Blind cut tests to judge knife performance?

EDC Gear for Flashlight Carriers
1

There is always discussion on whether a budget $10-$20 knife performs as well as an expensive $300-$400 custom knife.

I propose blind tests so that knives can be judged by their objective performance results in different cutting tasks. A/B blind tests should eliminate personal bias based on appearance or brand or cost, etc.

Cutting tasks would be performed behind a screen by knife A and knife B and then judges would be given the cutting results to examine.
The judges, using their knife expertise, should then be able to determine which of knife A or B is the cheap budget knife and which is the expensive custom knife.
The cutting tasks would be the common slicing/chopping techniques as demonstrated in youtube videos - paper cutting, paracord cutting, cardboard box cutting, wood whittling, etc. Knife owners, invested in proving their knife superior, would perform the blind tests with their knives pre-sharpened by their own method.

Each cutting task would be performed 5 or 6 times behind a screen so that cut results could be divided between multiple judges. The judges would be allowed to hear the task being performed but not allowed to see any particular knife or owner while performing the cutting task. The judges would examine and handle the cut materials, using magnification if desired, taking sound and time of cuts into consideration. They would vote A or B as the better performing knife based on objective results.

Knives would be judged in various classes by size or category, with the winners of each class then going into a grand championship round.

This may already be a common feature of knife shows but objective performance results certainly have not been publicized.

Open for discussion on practicality of such blind distinctions being made or whether all properly sharpened knives produce indistinguishable results. Which cutting tasks should be included? How can the blind test be refined? Are such blind results-based tests valid for knives or any kind of tool? Or only practical for wine? Does “Don’t judge a book by its cover” apply only to books?

I do realize that knives are personal, usually judged by appearance, shape, color, material, weight distribution, fit to hand, feel, cost, etc. All these criteria are valid but come down to personal taste. That may well be all that counts but blind tests would be interesting to at least determine if performance differences exist.

The results of cut tasks for knives approach the equivalent of beam shoots for flashlights. Although beam preferences certainly are personal as well.

Opinions?

2

I am aware of sharpening tests where similar knives were sent for sharpening by 7 experts in different sharpening techniques. The sharpened knives were returned for microscopic analysis.
Visible differences were perceived and could help determine sharpening method used. I will try to find reference on knife forums.

3

The performance of a knife depends on a variety of factors. Construction, steel, heat treatment, sharpening, user technique, material being cut.

Unfortunately I think it is very difficult to isolate these factors in order to objectively assess them. Except perhaps breaking strength and corrosion resistance.

Knives sell on things like name, marketing, looks and ergonomics at least as much as on performance. And it is dangerous to do a true blind test on a knife.

I would suggest that the difference between the very best knives and a decent knife is much less than between a well sharpened knife and a decently sharpened knife. Or between users with or without really good skills in handling a knife.

Instead of a blind test, why not open competitions? Cut ropes, sharpen tent sticks, make a notched pot hanger, make a feather stick, split some kindling, chop an onion, peel a potato, butcher a deer, carve a spoon, all with the same knife or perhaps two or three, and see what knives the winners use... Could perhaps be different classes depending on the number of knives used.

I rarely cut paper with a knife. I usually use a pair of scissors. For cutting down trees and firewood I use a chainsaw. For splitting firewood I use an axe.

4

Open competitions would work and similar to what I mean by a blind test. Not using a knife with a blindfold. The competition is judged solely by the results produced, not by seeing what knife was used or who was using it. I would expect that experienced skilled knifesmen would win matter what sharp appropriate knife they used.

Does the knife steel, price, fit and finish make a difference in the utility of knife and the results that the use of a more expensive knife might produce? Better tent sticks, better cut ropes, better peeled onion, better butchered meat, better carved spoon? Or does a more expensive knife work better (results-based) or just make one feel better (emotion-based)?

5

Comparing knives this way makes little sense. It would be like lining up every car made to see which one “performs” the best. How it “perform” is a very broad topic to discuss and since you seem to be talking about cutting ability and so forth, the thing you would want to be testing is metal type and sharpening method. A 5 cent razor blade would outperform a lot of knives in many of these tests.

As far as studying and comparing how different types of metal perform as blades, it has been done throughout history. Same with sharpening methods. There are many ways to get to the same goal whatever the goal may be.

You mention the discussions about a $10 knife to $400 knife; sure there are discussions, but they are not questions that need or have answers. Those discussions are similar to those in the racing world about 4 cylinders vs v8’s. It simply boils sown to preference, budget, etc, that is why there are so many options.

If you want cutting ability comparison between cheap and expensive knives, look at what it is made of and how it is sharpened. All of this stuff has been tested and put to use already.

6

The test in the OP wouldnt show overall knife performance in just 1-6 cut’s, it would show grind / blade thickness / profile / bevel / sharpening job performance.

7

Cereal is correct.

Grind any piece of steel to 20° inclusive and polish it to 10k grit and it will be as sharp as any other piece of steel so treated.

Steel type and heat treatment come into play when it comes to retaining that razor edge over time.

8

You should give money to the the blind, not cut them!!! The nerve of some people!

As to an objective assessment of blade sharpness, direct microscopic examination works best for me. A jeweler’s loupe and direct sunlight work well for casual use, but a binocular microscope with special reticles makes objective, quantifiable measurements easy.

As to the price difference, a $0.00 scrap steel bar, ground to a nice shape, hardened and stress-relieved properly, then sharpened well, will perform just as well as any $400.00 knife you can find, it just won’t have the same “aesthetic”, “emotional” or “snob” appeal (whichever one(s) of those drives you to pay so much for a knife).