Why Hollow Ground on Manix 2

[gull wing]

v8r, you should carry the knife that is best for you.
However, Deacon knows what he is talking about, he's been at it a long time.

I carry hollowgrounds(Sebinza), but by far it's FFG most of the time and I have been working with knives for thirty years......and it's not because they look good.

Fortunately, Spyderco makes all kinds of knives, something for everyone.

[v8r]

Gullwing I am not saying Deacon or anyone here doesn't know what they are talking about.It just seems like lots of people beat the FFG drum.Lots of people bashed the Manix 2 before it came out because it wasn't FFG.I mean people were bashing it and it hadn't even been released for sale yet. :confused: Sure some grinds do things better than others, but I will still maintain that it has more to do with the edge thickness than blade grind.Blerv said Doc tested the Chinook 1 2 and 3 and stated that the Chinook 3 was not up to par with the Chinook 1 and 2.For those that may not know, the 1 and 2 were hollow ground, and the 3 is FFG.I personally own a 1 and 3 and the 3 does not cut as well as the 1(they will both shave your arm).Truthfully I like all blade grinds,but some people wan't every knife to be FFG,and think that's all there is to it because somebody on a forum told them that it was the absolute best grind.

I am no engineer or expert and never claimed to be.All I know is what has worked best for me.I have spent my working life in the Fabrication,Machining,and Automotive industries, and probably have cut more things with laser machines,CNC mills, Manual mills, lathes and tooling with "edges" than most people that come to these forums.I don't feel I am a Johnny come lately myself.

Everyone has their likes and dislikes, and that's fine,but please don't bash something before you have tried it.I have no problem with other people's point of view or opinion as long it is a educated one.The only way anyone is going to find out what works the best for them is to get out and try it.I have always tried to learn things from others, but I also don't just believe everything I read or hear.

I have the utmost respect for everyone here,but I always love a good debate. :D

[Blerv]

Sal just mentioned a move towards possibly doing FRN Delica/Endura's in FFG but was asking questions regarding the general public that enjoys grind lines.

I think there are other reasons for the Hollow/Saber grinds besides popularity in certain cutting/durability tests. However, if market popularity (eg: I want a knife to look like a KNIFE not something flat to spread butter with), that's a good reason in itself considering the market demographic of a $60 some odd knife like the M2.

That said, the M2 rocks and that's about the end of the story. Stat wise it kills it for the money and even stays in the USA for the patriotic crowd. Gotta love Spyderco for coming out swinging :) .

[The Deacon]

It just seems like lots of people beat the FFG drum.Lots of people bashed the Manix 2 before it came out because it wasn't FFG.I mean people were bashing it and it hadn't even been released for sale yet. :confused: Sure some grinds do things better than others, but I will still maintain that it has more to do with the edge thickness than blade grind.

No argument there. Some of the comments when I first posted photos of the Manix 2 significantly altered my opinions of those posting them, and rarely for the better.

Edge thickness is definitely an important, and often overlooked, factor. So are total blade thickness and blade height. The Adventura and Centofantes slice well because they have thin blades. The Military does a decent job, considering how thick its blade is, because that blade is fairly broad.

I make no bones about my preference for full flat grind, and other things as well, being primarily esthetic. At the same time, I'm not stubborn or stupid enough to refuse to use something which offers a significant advantage just because something else looks better. But the key word there, at least for me, is "significant". For almost every task I use a knife to perform, a plain edged full flat ground blade works at least as well as any other configuration.

[vic]

my favorite is a ffg, i like a high hollow grind pretty much the same

i think the hollow grind is the best looking all things being equal it just can be a really cool looking grind

i would say that only when i learned that a ffg was such a good all round grind was when i started to prefer them

back in the day i liked what i now know is a mid spine flat grind with a really pronounced grind line. i just thought it looked really cool, it didn't occur to me that it might cut less well than a less cool looking blade

now i know more from my own use of different blades and prefer a ffg or high hollow to a low flat grind they seem cooler to me now because i think they work better

i agree that a thinner blade will be easier to get a really sharp edge on and will cut better than a thicker blade and i also think that the sooner the grind starts up on the blade the easier it will be to get that good edge

[The Deacon]

i would say that only when i learned that a ffg was such a good all round grind was when i started to prefer them

That's the often overlooked "advantage" of full flat. It's a COMPROMISE. All else being equal, it's stronger than hollow and cuts just about everything better than flat saber.

[v8r]

Good points.

[yowzer]

I prefer a hollow grind aesthetics wise, but not having one is far from a deal-breaker when it comes time to pick up a new knife. Practical usage wise, flat and hollow work equally well for my cutting needs, and I have no real preference either way, except in the kitchen -- FFG's better there. Of my two favorite Spydies, one is hollow, one is flat.

I want to play with a convex-ground blade one of these days, though...

[spyken]

I find hollow grinds easier to re-sharpen and there's less of a need to reprofile the edge for a long time. FFG when constantly resharpened will gradually have a rather thick edge bevel.

[Blerv]

I find hollow grinds easier to re-sharpen and there's less of a need to reprofile the edge for a long time. FFG when constantly resharpened will gradually have a rather thick edge bevel.

This is very true and often overlooked. Geometry is never biased :)

[v8r]

I'm glad there are more people here that appreciate the qualities of different blade grinds ,and don't just believe everything they read.This knowledge comes from real world usage.I don't know about you guys an girls but I enjoy trying different things out.I like the original Manix2 with it's hollow ground blade.My buddy has one that he has let me play with,and I am impressed with it as is.I plan on purcasing one of my own after I get back from vacation,and I am glad they came out with a combo edge one!To me this will be a wicked edc, untill they come out with the larger version.

[Blerv]

People get trendy and forget that if something has proven to be inadequate or obsolute, its replaced with something better in every way. The hollow-grind (or any grind) is not "archaic".

I like FFG a TON but also think HG has it's merits other than people just saving money. It's not like Sal brings a bunch of M2's to the local high school shop class and gives them Dremels.

[razorback1595]

I prefer ffg's over any grind for my cutting chores,
I'm 16 years old and i'm just using and collecting knives and in my short usage i prefer a ffg or a high hollow grind like the Kershaw NRG II

I cut a lot of thing wich are broader than my blade is so the flats of a saber grind / low hollow grind get caught to easely and usually wedge the knife in there so i need to apply more force to get it true the material.

With grinds who are about the with of the blade i don't have that problem
The grind for me ain't a deal breacker, there are always guys like Tom Krein that can alter the grind and make it cut like you want.