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What’s the Best Kind of Knife Grind?

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March 19, 2021

Is There a Perfect Blade Grind?

Who knows when the first argument over the best blade grind started? Most likely it was a conversation between two flintknappers sitting around a cave—and the battle of which grind is the best rages on to this day. The modern tactical and bushcraft movements have brought heated debates on which grind is the best. The grind of a blade is where a key battle is won, and blade geometry varies widely. But is there a so-called best blade grind and, if so, which one is it?

Curved or Flat?

walter brend custom knives — Before becoming a renowned custom knifemaker, Walter Brend was a meat cutter, the skills of which gave him keen insight into the art of the slice. The man some call the best grinder ever shows his stuff here. (Rodney Hiers image)

According to Wikipedia, blade geometry refers to the “physical properties of a sword blade: cross-section (or grind) and taper.”

You can forget the “sword” qualifier—blade geometry applies to any blade. The three most common blade grinds in use today are hollow, flat and convex, with other grinds of note are the chisel, asymmetrical, Scandi and compound. There are others.

Before becoming a renowned custom knifemaker, Walter Brend was a meat cutter, the skills of which gave him keen insight into the art of the slice.

“What works for me is the hollow grind,” Brend says. “The hollow-ground blade is not a flat surface, it is concaved, so as you cut an object it immediately starts a separation. The bottom edge should flow from the point to the back of the blade with a recurved blade edge.”

Knifemaker Bob Dozier, well known for making hard-use knives, prefers the hollow grind as well.

“Since I make mostly hunting knives, I prefer the drop-point blade style. Since Bob Loveless popularized the drop point, it’s been the most popular shape for hunting knives for many decades now. Also, for a hunting knife, the hollow grind is the best as it stays thin at the edge much longer.”

hollow grind blade — Like Walter Brend, Bob Dozier prefers the hollow grind. “For a hunting knife, the hollow grind is the best as it stays thin at the edge much longer,” Dozier opines. Bob’s fixed blade features a nice, clean hollow grind. (Kerry Peal images)

However, that’s not to say Dozier is adverse to other grinds.

“The flat grind is the best for the kitchen as it does not wander when making thin slices,” he opines. “A convex grind is great for splitting firewood.”

Award-winning American Bladesmith Society master smith Jim Crowell won the 1st Annual BLADE Show World Championship Cutting Competition in 2003 and was inducted into the ABS Hall of Fame in 2016.

“My opinion for the best blade geometry is a full flat grind with a convex edge,” Crowell begins. “This grind will give the smoothest transition from the full thickness of the spine to the cutting edge—anything else is something less.”

Crowell is also very familiar with the Bill Moran appleseed or convex grind, which is based on the Japanese hamaguri or “clamshell” grind.

“Bill Moran did like full convex blade geometry,” Crowell notes. “He ground on a round wheel and meticulously shaped the whole blade to have a convex cross section. I have cut with several of Bill’s knives and they were very sharp and had great geometry.

“The full convex grind performs in an exemplary manner, but I cannot discern any advantage in performance over a full flat grind with a convex edge. You do not just slap a convex edge on a blade. There are a myriad of variables: how thick was the edge when you started the roll? How high or low did you roll it? A short and abrupt roll may shave but will not cut well at all.”

Bob Dozier custom knifemaker — “The flat grind is the best for the kitchen as it does not wander when making thin slices,” opines Bob Dozier, here busy at his shop grinder. (Pat Covert image)

Degrees of Difficulty

Curious as to the degree of difficulty of applying the various grinds, BLADE® asked Brend, Dozier and Crowell which they thought are the most difficult to execute. They provided varied opinions.

“I think whichever one you do the most is easiest, and the one you do the least is hardest,” Crowell notes. “Once upon a time I used to hollow grind a lot, but then I started to cut a lot and it became apparent to me a flat grind would cut better overall for my use. I gradually phased out hollow grinding and now find it difficult as compared to flat grinding.”

Dozier adds pointedly, “I don’t find any of them hard. I think it depends on how you learn to grind at first. A lot of the makers today learned from someone else and stick with the grind they learned.”

Brend ranked the grinds in order of difficulty.

“Hollow-ground knives, in my opinion, are the hardest to grind,” he begins. “You have to control the blade on a wheel to form a perfect symmetrical line. In my opinion you should keep the point thick, and, at the same time, make your edges sharp and thin.

“Flat ground is next after hollow. In my opinion a true flat-ground blade should be finished by hand because the grinding belt will not allow a true flat surface. Convex is the easiest because you have no set lines or pattern when grinding.”

