Best blade thickness for a small fixed blade?

[Surfingringo]

I’ve been working on a small edc fixed blade and I’m going to have Chad Kelly make a first prototype soon. I was curious what you guys think would be the best choice of blade stock? It’s more of a LW slicer design than a hard use beater. Blade length in the 3.5” range. I’m leaning towards 2.5mm. Thinner? Thoughts? Thanks for any opinions. :spyder:

[skeeg11]

Depends upon how tall the blade is and amount of distal taper if you decided to go thinner than 2.5 mm. I like slicey knives. What steel? What fixed configuration? Don't recollect a good fixed Bird & trout in Spyderco's current lineup.

[vivi]

2.5mm sounds good.

The Street Beat at 4mm is way too thick IMO in comparison.

Very interested to see what you come up with. If you need a beta tester let me know

[Frozenspyder]

Personally, I'd like something just a little thinner, but 2.5mm isn't bad. Also, it's your design so you probably have a really good idea what thickness is best for this particular knife. 2.5mm certainly isn't too thick to keep me from buying a well designed slicer, at any rate.

[Surfingringo]

Depends upon how tall the blade is and amount of distal taper if you decided to go thinner than 2.5 mm. I like slicey knives. What steel? What fixed configuration? Don't recollect a good fixed Bird & trout in Spyderco's current lineup.

Fairly tall blade. I guess I’d classify it as a skinner but it’s intended to be just an all around EDC. I could definitely use this design with 2mm stock but I think that might be a bit thin for some peoples everyday use. With the tall blade I think 2.5 mm ground thin bte wouldn’t lose much cutting performance to a 2mm version and might be more confidence inspiring for some tasks.

[TomAiello]

2.5mm is pretty good. 2mm isn't bad. I wouldn't go thicker than 2.5mm.

I EDC 3-4" fixed blades pretty much all winter, and a bit more--maybe October to March in an average year.

[skeeg11]

Depends upon how tall the blade is and amount of distal taper if you decided to go thinner than 2.5 mm. I like slicey knives. What steel? What fixed configuration? Don't recollect a good fixed Bird & trout in Spyderco's current lineup.

Fairly tall blade. I guess I’d classify it as a skinner but it’s intended to be just an all around EDC. I could definitely use this design with 2mm stock but I think that might be a bit thin for some peoples everyday use. With the tall blade I think 2.5 mm ground thin bte wouldn’t lose much cutting performance to a 2mm version and might be more confidence inspiring for some tasks.

Most skinners do have a fairly tall blade. Have you considered a 2.5mm very high hollow grind on your fixed skinner/all around EDC? I really do like the high hollow grind on my Dozier skinners. Less drag. Wild pigs can have a lot of clingy fat underneath their hide.

[Surfingringo]

Have you considered a 2.5mm very high hollow grind...

I have. :)

[Enactive]

What sort of grinds are you thinking about? FFG? Other?

I might advocate for 2mm over 2.5, depending on design. And maybe steel...LC? Other?

It's a bit apples and oranges, but the knife that I have subject to the most stresses and strains must be a Frost' s classic Mora knife. I have had it for 25 years and carry it daily in my tool belt (5 years of carpentry and construction). When I was younger and more cavalier, I cut a steel can with it. Sharpened back up fine. I cringe now thinking about it.

The stock is nominally 2 mm, but a tiny bit thinner by my caliper. It has minimal distal taper, Scandi grind, 4.25 inch blade and 4.25 handle. It is solid "high carbon" and with an alleged 58-60 HRC (never poked it).

Edited-- i had some lag in the past ~35 min and missed a few posts.

[skeeg11]

Have you considered a 2.5mm very high hollow grind...

I have. :)

Glad to hear it. With 2.5mm stock it wouldn't have to be a deep hollow. With 2.5mm perhaps a mild high hollow done with a wheel larger than 20". You definitely have my attention. Please keep us posted. :)

[Ankerson]

I’ve been working on a small edc fixed blade and I’m going to have Chad Kelly make a first prototype soon. I was curious what you guys think would be the best choice of blade stock? It’s more of a LW slicer design than a hard use beater. Blade length in the 3.5” range. I’m leaning towards 2.5mm. Thinner? Thoughts? Thanks for any opinions. :spyder:

Thin as you want really, 2 mm even would be fine.

[prndltech]

I say 2mm... but even more important... BTE thickness. Can we go with .010” ? Could always go 2.5 if you think a little extra stock thickness is important but 2mm stock @ .010” BTE would be killer! And it would be plenty tough...

[Bill1170]

2.5 mm in a tall FFG blade with distal taper would be right for me if thin BTE.

[Abyss_Fish]

For a smaller edc focused knife thinner is great, since you really wouldn't be beating on it. 2.5mm stock is good as well, long as it's ground thin. I understand the aforementioned .010" bte thickness is a tad difficult to reach in a production setting, but anything close would be wonderful. I'd also go for the 2.9" range for the blade, as that would make it legal in a lot more places. And of course since it's an edc fixie I'd go for lc200n. That'd be my choice for it all.

But of course with all the spectacular design choices on the waterway, I'm confident you'll make all the right choices here. :D







Have I mentioned how wonderful the waterway is?

[Evil D]

For the size you mentioned I think 2.5 is plenty, assuming this isn't meant to be one of those "knives used during the apocalypse". A blade can be made significantly stronger or more fragile depending on things like blade grind and distal taper and blade height. The market for "sharpened pry bars" is already saturated.

[The Meat man]

That is really cool to hear, Gringo!

2mm would be my vote. Make it thin behind the edge too, and what a cutting tool that would be!

[tonijedi]

I think it shouldn't be thinner than 2.5mm for a general use knife.
Thickness behind the edge is important, take that into consideration and it should be good.

[Notsurewhy]

Judging by the market? 4-5mm. Going by performance, common use and common sense? 2-2.5mm.

[The Meat man]

Knives can be thin and plenty strong enough. Bark River Knives makes (or made) a 5.5" fixed blade with stock under 2.5:

https://www.dlttrading.com/mountain-man ... micarta-51

If it's adequate for a 5 inch blade I don't see why 2mm wouldn't work in a much shorter blade.

[Cambertree]

I’d say go for the 2mm stock as well. The truth is most of us here have a bunch of different knives for different purposes, so a knife like this doesn’t have to be everything to everyone. Having nice thin stock with a thin grind, will help to make this a really carried and used slicer.

As well as the design, I’m sure. :)

Were you thinking of using LC200N for this?

I think a lot of people are keen to see K390 used in a fixed blade slicer, too. :D