Grind line vs no grind line.

Daniel Macina

Well-Known Member
What are y’all‘s thoughts on grind lines as far as appearance? I can honestly say that generally on a knife I don’t like a grind line at all. I like to take it all the way to the top. Now obviously on some knives a grind line is needed or even looks better. I do understand however that some grind lines take a lot of skill to pull off. Does me taking my grinds up to the spine show lack of skill? Obviously I am very lacking in skills. I’m just talking in this one area. :)

Thanks everyone!
 
Bringing the grind all the way to the top without presenting a step in the spine and having a crisp defined plunge from bottom to top is a skill too. Maybe just not as flashy. It helps take weight out of the blade, too.
 
I TRY to decide what grinds to do based on what I want the knife to accomplish. If I want a knife to cut and slice like a laser I will run that sucker all the way up to the spine. If I want an easy to sharpen tough, strong multi-purpose knife I like me a true scandi-grind. If you like what you produce, and your customers like it, worry less about what people think there will always be critics. You do good work Daniel.
 
I like the "function" of the full flat grind where there is no grind line visible. This gives a lower slicing angle. No belittle the skill it takes to make a really good FFG where the top of grind is just at the spine without leaving a mark at the ricasso, or not leaving a bit of flat right at the spine. Nothing but FFG looks right to me for kitchen knives. BUT - a nice grind line really looks good on some designs, and there's a whole set of skills required to get that nice crisp grind line. Something that sometimes works for me, and other times it's just hard to get the line as even and crisp as I want.

So, with method looks good when done right and fits design of knife.
 
You should build what you like. Someone said it up top, a clean plunge and a full flat grind all the way to the spine without grinding into the spine is as much an acquired skill as is sweeping grind lines! I do like full flat grinds all the way to the top without cutting into the spine!

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The knife on the right has the flat up to the spin. Just fades into nothing. I like that and try to do this on my full flat grinds. I'm still learning myself so all ya can do is keep grinding!!
 
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Opinion follows:
I think a full flat grind looks quite good (and "correct") on some style knives. I think a washed out or sloppy plunge line makes it look like rookie stuff.
I think a full grind hollow is pretty hard to make look decent unless you have massive wheel. A hollow looks better with a nice grind line.
There are a billion blades out there with a scandi flat grind that look great. It's a good skill to have and adds a detail a full flat grind lacks.
Added detail in most cases looks like more money.
I personally prefer a grind line every time because I know it's harder and it's an additional detail I think looks better than with out.
 
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