Order of Importance

best blade grinds — At the grinder here, Bob Dozier says blade geometry is more crucial
in terms of a blade’s cutting performance than the type of steel or
how it is heat treated. “The most important is blade geometry,” he
notes. “The type of steel and how it is heat treated has nothing to do
with how it cuts, only how long it cuts.” (Pat Covert image)

Is blade geometry the most important aspect of a blade’s cutting effectiveness, or is the type of steel or proper heat treating most crucial?

“The most important is blade geometry,” Dozier says. “The type of steel and how it is heat treated has nothing to do with how it cuts, only how long it cuts.”

Crowell differs.

“Heat treat, geometry and steel, in that order,” he opines. “If the heat treat is wrong, the rest will be of little consequence. Proper geometry is next in importance. The steel, although important, is not the determining factor. Of course, you need to have a ‘good’ steel, but it is not the steel that makes the difference. Just because you may have the latest, greatest steel does not mean you will have a superior knife. You have to do it all correctly and in the right order.”

Brend ranks the three differently.

“I think the type of steel is the most important. With proper heat treating you can vary from two-to-four points [on the Rockwell hardness scale] and still cut with the knife because of the type of steel,” he says. “Heat treating is second. With most steels you can be within two points and still cut with the blade. All heat treaters are not the same because of the equipment or their method. Geometry would be the last because if you use the proper steel, you should be able to make any blade work well.”

Flunking Geometry

custom knife mistakes — Uneven grind/plunge lines (right) as seen from the bottom of the blade are one of the more obvious and common things to look for in a bad grind. By contrast, the plunge lines at left are nice and even.

Finally, what makes a bad blade grind?

“What I look for are the grind lines,” Brend explains. “Are the sharp edges of lines rolled? Also, at the back of the blade—where the [grind] line starts—is the steel uneven? I see some hollow grinds where the edges are too thin. If you hit a hard object the blade will chip.”

Opines Dozier: “A poor grind is shown with uneven grind lines, crooked cutting edges or a non-uniform cutting edge.”

“Poor grinding is evidenced by several telltale signs,” Crowell interjects. “Uneven grind/plunge lines as one would look from the bottom of the blade. This is one of the more obvious and common things to look for. Also, the finish on the bottom of the ricasso and choil area is often neglected. You can hold a blade horizontal and look down the flat of the bevel and it should be smooth as glass with no ripples or distortions.”

Jim also notes that on symmetrical patterns such as daggers, look for mirrored-image grinds on both sides of the blade.

One interesting takeaway: The perfect grind may just be determined by how you plan to use your knife—or perhaps you may need two or more knives to cover all the bases.

Keep Learning About Knifemaking

Buying Custom Knives: Four Lessons To Get A Deal

Jason Fry

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November 19, 2024

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Buying Custom Knives: Four Lessons To Get A Deal

We give you the tips to avoid mistakes when buying a custom knives.

Of course, every rule or principle has its exceptions and counter-principles. You do get what you pay for, but only when you have an honest and informed assessment. Is that micarta real Westinghouse Micarta? Is the fit and finish and reputation of the maker in line with the price? Did the maker grind the knife themselves, or is this a production knife?

You’ll have to do some homework if you want to get “good deals.” One of the oldest tricks in the book is for the seller to exaggerate demand and conceal supply. “This is the last one, and they’ve been buying them fast all day!” may be true or may be a dishonest sales pitch.

The warning is “buyer beware” more often than “seller beware” after all. Many a “bad deal” comes not from mutual disagreement, but from one side taking advantage or being dishonest.

Economic generalities aside, let’s look specifically at the knife market.

Lesson 1: Don’t Buy The Hype

Some people want the latest and greatest thing. They get great enjoyment out of buying what is the ultimate “grail” knife of a given season, often hyped up on social media, on online forums, by word of mouth, in magazines and at events. For these buyers, the thrill is in the hunt and in the showing of the trophy.

If you want to be that kind of buyer, buy what you want and enjoy the heck out of it! Keep in mind that demand will be lower for last year’s hot thing, and so will the resale price. I won’t go so far as to say don’t buy the hot knife. Many of us spend money on experiences (what do you gain long term from a concert or a trip to the movies?) or on depreciating possessions like cars or boats. In some ways, if you enjoy it, it doesn’t matter if you lose some money on a knife or it’s not a good “investment.”

Many of us “regular” folks have to be a little more careful with our funds. If you chase what’s hot, you’ll end up buying at times of peak demand, which means you’ll pay a higher price. By the time you get tired of that knife or want to sell, everyone else just might be tired of it as well, as the knife world will have moved on to the next hot thing. If you’re one of the folks for whom a sour ending ruins the whole experience, don’t buy hot. If you have an eye toward appreciation of values and want to “make money” on your knife collecting hobby, don’t buy hot.

