Sharpest Production Knife Out of the Box?

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OregonJohnny

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So I'm wondering what your experience is. What is the sharpest production (not handmade or custom) knife you've ever seen as it came from the factory? I'm relatively new to knife collecting, but so far, the sharpest knife I've come across is my R.A.T. Izula. This sucker is nasty sharp. It's made of 1095. I took it camping last weekend and used it to split kindling, whittle, and shave some tinder. Then I got home and tried slicing some paper. It's almost like the darn thing got sharper! Just a tap and it slices so cleanly through thick paper over and over again, it's scary.

Some other honorable mentions are:

• SOG Recon Government (Gun-blued blade made in Japan out of something called SK-5)
• Kershaw Junkyard Dog II Composite (With a D2 edge)
• Boker Titan 2 made out of 440A

I have a lot of other sharp knives, but these are the ones that came scary-sharp from the factory. Anyway, I'm just wondering what other's opinions are on the sharpest knives out-of-the-box.
 
Most Bark River Knives, Scandinavian (particularly Helle) and Spyderco knives immediately come to mind.
 
It is easier to mention what was not really sharp when I purchased them new. The ones that come to mind are the Queen knives in D2 which require substantial re-profiling. The sharpest regular knives I have purchased were probably SOG's.
 
What is the sharpest production (not handmade or custom) knife you've ever seen as it came from the factory?
Click to expand...

These inexpensive Eriksson knives have the sharpest and most razor blade like edge that I've ever seen.

40.jpg


http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html
 
Mora Mora Mora

+1 to Arcticap. Any of the Swedish Mora's (that's both a brand and a type). I believe the Eriksson noted above would be included in this category. Mora is a town in Sweden where they've been making knives since the Middle Ages (if not the Dark Ages). They know both steel and knife making. I really think they are the sharpest knives out of the box.

Victorinox are also razor sharp and may well tie...who knows. A Victorinox has been in my pocket every day for 30 years and Mora is my new fixed blade "go to knife".

You could get a nice Victorinox model (they sell them everywhere) and a Mora from Ragweed forge (link above) for about $40 and have the only two knives you'd ever need.
 
My Benchmade 580 is crazy sharp. Easily the sharpest knife from the factory I've ever purchased.

Plus its awesome.
 
Cliff Stamp, the owner of cutleryscience.com, ran a test on a random sample of a bunch of different knives and found that spydercos were consistently 2-3x sharper than anything else fresh out of the box.
 
From the knives I have bought I would have to say: Benchmade and spyderco both come very sharp. Send your benchmade in once every year or two (or just stop by like I do) and they will send it back sharp and working like the day it was new.
 
My new Case knife was shaving sharp, my Spyderco was shaving sharp, but my Griptilian made me bleed my own blood with very little effort on the showroom floor, so I think it gets my vote.
 
Leuku

I have a Finnish Leuku that I got used.

It's a bit loose in its sheath. Loose enough to slide right out if you tip it a few degrees upside down.

It brushed my palm on its way to the floor. Opened it right up.

I have a number of other really sharp knives (Buck, Case XX and Kershaw folders) all of which will shave, with all of which I've sliced myself. One of the Buck 110s in particular cleanly removed the corner of my fingertip. While it was in the air, falling. Silly boy, I tried to catch it.

But, other than the Finnish Leuku (which wasn't new), the most absurdly sharp new knives I've opened have been Swedish. Mora knives and EKA knives.

I have a few one-off Nordic blades (no longer produced) with both Finnish and Swedish blades that have proven to be bloodthirsty as well.

However, here's the thing: I pretty much don't don't buy a knife if it's not dangerously sharp. Yes, I've bought a few without having held and touched them first, but when I order a second example of that same knife, it's because the first one was satisfyingly dangerous.

Frankly, I have difficulty picking out one single "sharpest" knife among them. Discovering which one would be a project.

 
I've actually never been quite satisfied with any factory edge on any knife I've bought. That includes my share of SAK's, Bucks, Imperials, a Kershaw Leek, a D. Ralph Paragee, and a handfull of others. If they didn't say "Xacto", they weren't as sharp as I'd have liked.

That said, the SAK's and the Leek were generally shaving sharp, or close to it. Just dissatisfied with the steep edge profile, always seemed more at home on an axe. I've not bought a buck or SAK in well over a decade, though, maybe they've improved.

The Leek's edge, in particular, was shaving sharp, but very steep and quite roughly ground. Being D2, it held that edge pretty well despite the obtuse angle.

It's a personal satisfaction for me to lay a new blade to stone. I look forward to each one.

J
 
Yes, I don't understand the steep angles on production blades either 7x57. It wouldn't be any harder or more expensive for the factory guys to grind it at 12-18 per side rather than 25-40 like they do.
 
The sharpest (ridiculously sharp) was a Gerber EZ-Out that I bought quite a few years ago. The knife just like it that I bought my Dad a few years later (after Gerber was bought by Fiskars) was almost dull right out of the package. I believe both knives were made in USA.
 
You didn't buy that from obligatory guilt, did you???
Click to expand...

Well, I was going to buy it anyway, but that did seal the deal, haha.

I felt dumb, but only felt dumber under the gaze of the guy behind the counter.
 
It's a relief to hear others have been bitten by their sharp knives, and that it's not just me.

About a week after I got my R.A.T. Izula, I was wrapping the handle in paracord. The knife was very firmly in it's kydex sheath. I had one of those dangerously stupid lapses in judgement and didn't realize I was holding the sheath in one hand and pulling on the paracord with the other. One last tug on the end of the paracord to tighten the knot on the handle, and the Izula popped out of the sheath and swiped across the pad of my pinky finger. 30 minutes later I was getting 4 stitches in the emergency room. It still gives me the shivers thinking about it.

Another time I was at the gun show and there was a booth selling a bunch of Kershaw factory seconds. A guy picked up one of the assisted openers and within 10 seconds of playing with it, he was bleeding pretty good. The guy behind the booth pulled out the first aid kit and said, "Don't worry, that happens about every half-hour."
 
I've got a Mora #1 that I am actually scared to use. It has no guard and the way the blade meets the handle there is a smooth transition from smooth wood right to razor sharp steel across about 1mm. It's a safe queen. The Eriksson above is the same knive basically but with a guard and a bit of a pommel on the end.
 
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