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Blade grinding: types you should know

Blade grinds are an essential aspect of knives that greatly influences how effective a blade is for certain tasks. Each grind has its own advantages and disadvantages that make it particularly suitable for certain uses. In this guide, we will explain in detail the most common blade grinds, their characteristics, and their areas of application.

1. Flat Grind

Characteristics: With a flat grind, the blade tapers evenly from the cutting edge to the spine of the blade. There are several variations, including the full flat grind, where the taper extends from the cutting edge to the spine, and the partial flat grind, where the taper only covers part of the blade height.

Application:

  • Areas of use: All-purpose knives, kitchen knives, outdoor knives
  • Advantages: Good cutting performance, easy to sharpen, versatile
  • Disadvantages: Can be less robust than other grinds, especially with thin blades

2. Hollow Grind

Characteristics: The hollow grind is created by grinding concave surfaces on both sides of the blade, creating a very thin and sharp cutting edge. This grind is often done with grinding wheels.

Application:

  • Areas of use: Razors, hunting knives, fine cutting work
  • Advantages: Very sharp cutting edge, ideal for precise cuts, easy to sharpen
  • Disadvantages: Less robust, can be easily damaged during tough tasks

3. Convex grind

Properties: With a convex grind, the blade tapers outwards towards the cutting edge. This grind is also known as a "Hammesfahr grind" and is created by grinding with convex grinding wheels or freehand.

Application:

  • Areas of use: outdoor knives, bushcraft knives, axes
  • Advantages: Very robust, resistant to damage, good cutting performance on hard materials
  • Disadvantages: More difficult to sharpen, less precise than other grinds

4. V-grind (V-grind or Sabre grind)

Properties: The V-grind is a simple grind in which the blade runs from the cutting edge in a V-angle. There are variants with symmetrical or asymmetrical angles.

Application:

  • Areas of use: All-purpose knives, kitchen knives, tactical knives
  • Advantages: Easy to sharpen, good balance between sharpness and robustness
  • Disadvantages: Can be harder to cut through materials with thicker blades

5. Scandinavian grind (Scandi Grind)

Characteristics: The Scandinavian grind has a wide, flat bevel that runs from the cutting edge to a point about one-third of the way up the blade. This grind is very common on Scandinavian knives.

Application:

  • Areas of use: Bushcraft knives, carving knives, outdoor knives
  • Advantages: Very robust, good for woodwork and rough cutting work, easy to sharpen
  • Disadvantages: May be less precise for finer cutting work

6. Chisel Grind

Features: The chisel grind is similar to a chisel because only one side of the blade is sharpened while the other side remains flat. This grind is often used on Japanese kitchen knives.

Application:

  • Areas of use: Japanese kitchen knives, special cutting work, tactical knives
  • Advantages: Very sharp cutting edge, ideal for precise cuts, easy to sharpen
  • Disadvantages: Can lead to one-sided cutting, requires special sharpening techniques

Conclusion

Choosing the right blade grind depends greatly on the specific needs and tasks the knife will be used for. While some grinds, such as the flat grind and V-grind, are versatile, specialized grinds, such as the hollow grind or chisel grind, offer advantages in certain applications. Maintaining the blade and sharpening it regularly is crucial to maintaining the knife's performance and lifespan. Each grind has its own advantages and disadvantages, and understanding these differences will help in finding the perfect knife for each task.

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