Why are the cheaper knives so much sharper from the git go?

[MOKNIVES1]

I've been buying and selling knives for 30 years and one thing occurred to me the other day. Why are the so called "cheaper" knives usually WAY sharper than a premium knife? The main one is the Old Timer 6OT would out slice a Buck out of the box any day of the week. And keep the edge longer.

Lately it’s been the absolutely PATHETIC Case Crossroads Barlows which I unfortunately own 2. The worst example of a $100.00 knife possible and it came from good ol Case.

[glennbad]

The example I like to use is the old shell handle Imperials. They were cheaply made, handles dented easily, but man, did that carbon steel take a wicked edge.

Not sure if that follows the spirit of your question, but that's what I think of when I hear the term cheaper knives...

[rea1eye]

Maybe the cheaper knife manufacturers use a better (different)
sharpening technique?

I have found that cheap knives don't hold the edge very well. Maybe
the material and technique used in making the blade is different
(not as good)?


Bob

[Dinadan]

When I read this post I decided to put the premise to the test. It just so happens that I have two brand new Christmas Case knives on my desk, along with a few cheap China knives that have never been used or sharpened. I tested the cutting performance of two blades on each knife using paste board box material as the test medium. One of the Case knives is a Seahorse: I only used the two small blades on that knife in order to preserve parity of blade thickness.

In the photo you can see that I used a Seahorse, a Case Tiny Trapper, a Steel Warrior Peanut and a Rough Rider Peanut.
In my unscientific test, I found that the secondary blades on the Seahorse were a lot less sharp than any of the others. The Tiny Trapper, Steel Warrior, and Rough Rider were pretty close to equal in sharpness, with the Steel Warrior perhaps being the sharpest by a very slight margin.

[edge213]

My opinion on this subject.
I find the opposite to be true.
No way cheap knives are as sharp as my high end knives nor do they hold an edge as long.
Having said that, my experience carrying and using cheap knives is limited. As someone once said "Life is to short to carry a cheap knife". I will carry and use a $300 knife, but not a $30 knife.
Knife snob.....maybe.

[Railsplitter]

I think it depends on what types of knives are in question. I have found that many modern knife manufacturers put great edges on their knives at the factory.

My experience with slip joint knives is similar to the OP’s experience. Queen had a terrible reputation for edges but they could make a great knife when the mood struck them. I have never had anything but scary sharp edges from Rough Rider and Rough Ryder.

The sharpest out of the box knife I have ever owned was a Compass Industries Silver Falcon made in Japan. Can’t remember what I paid for it but it wasn’t any more than $25.

Every Spyderco knife I have encountered had the kind of edge I would put on a knife if I was sharpening it myself. Same goes for Cold Steel and Buck is not far behind. Hogue pretty much kicks butt too. The list goes on and on.

Good factory edges abound if you happen to like knives from the manufacturers who produce them.

[3030remchesterCOLO]

I find Case knives often difficult to get an edge on. I have a mini copperlock I really like but after sharpening you could still ride the edge down a bumpy road all the way to Texas and not cut yourself. I even went so far as the heat the blade blue hot with a torch to destroy the temper, but nothing helps. However, I have many prewar Imperials, Camillus and the like that after a few strokes on a steel is razor sharp. I have actually shaved with them to prove the point. I carry a WW2 Kabar 6" utility knife in my pickup and a WW2 Colonial Mark 1 in my daily ride. Both so sharp that they are scary. Used the Kabar on a deer this year. Gutted, skinned, split the brisket full length and split the pelvis, all without sharpening.

[Mumbleypeg]

A few years ago I’d have heartily agreed with the OP sentiments. In fact you can find old posts of mine here complaining about modern stainless knives/steels and the virtues of good old carbon steel. Then by accident I made a discovery that totally changed my opinion. That discovery was diamond sharpening plates.

I grew up hand sharpening, taught by my grandfather. I have a large number of carborundum and “natural” stones that served me well for over 40 years. But for the life of me I couldn’t get a good edge on modern stainless steels. Then I got a diamond plate sharpener and was amazed how quick and easily I could put a great edge on my carbon steel knives. So I tried it on the stainless steel blades I had previously given up on. Like Case Tru-Sharp, Buck, etc.

Wow! I was able for the first time to easily put a great edge on them. I sprung for a Buck Paradigm, a $200 knife with S35VN stainless steel blade. No problems sharpening it, nor any “modern” high performance stainless steels. My stainless steel knives that had been relegated to “unused” status have become favorite EDCs, be they 440C, S35VN, etc. (Case’s Crossroads has S35VN blades, and as knives having that steel is a relatively good buy, although I don’t have one). Those so-called “super steels” are typically hardened to around 60-62 or higher on the Rockwell scale, whereas carbon steels run around 55-56. Relative to carbon steels those harder stainless steels are more difficult to sharpen but once sharp will hold their edge longer. The key to getting them sharp is diamonds.

You can in fact teach an old dog new tricks - if the old dog is willing to learn!

JMO

Ken

[FRJ]

That discovery was diamond sharpening plates.
You can in fact teach an old dog new tricks - if the old dog is willing to learn!
JMO
Ken

I have found this to be quite true.
After reading one of Kens posts about diamond sharpening plates I bought one and then another.
They aren't all I use but I will say they are the ----- cats pajamas.

[Fingers]

The sharpest out of the box knife I have ever owned was a Compass Industries Silver Falcon made in Japan. Can’t remember what I paid for it but it wasn’t any more than $25.

Just a guess on my part concerning current manufacturers but I think they have modernized their plants to the extent that there are no humans with their inconsistencies.
I posted a photo of a Silver Streak today and it has to be in the top 3 sharpest knives I’ve ever encountered Rick.

[Railsplitter]

The sharpest out of the box knife I have ever owned was a Compass Industries Silver Falcon made in Japan. Can’t remember what I paid for it but it wasn’t any more than $25.

Just a guess on my part concerning current manufacturers but I think they have modernized their plants to the extent that there are no humans with their inconsistencies.
I posted a photo of a Silver Streak today and it has to be in the top 3 sharpest knives I’ve ever encountered Rick.

I bought a Silver Falcon a couple years ago just for the sake of reminiscing but the scary sharp one was the one I bought in the early 1980’s. This one is plenty sharp but not like that first Silver Falcon.

It shares a lot of similarities with your Silver Streak! Nice knife you have there. It’s good to know that they still make em sharp.

Apparently, Sal Glesser, owner and founder of Spyderco knives, liked these models too. The picture below is the Silver Falcon that Sal used as his first prototype before he started making knives. His vision obviously took hold.

IMG_2349.jpeg (57.63 KiB) Viewed 430 times

[Fingers]

That Sal Glesser prototype is a real piece of history on top of a cool looking pattern. Now of this answers the question of why are the cheaper knives sharper?

[Railsplitter]

That Sal Glesser prototype is a real piece of history on top of a cool looking pattern. Now of this answers the question of why are the cheaper knives sharper?

The fact that Spyderco knives aren’t cheap and the vast majority of them have wicked sharp edges makes me wonder.

Sal made that prototype right around the time that I bought my first Silver Falcon that was the sharpest knife that I have ever owned. I have to wonder if Sal’s Silver Falcon was just as sharp as mine and that’s part of the reason why his current knives are so sharp.

Probably not but it’s fun to think so. His first products were knife sharpeners after all.