Question Regarding Round Knife

[WinterBear]

Ok, a relativity raw novice here, and I'm looking for some good advice. I'm looking at what I want to do, and have determined that one of the things I will need is a round knife/head knife. And which is which, or are the two terms more or less interchangeable?

There are several options in my price range, but it seems to be neck and neck with the Osborn and the Stolhman knives I've listed in the poll above as far as basic reviews and price. So I've come to ask those who are most familiar with these things to help me decide what I should get, or, tell me why I should get neither and get something else!

[dirtclod]

Between those two choices i would get the Osborne but in a 4 inch or smaller blade. A 5 inch blade is to big for regular work a 5 inch blade gets you to far away from your work IMHO.

[terrymac]

I would check and see what Bruce Johnson (member on this forum) has to offer. Advantages of buying from him are going to be a good quality knife and sharp, ready to go to work.

Terry

[KAYAK45]

I would check and see what Bruce Johnson (member on this forum) has to offer. Advantages of buying from him are going to be a good quality knife and sharp, ready to go to work.

Terry

I have ten round knives from various sources and all the NAMES of dead men who made them. I cannot get a good edge on the new ones!

Buy ONE good knife from Bruce Johnson and be done with it. Good hunting!

[Art]

Tip to Tip 4" or 5" tops

Buy from Bruce Johnson or Bob Douglas

Rose nlib.

Osborne (Newark) nlib.

Osborne (Harrison) ok once you have a decent edge on it

Gomph (New York) nlib

For newer makers:

Buchman decd.

Dozier

Zalesack

Skiving knives:

Robert Beard

George Barnsley nlib. decd.

nlib (no longer in business)

decd (deceased)

Art

[WinterBear]

Thanks for the replies and the advice, much appreciated.

[bruce johnson]

Like Art, I prefer a 4 to 5 inch knife overall. For some cuts I use one down to 3-1/2". I roll a round knife to cut fringe, and will go to a big knife then. I like to skive with a wider knife too, and about a 5-1/2 feels right to me. I'd agree with Art's makers listing also and add a couple. I think the Rose knives are the top of the scale - they are hard. That makes them take longer to sharpen, but once they are right, they go a long time with just stropping. Then I'd give a slight edge to older Gomphs followed closely by the Newark marked CS Osbornes and older Harrison CS Osbornes. I have a couple Harringtons and they are about like the Gomph or Newark CSOs. I have had several Clyde and Shapleigh knives that I liked too. They are maybe a bit softer than the others, but not so soft you spend half your time resetting the edge. They make a real nice knife, pretty forgiving, and you can learn a lot about the mechanics of putting a good edge on one and not be taking all day to do it.

For modern makers, I have had recent CS Osbornes and they are a notch to a step lower than the Clyde/Shapleighs to me. I've got a Dozier I like a lot, but he has had a really long wait time. I have had some Bill Buchmann and Linneman knives and they have some real fans too. I know one person on the forum here bought a Knipscheild (sp?) knife at Sheridan and likes it. There are some other newer makers putting out leather knives, but I haven't got to use any others. These good modern handmade knives have a fair price on them, so there is some sticker shock comparing them to a new Osborne or Stohlman.

Another consideration when you shop for knives is a good cutting surface and sharpening system. I like high density poly with a smooth finish to cut on and glass to skive on. I like the diamond stones or wet-dry abrasive paper to profile. I set my final edge with a slack belt sytem with a superfine grit. I follow that up with green compound. I also strop with green compound to maintain.

[WinterBear]

Like Art, I prefer a 4 to 5 inch knife overall. For some cuts I use one down to 3-1/2". I roll a round knife to cut fringe, and will go to a big knife then. I like to skive with a wider knife too, and about a 5-1/2 feels right to me. I'd agree with Art's makers listing also and add a couple. I think the Rose knives are the top of the scale - they are hard. That makes them take longer to sharpen, but once they are right, they go a long time with just stropping. Then I'd give a slight edge to older Gomphs followed closely by the Newark marked CS Osbornes and older Harrison CS Osbornes. I have a couple Harringtons and they are about like the Gomph or Newark CSOs. I have had several Clyde and Shapleigh knives that I liked too. They are maybe a bit softer than the others, but not so soft you spend half your time resetting the edge. They make a real nice knife, pretty forgiving, and you can learn a lot about the mechanics of putting a good edge on one and not be taking all day to do it.

For modern makers, I have had recent CS Osbornes and they are a notch to a step lower than the Clyde/Shapleighs to me. I've got a Dozier I like a lot, but he has had a really long wait time. I have had some Bill Buchmann and Linneman knives and they have some real fans too. I know one person on the forum here bought a Knipscheild (sp?) knife at Sheridan and likes it. There are some other newer makers putting out leather knives, but I haven't got to use any others. These good modern handmade knives have a fair price on them, so there is some sticker shock comparing them to a new Osborne or Stohlman.

