These days seems like everyone is making knife blades with thick grinds. I personally am getting sick of seeing this. Who grinds a thin blade? What is the thinnest blade you have? I have two that are nice and thin, Opinel #6 a full convex ground blade, and a old out of production Ultra Lock Cold Steel Flat ground and very thin. Not a full flat grind but almost, and yes thinner than the Spydy Calipso jr.
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Thin blades
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My thinnest blade is probably my SAK. Cuts like crazy. I've taken to using it in the kitchen on a fairly regular basis.
--Josh
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Bob Dozier purposely grinds his knives thin at the edge and point for better cutting performance.
averageguy
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I agree, Thinner is better unless it is intended to be a combat blade. Frankly, I don't see why knives would ever have to be ground from anything thicker than 3/16" stock even for a combat blade. Those infamous Ka-bar WWII combat knives were only 5/32". 
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Yep. Bob Dozier grinds those blades of his thin at the edge.
Use one of Dozier's knives and it will give ya a whole new outlook on how a knife should perform.
I guess this is something the Nordic peoples, for example, have known for a long time since most of their knives traditionally have a thin often zero ground edge bevel.
I believe for most utility cutting a thin edge will be just the thing. At least, in my case, a thin edge is often more useful and efficient.
Still, there are those times when nothing but a more robust edge thickness will do. Like chopping for instance. Probably not a good idea to try chopping down a tree with a puukko or an Opinel.
Use one of Dozier's knives and it will give ya a whole new outlook on how a knife should perform.
I guess this is something the Nordic peoples, for example, have known for a long time since most of their knives traditionally have a thin often zero ground edge bevel.
I believe for most utility cutting a thin edge will be just the thing. At least, in my case, a thin edge is often more useful and efficient.
Still, there are those times when nothing but a more robust edge thickness will do. Like chopping for instance. Probably not a good idea to try chopping down a tree with a puukko or an Opinel.
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Sometime in the last year, in one of the mags, TK I believe, there was an article on a series of 4 or 5 new hunting knives put out by KaBAR. The article indicated they might not be the proper tools for elk or moose, but spoke enthusiastically of how thin the blades were ground, and how well they cut. I think the author did some test cutting of manila rope, and compared it with some other knife/knives. Since the steel wasn't one for the snobs, the author was quite surprised at how well the reviewed knife did against other steels. At least I think I remember all this. Could have been a dream, but don't think so. The knives are fairly inexpensive too, if I recall.
I totally agree, thin is in! And Dozier does an outstanding job of this on his hunting models. They will definately outcut anything I've had my hands on. The hunting Doziers I have aren't choppers, but then they aren't supposed to be. That's why the little Greco mini hand axe goes in the pack.
Richard
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My thinnest knife is a Robert Ogg kitchen knife (similar ones still made by his son Max Burnett aka MaxTheKnife). The blade is VERY thin...probably 1/32" if that much. The knife will slice a tomato or anything else paper thin with ease. It is a carbon steel blade and will discolor, but works like a champ. My wife uses it to peel potatos and it does that like she is peeling warm butter. Great knife. BTW, I also got the similar "Max Made" versions for my parents and wifes parents for xmas....they are every bit as good as the original and should be considered by anybody needing a true slicer.
I think the reason for the thick grinds tendency is the multi function idea. A parting tool, an axe and a weapon all in one knife. In my opinion a stupid idea.
My experiences in point of actual knife usage only refer to food preparation ( I am a passionate cook) and for this work you undoubtedly need knives with a thin blade. The knife with the thinnest blade I own is a small vegetables knife (Yatagan, Herder Solingen), this knife is incredible sharp and very easy to resharpen.
My experiences in point of actual knife usage only refer to food preparation ( I am a passionate cook) and for this work you undoubtedly need knives with a thin blade. The knife with the thinnest blade I own is a small vegetables knife (Yatagan, Herder Solingen), this knife is incredible sharp and very easy to resharpen.
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Thin blades are for people that want to cut. Mine, and others are thick, because not everybody knows what you should NOT do with a knife.
It is all in the reason of the knife. What is it for, and who is going to be useing it. If there is a chance it will be used for "utility" go a little thicker. Skinners go thiner.
