Spyderco 2022 Reveal Vol 9

This looks awesome, especially the new Webfoot CBN sharpener:

[catalog.spyderco.com]

The XL Stretch looks rather awesome, I would have loved a thinner blade, ala Chaparral, but it doesn't seem that common
I also need to try other Byrd models, the one I recently got was surprisingly good

Yeah the XL Stretch might be a good one. I had a Stretch 2 in ZDP-189 but I traded it because the handle was just too small for me.

I also agree on the Chapparal blade stock thickness being applied to other knives, mine in the FRN handles cuts extremely well. Probably the highest cutting ability of any of my folders. Thin stock, thin edge, and the classic Spyderco full-flat grind with distal taper.

Quote
Millscale
I also need to try other Byrd models, the one I recently got was surprisingly good

I used and abused my Byrd Meadowlark G10 in a pretty rough work environment and was nothing but happy with it, especially with the steel, which I Rockwell tested at 60.5 C scale. It’s was a great knife. Not the most corrosion resistant steel but to me it was well worth the trouble because of how well it did when cutting and sharpening. Took a high sharpness easily, held that pretty well, and it took less damage in the same environment than S30V or VG-10 at similar edge angles.

My FRN Chaparral is 2 mm thick at the spine where the jimping starts and distal tapers to a very fine point, almost makes for a decent paring knife, last time I measured the thickness behind the edge it was about. 017 1mm or so up into the primary grind, pretty decent, nothing to write home about compared to for example an opinel, still the thinnest bte modern folder I have.
The only other small to medium size model with a seemingly thin stock looks to be the Centofante, hollow grind though. Maybe one day.

I recently bought a full serrated Byrd hawkbill for rough use at work, very handy for slicing open stout plastic bags, zipties, pallet straps etc, the blade rides on bronze washers (I was expecting plastic) and the action is pretty smooth now after a little work in. Acceptable fit and finish.
I keep a rather coarse working edge on it, almost seems to sharpen by accident, burr formation is minimal, apexing is trivial and the blade holds the aggressive edge really well.
Hearing that they also harden the steel to a relatively high hardness for such a cheap knife makes me wonder if spending money on the more premium lines makes any sense at all.
Sorry, edited typos



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2022 06:41PM by Millscale.

Millscale,
I want to get a Centofante because it has a high hollow grind. They are a better all around cutter or as strong as a Full Flat Grind, but they do have their advantages in certain types of cutting along with not thickening up as fast with multiple sharpenings.

Jasonstone20,
the thing I don't particularly like about hollow grinds or partial grinds in general is that they generally cut very well (depending on geometry of course) only when the cuting depth doesn't exceed the tallness of the grind, that theorically limits their usefulness.
However, a blade that thin shouldn't bind all that much, I seriously doubt it would for example wedge an apple apart and so on.
I guess one could also use the shoulder of the grind as a built-in guide to hone the edgeto the lowest possible angle, that would be interesting if you don't mind the aesthetics, I personally don't

Millscale,
Yes, exactly. On some knives the partial grind is not that big, meaning the primary grind is closer to the spine. If I could have my wishes, I would have a full-height hollow grind, but that doesn't seem to be made that often.

Jasonstone20,
I've never had or used a straight razor, but it seems some are ground just like that or close.
I guess blades like this are extremely sensitive to lateral forces and twisting motions, even more than a thin flat grind, probably the reason they are never used on general use knives.
I've heard that hollow grinds were developed for hunting knives, to get blades with thick spines for resisting lateral stress and a thin edges for shallow cutting like skinning game, definitely makes sense this way

Millscale,
I did a post on the Old Forum about knives I had that had full height hollow grinds:
Production Knives With Full Height Hollow Grinds

You might also want to play around with a Gold Dollar Straight Razor just for fun.