ukpk drop point

[Jamie]

I was wondering how this blade shape compares to the leaf shaped blade. Does it perform a lot differently? also I think I read a review that said the blade was a full flat grind but the catalog supplement says it is a hollow grind. thanks.

[The Deacon]

Don't have the UKPKDP, but in general the advantage of the drop point blade over a leaf shaped one is it's ability to cut a tighter circle in thick material. Think coring an apple and similar operations. In many cases drop points also have more straight edge behind the curve tip. This can be either good, or bad, depending on what you're cutting. The advantage of the leaf is that it's easier to press on the spine if necessary. Think cutting rope on a hard surface and similar tasks. Other than those, I'd say all things being equal, they'll cut about the same.

[kbuzbee]

What Paul said + it IS FFG. Not Hollow.

Personally, I LOVE this UKPK variation.

Ken

[Blerv]

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't most Spyderco leaf blades FFG?

I know certain blades (Lum, etc) Have a swedge on the top which starts the FFG. It definitely reduces the angle but the line on these blades is definitely flat.

I could be very wrong though.

[The Deacon]

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't most Spyderco leaf blades FFG?

I know certain blades (Lum, etc) Have a swedge on the top which starts the FFG. It definitely reduces the angle but the line on these blades is definitely flat.

I could be very wrong though.

I believe the OP was questioning the grind of the UKPKDP due to the error in the 2009 Catalog Supplement which says it's hollow ground (although the illustration show the correct full flat grind and Ken was answering that saying it (the UKPKDP) is FFG.

And yes, you are correct that most Spyderco leaf blades are FFG although there are exceptions.

[Blerv]

Gotcha, thanks.

So by definition of "leaf" vs "drop point" would the Manix & Native (for example) be in the definition of "drop point" while a Chinese/Caly3, etc be a "Leaf"? My assumption is that symmetry of shape is the main difference.

This is for my own enlightenment rather than trying to nit-pick. Thanks in advance.

[The Deacon]

I'd classify the Manix and Native as spear points. Leaf would be more like the Lum Chinese, where the blade gets wider, then narrows (if that makes sense). Personally I would not call knives like the UKPKDP Spyderco labels as such drop points, They're really more a "pen knife" shaped blade to me (relatively narrow and straight with a more or less equilateral curved tip. Some might even call them spear points. To me a drop point should have less curve on the spine side and more belly in the edge, like the FB02 Moran. In my opinion, the closest thing to a true DP folder Spyderco has ever made was the Lava. Knife nomenclature is not terribly standardized.

[Jamie]

Thanks guys, I'm pretty new to looking at knives in this way so I have a lot to learn about knives and about using them to the best of their abilities.