even cut paper from the factory, which surprised me for a knife in that price range. But I ran it through my worksharp and it performs exceptionally well now.

Coincidentally I happen to be carrying both today.

 

[Grasshopperglock]

It's been Mora for me. Even their cheap Basic model is impressive.

 

[dakotakidd]

I was going to make my own thread but I'll post here.

New from blade hq. Spyderco Enuff clip point. I really like the looks and wanted to try one.

Edge is interesting to say the least. Sounds like a zipper when pulled over my sharpmaker. Should I just send it in to spyderco for a sharpening?

 

[Ruari]

I was going to make my own thread but I'll post here.

New from blade hq. Spyderco Enuff clip point. I really like the looks and wanted to try one.

Edge is interesting to say the least. Sounds like a zipper when pulled over my sharpmaker. Should I just send it in the spyderco for a sharpening?
View attachment 2327418
View attachment 2327419

I'd definitely send that back! Friday afternoon job there.

 

[Another Shepherd]

I was going to make my own thread but I'll post here.

New from blade hq. Spyderco Enuff clip point. I really like the looks and wanted to try one.

Edge is interesting to say the least. Sounds like a zipper when pulled over my sharpmaker. Should I just send it in the spyderco for a sharpening?

Strange, but how well does it cut? Serrations on kitchen knives are sometimes similar to that.

 

[Another Shepherd]

I think I measured all of these knives in 2023, though perhaps a few were in late 2022. And some of the knives may have been on a dealer's shelf for a few years.

The column headed "Sharp" shows the average of several measurements with an Edge-On-Up PT50A device. Each measurement (AKA BESS score) is the force in grams required to cut a specially calibrated thread (AKA test medium). These measurements were taken right out of the box or off the shelf or, in a few cases, after making a few slices in a sheet of paper.

For plain-edge blades, measurements were taken at at least 5 spots along the edge, spaced out from tip to heel.

For serrated blades, measurements were taken at the bottoms of 3 to 5 of the wide gullets, depending on how many gullets the blade had.

For combo blades, there are separate measurements for the plain-edge and serrated portions of the blade, so some knives are listed twice.

Smaller values are better. My personal interpretation of the BESS scores is:
500 - In dire need of sharpening
400 - Poor
300 - Fair
200 - Good
150 - Excellent
100 - Dangerous

The column headed "Angle" shows angles in degrees for the two sides of the edge bevel along the straight part of the blade, or near the middle of the belly if there was not a long enough straight portion to measure. The measurements are probably accurate to about a degree. I measured some of the blades with two different Gritomatic laser goniometers, the cheaper one and the one with magnets. They agreed to within a degree, with the differences probably due to my inability to get the blade positioned exactly right.

An entry such as (14,33) means that the bevel is convex, ranging from 14 degrees towards the spine to 33 degrees near the apex.

An entry such as (18,40+) means that the angle near the apex is bigger than I can read off the goniometer. A very wide angle like this does not necessarily mean that the edge is dull according to the Edge-On-Up.

Some of these knives had been used at the time I took the angle measurements, but not heavily, and none of them had been sharpened. Light use does not show up on the goniometer.

I own(ed) most of the knives, but I measured some at local stores.

Sharp Steel         Make             Model                                       Angle                   
                                                                                                         