It is all in the reason of the knife. What is it for, and who is going to be useing it. If there is a chance it will be used for "utility" go a little thicker. Skinners go thiner.
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A.G.Russell makes a couple of beautiful thin bladed hunting knives, one intended for deer sized game, and one for small game and birds. I have the small one, and it is SHARP! The Spyderco Moran is a thin blade too, as are most Puukkos that I have and the Tramontina line from Brazil. All of these are razors!Likewise both Edge Wedges. I think we're on to something here.
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Finally! I had begun to think I was missing something (I might be, but not on this). I make very large blades (up to 25") that are designed for very serious cutting, and nothing I make uses steel over 3/16". Well, I occassionally use 0.200" when that is what Crucible ships me as 3/16", but I just grind more off to get back to the light and quick I think all knives should be.
Unless you are using it as a piton or for prying rocks out of the ground, there is just no reason for heavier blade stock. The sole exception I know of are the purpose-built blades of Strider Knives which are in fact used for prying or anything else a serious military type might need of a piece of steel in very unusual situations (unlike anything likely to be encountered in a civilian world).
In the final analysis, the capacity of a knife to tolerate chopping abuse and perform heavy cutting tasks is best determined by edge weight and geometry, regardless of blade thickness. Even when prying, the point is the most vulnerable part of the knife and so long as it is pointy, it is susceptible to breaking. The overall strength in a blade is derived primarily from the spine thickness. (Sure total thickness matters, but only for very heavy prying.) Yet, very heavy blades that are flat ground with a distal taper to shape the point may actually be weaker near the point than a hollow ground blade which carries a thicker spine to within a shorter distance of the point.
Blade steel and temper are also paramount when deciding if a blade is "strong". Poorly tempered blades are brittle and/or weak. They'll break or deform, and even if the blade is 3/8" thick, nothing will keep it from breaking if it's badly tempered. Since virtually all knives made in the US, Europe, Japan and Taiwan are made of reasonable good steels, the correct temper is usually the deciding factor. Some steels are stronger, and I personally favor CPM-3V as the strongest. What I like most about 3V though is that its strength allows me to make blades even thinner still without compromising their integrity. I have made very competent and proven swords with CPM-3V as thin as 0.165". They worked because of the combination of steel strength, edge geometry, and the fact that as they were hollow ground, carrying that full 0.165" thickness to within 2" of the point. Since such blades cut handily through 10" of meat and up to 4" of solid bone in a single slice without ill effect, I think the argument is proven.
There seem to be lots of folks who buy and haul around very heavy knives, just in case they might suddenly be thrust into some post-apocalyptic scenario where they and Mad Max will have to save the world from Tina Turner and her Baddies. In the meantime they go through life with a boat anchor on their hip, opening boxes and cutting their steak with a sharpened crowbar.
Just my $0.02..., well maybe that was a nickle's worth.
Unless you are using it as a piton or for prying rocks out of the ground, there is just no reason for heavier blade stock. The sole exception I know of are the purpose-built blades of Strider Knives which are in fact used for prying or anything else a serious military type might need of a piece of steel in very unusual situations (unlike anything likely to be encountered in a civilian world).
In the final analysis, the capacity of a knife to tolerate chopping abuse and perform heavy cutting tasks is best determined by edge weight and geometry, regardless of blade thickness. Even when prying, the point is the most vulnerable part of the knife and so long as it is pointy, it is susceptible to breaking. The overall strength in a blade is derived primarily from the spine thickness. (Sure total thickness matters, but only for very heavy prying.) Yet, very heavy blades that are flat ground with a distal taper to shape the point may actually be weaker near the point than a hollow ground blade which carries a thicker spine to within a shorter distance of the point.
Blade steel and temper are also paramount when deciding if a blade is "strong". Poorly tempered blades are brittle and/or weak. They'll break or deform, and even if the blade is 3/8" thick, nothing will keep it from breaking if it's badly tempered. Since virtually all knives made in the US, Europe, Japan and Taiwan are made of reasonable good steels, the correct temper is usually the deciding factor. Some steels are stronger, and I personally favor CPM-3V as the strongest. What I like most about 3V though is that its strength allows me to make blades even thinner still without compromising their integrity. I have made very competent and proven swords with CPM-3V as thin as 0.165". They worked because of the combination of steel strength, edge geometry, and the fact that as they were hollow ground, carrying that full 0.165" thickness to within 2" of the point. Since such blades cut handily through 10" of meat and up to 4" of solid bone in a single slice without ill effect, I think the argument is proven.
