Carlos
11-06-2000, 12:00 AM
I found myself beset with a curious task this morning: Cut two dozen circles (5" and 7" in diameter) from a sheet of cardboard. Actually the cardboard was a very large heavy-duty box that had been collapsed, leaving a large square two layers thick. I was to cut the circles from the top layer, using the second to protect the floor from Spyderbites, and of course to provided extra resistance to cutting <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle> . I used this task an an opportunity to test the different cutting abilities of two Spydercos, a C48GP and a C15P.
It was an interesting test because it required precision cutting of a tough and abrasive material. Most tests entail either "hacking away" at something tough, and precise cutting of something delicate. Precisely cutting something that is tough can be truly devilish.
In use I found that the C15's modified drop point made it very easy to follow the the circle pattern as I could hold the knife at about a 45 degree angle from the plane while pulling and turning simultaneously. The only difficulty lay in the sabre grind which increased the cutting resistance greatly. (I thought the knife was a hollow grind when I ordered it, and while I love the knife I'll never buy another with a sabre grind.)
The C48 with its deep hollow grind slid through thick cardboard like water, but since the point is on the centerline, the initial cut had the knife at nearly a 90 degree angle. Doing the "pull and turn" cut required the use of the fore-part of the belly which really wanted to cut in a straight line. Much better cutting, but much less control than the C15.
As I was looking at the Spyderco brochure later, my experience led me to postulate that the characteristic "modified clip point" shape of Spyderco's inhouse blade designs combines a low (below centerline) easily-controlled tip and sharp point like a Wharncliffe, but with the modestly curved belly of a conventional clip point -- and of couse Spyderco sticks to hollow and flat-ground blades. Has Spyderco hit on an "optimal" blade shape? Since I don't have one of the inhouse designs, could a user confirm this?
(As an interesting side note regarding the anti-linerlock movement/sentiment growing more common in the various knife fora: The task of pull-cutting shapes out of flat-lying cardboard required not only a fair amount of force, but torque as well for the constant turning. After the task was done I found that the linerlocks had actually gotten <i>tighter</i> under use, temporarily sliding further up the face of the convex at the back of the blade. One close-open cycle and the liners locked back into their usual position.)
Edited by - Carlos on 11/6/00 7:04:34 AM
It was an interesting test because it required precision cutting of a tough and abrasive material. Most tests entail either "hacking away" at something tough, and precise cutting of something delicate. Precisely cutting something that is tough can be truly devilish.
In use I found that the C15's modified drop point made it very easy to follow the the circle pattern as I could hold the knife at about a 45 degree angle from the plane while pulling and turning simultaneously. The only difficulty lay in the sabre grind which increased the cutting resistance greatly. (I thought the knife was a hollow grind when I ordered it, and while I love the knife I'll never buy another with a sabre grind.)
The C48 with its deep hollow grind slid through thick cardboard like water, but since the point is on the centerline, the initial cut had the knife at nearly a 90 degree angle. Doing the "pull and turn" cut required the use of the fore-part of the belly which really wanted to cut in a straight line. Much better cutting, but much less control than the C15.
As I was looking at the Spyderco brochure later, my experience led me to postulate that the characteristic "modified clip point" shape of Spyderco's inhouse blade designs combines a low (below centerline) easily-controlled tip and sharp point like a Wharncliffe, but with the modestly curved belly of a conventional clip point -- and of couse Spyderco sticks to hollow and flat-ground blades. Has Spyderco hit on an "optimal" blade shape? Since I don't have one of the inhouse designs, could a user confirm this?
(As an interesting side note regarding the anti-linerlock movement/sentiment growing more common in the various knife fora: The task of pull-cutting shapes out of flat-lying cardboard required not only a fair amount of force, but torque as well for the constant turning. After the task was done I found that the linerlocks had actually gotten <i>tighter</i> under use, temporarily sliding further up the face of the convex at the back of the blade. One close-open cycle and the liners locked back into their usual position.)
Edited by - Carlos on 11/6/00 7:04:34 AM