Glossary of Blade Grinds

The following explores common terms used in knife sharpening:

Chisel Grind: a blade ground on only one side, usually at a bevel of 30 degrees. The chisel is a popular grind on tactical knives because it produces an extremely thin edge that cuts well and is easily sharpened.

Convex Grind aka Moran Grind: often named for Bill Moran, the cutler who pioneered it, a convex grind produces a blade that tapers from the spine to the cutting edge, only the tapered lines extend outward in a sphere-like fashion instead of inward or concave. The result looks kind of like an apple or pumpkin seed.

The disadvantage of the convex grind is that it's harder to sharpen in the field. But the convex grind offers several advantages, including a smoother transition that reduces cut resistance, a good balance of sharpness and edge retention, and additional blade metal that yields a stronger knife.

Flat Grind: a symmetrical or V-shaped grind producing straight tapered lines from the spine to the edge. Most pocket knives use a flat grind, though this grind is also useful for thick knives that need a sharp edge. However, if the blade is very thick, it may need a secondary bevel.

Hollow Grind aka Concave Grind: the hollow grind is the one most often used for commercial hunting knives. The taper from the spine to the edge is concave (meaning it curves inward), producing a very distinct point with an edge that is thin, acute, and easy to sharpen, but also delicate.

Saber Grind: refers to a grind that begins near the middle of the blade rather than at its spine. This is an excellent, heavy duty chopping grind, because it features flat edge bevels that are typically left very thick.

Scandinavian Grind: sometimes called the Scandinavian single bevel grind, the Scandinavian grind features a single wide bevel that runs flatly to the edge. It resembles the saber grind in that it begins near the middle of the blade, but instead of a secondary bevel, the Scandinavian grind has only a single extremely sharp and thin edge. This grind is great for re-sharpening.