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I Forge Iron

Best Blade shape


Perrin Aybarra

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I'm starting to get into blacksmithing and I've decided that I want to do some blade work. So, my question is, in your opinion, what is the best/your favorite shape to make a blade? any special curves, points, etc? I've done some designs of my own that i'm going to try as soon as I get my forge up and running, but I'd like to know what you guys think. thanks in advance, Perrin

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Perrin, go into a knife shop Mate. There are umpteen blade shapes and all have a different use, so before you ask what is the best shape, you have to decide what do you want to use the blade for? Skinner, slicer, hacker, boner, utility, stabber, etc, etc, etc, ad nauseum

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Perrin, go into a knife shop Mate. There are umpteen blade shapes and all have a different use, so before you ask what is the best shape, you have to decide what do you want to use the blade for? Skinner, slicer, hacker, boner, utility, stabber, etc, etc, etc, ad nauseum
He's right, the use dictates the shape. After all, you wouldn't use a kitchen knife for hunting knife. My favorite to forge is the clip point. Watching the steel come to life and form the curves just facinates me.
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Having done extensive research I can tell you there are three very popular knife shapes where you will never go wrong

Bowie
Loveless drop point
subhilt fighter

Of these three my favorite is the loveless drop point of varying sizes and the most saleable knife.

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Perrin,

Lot's of knife folk get excited about flat grinding like the Scandinavian Pukko knives. Forging flat bevels isn't too hard. Following up with flat filing and draw filing isn't equipment extensive.

The advantage I've heard of flat ground is to simplify sharpening in the field. If a user doesn't have the skill to hold a bevel angle for the secondary edge, the flat grind gives them a wide contact area to press against the stone.

I would also add that I don't much care for serrated. However it's entirely likley that Spyderco exists because the majority disagree with me on that point!

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This is a good example of a "too open" question, what makes you think our preference in a blade is anything like yours? The only time I carry a blade longer than my Old Timer, Stockman's pocket knife is if I'm going to do some skinning. I use the Stockman's to gut, bone and generally part out the kill and here it isn't a 300lb deer/elk, Moose average about 1500lbs. Caribou are smaller, under 500 lbs I believe but I'm not fond of boo so I don't hunt them. Skinning on the other hand needs a long blade with a good belly so it parts the skin from the flesh without doing damage to either and not working you to death.

If all I'm doing is camping I carry my Stockman's and a hatchet, a BIG knife is more likely to get in my way and it can be a pain to clean my nails or do small work, say clean a trout. Fresh trout . . . Mmmmmm.

So, I hope you see from all the different opinions so far that your question is almost unanswerable. I know my blade preference has been known to cause bladesmiths to choke on their bile. Sokay, I'm not about to tell anyone else what to carry, unless of course they're completely unfamiliar with knives and their use, say Cub Scouts.

Of course that's just my opinion I could be wrong.

Frosty the Lucky.

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