For some people, the thrill is in finding the next hot one, before it gets hot. Wouldn’t we all have loved to have purchased a bunch of Microsoft stock in 1993? If we were better at predicting the future, we’d make better knife picks for our collection, just like we’d make better choices in our stock portfolio. Still, if you “hit” one once in a while—buy the maker’s work right before he hits the big time and make lots of money—it can be quite a thrill and keep you buying knives on a regular basis.

Another point of caution when it comes to hype has to do with the “flash in the pan” types who grow smoking hot quickly, beyond their market position or ability to produce. It has happened in the knife world before and will happen again. Someone may be better at marketing than knifemaking, or better at Instagram videos than filling knife orders. If the hype of a particular maker turns you off or looks suspicious, trust your gut and hold off on purchasing. Sometimes makers flame out as spectacularly as they rose to fame.

Lesson 2: Don’t Overspend At The Beginning

“Walk before you run” is good advice. Knife collecting is about finding joy in knives, and at the beginning, small mistakes hurt less. If you start with $500 and buy five quality production knives at $100 each, you may enjoy them a long time. If you start with the same $500 and buy a custom at a show from an overhyped maker who quickly fades away, you may sour to collecting altogether. When you gamble more, the losses cost more.

The opposite is somewhat true as well, however. If you spend your $500 on 50 $10 gas station knives, you’ll have a great big pile of crappy knives when you’re done. The trick is finding a good balance between price and quality. Finding that balance takes time to learn.

As you learn more about the market segment you’re interested in, don’t be afraid to invest more as you grow. You may reach a point where you don’t want the Chinese ones, but rather the American ones. Or maybe you don’t want production, you want midtech. Or maybe you won’t want the midtech one with the maker’s name on it, you may want the custom one made by the maker himself.

Hopefully, your budget will grow to accommodate your growing expertise and preferences.

Lesson 3: It’s Not Just The Knife You’re Buying

When you invest in Amazon stock, you are making a rich man richer. You’re buying a piece of paper or an electronic data point that says you “own” a tiny piece of the company, and you expect a mathematically increasing return for your investment.

When you buy a knife, odds are good your money won’t go to that knifemaker’s yacht payment or summer home fund. When you buy a knife from an individual knifemaker, you’re more likely sending his kids to daycare or piano lessons, paying for his electricity and buying his wife new shoes. If you buy at a knife show, you probably bought the maker’s dinner. When you invest in a knife, you support a specific person, not “the man behind the curtain.”

Even if you find joy by investing in a person by buying their product, you still owe it to yourself to invest wisely. Of course, you should buy a knife you like, that you find useful or that may make you a decent return on your money. At the same time, you should be looking for people to help, individual makers whose lives you will improve by your relationship and the purchases you make over time. You may be making friends, not just money, which can add another degree of magnitude to your enjoyment of knife collecting.

Lesson 4: Buy What You Know

The more you know, the fewer expensive mistakes you’re likely to make and the more deals you’re likely to find. The less you know, the more likely it is that you’ll get a bad deal, purchase a knife you’ll be dissatisfied with or a knife you later regret. The more you know, the better. This seems to be a universal principle of life and economics, and it applies to knives as well.

First off, buy knives from brands or people you know have a good market position. Many times, a well-known brand is successful for good reasons. A classic brand like Case or Spyderco may be a great place to start, or a well-known Knifemakers’ Guild member or somebody from the “Slipjoint Cartel.” When you have the chance to know the maker or seller personally, that knowledge makes your purchases more likely to bring you joy or a good return on your investment.

Second, buy knives from reputable dealers or purveyors. While you may get a “great deal” from a pawn shop or somebody’s cousin who is a knife collector, there is some measure of protection in buying from well-known retailers such as Blade HQ, AG Russell, Arizona Custom Knives and others. Until you become familiar enough with the market to know exactly what you’re looking at, it’s wise to stick with the major dealers.

As another example, consider buying from the folks who advertise in the knife magazines, such as BLADE. If their business is legitimate enough to afford the expense of advertising in print, they’re more likely to be honest and stick around.

Third, buy the knives you’re familiar with. You may get joy out of buying a knife the first time you’ve ever seen or heard of it. On the other hand, you’re even likelier to enjoy a knife that you know in your heart is a great one, because you’ve studied it, chased it, pursued it, and finally purchased after careful consideration. Sometimes the journey is as fun as the destination, and the pursuit of the grail is worth as much as the grail itself.

