subject: Bowie Knives With High-relief Blades [print this page] High-relief blades are one of the more popular edge geometries for Bowie knives. They are made using a consistent angle from spine to tip. They are similar to a flat grind, but their angle reaches all the way across the blade instead of just from the beginning of the bevel to the edge. They have a very distinctive look and are favored by some collectors and knife enthusiasts. They're also of great practical value and many outdoor enthusiasts swear by them.
Because Bowie knives are oftentimes used for taxing work, the high-relief blade is sometimes a good choice. This blade is very easy to sharpen. The angle is consistent so, to achieve the proper orientation of blade and stone, one can use a reference point anywhere along the blade. This makes them good choices for blades that are likely to be sharpened in the field, when you don't have all your best sharpening tools with you to bring to the job.
High-relief Bowie knives are also useful because the blade can be sharpened to a very impressive edge. The angle is easy to maintain and, in reality, a high-relief blade is an inclined plane taken to its logical extreme. This is one of the most primitive types of blades, for certain, but it is also one of the most functional. These blades have consistent drag when you're cutting, so your knife won't be trying to steer you off course when you're trying to make a precise cut.
Flat blade and high-relief knives are sometimes a bit more expensive than other Bowie knives. The more common grinds, such as double bevels, hollow grinds and saber grinds are a bit easier to create and, thus, flat grinds are harder to produce. The quality of the steel used in the knife, however, will still have more bearing on how much you sharpen the blade and how it performs. Your preference where the blade grind is concerned may change with different tasks.
As an example, chisel edges and double ground edges are oftentimes used on cheap kitchen knives. On hunting knives, they're equally prevalent. On chopping tools, however, a convex grind is usually used. Depending upon what you're doing, you may need a different knife. However, you'll likely find that high-relief blades provide excellent results for most applications. Their ease of maintenance and durability has made them favorites for as long as there have been knives!
