Real world cutting test.

[Boattale]

I needed to trim about 4" strip from a 12' piece of commercial felt carpet pad. It's mottled gray with a thin rubberlike coating on one side.

So I went to the shop, got a 2x6 piece to save the floor, drywall square and a new blade razor knife. Cut the first 30" or so with the razor knife, three passes pressing hard. Picked up the main piece and found it had a nice straight divot cut about halfway through. Thought WTH?? and checked the blade on the razor knife. It was about as sharp as a crayon.

So then I broke out the most recent Dozier Design Kabar folder. Factory new AUS 8 blade. Could hardly puncture the pad even at the divot. But did. Worked through the original 30" divot requiring several passes. Checked that blade, sharper than a crayon, but no way sharp still.

So THEN I broke out griptilian with 154 CM blade. And a lot of difference in blade geometry. Even the point of the much more sharply pointed grip was difficult to punch through the felt. But. Once through, I was able to cut the felt with a bit of a sawing motion far easier than the Kabar or the razor knife did.

So: For tough duty; Razor blade< AUS 8 blade < 154 CM. Geometry matters.

 

[earlthegoat2]

A group picture would help us to see the differing blade geometry.

 

[Boattale]

Top: 154 CM Griptilian
Middle AUS 8 Kabar Dozier Design
Bottom: Screwpop razor knife.

 

[Mk-211]

The proper tool for the job is best. I used to lay carpet with my dad, quality razor knife cant be beat on carpet.

Plus it has to be sharp, either flip it, replace it or sharpen it. Being a fine edge, the razor makes quick work on carpet as long as it's sharp.

 

[Boattale]

The proper tool for the job is best. I used to lay carpet with my dad, quality razor knife cant be beat on carpet.

Plus it has to be sharp, either flip it, replace it or sharpen it. Being a fine edge, the razor makes quick work on carpet as long as it's sharp.

This was commercial felt carpet pad, maybe 1/2 thick, guessing it was recycled fiber. It was very difficult to cut. Much worse than any carpet I've ever cut. Brand new razor blade. Maybe it was a poor one.

 

[Mk-211]

Yeah, padding is different and the blade will get stuck in it if the pad catches any dull part of the blade.

There's also two sides of padding, a smooth side and a rough side. You always want to cut the smooth side as the blade will cut through it easier.

 

[rust collector]

I have noticed a substantial difference between a utility blade and a rectangular, slotted carpet blade. The latter do not have a sharp point, but they are set up for tough fiber and excel at clean cuts.

Euro and Scandi tradeworkers prefer a true knife such as this https://smile.amazon.com/Morakniv-M...candinavian+knife&qid=1592872806&sr=8-15&th=1 and I think they are on to something. Utility knives on this side of the pond are best at scoring drywall but that's about all.

 

[hso]

Euro and Scandi tradeworkers prefer a true knife such as

They're not wanting a general purpose blade. Mora makes the full range of trades knives that we don't see in the US. https://morakniv.se/en/product-category/all-knives/utility-knives/

 

[Boattale]

They're not wanting a general purpose blade. Mora makes the full range of trades knives that we don't see in the US. https://morakniv.se/en/product-category/all-knives/utility-knives/
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Mora makes good knives. But MY takeaway from the pad cutting deal was how much better 154CM held up compared to AUS 8 and whatever the heck steel a razor knife is made of. The Mora's ASFAIK are carbon steel or their SS. Taught me what others probably already know, besides geometry, steel matters.

 

[lemaymiami]

Real world test.... A few weeks ago I popped a tire on my boat trailer (something I’ve done many times towing around 20,000 miles a year as a full time fishing guide). I’m pretty skilled at changing out a tire but this time the tread on that steel belted radial wrapped around the trailer’s axle so tightly that I had to cut it away to be able to mount a new tire. The steel wires had to be cut wire cutters, the rubber was cut away with my old Benchmade Ascent with a partially serrated edge... Worked like charm and afterwards the edge on the blade was very serviceable... Not sure any of my other folders would fared as well...

 

[ugaarguy]

Lemay, this thread over on the Spyderco Forum may interest you - https://forum.spyderco.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=85045. Spyderco also makes the Waterway and Siren (basically a folding Waterway), which were designed by an American expat turned professional kayak fisherman in Costa Rica. Those knives might be worth looking into.

 

[sparkyv]

Indeed! ...and the larger handle gives you a leverage advantage. Like that Mora with a full handle and a short blade.

besides geometry, steel matters.

 

[lemaymiami]

Thanks UGAA.. I'll read it through when I can. My old, long discontinued, full sized Ascent with the partially serrated blade is with me day after day out on the water - or wherever... I find it very useful since I really need a one handed knife at times (it's a safety issue if you're in a boat handling lines, nets, or the many little things that I run into from time to time..).

All during this recent "lock-down" I've been on the water (without customers until just recently...) since as a guide it's my local current knowledge that makes me worth hiring... Funny thing - I've been living a "social distancing" lifestyle for many years - only it was just a part of the deal for skiff guides down here in paradise... Here's a pic on how I've been covered up - long before any pandemic concerns... for us it's more about protection from the sun than any disease prevention...

friendly looking fellow... No, but it gets the job done and allows me to stay on the water after too many years with too much sun...

 

[CapnMac]

Old US "industry" standard was a hook bladed lino knife. Which worked well on the jute and sisal backed carpets. It even worked well enough on the rubber-backed carpets and even the infused felt backed carpets.
Mind, these were meant to be kept sharp with a fine round file or a short steel. The knives were considered a disposable commodity, too. The points were often dull(ish) and where the hook "caught" they would be honed sharp. Which would hold true for when they laid sheet-goods flooring.

The carpet guys seem to have changed over to a utility knife blade with a hook format. Like the Stanley 11-983, which will zip through the stiff-backed glue down carpets that have become standard in commercial work.

Now for a dulling material, little matches VCT. Medical-grade linoleum is easier, much like heavy hide.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

My Hogue knife came with a CM154 blade. It seems to hold up pretty well with cardboard and such, but I haven't put it through real abuse yet.