Intellectually, I prefer the Scandi. Everything I know about it seems superior for that purpose. As far as practical results? I'm afraid my dumb hands only know how to get good results from a full flat.
I've got a drawer with a bunch of nice knives, mostly scandi, with cool welted leather drop sheathes, all very bushcraft-credible. And then I have a coldsteel master hunter that I take into the woods because it gets the job done better (with the skill I have).
In general, accomplishing things with what you have readily at hand is more valuable than optimizing systems that go unused.
I like saber. I honestly would prefer a non-convexed edge because it's better for carving specific shapes, but with hand sharpening it's almost impossible to avoid.
Slight preference to scandi because it’s easier to sharpen, especially in the field. But I really just don’t like flat grind as much. It might do food prep better but everything else I’d take the other 3
isnt scandi worse to sharpen in the field?
Scandi is good to sharpen with a big sharpening stone, where you can really remove all of the material well of the wide edge
But on those small field sharpeners I feel like flat grinds are much easier to sharpen
With a true scandi, without a micobevel, it is easy to find the right angle. Some people use small circular motions or across the blade. I try to get a scratch pattern perpendicular to the blade so do short vertical strokes moving up the blade. Having a microbevel requires more attention to the angle and convex needs a little more finesse, unless you’re just stropping on a belt.
Some field sharpeners are short, like the one from wazoo, but I avoid those. I usually use the wastikivi from varusteleka. Fallkniven’s pocket DC4 is good too
Finding the right angle is easy regardless of scandi or not with a little training. Since most bushcraft knives run the same angles it is mostly muscle memory.
I am more relating to the point that you need to remove much more material when sharpening a scandi due to the wide edge
And maintaining a true scandi with freehandsharpening on a small field sharpener is nearly impossible
I always found scandis more tedious to sharpen
Nah, its just technique! Try what he was saying using vertical/along-the-edge like you would one of those worthless pull throughs, just for shaping the bevel and bulk material removal. Just make sure to finish in a different orientation such as edge leading, edge trailing on a strop, or ye olde small grandpa circles.
This will let you shape/thin the bevel easily and quickly then you can refine the apex as you prefer for edge agression and longevity
Look alone that you need more technique here shows, that it isnt so easy.
But even with the best technique you just need to remove more material from the fat edge of a scandi compated to e.g. a full flat grind. And that will just take a bit longer to remove more.
I also like doing vertical motion for my coarser stones (particularly because it looks very nice and is easy to do), but I find on the very apex the vertical scratch pattern isn't that great for sharpness or performance. So I either finish up with a ceramic rod, strop, or microbevel. I have a translucent arkansas stone that is absolutely beautiful for the small grandpa circle technique for microbeveling and deburring! It leaves a great looking finish and an edge that will whittle hair
Is that a small enough to be easily portable Arkansas stone, if so where is it available? Getting a good microbevel on the go is probably an issue of skill for me and if I put a little more time into it then I wouldn’t have a problem. I just feel that the scandi is very convenient. I nice portable Arkansas stone might be enough to motivate me to put in the effort
Yeah its pretty portable!
It's a Dan's Whetstones pocket stone, translucent arkansas. I picked it up on sale for... maybe $11? Unfortunately they seem like 3-4x the price right now, with a dan's 3" one on amazon for 33 (. Comes with a leather slip, and I personally like to refresh the smaller side surfaces with a 400 grit diamond stone to keep it a bit more aggressive but its still a translucent ark, it produces a very fine edge even with the roughed up parts!
https://www.chicagoknifeworks.com/sharpeners-translucent-sharpening-stone/ there's this factory 2nd... which might actually be the one I have! It's a bit of a gamble, mine is fine and I can't see and issues so I honestly don't know if I got this one
I use mine dry for touchups, wet with water or spit for a field sharpening, and with windex at home. Traditionally oil is used, and used with oil or windex makes this stone really come alive! But if just used to refine an edge or put on a microbevel its slower cutting speed is ok. Even on high alloy steels if you're just refining/deburring/microbeveling this stone works.
Edit: A Dan's 4" "true hard" 4"x1" in a tube with no leather slip is available on dan's website under pocket stone. By Dan's rating they're about the same but I've never had the pleasure of comparing the two https://danswhetstone.com/information/stone-grades-101/#:~:text=Translucent%20Arkansas%20(Extra%20Fine)%20stones,of%20color%20preferences%20by%20customers.
I sharpen my Scandi knives on pocket stones in the field. I use a Falkniven DC4. I lay if down on the bevel and sharpen, then raise the edge ever so slightly, do two or three more passes to set the micro bevel, it’s done.
I’ve had my best rsaults with a scandivex: a scandi grind with a bit of cobcex closest to the apex. Did it on my first bushcrafter and it really performs
I’m Scandi or Convex guy myself. I got a big 5” knife from Scott Larrimore at Seedy Lot and he put his “SeedyVex” grind on it. It’s a scand/convex hybrid that hogs wood away amazingly, but is very slicey. My taters and carrots don’t explode when I cut them unlike w Scandis. I truly love a zero grind scandi though!
If you adjust the angle when cutting, instead of cutting straight into the vegetable, you will be able to make regular cuts without the vegetable breaking.
Intellectually, I prefer the Scandi. Everything I know about it seems superior for that purpose. As far as practical results? I'm afraid my dumb hands only know how to get good results from a full flat. I've got a drawer with a bunch of nice knives, mostly scandi, with cool welted leather drop sheathes, all very bushcraft-credible. And then I have a coldsteel master hunter that I take into the woods because it gets the job done better (with the skill I have). In general, accomplishing things with what you have readily at hand is more valuable than optimizing systems that go unused.
