Can someone help interpret my Testing results, homebrew 1084

F

ffkaelb

Active Member
I used some 1/4" 1084 from Midwest to make a utility style blade. I ground it out with a 2x48 Multitool and heat treated using a propane forced air forge I built. I tested using a 2x4 (nice grade not the soft stuff). Mostly I chopped on the board trying to make it into 6-8 in long pieces, going through the occasional knots and such. I did notice that my geometry did probably hold me up some, from comparing this to chopping with a machete or something very thin. Blade is 6.5" w/ 5" handle, Med height Flat grind (becoming a saber?) and a Convexed edge. Started out with a very sharp edge, not what I keep hunting edges but very sharp. It was hot today so I probably could have gone further but hung it up at a round number.

My results were:

after 6 cuts stopped and checked for rolling, chipping, flat spots, etc in the bright sunlight. No difference noticed. Still Shaving just like when started.

after 8 cuts started to "feel" the shaving characteristics became a little more sensitive to angle. Wanted to dig into skin a little more.

After 10 didn't notice a difference from 8.

After 12 I would rate the edge at about 60% shaving ability of beginning. Still shaving and cutting paper, but more likely to dig into the skin if not held at proper angle. I have handled brand new knives with less of an edge on them, so I wouldn't sharpen it at this point. I expect to see the edge degrade at an exponential rate from this point. From this testing (my first controllable test) I would expect the edge to go around 10 more cuts and be just barely shaving, and at 12 stop shaving.

I finished up with drilling a hole in a 1x4 with the point, which didn't change anything noticeably.

I feel pretty satisfied with this test, it's not rope or cardboard but this is a utility knife not a skinner. I will in the future take it to a full height grind for a little better control in cutting and manipulation. My questions about this are 1: Is this a decent edge holding ability? If not what should I be shooting for?
2: Does anyone else have a benchmark to shoot for?
3: When your blade "stops" cutting rope, what does that mean? Does it then require sawing thru, or does it stop cutting altogether? I see people stop cutting at 30 and some at 100. Is everyone using the same "stop" standard?

Thanks for any input and help. Special Thanks to Doc Shiffer, who generously lent me some time and professional input on my grinds and fit/finish.
Kael Bryant
PS the obligatory Pic
2011-08-14_170150.jpg
 
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Believe it or not, not everyone has facebook-or wants to. I think that there tutorial for posting picture on this board elsewhere on it. I do a 2X4 chop and see if it still shaves hair-or shaves hare if you can get the little suckers to hold still. Will be going to a rope cut basically to see how many cuts I can make before the blade stops cutting smoothly. What's acceptable would be determined by the maker's estimate of what is good and the size of rope.

Doug
 
I was trying to post a reg pic, I didn't have facebook till my wife fixed it up and it's actually helped with knife stuff. I will try to post a regular pic but it's just the knife and boards no big deal. How many full cuts do you get in a dry 2x4 if I may ask Mr Lester?
Thanks
Kael
 
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Thanks, it does always help to look at what we are talking about. If it did all that chopping and still could shave hair to any degree I'd say that you must have done something right. With something like that I like to try to cut water bottles to test the geometry. The knife should cut at least one even it you knock it half way across the yard doing it. If you are able to cut more than one in two and leave the bottoms standing with water in them then that would give you a good idea that the geometry was right for cutting. I have only been able to do that once. You could do much the same by seeing if it could cut the end off a dangling 1" fiber rope but you may have to settle with cutting 3/4" rope because that's about the largest that most stores carry.

How many cuts I get in a 2X4 varies and actually I've never kept count, I just chopped through. I have never tried as many cuts as you have tried on your board. Even on the ABS practicle test you only have to cut through twice and still be able to do some hair shaving. I think what you did proves good edge holding ability. It also depends on the size of the knife and, to be honest, one's skill in chopping. I doubt that I'd ever win a chopping contest with any blade. With something like a 3-4" utility I think that wood chopping is rather pointless. I've cut up cardboard boxes with smaller knives but I'm going to go to fiber rope as I don't always have large cardboard boxes around to cut up. However, slicing up a large cardboard box into moderately small pieces without tearing would seem to me to be a good indicator of adequate edge retention.
 
I didn't realize the ABS test was two cuts, I do feel ok about this now. I appreciate your help and the time to answer my questions. I think I will move to cardboard in the future for small knives. I will try the water bottle thing as well. Maybe just mimic some CS videos ;) I was going for a real world, intended use test and hopefully I will be able to progress from here.
Thanks
Kael
 
Something that helped me, get another knife of roughly the same size and compare them side by side. It serves for comparison purposes.
 
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