Un-sharpened blade heel, what do you think?

[awa54]

This is a pet peeve of mine, not because the cutting edge is reduced, but because after repeated sharpening the edge will recede making the un-sharpened area that much more obvious... also that sort of edge transition is hard on the shoulders of sharpening stones if you try to work all the way to the end of the sharpened edge.

I modify this area on almost every knife I own by adding a small rounded relief notch at the end of the grind so that I can bevel and sharpen the entire edge.

[The Deacon]

Seems to come down to choosing what you consider to be the lesser of two evils. You ether have an unsharpened bit where the radius of the plunge grind meets the edge grind that tends to grow over time, or a sharpening choil for things to snag on.

[Holzfaeller]

I won't buy a knife that comes with a sharpening notch. A millimeter of unsharpened edge doesn't bother me, but hanging the blade on a piece of fabric is just absurd.

[bearfacedkiller]

There was a thread about sharpening choils in which Sal basically said that you can always add one but you can't take one off so they don't add them. I have used and sharpened my Swick3 a ton. This thing has been used for icefishing duty since it came out and the edge got a little wonky near the ricasso from extensive sharpening. Being a wharncliffe it is sharpened on a bench stone most of the time. I decided to add a choil before things got worse and I can tell you that it was very easy. Reprofiling an edge takes longer for sure.





These two came with sharpening choils.



Overall, I am indifferent to this issue and will use a knife either way.

[Surfingringo]

Seems to come down to choosing what you consider to be the lesser of two evils. You ether have an unsharpened bit where the radius of the plunge grind meets the edge grind that tends to grow over time, or a sharpening choil for things to snag on.

This^

I won't buy a knife that comes with a sharpening notch. A millimeter of unsharpened edge doesn't bother me, but hanging the blade on a piece of fabric is just absurd.

And this^

[anagarika]

Rather than a flat sharpening choil, why not a small sharp notch? It won't snag (cause it's sharp) & still provide the necessary access.
Here's Unit's tips: https://youtu.be/VMvE-b4259A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Brock O Lee]

The unsharpened heel bothers me. I usually add a small sharpening notch (corner of the brown triangle), but small enough that it sharpens out almost immediately, and does not snag on anything.

[awa54]

It's been my experience that small sharpening notches don't cause problems with everyday cutting tasks, bigger ones definitely create a situation where the notch is likely to grab stuff... the sharpened angular notch also works well, though it requires the right tools to create.

Honestly I have been carefully sharpening back to the grind/ricasso transition on my recent Spyderco acquisitions, just for aesthetics. The long un-sharp heels like the N5 features are a pain to rework though.

An even bigger knife heel fail IMO is kitchen knives with heavy bolsters that go all the way down to the cutting edge at the heel... many high-end chef's knives feature these and after just a few sharpenings you have to grind back the bolster at the heel to use these knives to make a cut with the heel of the blade. It baffles me why this is considered a desirable feature, my only guess is that it's supposed to provide strength for cutting bones or breaking up frozen stuff, but you shouldn't be using a regular chef's for that anyway. Plus it adds weight and production cost.

[smuckfelly]

nice discussion you guys having here. is really an eye opening for me as a newbie.

[Bill1170]

It's been my experience that small sharpening notches don't cause problems with everyday cutting tasks, bigger ones definitely create a situation where the notch is likely to grab stuff... the sharpened angular notch also works well, though it requires the right tools to create.

Honestly I have been carefully sharpening back to the grind/ricasso transition on my recent Spyderco acquisitions, just for aesthetics. The long un-sharp heels like the N5 features are a pain to rework though.

An even bigger knife heel fail IMO is kitchen knives with heavy bolsters that go all the way down to the cutting edge at the heel... many high-end chef's knives feature these and after just a few sharpenings you have to grind back the bolster at the heel to use these knives to make a cut with the heel of the blade. It baffles me why this is considered a desirable feature, my only guess is that it's supposed to provide strength for cutting bones or breaking up frozen stuff, but you shouldn't be using a regular chef's for that anyway. Plus it adds weight and production cost.

I hear you on the bolstered kitchen knives. I much prefer the bolster-free Japanese patterns. It is very handy to initiate a cut with the heel of a santoku, for instance. (Spell check tried to replace "santoku" with "Santorum" - twice! LOL)

[Cliff Stamp]

There is no need for sharpening notches to snag, they can be just sloped forward.

However the knife can also be reground fully sharpened right back to the full stock. There are a few guys on YT who do this as part of their typical sharpening services. Once it it fully sharpened it tends to stay that way as long as you are careful to work that area equally with the stone. Most people don't hence why the unsharpened portion tends to keep growing.

[endgame]

I have no problem sharpening right to tbe bolster with my wicked edge even with my chef knives.the wicked edge you can start the stone at bolster the reverse it making it easy to sharpen the end without scrating the bolster

[awa54]

I have no problem sharpening right to tbe bolster with my wicked edge even with my chef knives.the wicked edge you can start the stone at bolster the reverse it making it easy to sharpen the end without scrating the bolster

if you're using diamond hones (or files) with crisp edges and you work lightly (or have stones with embedded abrasive as opposed to plated abrasive), then this is practical, but it still frustrates me that a knife with the level of finish that Spyderco provides stops short of a fully sharpened blade by 2mm...

I stand by my outright opposition to blade heel bolsters on chef knives, they add weight (needlessly) and complicate sharpening of the knife over its service life. Certainly if you aren't bothered by them, it opens up a number of makers who produce otherwise very decent knives, but I'll stay away!

[endgame]

I have no problem.I also like a heavy knife.I have had my shun ken onions since 2009 I barly lost much of the vlade to sharpening.each chef has his own likes and dislikes.were stubborn asses thats why were chefs.lol

[Evil D]

So...sharpen the sharpening choil into a single sharp serration. Nothing snags, it functions as a sharpening choil. No unsightly unsharpened heal. Problem solved, everyone is happy.

[Bill1170]

So...sharpen the sharpening choil into a single sharp serration. Nothing snags, it functions as a sharpening choil. No unsightly unsharpened heal. Problem solved, everyone is happy.

Ooh, I like that idea, very clever, David.

[Spey]

I think this area should just be sharpened (as soon as you have the secondary bevel chosen for a first good sharpening). Yes, takes a little thought, time, patience (how to not get a half-smiley, recurve, etc.), but I believe the best solution if possible. Sometimes done in one sharpening, sometimes over the course of the first few as the edge is being tested over the "honeymoon phase" of becoming a trader, keeper, user.

I don't like sharpening choils (for reasons already mentioned), and I like my edges sharpened to the ricasso.

EDIT: Sorry for the pocket lint (did not see this till photo posted :-)