Whats the best grind for your ideal bushcraft knife?

[benp1]

i guess i don't know what i prefer as i've only recently picked up a scandi fixed blade (apart from my mora)

i have a convex, flat and hollow ground knives. I use a convex blade normally and absolutely love it. Can't really see myself changing for the next little while

[mariobab]

If it was only one blade it would be convex(for strength and durability),but I always have 3 on me;machete or hatchet-convex,6" fixed-sabre ,and folder full flat.

[fred gordon]

Pardon my ignorance but very few people voted for the concave grind. What are its disadvantages?

[forginhill]

What was said in the previous post. It lacks strength. The convex edge has much more steel behind it to give it strength. Also, after a lot of sharpening, the concave (or hollow ground) needs to be reground. The convex can be sharpened continually.

Todd

[Lord Farquhar]

I would go for a flat grind but with a convexed edge, I like convexed edges as they are stronger that flats and are easy to sharpen.

[Graham_S]

I use a Svord Drop Point.
thin blade (2-3mm) with a convex edge.
I can maintain the edge on my belt.
the thin blade isn't brilliant for splitting but it's quite deep so a twist/wedge/baton technique works quite well.

[seved]

When i hunt i like a fullflat knife with a little convex secondary edge i have tryed it with my knife in 2140(O1) and i have chopped ribs with it and it is still sharp so i am happy with it. Its big, its 7,5mm thick and ca 220 mm long width is 40mm and it is a fulltang.. I have a smaller to, a sticktang fullflat with convex secondary edge in aeb-l its nice to. But a fullconvex blade is very nice to i think.

Seved

[w00dsmoke]

For many years I used knives and was really quite ignorant about them for as long as they kept sharp they did me fine in my work and to a certain degree they were disposable.

I don't use knives in my profession but I use them in my hobbies/lifestyle out of work. To be fair I've only recently (in the last few years) moved away from hunting style knives like Buck and Puma and used as a workhorse the cheap but fantastic MORA's however great these knives are for mutitasking, I won a BUCK vanguard hollowground
http://www.coltelleriacollini.it/int...all90/0282.jpg

on a BCUK charity auction and it's the most beautiful knife I've ever used. For around camp it's the easiest to keep sharp ( a quick strop), it's balanced, it cuts better than anything I've ever used before. So for me it's the perfect edge over any knife I've owned. Despite the disadvantages of a hollow ground, it does the job better for me, if I need something stronger I'll use a different tool like a saw or billhook.

[maddave]

I originally liked scandi but find convex a lot easier to use and sharpen. So much so that I use my GB mini more than a knife on camp because it does a great job and is easy to fettle in the field

[Bogman10]

How to Buy an Outdoor Knife by George Leonard Herter

An outdoor knife must be made for service--not show. Your life may depend on it. Real outdoor people realize that so-called sportsmen or outdoor knives have long been made for sale, not for use. The movies and television show their characters wearing fancy sheath knives. Knife makers advertised them and drugstore outdoorsmen bought them. Nothing marks a man to be a tenderfoot more than these showy useless knives.

Here are some of the duties a true woodsman knife must perform:

1. The knife must stay sharp for long periods of time without shapening. The steel should combine the best characteristics of electric furnace quality high carbon 1095 steel and high carbon 440 B stainless steel. The blade hardness, known among steel experts as 56 Rockwell C, should not be affected by atmospheric moisture, salt spray, fruit acids or blood. It should withstand extreme temperatures without becoming brittle, no matter how cold it may be. A good steel knife blade will "blue" or darken itself with use, making it pratically rustproof. If knife blade steel is really good, it will cut through nails without bending over the edge.

2. The knife must be shaped so it is ideal for cleaning and skinning game of all kinds, from rabbits to moose. The best shape for this is the improved Bowie.

3. The knife must have a handle long enough so that it fits a man's hand so pressure can be put on the blade when desired. On nearly all outdoor knives the handles are much too short. The handle of the knife must be made to last a lifetime. Leather handles rot and mildew, stag handles crack, plastic handles crack and are highly inflammable. African mineral-type woods are best, and they will stand all kinds of weather for a lifetime and more.

