Hello everyone i've been searching the site about this but can't for the life of me find the answer to my question.I'm confused about blade thickness,I see several companies make a bushcraft knife with a 5/32 thick blade( I have several BHKs that are this thick).I'm also starting to see several bushcraft blades that are 3/16,which seems like it would be to thick to do anything but batton with.Am I missing something here?Please help me to understand this way of thinking.
Blade thickness
- Thread starter luke2236
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johncarbaugh
Scout
Variety! Different people like different things. All comes down to a matter of preference. I like thick blades but I also carry a folder if I want to do fine work. For a main blade I like something I can beat to death with no worry.
Use what works for you :dblthumb:
Use what works for you :dblthumb:
Bush Otter
Guide
I like a a thicker blade in general but think that the whole geometry of the blade desides how well it cuts , both BK 2 and Mora thickness blades are popular, grind and edge should compliment the blade the thickness .
I guess it's just me then i understand the different stroke for different folks but I can't see a 3/16 scandi edge working that great,now if it was convex it might be be a pretty awesome chopper. That might just be my next one. Let's see what the dayshift crew of bcusa thinks. If you were gonna get a 3/16 thick blade would it be convex or scandi?
H
hellhammer
Guest
I like a variety of blades. Like anything else in life if all the blades were exactly the same it would make things kind of dull, wouldn't it?
Frederick89
Scout
It's a matter of geometry. If you want to mantain a certain edge angle and don't make a huge secondary bevel you have to work on spine thickness and hight of bevels.
With a low flat bevel I would go for a 3-3,5 mm (.118-.137'') thick blade, with a higher flat grind, let's say 1/2 of the total hight of the blade, than 4-4,5 mm (.157-.177'') is ok. Personally I wouldn't go much further.
If you want an extreme example here is a BushProwler by Ilkka Seikku that has a 6 mm (.236'') thick spine and a 20 mm high bevel on a 30 mm blade. In any case the basic model is 4 mm thick.
With a low flat bevel I would go for a 3-3,5 mm (.118-.137'') thick blade, with a higher flat grind, let's say 1/2 of the total hight of the blade, than 4-4,5 mm (.157-.177'') is ok. Personally I wouldn't go much further.
If you want an extreme example here is a BushProwler by Ilkka Seikku that has a 6 mm (.236'') thick spine and a 20 mm high bevel on a 30 mm blade. In any case the basic model is 4 mm thick.
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I have used a 3/16 thick knife with a scandi grind and it performed pretty good in my opinion
Turning Outdoors Bush Pick - YouTube
Most of my knives are 3/16 I dont care for knives smaller than 5/32 I beat the crap out of my knives if a knife isnt able to handle battoning and some of the other harder use tasks due to the thickness of the blade then they have no room in my pack. Having said that some dudes love thin knives and 1/8 is as thick as they will go for those dudes its fine they use their knives differently then I do and thats cool
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i think you answered your own question. if a blade is too thick to do anything than baton with, then maybe that is correct... go with a thinner one.
i'm a believer in the Nessmuk trio... a small folder for fine work, a sheath knife for heavier work, and an axe for heavy work. no one tool will do it all for me. i carry a SAK, a Falkniven F1 (4.5mm (.18") thick), and either a small Vaughn hatchet or my GB SFA. If i'm scouting my deer lease (THICK briars, vines, and brush), i carry a machete instead of the axe because it's needed, and does the job better than the axe.
the Fallkniven is a little thick for some work, but it's perfect for me for skinning deer, taking the small branches off a sapling, cutting cordage (faster to reach back for it than into my pocket to unfold the SAK), cooking, and so on. It's not good for carving much. but i can beat the snot out of it if i have to baton through something and not worry. i can't do that comfortably with another knife, like my Western L66, or my shorter home-made kit knife.
use the right tool for the job.
i'm a believer in the Nessmuk trio... a small folder for fine work, a sheath knife for heavier work, and an axe for heavy work. no one tool will do it all for me. i carry a SAK, a Falkniven F1 (4.5mm (.18") thick), and either a small Vaughn hatchet or my GB SFA. If i'm scouting my deer lease (THICK briars, vines, and brush), i carry a machete instead of the axe because it's needed, and does the job better than the axe.
the Fallkniven is a little thick for some work, but it's perfect for me for skinning deer, taking the small branches off a sapling, cutting cordage (faster to reach back for it than into my pocket to unfold the SAK), cooking, and so on. It's not good for carving much. but i can beat the snot out of it if i have to baton through something and not worry. i can't do that comfortably with another knife, like my Western L66, or my shorter home-made kit knife.
use the right tool for the job.
I can't it really imaging making all of that much difference. .031 is literally about the thickness of the white space between these two periods => .. Now if you're talking some a little more substantial like say .125 vs lets say 3/16 then you're onto something. Come up with a basic test and try your theories. I bet there's not alot of difference.