73    N690          Fox              Compso (Orange Neck Combo Serrated)                                 
76    Cobalt        Boye             Boating and Rescue Sheepsfoot (Serrated)                            
97    Elmax         Kunwu            Pulsar (Red Gmascus)                        17:17                   
104   CPM-S90V      Spyderco         Paramilitary 2 (Teal)                       19:15                   
108   CPM-S30V      Spyderco         Kelly McCann Canis (Wharncliffe)            17:16                   
108   Stainless     Morakniv         Companion @B (Serrated Orange)                                      
109   Magnacut      Bradford         Guardian 3 (Orange)                         18:16                   
113   CPM-20CV      WE               Ziffius Flipper Chidori                     20:21                   
118   LC200N        Spyderco         Pacific Salt 2 (Serrated) @C                                        
120   N690          Fox              Compso (Orange Neck Combo Smooth)                                   
122   CPM-S90V      Spyderco         Para 3 LW (Teal) @E                         18:17                   
125   CPM-154       Benchmade        Taggedout (Orange)                          17:17                   
127   14C28N        QSP              Swordfish (Red/Black Wharncliffe)           18:19                   
127   Magnacut      James Brand      Kline (Orange)                              (17,24):(19,29)         
127   CPM-CruWear   Spyderco         Para 3 (Purple) @B                          16:14                   
128   14C28N        Civivi           Qubit (Blue)                                21:22                   
132   CPM-S35VN     Cold Steel       Recon 1 (Orange Tanto) @B                   11:19                   
134   LC200N        Spyderco         Pacific Salt 2 (Smooth)                     (14,19):(11,38)         
139   CPM-20CV      WE               Exciton Flipper                             23:20                   
142   12C27         James Brand      Redstone (Coral Combo Smooth)               21:22                   
147   N690          Kizer            Vanguard Swaggs Sway Back Flipper (Red W    24:14                   
147   CPM-3V        Benchmade        Bailout (Tanto)                             21:21                   
148   VG-10         Spyderco         Dragonfly (Steel Dragonfly Tattoo)          (11,24):(7:33)          
148   CPM-S35VN     Kizer            Yue Cormorant Flipper (Serape)              20:20                   
152   CPM-CruWear   Spyderco         Yojimbo 2 (Purple)                          16:16                   
157   CPM-S35VN     Civivi           Elementum II (Flipper Red/Black)            20:21
159   14C28N        Civivi           Trailblazer (Blue)                          21:21
160   VG-10         Spyderco         Stretch 2XL LW                              (13,17):(16,38)
161   CPM-D2        Benchmade        Claymore Auto                               (17,30):21
163   420           Victorinox       Skipper 0.8503.2MW-X1 (Blue Combo Smooth                            
164   14C28N        Civivi           Cogent (Jade Combo Smooth)                  20:24
164   AUS-10A       Demko            FreeReign (Blue)                            18:17
166   8Cr13MoV      CRKT             Folts S.P.I.T. Neck Knife Reverse Tanto     15:22                   
166   CPM-3V        Benchmade        Bailout SHOT Show 2023 Exclusive (Tanto     22:20
168   CPM-S90V      Benchmade        Mini Freek                                  18:18
169   CPM-CruWear   Benchmade        Mini Adamas                                 20:15
171   14C28N        Vosteed          Raccoon (Orange)                            (19,32):(19,33)
172   Vanax         Indiana Knives   EDZ (Blue Wharncliffe)                      22:20
181   CPM-S90V      Benchmade        Mediator Auto                               18:21
182   CPM-S45VN     Spyderco         Pochi                                       21:19
187   9Cr18MoV      Sencut           Sachse (Brown)                              24:25
188   12C27         James Brand      Redstone (Coral Combo Serrated)                                     
191   CPM-S35VN     Kizer            Hyper (Red/Blue)                            24:23
193   LC200N        Spyderco         Salt 2 (Smooth Wharncliffe)                 (15,34):(16,40+)
193   LC200N        Spyderco         Caribbean Salt Sheepfoot Serrated @B                                
197   CPM-S35VN     White River      M1 Pro (Orange Neck)                        22:21
201   Magnacut      Protech          Malibu                                      25:25                   
203   AUS-8         Kizlyar Supreme  Amigo Z (Blue Neck)                         20:20
206   Nitrox        TB Outdoor       CAC French Army Folding Knife (Orange Co    18:18
216   LC200N        Kizer            Azo Drop Bear (Gradient Snowflake Titani    22:21
227   5160          Buck             Compadre Froe Machete                       26:26                        
228   CPM-S35VN     Medford          Smooth Criminal Plunge Lock Flipper (Blu                            
237   Nitro-V       Vosteed          Valkyrie (Gray Sheepsfoot)                  24:20
249   14C28N        Civivi           Cogent (Burgundy Combo Serrated)                                    
255   14C28N        Civivi           Cogent (Jade Combo Serrated)                                        
266   ?             Milwaukee        48-22-1502 Utility                                                  
271   420HC         Gerber           Strongarm (Combo Smooth)                    25:20
306   Nitrox        TB Outdoor       CAC French Army Folding Knife (Orange Co                            
440   VG-10         Spyderco         Endura Thin Red Line                        (19,35):(27,45)
449   ?             Milwaukee        48-22-1500 Utility                                                  
573   ?             Dollar Tree      Folding Knife (Serrated)

