All of my recent, direct from Spyderco buys have arrived extremely sharp at a factory 17 degrees.

that's an interesting way to put it. i've had reservations about every knife on the forums told to be "shaving sharp" when they were probably, for the most part, only "scraping sharp."

Emerson combat karambit was about the sharpest.

I would say SOG and Kershaw,also most of the Cold Steel knives I own nearly chase the hair away from your arm!My Seal knife was razor sharp as was every SOG I own most of them hold their edge well enough,but not like BK's.The SteelHeart I just got shaves hair and cleanly slices computer paper even with that thicka#@ blade (which I love) I think edge geometry is more important than actual edge sharpness,can't beat a flat grind.Did I mention how much I love this knife..I also have a Kershaw Outcast(more a shortsword than a knife!) which will shave hair but the EG isn't all that great it's too thick at the edge [img][image]http://i354.photobucket.com/albums/r406/johnpzane/43630364.jpg[/img][/image]

I have had a few really sharp knives.
The Mule was very very sharp but a lot of that is it has some of the best geometry of any knife. Very thin spine and a wideblade with a full hieght grind all make for a very very narrow edge angle.

My Lambert Custom was very sharp but it does not really count.

My friends one step before top of the line Henkels chef knife is pretty amazingly sharp. It would also make a super fighter.

There are 3 things that make for a sharp knife.

1 Good geometry , the Spyderco Mule has good edge geometry the DMCG has obtuse geometry so not matter how good you sharpen the edge it will still not cut well.

2 The edge angle ,Most production knives have their edge angle to obtuse as well so the edges don't chip. A good sharp edge is between 17 and 20degrees while most edges are at least 25 from the factory.

3 How well the edge angles meet up together. The edges should have the same angle on both sides and form a wire edge which is then removed.


The HCLE had the first one ,good geometry and the third one ,excellent good looking even edges but the edge angle was way to steep. Once you get a nice angle on it it should cut really well but boy that steel is hard to reprofile.

My DFLE has that exact same edge but it is great on the DFLE which has even better geometry because of the high sides and flat grind. I probably will give it a thinner convex edge but I have not had the heart yet because they did such a good job.
If Bussekin knives had better edges they would cost more.

It takes a lot of time and training to make a perfect edge and that would add a lot of cost to the knife.


asymmetrical edges can be very very sharp. I love the edge on my SH-E which is perfectly flat on one side and convex on the other. It would be very hard to sharpen without a bench grinder for the flat side and then a mousepad/sandpaper for the other. My Emerson Commander was even worse. It was as sharp out of the box as the mule but there was no way to sharpen it without totally messing up the finish. I sold it and won't get another Emerson.

Bark Rivers and Spydies have been the best factory edges for me.

I hate to say it, but my CS Recon Stout was pretty sharp out of the box. Also, my Fehrman Thru Hiker is very sharp, probably the sharpess of all. Out of my Bussekin, Uncle Mini Mojo, HC, AD, and S6.

i liked my gerber fatty but it didint carry well so i gave it to my mom <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My BlackJack Grunt was easily the sharpest factory edge I have ever had !!!

My sharpest factory edges have come from Cold Steel and Spyderco.

i just did some ledger paper cutting comparisons. my m2k is definitely the sharpest knife i own. there are some close contenders. i was surprised when my tenacious outcut the ukpk, navigator 2, and dragonfly. they have never been sharpened, though. the rat1 folder also beat them. those knives have been sharpened, though. the dallara, shockingly, also beat them, and it was never sharpened. the top folders were my often used and sharpened vic adventurer and pioneer.

ranking:

<<Glides through, no resistance, no tears>>
1. M2K
2. Adventurer
3. Pioneer
4. Tenacious
5. Rat 1
6. Dallara Drop Point
7. Leek
8. Subcom folder
<<Cuts respectably, may tear some>>

after that, resistance from the paper to my hand is felt and i really have to focus to avoid tearing. I'm going to touch up the edges on the knives i think should have ranked higher, then do it again.

spyderco, bar none.

I have had a few SAKs come with pretty good edges, and a few benchmades with quality edges, but it seems every time I get a new spyderco it is at least two notches past shaving sharp. I have a swiss army knife that will whittle hair, and all I've done to it is strop. This is perhaps the single sharpest factory edge I have ever seen.

for fixed blades, I have not had any edge come near the quality of a factory spyderco edge. The dog father may have been the sharpest out of box fix blade Ive used.