You may get in a rut and feel like you’re buying the same knife over and over. That’s no good either. Balance your knowledge with both width and depth. You may dive deep into one model, one maker or one brand, or you may spread your collection broadly by buying one knife from as many different people and places as possible. Either way, you’ll get familiar with the knives that you like, and you’ll end up going as deep or as broad in your collection as you like.

Check Out More Cool Custom Knives:

COOL CUSTOMS: KEVIN CASEY’S LITTLE FEATHER KNIVES
COOL CUSTOMS: BLOUNT’S WAR CLUB DUSTS OFF MOHICAN MEMORIES
COOL CUSTOMS: BRIAN BROWN’S TAKA V2S
COOL CUSTOMS: RAY RYBAR’S PROSPECTOR PUSH DAGGER STRIKES IT RICH

5 Angle-Guide Knife Sharpeners That Make The Cut

Dexter Ewing

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September 17, 2021

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5 Angle-Guide Knife Sharpeners That Make The Cut

The proper angle is key to a sharp blade. Here are the angle-guide sharpeners that ensure you’ll always get it right.

A big part of sharpening, aside from proper sharpener selection, is how to select and maintain the proper angle of the blade to the sharpener. In fact, the key to successfully sharpening any blade regardless of the grade of steel is being able to maintain that angle. Ever try sharpening freehand on a bench stone with little experience doing so? The reason folks get frustrated with learning to sharpen is they don’t keep the angles consistent. It’s all about the angles. You must take into account what use your knife will see and sometimes that determines the specific angle to use.

You probably know of the angle guide kits with a metal clamp that affixes to the blade and has uprights on either end with a series of holes that correspond to various degrees of angles. Such kits all help instill confidence and the ability to subtract guesswork at maintaining the desired angle.

SHARPENER TYPES
There are plenty of sharpeners capable of reproducing keen edges. Avoid the pull-through types that require you to drag the blade through. Those are set at one angle and use carbide to get the job done. These will ruin a blade in time, and I don’t recommend them. You need a sharpening kit that’ll help establish and hold a consistent angle. All you need to be concerned with is making the motions to get the edge sharp.

The Lansky Deluxe Diamond Knife Sharpening System is one of the oldest angle guide kits on the market. Four various grits of diamond-coated hones are featured, including extra-coarse for fast work of reviving dull blades. The sturdy aluminum clamp holds the knife securely.

Lansky’s four-stone Deluxe Diamond System Precision Knife Sharpening Kit is the best the company offers in angle guide clamp units. It includes an extra coarse hone great for reprofiling edge angles. It also has coarse-, medium-, and fine-grit diamond-coated hones for fine-tuning the edge once it’s been established. The aluminum clamp is sturdy and offers four edge angles: 17, 20, 25, and 30 degrees. The kit stores in a sturdy plastic storage case. MSRP: $114.99.

GATCO offers the Ultimate Diamond Hone Sharpening System, which is similar to the Lansky. Featuring coarse-, medium-, and fine-grit diamond-coated abrasives, the kit includes Ultimate Finishing and triangular-shaped serration hones, too. It works on plain, serrated, and partially serrated edges. The hones are wider and longer for more effective use and have molded-in integral handguards for safety. There’s also a plastic storage case. MSRP: $119.99.

To sharpen the CPM S90V blades with the SelectEdge 14 degree angle of its Hidden Canyon Hunter and Saddle Mountain Skinner, Benchmade offers the model 50082 14 Degree SelectEdge Guided Hone Tool. Designed in conjunction with and manufactured by Work Sharp, this compact sharpener incorporates a fine grit ceramic rod and a leather strap on the backside. Built-in guides set the blade at the correct 14-degree angle. The idea with this one is to apply frequent edge touchups. A premium steel, S90V is notoriously difficult to resharpen, a difficulty negated via frequent edge maintenance sessions with the 50082. MSRP: $25.

DMT’s Magna-Guide angle kit includes a magnetic guide rod and sturdy blade clamp with adjustable angles. Use any model DMT Double Sided Diafold folding fi le and you have two sharpeners in one—a freehand fi le and an angle guide kit. — DMT’s Magna-Guide angle kit includes a magnetic guide rod and sturdy blade clamp with adjustable angles. Use
any model DMT Double Sided Diafold folding fi le and you have two sharpeners in one—a freehand fi le and an
angle guide kit.