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

I was going to make my own thread but I'll post here.

New from blade hq. Spyderco Enuff clip point. I really like the looks and wanted to try one.

Edge is interesting to say the least. Sounds like a zipper when pulled over my sharpmaker. Should I just send it in the spyderco for a sharpening?
View attachment 2327418
View attachment 2327419

Yeah, that's asking too much.

 

[dakotakidd]

It's not horribly dull but it's not supposed to be like that..

See if blade hq will exchange me or send it to spyderco? Ruari

 

[rlewpolar]

The sharpest knives out of the box for me consistently are Cold Steel knives. I even have a BESS tester to put numbers to my hunches. Buck and Spydercos are right up there also. Mora’s are unbelievably sharp as well. A recent Mora Robust tested at 95 on my BESS tester right out of the box. That is scary sharp.

Of course, the OP is a great knife sharpener himself. I sent him a Lionsteel blade recently and he sharpened it up beautifully and it looks better than any factory edge to boot

 

[Twindog]

Greetings folks, I know this subject comes up each year, but I figured to start a fresh one and see what the current offerings from knife makers/manufacturers are giving us lately. What got me thinking about this was a recent trade off the forums from Monofletch , thanks again for that. and this Delica with K390 blade arrived exceptionally sharp and I've handled a lot of sharp knives...!

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Stunningly sharp, as you might expect from Spyderco as @Sal Glesser and his crew are all about sharp things!

So what have you guys or gals seen lately that surprised you with either dullness or sharpness?

G2

NIce fob.

I have the time to sharpen a knife properly, including stropping after the apex is stripped clean of a burr. So production knives never seem sharp and their edge bevels are usually uneven. Large companies don't have the time to custom sharpen each knife.

My Rockstead came sharp, but my sharpest production knife was a Rukus 610 that I got years ago.

It could cut little curly figures out of the side of a Kleenex box. That was fun.

 

[Ruari]

It's not horribly dull but it's not supposed to be like that..

See if blade hq will exchange me or send it to spyderco? Ruari

I'd send it back to the vendor, but either way, two solid companies who would see you right.

 

[KrisNZ]

Mcusta!

 

[elde66]

My new Real Steel Pathfinder. It’s a Scandi grind and it’s just almost razor sharp! Close to a 4” blade in 14C. IMO, a fine cutting instrument considering the fit, the finish and the price.

 

[Lawilli2]

I my smallish collection, I have found the Deka in magnacut was shockingly sharp out the box and cuts like a laser! For a non locking the UKPK in s110v is no slouch. In the gentleman area the Boker LRF bit me pretty bad and i didn't even know it till the bleeding started, probably a testament to the geometry more than the vg10. For the 5th pocket realm, the Kizer Urban Bowie in 154cm came screaming sharp and is holding the factory edge nicely.

 

[Monofletch]

Out of the box dullest has to be every single Microtech I’ve ever owned,
Sharpest Sharp By Design mini Evo. It has an aggressive hollow grind and is quite the slicer.

 

[gary paugh]

I have bought two Montana knife co. knives that have both been very sharp and both had perfect edges.

 

[K.O.D.]

Are we strictly talking production knives? If so, sharpest OTB was probably ZT 0470.

Overall is a different story, my Biryukov knives are so sharp just looking at the edge makes my eyes bleed!

Cheburkov was damn sharp, and the Heretic Medusa is no slouch either.