4. The blade of the knife must not be hollow ground. Hollow grinding weakens a blade so that the edge will bend or break under heavy usage. A wedge edge is the strongest and most durable ever designed.

5. The blade of the knife must be hand forged in order to give the steel maximum strength and hardness.

6. The blade of the knife must not have a blood groove. A blood groove is strictly advertising and badly weakens the blade. Professional butchers do not use them.

7. The knife must be easy to carry and light in weight. The blade length must be 4 inches long. Four inches is the length established for a woodsman knife by over 200 years of experience. Blades shorter are all right for Boy Scouts, but not for serious woodsmen, Longer than 4 inches is unnecessary and adds weight.

8. The knife should have no hilt as it only adds weight. If the knife blade is properly designed, that is slightly indented, you cannot cut your finger no matter how hard you thrust. You need only thrust in a hand to hand combat with a man or a wounded animal.

9. The knife must be capable of slicing bacon and cutting bread. It must be a comfortable knife for eating and cutting cooked meat.

I dislike seeming prejudiced but the George L. Herter knife made by Herter's is and has been the choice of real outdoor people.

According to this guy, Rutstrum was a "greenhorn" since he favored the marbles style knife, which isn't too far off a Nessmuk, and Kepheart was a tenderfoot too!! Me thinks Georgie boy might have been a bit of a Kook!

[Hoodoo]

According to this guy, Rutstrum was a "greenhorn" since he favored the marbles style knife, which isn't too far off a Nessmuk, and Kepheart was a tenderfoot too!! Me thinks Georgie boy might have been a bit of a Kook!

I guess that's one interpretation. By the same token, all three favored lightweight, thin-bladed knives with a useable point that were not too long and had comfortable handles. True, ol' George was a first-rate huckster but he sold a lot of useful knives that are still around today.

[bushwacker bob]

It still puzzles me why most UK bushcrafters go from a 2mm Mora to a bushcrafter that is 4 or 5mm thick.
I have used a mora and its thick enough for all camp chores,I have never heard of anyone snapping a blade, so why have a great chunk of steel that is absolutely crap for food prep?
My bushcrafter is about 3mm thick and that is still a bit thick for slicing and dicing.

[Hoodoo]

It still puzzles me why most UK bushcrafters go from a 2mm Mora to a bushcrafter that is 4 or 5mm thick.
I have used a mora and its thick enough for all camp chores,I have never heard of anyone snapping a blade, so why have a great chunk of steel that is absolutely crap for food prep?
My bushcrafter is about 3mm thick and that is still a bit thick for slicing and dicing.

'Tis a puzzle. I used to think it was because the thicker blade makes a better "splitter" but it's a rare day I go afield without a small hatchet. With a baton, it does a pretty good job of splitting. If I need to pry, I'll carve a stick.

I've not found much use for a blade over 1/8" thick and my preference is for 3/32". If the blades are wide, I can live with thicker stock if it's a full flat or convex grind and zero edge. Not my first choice though because it just adds weight.

[bushwacker bob]

'Tis a puzzle. I used to think it was because the thicker blade makes a better "splitter" but it's a rare day I go afield without a small hatchet. With a baton, it does a pretty good job of splitting. If I need to pry, I'll carve a stick.

I've not found much use for a blade over 1/8" thick and my preference is for 3/32". If the blades are wide, I can live with thicker stock if it's a full flat or convex grind and zero edge. Not my first choice though because it just adds weight.

Even without a hatchet I can still split wood with a Mora, you just have to choose what bits of wood you can split. I dont try to baton anything wider than the knife.
But what do we know. Maybe we just haven't had the same experience eh, Hoodoo.

[Hoodoo]

Even without a hatchet I can still split wood with a Mora, you just have to choose what bits of wood you can split. I dont try to baton anything wider than the knife.
But what do we know. Maybe we just haven't had the same experience eh, Hoodoo.

I remember many years ago when the Woodlore was just starting to sell, they were very pricey even then and hard to get so a bunch of us on a forum got together and came up with a similar knife. At the time I remember I had to battle a bit to get an 1/8" blade. People were arguing that we weren't being "true" to the Woodlore design. Fortunately we ended up having thickness as an option. I have 3 of those knives now, one in 5/32" and two in 1/8". The 5/32" has a very high scandi grind so it works well but I prefer the 1/8" blades and they also have a fairly high scandi grind. I see 1/8" as being plenty stout and 3/32" an ideal blend of strength and cutting efficiency. Grind can make a difference though.