For knives without the SelectEdge technology, Benchmade offers the Edge Maintenance Tool, also designed with and manufactured by Work Sharp. It uses a fine-grit ceramic rod and a leather strop but in a more compact folding format with a pocket clip for easy carry. As with the 14 Degree SelectEdge Guided Hone Tool, built-in guides assist in achieving the optimal angle for edge restoration. The Edge Maintenance Tool works well with pocketknives, fixed blades, and tactical folders—pretty much any knife. MSRP: $50.

DOWNSIZED 2X72
For the more advanced sharpeners among you, Work Sharp offers the Ken Onion Elite Sharpening System, a variable speed motorized unit employing long-lasting flexible abrasive belts made by Norton Abrasives. It’s pretty much a downsized version of a larger and much more expensive 2×72 slack belt grinder used by many knifemakers.

The Work Sharp Ken Onion Elite sharpener is pretty much a downsized version of a larger and much more expensive 2x72 slack belt grinder used by many knifemakers. — The Work Sharp Ken Onion Elite sharpener is pretty much a downsized version of a larger and much more expensive 2×72 slack belt grinder used by many knifemakers.

Designed by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Ken Onion, the Elite makes quick work of bringing completely dull and/or damaged knife edges back to life and is fully adjustable for applying edges between 10 and 35 degrees. The abrasive belts measure 1 by 18 inches and make quick work of any sharpening task. Once you become comfortable with how the sharpener operates, you can consistently grind an even edge on your blades. (Author’s note: Motorized sharpening is best left to those with sharpening experience.) MSRP: $199.95.

Diamond Machining Technology (DMT) offers the Double Sided Diafold Magna-Guide Sharpening System centered around the company’s Double Sided Diafold folding diamond files. The Magna-Guide System features the Aligner Blade Guide clamp with integrated, adjustable angle guides. A metal guide rod affixes securely to the Double Sided Diafold file via a large rare earth magnet. Attached to an FWCX Extra Coarse/Coarse Double Sided Diafold, the manual system can easily reprofile an edge to any one of seven pre-set angles.

DMT’s Double Sided Diafold diamond files are built well, highly effective, and among the best compact sharpeners on the market. One of the best things about the Magna-Guide is you can use the Double Sided Diafold files as stand-alone sharpeners without the guide rod and angle guide clamp. Consequently, you get a guided sharpening system and a standalone sharpener for the price of one. The Magna-Guide Kit’s MSRP: $27.49 (works with any Double Sided Diafold file).

Get More Knife Sharpening Info:

5 MYTHS ABOUT KNIFE SHARPENING
HOW TO SHARPEN A SERRATED KNIFE
5 LEADING SHARPENING RODS
HOW TO HONE A KNIFE

New Knives: Hogue & SIG SAUER Partner Up, RAT Worx Debuts X-Factor

BLADE Staff

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May 7, 2018

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Hogue Knives to Launch SIG SAUER-Branded Automatics

SIG SAUER, best known for its firearms, is once again teaming up to produce a line of knives, this time with Hogue Knives. It’s a natural partnership, since Hogue already produces G10 grips for SIG’s pistols.

From Hogue:

All of HOGUE’s “SIG” marked knives pair with the popular styles of the SIG SAUER firearms Hogue produces grips for. Each have the familiar “SIG” mark either machined in G10 or inlayed with a circular medallion. Hogue’s popular X5, EX-04, and EX-01 knives (both manual folding and automatic variations) are available to match SIG SAUER’s Emperor Scorpion and Exclusive Series Firearms including the Legion Series. Hogue’s EX-02 flippers are available to match ASE, Extreme, Scorpion, and Emperor Scorpion firearms. Finally, the Hogue EX-F01 has matches to SIG SAUER’s Stainless Elite and Exclusive Series firearms.

Hogue knives are made in the USA. MSRP ranges between $199.95 and $279.95.

Sweetening the deal is Hogue’s exclusive stake to all SIG automatic knives.

SIG previously partnered with Ernest Emerson and Rick Hinderer.

SPECS

RAT Worx Debuts X-Factor

RAT Worx‘s new X-Factor knives don’t mind if you’re right- or left-handed. This new line of ambidextrous automatics uses a roller chain that pivots on a ceramic ball bearing for fast action. Buttons on either side of the handle will deploy the blade, although only one can be pressed at a time.

From RAT Worx:

The blade is opened with the help of a roller chain and 2 dual nested counter wound springs, down the spine of the handle. The knife can easily be swapped to right or left handed use. The pocket clip is fully ambidextrous for right- or left-hand use as well (You have to modify the knife to switch it to left hand use by removing a couple of screws.)

Also notable is that the identifying information is hidden in the handle design.

