Shaman primary intended use

[ejames13]

I really enjoy the Shaman in many ways. It's fun to flick, feels great in the hand, and carries very well. That said, I don't enjoy cutting with it that much.

Most of the time the blade slips off whatever I'm cutting about halfway through (often breaking down cardboard boxes). It always feels like the blade is just a bit too short and the tip a bit too upswept. I assume it just doesn't fit my uses that well.

So for those who find the Shaman an ideal cutter, what do you primarily use it for?

[TkoK83Spy]

Hmmm, What kind of grit finish do you have on the edge? Sounds like it needs to be a bit more coarse. I loved my Shaman when I was doing warehouse work. Absolute monster.

[ejames13]

Hmmm, What kind of grit finish do you have on the edge? Sounds like it needs to be a bit more coarse. I loved my Shaman when I was doing warehouse work. Absolute monster.

Maybe slipping is the wrong work. I slice with it and the slice makes it to the end of the blade before I make it through the material.

I've owned a number of Shamans and put various finishes on them from 200 all the way up to 3k. Seems to be the same regardless. Same finish on wharncliffes or longer blades with negative angle like the Military and doesn't happen with those.

[Sharp Guy]

Never really noticed an issue when cutting with a Shaman. I'll have to pay more attention next time

[silver & black]

Never really noticed an issue when cutting with a Shaman. I'll have to pay more attention next time

Me either. I sharpen to 600 on an Atoma diamond plate (M4 steel). I strop with 6 micron diamond emulsion. I love a toothy blade. My Shaman does very well sharpened like this.

[Danke]

When I break down cardboard I use this Olfa. If you expose too much blade you'll snap it off so you have to rely on technique.

If you're running out of blade with a Shaman I think it's time to take a closer look at the cutting stroke.

[silver & black]

When I break down cardboard I use this Olfa. If you expose too much blade you'll snap it off so you have to rely on technique.

If you're running out of blade with a Shaman I think it's time to take a closer look at the cutting stroke.

I own 5 Olfas...lol. Best snap blade knife made.

[Wowbagger]

I have a Spy 27 Shaman . Bought it for the handle color and out of curiosity ; I like thick sculpted handles ; think Cold Steel AD-10 or Voyagers .

I would say it is best where you need some weight to the blade ; knocking branches off a limb , chipping through some ice . . . busting out of a third world prison compound . . . you know . . . the usual .

Also it's good for just sitting and opening it and saying Wow Look At This

Yeah cardboard , (not cutting little strips off for edge testing) but actually cutting open a big box or breaking it down ; for that you want a Morakniv Craftline Flex (love mine) or a decent paring knife or my Tenacious middle blade mod . The Shaman is 3.7mm at the spine ; card board is best with a bit longer mostly straight edge blade (as you said) and ~ 2mm at the spine or even less .

[Wowbagger]

Never really noticed an issue when cutting with a Shaman. I'll have to pay more attention next time

Try it in quadruple wall cardboard , like I cut into most days at work . Shaman does not shine for that . Maybe best at stabbing my way through the wall of a truck trailer to get at those boxes . I don't do that as often as I thought I would . I'm sure the Shaman would be up to it though .

[Brock O Lee]

I also think the Shaman's cutting edge is a bit short given the knife's overall size.

Blade shape plays a big role when you break down cardboard boxes. I also find that the Shaman tends to slip out of the cut, but the Endela wharncliffe does not, even though it has a few mm less cutting edge. The straight edge wins by a large margin to keep contact in the cut.

[apollo]

Can not say i have real problems with my Shaman's doing cardboard cleanup but i do prefer my Manixes for that over my Shaman.

Upswept blades like the Chinooks however are allot worse at such work in comparison to the more normal bladestyle Spydies.