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What are the practical benefits of a full flat grind?
- Thread starter Wrace
- Start date
Ability to slice through thick materials is enhanced by a full flat grind, compared to a blade with most other types of in the same thickness. A full hollow grind would likely outperform the full flat grind, at the expense of lateral stiffness and durability.
Full flat grinds are often found on kitchen knives, especially ones used for slicing thick, stiff vegetables. They are esteemed for large, thick chopping knives, as they compensate for the loss of cutting ability associated with thick blades.
Full flat grinds are often found on kitchen knives, especially ones used for slicing thick, stiff vegetables. They are esteemed for large, thick chopping knives, as they compensate for the loss of cutting ability associated with thick blades.
Well I just cut an apple yesterday and got some insight. With my hollow, or rather "saber" ground Delica, the knife went through easily for where the hollow part was. When it got to the thicker grind, it started pushing the two sides of the apple apart, so when I started pushing down, the knife was pushing outside from the inside of the apple (I hope that makes sense). So pretty soon the edge was doing little cutting, and the thick ground part was basically pushing the apple apart.
With a flat grind, I would imagine that the edge would be doing more work.
I'm not super experienced in cutlery or physics, so if anyone wants to add to that or dispute it, please feel free. This is all just my induction.
With a flat grind, I would imagine that the edge would be doing more work.
I'm not super experienced in cutlery or physics, so if anyone wants to add to that or dispute it, please feel free. This is all just my induction.
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2005
- Messages
- 597
A full flat gives a lot of strength behind the edge and an "inclined plane" to help smoothly open the material after the initial cut. I really prefer the full flat for every application, from delicate to heavy cutting. A hollow grind has a very thin section of steel behind the edge - some feel this makes for more sharpness at the expense of overall strength - I'm not so sure it gives more sharpness. Definitely, I think a hollow grind will bind in a cut when the material is thick - or just try to push it apart, as THG found with the apple test. For things like cutting rope or other things without a lot of thickness the hollow can do well. Hollows can also remain easier to maintain over a lot of years as the steel wears away and moves higher up the edge - it doesn't blunt out so much. Not a big deal with a thin kitchen knife but more of a deal with a thick "tactical" knife. But I doubt this consideration will matter around these here parts (meaning the forum folk) - I really doubt one knife will get that much use. There's too many other knives to buy. If your hollow is "hair whittling sharp," I really doubt it will make much practical difference though to the cardboard, cheese wedge, or deer haunch you are cutting on. In SD parlance, the way I think of it, full flats are good for cutting, hollows for slashing.
I wouldn't know because I don't even have a FG knife
Why/how is it easier to sharpen?
With a flat grind you can just lay the blade on its side on the stone and rub away. since the edge and the grind are at the same angle this will (eventually) grind the edge sharp...ie, there's no 2nd bevel. The downside is that you have to grind away a LOT of metal...the whole blade width, so most folks probably lose patience and tilt the blade a few degrees off the stone to produce a small 2nd bevel. Afterwards, of course, the blade's no longer truly "flat ground".
On a non-flat grind blade you have to try to hold the blade at the proper angle, a feat that takes practice since the 2nd bevel width is small and doesn't naturally sit flat on the stone. Scandinavian grinds are a good compromise of the two, since the the 2nd bevel is wide (~ 1.4" ) thus the bevel is easy to sit flat on the stone.
JMH
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2003
- Messages
- 842
You are talking about a Zero edge not flat ground. A flat ground knife still has an edge bevel.
My guess is that very few factory flat ground blades ground to a zero edge. Every one I've seen has a secondary bevel. Way too often, it's thick and obtuse, largely negating the advantages of having a full flat grind in the first place.
What vs what? A full flat grind may have more lateral strength and durability than a full hollow grind. But less than a full convex, or Scandi, or various sabre grinds.
tomcrx said:
What vs what? A full flat grind may have more lateral strength and durability than a full hollow grind. But less than a full convex, or Scandi, or various sabre grinds.
A flat-ground knife, like Outlaw said, has a v-grind edge, just like a a hollow-ground knife. So..... sharpening is the same.
A "zero-ground" edge is most commonly found on Scandinavian knives. I don;t know this for sure, but I think they coined the term "Scandinavian-grind" or "Scandi-grind"..... or maybe someone else did because their knives are so often made that way.
Even then, not all Scandi-ground knives are ground to "zero"... some are slightly beveled or slightly hollow-ground.
A "zero-ground" edge is most commonly found on Scandinavian knives. I don;t know this for sure, but I think they coined the term "Scandinavian-grind" or "Scandi-grind"..... or maybe someone else did because their knives are so often made that way.
Even then, not all Scandi-ground knives are ground to "zero"... some are slightly beveled or slightly hollow-ground.