How Knife Grind Affects Cutting Performance

 

Why a Chefs Knife and a Pocket Knife Are Not Ground the Same Way

People ask me about steel all the time but I think the grind is just as important when it comes to how a knife actually feels in your hand. Steel affects things like edge retention and toughness but the grind shapes the edge and that is what you notice most when using the knife.

A chefs knife usually has a full flat grind. The blade gradually gets thinner from the spine all the way down to the edge. This creates a clean wedge shape that helps the knife slice smoothly and move through food without too much sticking. It is also fairly easy to sharpen at home because you can maintain one consistent angle on the stone.

Japanese single bevel knives such as a yanagiba for sashimi or an usuba for vegetables work differently. The bevel is only on one side while the other side stays flat. This allows the edge to be extremely thin which is perfect for making very clean and precise cuts. The downside is that the knife can steer slightly while cutting and it is more specialized than a normal chefs knife.

Pocket knives are a different story. Since they are smaller and usually have less steel behind the edge the grind has a big effect on how they perform.

A hollow grind has a curved shape that is usually made using a grinding wheel. It leaves very little material directly behind the edge which makes it excellent for slicing. You will often see this type of grind on traditional slip joint pocket knives. The tradeoff is that the thinner edge can be more vulnerable to side pressure.

A sabre grind starts partway down the blade instead of running all the way from the spine. This leaves more steel behind the edge and gives the knife extra strength. That is one reason it is common on modern hard use pocket knives. It may not slice quite as smoothly as a hollow or full flat grind but it can handle tougher everyday use.

One thing worth remembering is that grind and steel are two separate things. They are often mentioned together in knife descriptions but they affect different parts of the cutting experience. You can have a thin hollow grind made from tough steel or a strong sabre grind made from a more brittle steel. Either knife can disappoint you if you only look at one specification.

When comparing knives I always recommend looking at both the steel and the grind. They work together and both can make a big difference in how the knife performs.

If you want to learn more about kitchen grinds or pocket knife grinds I have put together a more detailed breakdown in our our full grind guide, which is where most of what's above actually came from.

Cole Ransom  Bladesmith, Black Mamba Knives Memphis, TN since 2009 blackmambaknives.com