This the the 5/32" model compared to a WS Woodlore and Helle.



This is one of the 1/8" models. Still has a higher grind than a Woodlore. This knife will eat wood and it's perfect for splitting long branches lengthwise for making bushcraft tools.



And speaking of high grind, the grind on this puukko is wicked.

[TheGreenMan]

I’ve refrained from posting on this thread, mainly because I don’t do any bushcraft, and in some sense that would make me in the eyes of some forum members, a fraud. But, the sight of that puukko blade has made me obliged to comment that, that blade, is, by far, my favourite to date and close to sublime.

Replace the cork (?) handle with another material, and that would be close to perfect for my general needs. The 3/32” and 1/8” Woodlore variants are a close second (knowledge of steel composition and heat treatment, not withstanding)

The very best of regards,
Paul.

[Hoodoo]

I’ve refrained from posting on this thread, mainly because I don’t do any bushcraft, and in some sense that would make me in the eyes of some forum members, a fraud. But, the sight of that puukko blade has made me obliged to comment that, that blade, is, by far, my favourite to date and close to sublime.

Replace the cork (?) handle with another material, and that would be close to perfect for my general needs. The 3/32” and 1/8” Woodlore variants are a close second (knowledge of steel composition and heat treatment, not withstanding)

The very best of regards,
Paul.

Paul, that's a birch bark handle and that's the main reason I bought the knife. Birch bark handles have an incredible feel to them and this one in particular is exceptional in that regard. Incredible warmth, cushion and excellent grippiness. Plush.

Birch trees rot long before the bark does, so there are natural chemicals in birch bark that contribute to its longevity as well.

This knife came from Finnish knifemaker Pekka Tuominen. Pekka is a superb knifemaker and excellent to work with. He's very good at answering emails and delivering knives when promised.

[bushwacker bob]

The grind on my bushcraft knife is close to that on the OSF knife (Nick Wheeler?)
It and a mora are the only scandi grind knifes I own. I think we're both singing from the same Hymn sheet on this one. The only other fixed blade that get a lot of use is my BRKT OMF knife which is theoretically convex ground,but is closer to a full flat grind with a convex edge and despite it diminutive size tackles pretty much everything.If it had a 3-4" blade and full size handle,I'd consider it just about perfect.
I have to agree with the Greenman about your Tuominen scandi,the blade on that looks spot on.It would be just at home in the kitchen as in the woods, which is precisely what a 'bushcraft' knife should be.(IMO)

[Hoodoo]

The grind on my bushcraft knife is close to that on the OSF knife (Nick Wheeler?)
It and a mora are the only scandi grind knifes I own. I think we're both singing from the same Hymn sheet on this one. The only other fixed blade that get a lot of use is my BRKT OMF knife which is theoretically convex ground,but is closer to a full flat grind with a convex edge and despite it diminutive size tackles pretty much everything.If it had a 3-4" blade and full size handle,I'd consider it just about perfect.
I have to agree with the Greenman about your Tuominen scandi,the blade on that looks spot on.It would be just at home in the kitchen as in the woods, which is precisely what a 'bushcraft' knife should be.(IMO)

I'm hearin' ya!

[Shinken]

sight of that puukko blade has made me obliged to comment that, that blade, is, by far, my favourite to date and close to sublime.

Paul, you should check out the hankala blades. they are very similar!

[Shinken]

It's interesting hearing about the high scandi grinds. it definitely improves slice-ability, but i feel at the cost of tip strength.

The more i try and discover the "perfect bushknife" the more i realize there isn't one.

Its always a trade of, the woodlore is not my perfect knife. But it has it's good points, a fantastic slicer (thin kitchen knife) would slice extremely well but just would not carve wood at all. The woodlore can carve wood really well, and it can slice food. If your going to have one knife then the woodlore is good because its designed for the strongest job it will do and it still does the other jobs also albeit not the best at those jobs.