SPECS

Portable Knife Sharpeners: Sharps On The Go

Dexter Ewing

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August 17, 2026

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Portable Knife Sharpeners: Sharps On The Go

Three options to stay keen when you’re out and about.

Active lifestyles often need specialized tools. Out hiking, camping or hunting, a workbench instrument is out of place. This is especially true for one of the most vital pieces of knife kit—sharpeners.

In recent years, the market has trended toward larger bench-mounted sharpeners that, while dynamite at extracting a precise edge, are all but impractical in the field. Out and about, a solid portable sharpener is more than worth its weight in gold. Even better, for those who take a more minimalist approach to edge-maintenance equipment, most mobile sharpeners are more than capable of serving as primary tools for bringing a knife back to life.

Given this isn’t the time of Charlemagne, this class of sharpeners should have an angle guide integral to their design, eliminating guesswork. And since they’re less elaborate, portable sharpeners should be cost-effective, as well. You do not want to spend a ton on something that might be lost. Most of all, these options should prove easy to tote around, be it in a pocket, tool pouch, vehicle glove compartment, backpack or anywhere else you want to cram one.

There are plenty of portable sharpeners available today, but in our trials, we found the following a cut above the rest.

Wicked Edge Venture Pro WE26

The Wicked Edge Venture Pro features a movable 20-degree angle guide that helps to keep your angle consistent, so that even beginners can achieve desirable results. And while not quite pocket sized, the until is perfectly proportioned for sharpening on the go.

Wicked Edge, primarily known for its high-end guide-honing systems, has recently turned its discerning eye to mobile sharpening. The result is the Venture Pro WE26. While more compact than most everything else the company offers, it is no less effective.

Starting with the build quality, Wicked Edge has constructed a system built to last. The Venture Pro’s frame is sturdy T6-6061 aluminum alloy, keeping the unit relatively light, yet extremely durable. The company holds the system together with stainless steel screws and a tension spring. And the honing surface is a double-sided diamond-coated steel plate—if you drop one, you don’t have to sweat it shattering. A cam system holds it in place and allows a painless switch between sides and grit size—500-grit diamond and a fine-grit ceramic. A plus. Yet this is only part of the sharpener’s selling points.

What really grabs attention is that the Venture Pro is a railed angle guide. The system is slick, essentially allowing you to pull your knife through, while the guide maintains a consistent 20-degree angle over the entirety of the sharpening surface. This element of the system deserves mention in and of itself. It is molded from a thermoplastic blend of POM (Delrin) and PTFE (Teflon), the result is a slick surface that all but guarantees a smooth stroke on each pass. The guide is removable and has a storage position on the rear of the sharpener for easy storage in a more compact configuration. The final perk, the unit includes a leather strop and a built-in guide on the rear side, so you can hone a blade to a mirror finish.

The Venture Pro features both 500-grit diamond stone and ceramic honing surface, as well as a leather strop. Wicked Edge sells other grits and different angled guides, to tailor the system to your knives.

The Venture Pro definitely isn’t pocket-sized, but it is small enough to be considered portable. Its size is a plus in this respect; it’s large enough to tackle a wide range of knife types and sizes. I found the system easy to master over the course of several sharpening sessions with pocketknives, tactical folders, kitchen knives and even scissors. The routine is simple: place the blade into the guide as far up to the tang as possible, draw the knife through while moving forward and repeat on the other side. The angle guide slides so easily across the frame of the sharpener that it almost feels like it’s not even there.

Given that the 500-grit side is diamond, I did not have to apply a ton of pressure to achieve the desired results. And, if you’re sure of your freehand skills, the guide can be removed to speed up the process.

At home, at camp or anywhere, the Venture Pro works every time to provide you with a guaranteed sharp edge. As a bonus, several other plates with different grit sizes are available as well as different angle guides (15, 17 and 25 degrees), in case you have a particular system you want to adhere to. No matter what, this made-in-the-U.S.A. sharpener has an edge.

Venture Pro Specs
Frame Material: T6-6061 Aluminum Alloy
Sharpening Material: 500-grit diamond stone, ceramic hone and leather strop
Weight: 10 oz.
Sharpening Surface: 8.25”
Features: Continuous 20-degree angle guide, integral handle
Country Of Origin: U.S.A.
MSRP: $189

Spyderco Sharpmaker

Absolutely time tested, the Sharpmaker has been a honing mainstay for a spell—namely because it works so well. Very simple in design, the portable sharpener features course and fine grain sharpening rods that can be set for a 20-degree edge and simply requires a downward stroke to do their business.