Another consideration when you shop for knives is a good cutting surface and sharpening system. I like high density poly with a smooth finish to cut on and glass to skive on. I like the diamond stones or wet-dry abrasive paper to profile. I set my final edge with a slack belt sytem with a superfine grit. I follow that up with green compound. I also strop with green compound to maintain.

Ok, now I know what to look for, I have a feeling I will be contacting you soon. I've looked up you website and quite like a lot of what I see there. A good tool that is used because it works the way it is mean to, and is used a lot, has a certain look to it, and I see that with the knives you showcase. I also quite like the lacing tools--one of those would have made a few projects easier!

[RWB]

Like Art, I prefer a 4 to 5 inch knife overall. For some cuts I use one down to 3-1/2". I roll a round knife to cut fringe, and will go to a big knife then. I like to skive with a wider knife too, and about a 5-1/2 feels right to me. I'd agree with Art's makers listing also and add a couple. I think the Rose knives are the top of the scale - they are hard. That makes them take longer to sharpen, but once they are right, they go a long time with just stropping. Then I'd give a slight edge to older Gomphs followed closely by the Newark marked CS Osbornes and older Harrison CS Osbornes. I have a couple Harringtons and they are about like the Gomph or Newark CSOs. I have had several Clyde and Shapleigh knives that I liked too. They are maybe a bit softer than the others, but not so soft you spend half your time resetting the edge. They make a real nice knife, pretty forgiving, and you can learn a lot about the mechanics of putting a good edge on one and not be taking all day to do it.

For modern makers, I have had recent CS Osbornes and they are a notch to a step lower than the Clyde/Shapleighs to me. I've got a Dozier I like a lot, but he has had a really long wait time. I have had some Bill Buchmann and Linneman knives and they have some real fans too. I know one person on the forum here bought a Knipscheild (sp?) knife at Sheridan and likes it. There are some other newer makers putting out leather knives, but I haven't got to use any others. These good modern handmade knives have a fair price on them, so there is some sticker shock comparing them to a new Osborne or Stohlman.

Another consideration when you shop for knives is a good cutting surface and sharpening system. I like high density poly with a smooth finish to cut on and glass to skive on. I like the diamond stones or wet-dry abrasive paper to profile. I set my final edge with a slack belt sytem with a superfine grit. I follow that up with green compound. I also strop with green compound to maintain.

Bruce,

How are you sharpening your knives? I have a couple Rose knives that I used to really like, but they won't hold the edge that they used to. I can still get them scary sharp, but they will roll that edge pretty easy anymore. Almost like the temper got taken out of them, but I know I haven't. Just curious what your method is.

Thanks,

Ross Brunk

[bruce johnson]

Bruce,

How are you sharpening your knives? I have a couple Rose knives that I used to really like, but they won't hold the edge that they used to. I can still get them scary sharp, but they will roll that edge pretty easy anymore. Almost like the temper got taken out of them, but I know I haven't. Just curious what your method is.

Thanks,

Ross Brunk

Ross,

I got this link from another post here a couple years ago, but can't find that post at the moment. Here is the link - Slack Belt sharpening . This method ends up with a slightly curved edge on the blade. Some people call it a Moran edge. It is sort of like a secondary bevel to back up the edge, only an infinite bevel instead of a fixed angle. This has made a the most durable edge for me. I was doing a light secondary bevel (Herb French's book) but if I got a really thin edge two things happened. Either I chipped out some edges when I was cutting curves bcause the blade was to thin or I rolled an edge. That was the "forgiving" part of the Clyde knives because I could fix it pretty easily. Once I tried this slack belt deal, It hasn't been the issue.

I have a Harbor Freight 1x30 vertical belt sander and the belt grits they mention in the forum from Lee Valley. I also found another place to do the slack belt effect at a steeper angle. On my 4x30 benchtop belt sander there is a small gap between the roller on the end and the flat top that supports the belt. If I back off the tensioning lever slightly, it releases enough tension on the belt to be slack. It is good place to do things like the new Osborne strap punches and make a sharper edge that will punch way easier but won't roll. I do some of my clicker dies there too if they have a flat edge. I have some pretty wore out 300something grit belts I save for that. Some of the new edges are dull enough I go through a few grits to finally raise the foil edge. I think they said in that forum link that if you don't raise an edge in a couple passes you need to be using a coarser grit. Pretty much what I do.

The only real fooler I have is sometimes I get a short foil edge pretty straight out from stropping but not wearing it off. It looks and feels good, but when I go to cutting hard leather it rolls. Stropping with a more agressive compound (I use gray for that) and then going to the green takes care of it.