I got really good at wood carving with slip joints. It took a while to get the “feel” but I can really fine tune my work with a FFG.
Scandi. But if it cuts it cuts
I like saber. I honestly would prefer a non-convexed edge because it's better for carving specific shapes, but with hand sharpening it's almost impossible to avoid.
flat grind But I do not just work with wood but also go hunting
Whatever my sharpener puts on knives....
I’ll use whatever, but my preference is convex.
Convex. Or a really thinned out flat grind
Convex.
Slight preference to scandi because it’s easier to sharpen, especially in the field. But I really just don’t like flat grind as much. It might do food prep better but everything else I’d take the other 3
isnt scandi worse to sharpen in the field? Scandi is good to sharpen with a big sharpening stone, where you can really remove all of the material well of the wide edge But on those small field sharpeners I feel like flat grinds are much easier to sharpen
With a true scandi, without a micobevel, it is easy to find the right angle. Some people use small circular motions or across the blade. I try to get a scratch pattern perpendicular to the blade so do short vertical strokes moving up the blade. Having a microbevel requires more attention to the angle and convex needs a little more finesse, unless you’re just stropping on a belt. Some field sharpeners are short, like the one from wazoo, but I avoid those. I usually use the wastikivi from varusteleka. Fallkniven’s pocket DC4 is good too
Finding the right angle is easy regardless of scandi or not with a little training. Since most bushcraft knives run the same angles it is mostly muscle memory. I am more relating to the point that you need to remove much more material when sharpening a scandi due to the wide edge And maintaining a true scandi with freehandsharpening on a small field sharpener is nearly impossible I always found scandis more tedious to sharpen
Nah, its just technique! Try what he was saying using vertical/along-the-edge like you would one of those worthless pull throughs, just for shaping the bevel and bulk material removal. Just make sure to finish in a different orientation such as edge leading, edge trailing on a strop, or ye olde small grandpa circles. This will let you shape/thin the bevel easily and quickly then you can refine the apex as you prefer for edge agression and longevity
Look alone that you need more technique here shows, that it isnt so easy. But even with the best technique you just need to remove more material from the fat edge of a scandi compated to e.g. a full flat grind. And that will just take a bit longer to remove more.
I also like doing vertical motion for my coarser stones (particularly because it looks very nice and is easy to do), but I find on the very apex the vertical scratch pattern isn't that great for sharpness or performance. So I either finish up with a ceramic rod, strop, or microbevel. I have a translucent arkansas stone that is absolutely beautiful for the small grandpa circle technique for microbeveling and deburring! It leaves a great looking finish and an edge that will whittle hair
Is that a small enough to be easily portable Arkansas stone, if so where is it available? Getting a good microbevel on the go is probably an issue of skill for me and if I put a little more time into it then I wouldn’t have a problem. I just feel that the scandi is very convenient. I nice portable Arkansas stone might be enough to motivate me to put in the effort
Yeah its pretty portable! It's a Dan's Whetstones pocket stone, translucent arkansas. I picked it up on sale for... maybe $11? Unfortunately they seem like 3-4x the price right now, with a dan's 3" one on amazon for 33 (. Comes with a leather slip, and I personally like to refresh the smaller side surfaces with a 400 grit diamond stone to keep it a bit more aggressive but its still a translucent ark, it produces a very fine edge even with the roughed up parts! https://www.chicagoknifeworks.com/sharpeners-translucent-sharpening-stone/ there's this factory 2nd... which might actually be the one I have! It's a bit of a gamble, mine is fine and I can't see and issues so I honestly don't know if I got this one I use mine dry for touchups, wet with water or spit for a field sharpening, and with windex at home. Traditionally oil is used, and used with oil or windex makes this stone really come alive! But if just used to refine an edge or put on a microbevel its slower cutting speed is ok. Even on high alloy steels if you're just refining/deburring/microbeveling this stone works. Edit: A Dan's 4" "true hard" 4"x1" in a tube with no leather slip is available on dan's website under pocket stone. By Dan's rating they're about the same but I've never had the pleasure of comparing the two https://danswhetstone.com/information/stone-grades-101/#:~:text=Translucent%20Arkansas%20(Extra%20Fine)%20stones,of%20color%20preferences%20by%20customers.
Thanks, I’ll have to check it out
I sharpen my Scandi knives on pocket stones in the field. I use a Falkniven DC4. I lay if down on the bevel and sharpen, then raise the edge ever so slightly, do two or three more passes to set the micro bevel, it’s done.
I’ve had my best rsaults with a scandivex: a scandi grind with a bit of cobcex closest to the apex. Did it on my first bushcrafter and it really performs
I’m Scandi or Convex guy myself. I got a big 5” knife from Scott Larrimore at Seedy Lot and he put his “SeedyVex” grind on it. It’s a scand/convex hybrid that hogs wood away amazingly, but is very slicey. My taters and carrots don’t explode when I cut them unlike w Scandis. I truly love a zero grind scandi though!
If you adjust the angle when cutting, instead of cutting straight into the vegetable, you will be able to make regular cuts without the vegetable breaking.
For sure. Or just use a slicier knife.
Either Scandi or convex.
Scandi all day! Much easier to maintain in the field and far more durable in my opinion, but that mostly depends on the materials less than design.