Skab
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This discussion comes up about every other month it seems. It comes down to what you like and don't like.
Here is a rather lengthy, heated discussion on the topic that got locked awhile back.
http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47023
Here is a rather lengthy, heated discussion on the topic that got locked awhile back.
http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47023
Yep, variety is the spice of life. Personally, I'm also of the thicker blade tribe, though sometimes I do prefer the thinner blades.
There are thinner blades out there that can handle reasonable batonning, and there are thicker blades out there that can carve and slice just as well.
Recently I've been using an Enzo Trapper, which is .135" I believe. Carves very well, yet is thick enough for moderate batonning tasks and the tip is plenty robust for boring holes, prying, etc.
There are thinner blades out there that can handle reasonable batonning, and there are thicker blades out there that can carve and slice just as well.
Recently I've been using an Enzo Trapper, which is .135" I believe. Carves very well, yet is thick enough for moderate batonning tasks and the tip is plenty robust for boring holes, prying, etc.
First off I don't want to turn this into a heated argument. Secondly I think I'll try a thicker blade for myself(for research of course). Thanks for all the help guys this forum never lets me down when I need a different opinion or maybe I just need to look at something from a different point of view. Mods if this thread starts getting out of had please lock it down. I'm off to bed 130 pm is gonna be here fast. Thanks everybody.
R
red
Guest
i make a 3/16" scandi that would blow your mind with the things i can do with it. it handles fine tasks with ease, and is tough enough for the big jobs as well. it all depends on the grind bud.
C
Capt. Jeff
Guest
everything these gentleman have said above is exactly correct. mainly personal preference. in my opinion, we tend to over engineer things. we think that a thicker blade will hold up to more abuse, and its not entirely true. a good heat treat and temper cycle will determine if it holds up to abuse or not.
it boils down to its the American way, Bigger,Better,Faster!! lol
it boils down to its the American way, Bigger,Better,Faster!! lol
upthecreek
Guide
R
red
Guest
in all seriousness though, anything i can do with a 1/8" blade, i can do just as good with a 3/16" blade. i adjust my grinds according to the blade thickness, to compensate for the thicker spine.
so a 3/16" blade will have a much deeper grind than a 1/8" or a 5/32" blade.
what it really boils down to is the user. its up to the user to learn how to make the knife do what they want it to.
As others have said, it pretty much all comes down to the grind, though blade shape plays a part also. For example, a dropped point means more spine thickness behind the tip so it's stronger for drilling tasks.
You'll see everything from 1/4" (look how popular the BK2 is) down to 1/8" commonly used for bushcraft knives. A huge amount depends on the width of the grind bevel and the edge geometry and thickness. I have multiple 5/32" knives from different makers, and they perform totally different due to the grinds. My 5/32" Turley Soldier River has great bite and decent slicing ability due to a nice thin edge and a smoothly tapering convex grind. On the other hand, my BHK Bushcrafter in 5/32" bites into wood like nobodies' business but it's a terrible slicer because the bevel is a big sharp half height grind, shaped like a wedge.
Bottom line - thickness is just a small part of what makes a knife an effective tool for cutting, slicing, and batoning. You can do some reading on edge geometry or grinds if you're so inclined. I've learned a lot from posts and videos like Iz has posted here on the forum. Even better, you can try different knives with various grinds over time and you'll learn through your own experience what the strengths and weaknesses are. That's part of why I own scandi, flat, saber, and convex ground knives in a variety of thicknesses - call it "experiential learning"
You'll see everything from 1/4" (look how popular the BK2 is) down to 1/8" commonly used for bushcraft knives. A huge amount depends on the width of the grind bevel and the edge geometry and thickness. I have multiple 5/32" knives from different makers, and they perform totally different due to the grinds. My 5/32" Turley Soldier River has great bite and decent slicing ability due to a nice thin edge and a smoothly tapering convex grind. On the other hand, my BHK Bushcrafter in 5/32" bites into wood like nobodies' business but it's a terrible slicer because the bevel is a big sharp half height grind, shaped like a wedge.
Bottom line - thickness is just a small part of what makes a knife an effective tool for cutting, slicing, and batoning. You can do some reading on edge geometry or grinds if you're so inclined. I've learned a lot from posts and videos like Iz has posted here on the forum. Even better, you can try different knives with various grinds over time and you'll learn through your own experience what the strengths and weaknesses are. That's part of why I own scandi, flat, saber, and convex ground knives in a variety of thicknesses - call it "experiential learning"
Thanks for all the helpful replies folks:dblthumb:.If I was still running and gunning for uncle sam I would want a 3/16 blade for the added strengh but the more I think about it the more I'm certain that a 5/32 is the right choice for me for an all around knife(I still want a good chopper though)Thanks for the leason I've learned during this thread,this forum has got to have the most helpful people and most informed members out there.
Just something about the "feel" of a thick heavy blade knife in my hand compared to a thin one. Thin is good for filleting fish. 
