Thread: Which 'ricasso' style is easier to grind?

I'm calling it the 'ricasso' but I'm not sure if that's an accurate name for what I'm talking about... I'm meaning the line where the grind ends opposite to the cutting edge. Most factory razors are ground to the spine or pretty close to it, but some custom razors stop further down. I know this is done to give more width to the blade and essentially make a larger razor from a certain thickness of steel (the reason I'm partial to it..) but so I just wanted to find out from knife/razor makers if either is easier than the other? Is using the spine as a guide for straightness of the grind more effective if grinding to the edge of the spine, or can scoring a line away from the spine be used in the same way..??

As mentioned, I have a set steel thickness, and would like to create a larger overall blade by moving the 'ricasso' down from the spine (obviously bearing in mind the correct ratio to attain proper honing angle - done my homework there...)

See attached image A - ground to the spine, and B thicker 'ricasso'.

Thanks guys for any insights/suggestions.

Cheers,
- Mike

The ricasso would actually be the part of the blade where the tang joins the spine, where you see the steps on the Zowada razor (left photo). Your question is about the back part of the grind--not sure what the technical term is for it.

In my opinion, the grind on the right is easier to execute, because it gives you room to correct problems. With the style in the lefthand approach, it's easy to grind part of the hollow through the back of the spine, and you end up with a dip in the side of the spine--very bad form.

Right now, I take the approach in the right hand photo. In a couple of months, when my grinding is as good as Tim's, I'd like to bring that hollow right up to the spine.

The honing angle observation is a good point. I don't stop my grind as far away from the spine as the razor in the right hand photo--mine are usually more like 1/16" or so, and it doesn't make a big difference in the angle.

Josh

Thanks Josh,

Your expertise is greatly appreciated. Personally I like the look of the wider "back of the grind' as I've seen it used on older, heavier blades in my collection. I think added to the idea of creating an overall larger blade, having more meat on the spine allows one to be more creative in dressing up the spine, so I'm glad to hear that it's an 'easier' style to acheive. Thanks again, and really love that 8/8 spanish point.

Having done both, (and the razor on the right is mine) it's much more difficult to stop a grind partway up the blade, at least for me. It's much easier to grind all the way up the blade, because that's what it 'wants' to do anyway. The actual grinding isn't any more difficult, but getting everything even on both sides, is. It's all going to depend on the design of the razor and your method of grinding. All my grinding is freehand, with no jigs or fixtures (other than a work rest), so that may be the reason one way is easier for me than the other.

Thanks Joe, that's exactly what I was thinking originally, that the grind 'wants' to go to the spine as you say, so I guess it does come down to your individual technique in terms of which grind-end style is easier to create..

Thanks again guys, both of you are exactly who I had hoped would drop a comment, so thanks indeed.

Cheers,
- Mike