I go down the carry more than one knife route!

A small neck knife for detail work, and a bigger knife for removing lots of wood or slicing things.

In relation to grinds this could be

A 4" convex ground knife with a sloyd type wood carving knife
or
A 4" scandi knife with a thin opinal type knife for slicing

Lots of other fun combinations too, its actually a good thing that no one knife does everything well because it gives us lots of enjoyment trying different things out to see what suits us best. Never suits the wallet best though

[TheGreenMan]

Paul, that's a birch bark handle...

Birch bark, of course it is...Doh!

...This knife came from Finnish knifemaker Pekka Tuominen. Pekka is a superb knifemaker and excellent to work with. He's very good at answering emails and delivering knives when promised.

Thanks for this Link. I've long admired the Finnish high grind, to my eyes his knives look very workmanlike, very effective cutters with a wonderful simplicity of form.

Paul, you should check out the hankala blades. they are very similar!

Thanks, Shinken, I'll check it out.

Cheers guys,
Paul.

[Hoodoo]

Jukka's knives are superb. Beautifully forged rhomboidal cross section. HisTuhkuri is one tough hombre. Pekka and Jukka are good friends and both excellent makers.

[TheGreenMan]

Jukka's knives are superb. Beautifully forged rhomboidal cross section. HisTuhkuri is one tough hombre. Pekka and Jukka are good friends and both excellent makers.

How does one choose, I wonder?

Kind regards,
Paul.

[Hoodoo]

Buy two or three.

The way the dollar is right now, it's actually quite a splurge for me to buy one of Pekka's or Jukka's knives. I've been lusting after another one of Jukka's knives for a long time but the dollar just kept declining. Still on my list. Pricewise, you folks are in much better shape.

[TheGreenMan]

Buy two or three. ...

That was the answer I was hoping for

Cheers,
Paul.

[blackwolf1]

I've stated that I am a fan of Bark River knives,especially their bushcraft line.
I've used North Stars,Mini north stars and am now using an Aurora.
All are convex ground and screaming sharp.All I've done to sharpen them ,or just a touch up has been a simple stropping.Very easy to maintain,even under field conditions with a
Altoids tin sharpener.
I've peeled bark,made fuzz sticks,sharpened tent pegs,etc all w/o any issues.

[watercress]

There are many very use full edges for your knife that work well in what ever situation you may be in. I like the Grohmann Grind. I liek the bit & it holds really well & is not hard to get back. I have a Frost that i carry for fine feather sticks or filleting my catch on the river.

Cheers

[Toddy]

Paul, that's a birch bark handle and that's the main reason I bought the knife. Birch bark handles have an incredible feel to them and this one in particular is exceptional in that regard. Incredible warmth, cushion and excellent grippiness. Plush.

Birch trees rot long before the bark does, so there are natural chemicals in birch bark that contribute to its longevity as well.

This knife came from Finnish knifemaker Pekka Tuominen. Pekka is a superb knifemaker and excellent to work with. He's very good at answering emails and delivering knives when promised.

Oh, wow.....beautiful work
I've just followed your link and am now in hot water with himself who's just said, "Another knife ! " with all the opprobium only a husband of thirty years can get away with.....

.............it's my birthday soon , but I so don't need another knife........

I voted Scandi on the poll but Leon_1 made me the most beautiful set from a Fallkniven WM1 blade, and I have really taken to the convex grind. It's excellent in use for virtually every purpose and it not only keeps its' edge but sharpens quickly and easily, though to be honest, I usually just polish/ hone it to restore the edge.

cheers,
Toddy

[Hoodoo]

Oh, wow.....beautiful work
I've just followed your link and am now in hot water with himself who's just said, "Another knife ! " with all the opprobium only a husband of thirty years can get away with.....

.............it's my birthday soon , but I so don't need another knife........

I voted Scandi on the poll but Leon_1 made me the most beautiful set from a Fallkniven WM1 blade, and I have really taken to the convex grind. It's excellent in use for virtually every purpose and it not only keeps its' edge but sharpens quickly and easily, though to be honest, I usually just polish/ hone it to restore the edge.

cheers,
Toddy

Well, if you like Pekka's work, I have some more photos...