There seem to be lots of folks who buy and haul around very heavy knives, just in case they might suddenly be thrust into some post-apocalyptic scenario where they and Mad Max will have to save the world from Tina Turner and her Baddies. In the meantime they go through life with a boat anchor on their hip, opening boxes and cutting their steak with a sharpened crowbar.
Just my $0.02..., well maybe that was a nickle's worth.
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Originally posted by Jerry Hossom
There seem to be lots of folks who buy and haul around very heavy knives, just in case they might suddenly be thrust into some post-apocalyptic scenario where they and Mad Max will have to save the world from Tina Turner and her Baddies. In the meantime they go through life with a boat anchor on their hip, opening boxes and cutting their steak with a sharpened crowbar.
Well, I'm one of those folks!
Better safe than sorry. I am smart enough (I think) to also carry a more practical cutting blade that is quite thin enough for most delicate tasks. My CRKT 7011LE Apache has a nice thin blade, and gets used quite a bit (unless I'm fending off post-apocalyptic starving mutant mauraders
)Yes Jerry! I finished up a biggish bowie a few weeks ago with a 10 inch blade, about 1-1/2" wide that was rather thin for its size. no more than 3/16 and actually tapered down a bit fromn that. It was flat ground but not too thin at the edge. I was very pleased with its keenness; one of the sharpest knives i have ever made. amazingly light and quick too. Not necessarily a tree chopper either, but a SLICER SLASHER. I cut myself three times finishing it. 
very minor Thin is in.
I finished up a biggish bowie a few weeks ago with a 10 inch blade, about 1-1/2" wide that was rather thin for its size. no more than 3/16 and actually tapered down a bit fromn that. It was flat ground but not too thin at the edge. I was very pleased with its keenness; one of the sharpest knives i have ever made. amazingly light and quick too. Not necessarily a tree chopper either, but a SLICER SLASHER. I cut myself three times finishing it. very minor Thin is in.
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I am also a fan of thin blades. My hunters are made typically from 1/8" stock, distal tapered to the tip and flat ground relatively thin at the edge. Some are in 3/32. My paring knives are flat ground from 1/16", and cut like crazy.
These knives however, do not hold up under a lot of prying. I had one ATS34 hunter (that really was very thin) where the customer lent his knife to a party of rather ham-fisted folks. They did a lot of prying, I could see where the edge had flexed back and forth in the belly a number of times. A couple of small chips ultimately came out of the edge. They were amazed at how well the knife cut, they had processed 3 whitetails with it, and hadn't sharpened it once. I ground the edge back to get rid of the ripples from the bending (about 3/32" from the original edge). The blade was about .015" thick at that point. Resharpened it, and haven't had a problem since.
One thing thicker stock does is it provides more dramatic grind lines. It is also easier to work with, because it is more rigid during grinding and finishing, and a deeper plunge is easier to hand rub than a shallow one.
These knives however, do not hold up under a lot of prying. I had one ATS34 hunter (that really was very thin) where the customer lent his knife to a party of rather ham-fisted folks. They did a lot of prying, I could see where the edge had flexed back and forth in the belly a number of times. A couple of small chips ultimately came out of the edge. They were amazed at how well the knife cut, they had processed 3 whitetails with it, and hadn't sharpened it once. I ground the edge back to get rid of the ripples from the bending (about 3/32" from the original edge). The blade was about .015" thick at that point. Resharpened it, and haven't had a problem since.
One thing thicker stock does is it provides more dramatic grind lines. It is also easier to work with, because it is more rigid during grinding and finishing, and a deeper plunge is easier to hand rub than a shallow one.
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Matt, would you agree that the edge damage you experienced was due to the thinness of the edge more than the thickness of the blade. 0.015" is pretty thin for heavy use. An edge won't bend any more than a blade before exceeding maximum flex where something gives. My bet is they used it to pry hip joints apart, a fairly common task with big game, but one which can bend any edge regardless of blade thickness.