Spyderco’s model 204 Sharpmaker is a versatile, made in the U.S.A. sharpener and could be a primary sharpener on its own. But it’s how it breaks down, with all its hones nestled in the base, and the cover snaps over all of it, fully encasing the stowed sharpener that makes it a top choice for a portable sharpener.

The Sharpmaker utilizes two pairs of alumina ceramic rods—medium grit (brown) and fine grit (white)—held in the plastic base at a 20-degree angle, forming a “V” shape. The proper way to use this is to hold your knife to where the blade is perpendicular to the tabletop and then, starting at the blade tang end, place the blade onto the home and, in one motion, travel down the hone and at the same time pull the blade toward you. Gentle pressure is generally all that is required to achieve a sharp edge. As an added safety precaution, Spyderco includes two brass protection rods that prevent cutting your hand while holding the base.

The Sharpmaker’s design allows you to sharpen on any flat surface—tabletop, workbench, desk or even the tailgate of a pickup truck. Making the tool extremely convenient, the alumina ceramic rods do not require lubrication with oil or water. Though they do require occasional cleaning. The rods darken over time due to swarf collecting on the surface. Scotch-Brite pads and powder sink cleaner make quick work of this fouling and restore the sharpening surface. Another cool feature of the Sharpmaker is the two grooves on the bottom of the base. This allows you to set any two matching hones into the base, with their flat sides up for a makeshift bench stone.

The Spyderco Sharpmaker 204 is the best sharpener to use with serrated knives, as it is easy to set up, easy to use and doesn't use oil or water for lubrication. The points of the triangular-shaped hones capture each tooth in the serration pattern effectively. — The Spyderco Sharpmaker 204 is the best sharpener to use with serrated knives, as it is easy to set up, easy to use and doesn’t use oil or water for lubrication. The points of the triangular-shaped hones capture each tooth in the serration pattern effectively.

The triangular shape of the hones was done on purpose and is a brilliant design. When you set up the honing where the flat sides face each other, the Sharpmaker effectively sharpens plain-edge blades. Rotate the hones so that the points face each other, and the Sharpmaker easily addresses serrated knives.

How well does the Sharpmaker work? Simply put—very well. It’s a must-have if you own any serrated knives, but as I said earlier, it will work just as well on plain-edge blades. The sharpener is easy to set up and easy to use. There’s no mess since you don’t use fluid for lubrication, and it breaks down into an ultra-compact form factor that stows easily.

Sharpmaker Specs
Frame Material: ABS plastic base
Sharpening Material: Alumina ceramic stones
Weight: 1.4 lbs.
Sharpening Surface: 7”
Features: Plain edge and serrated sharpening surfaces
Country Of Origin: U.S.A.
MSRP: $127

Benchmade Guided Field Sharpener

The Benchmade Guided Field Sharpener is the ultimate compact sharpener that is packed with so many features that you must use it to believe it. The unit is manufactured for Benchmade by Work Sharp, so it comes with a pedigree of a company that knows a thing or two about sharp cutting edges.

What you get with the Guided Field Sharpener (GFS) are coarse and fine diamond-coated sharpening plates held onto the body using rare-earth magnets. You also get a fine-grit ceramic rod for quick touch-ups. This rod has two sharpening surfaces—regular and ribbed, which are for more aggressive honing. You also get a smaller diameter ceramic rod, which addresses serrations. On top of all this, the unit has two sets of integral angle guides set permanently at 20 degrees. Finally, at one end of the sharpener frame is a leather strip for the final polishing of your edge. Folks, what you have right here is a comprehensive sharpening system in a pocket-sized form factor.

While the Guided Field Sharpener works very well on folding hunters, tactical folders, multi-bladed pocketknives and some smaller fixed blades, it also handles larger blades, such as kitchen knives, as well. You must be mindful when working with a larger blade on a smaller sharpener and move the blade more efficiently to cover the entire cutting edge in one stroke.

The Benchmade Guided Field Sharpener is made by Work Sharp and was designed as a comprehensive compact sharpener to take with everywhere. Aside from its accoutrements, one of the more desirable features of the tool is its lightweight, coming in at less than 5 ounces.

Using GFS is simple, you lay your blade onto the angle guide, then hold the handle steady and move the blade across the surface of the plate. You do need to remain conscious of your angle, as the guide only starts you at the right incline. Generally, you’ll start with the diamond hone to establish the edge, followed by the fine grit to define it. Finally, a few swipes on the ceramic rod, along with a finish on the leather strip, result in a hair-popping sharp edge.

Overall, the Benchmade sharpener is sized perfectly for everything from a rucksack to a coat pocket. It’s a powerful tool in a compact package, and a value. To this, it’s worth noting that the GFS is assembled in the U.S.A. from foreign and domestic components.

Guided Field Sharpener Specs
Frame Material: Polymer
Sharpening Material: Diamond plates, ceramic rods and leather strop
Weight: 4.7 oz.
Sharpening Surface: 6.87”
Features: Integral 20-degree angle guide
Country Of Origin: Assembled in U.S.A. from domestic and foreign components
MSRP: $50

More On Sharpening:

Pros’ Secrets To Sharpening Knives
Best Sharpening Stones To Keep Your Edge
Stropping: What It Is And How It’s Accomplished
How To Determine The Best Angle To Sharpen

50 Years Ago In BLADE: Taylor, Bowie & Sheffield Knifemakers

BLADE Staff

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March 13, 2026

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50 Years Ago In BLADE: Taylor, Bowie & Sheffield Knifemakers

The 12th president was and is a hot knife commodity.

Some examples from the article of “Old Zach” bowies that included the American general and president’s name, slogans or likeness. The lower bowies have his visage, the second from bottom a stamp motif on the ricasso of Taylor on horseback, the bottom a bust of the celebrated general.

Ever in tune with what’s popular at the moment, knifemakers have never been afraid to cash in on a hot trend. William R. Williamson documented one of the more peculiar vogues of the middle 19th century when Zachary Taylor and bowie knives were all the rage.

Fresh off his triumphs in the Mexican-American War, Taylor was the 1850’s version of a rock star—Americans just couldn’t get enough of him. And while not known to carry a bowie nor affiliate with the hero of the Alamo—Jim Bowie—the general and president’s likeness began to pop up on the most American of knives.

Funny thing is, as William’s points out in his article “Old Zach and the Bowie Knife,” from the March-April issue of The American Blade®, it wasn’t the Yanks cashing in. Instead, England Sheffield’s makers had the pulse of the USA and stamped Taylor’s visages on blades and bolsters.

Unfortunately, Old Rough and Ready’s short-lived presidency didn’t inspire the same outpouring of effigies. But modern collectors did and do find these unusual and patriotic blades desirable, as Williamson points out in his article.

More Knife History:

Walter “Blackie” Collins: Applying The Edge To BLADE Magazine
American Knives: Legendary Designs From The Land Of The Free
Antique Switchblades: World War II And Beyond

That Time that BLADE Magazine was Traded for a Horse

Steve Shackleford

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May 24, 2018

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That Time that BLADE Magazine was Traded for a Horse

Yep, that’s right—a thoroughbred racehorse.

Known as The American Blade at the time, the magazine was traded by then-publisher Jack Marvich to Wally Beinfeld for a racehorse—or at least that’s what Beinfeld reportedly told one of his successors, former BLADE publisher and editor and BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bruce Voyles.

Marvich was a dentist living in New Orleans. He acquired the magazine and served as publisher beginning with the January-February 1974 issue and ending with the November-December issue of the same year. That’s when Beinfeld assumed the, ahem, reins. But first let’s, ahem, backtrack a bit.

knife magazines of the 1970s — The cover of the November-December 1974 issue of The American Blade.

Beinfeld ran what was probably the country’s premier antique arms show and, in part to help promote it, published a gun magazine called the Arms Gazette. The Gazette had a large editorial, graphics and production staff that was more than big enough to produce a second magazine. Hence, Beinfeld decided to add a knife publication—The American Blade—to his, ahem, stable.

However, there was one problem. Marvich and Beinfeld could not make a deal, even if, apparently, the racehorse was at least part of the payment.

“They were sitting there talking about it one day and the more they talked, the worse it got,” Voyles recalled Beinfeld’s version of what happened.

Beinfeld and Marvich were making no headway at all. Finally, Beinfeld stood to call the whole thing off and leave when in walked Marvich’s wife.

“Marvich looked at her and said, ‘Honey, the deal’s not going to go through, we just can’t come to terms.’ And she looked at him and said, ‘What about my racehorse?’ And in Wally’s words, ‘So I sat back down.’ From what I understand,” Bruce recalled, “I don’t know if the racehorse was just part of the deal or what, but I believe it was the entire deal. That was the way it was told to me.”

And, thus, Beinfeld bought The American Blade. Bruce said he can’t recall the horse’s name, which is understandable considering how long ago it was. Meanwhile, Mr. Beinfeld passed away a few years back, and we don’t know the whereabouts of Mr. and Mrs. Marvich.

As for the horse, here’s hoping he was put out to stud and lived happily ever after. (Insert your impression of a horse whinnying here.)

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