If you can, it is far more efficient to chop in from opposing sides.

For simplicity, consider a piece of square timber that is 3 inches by 3 inches. You make a notch on one face, whose sides descend at 45 degrees to meet at the other face of the timber. The sides of the notch are 4.25 inches, meaning your notch's cross sectional area is 9 square inches, times the depth of the timber (3), is 27 cubic inches of material you had to chop out.

Now chop in from both sides, with a notch descending at 45 degrees and meeting in the middle. The sides of the notch are 2.12 inches long. The cross-sectional area of the notch is 2.25 inches, times the depth of the timber, gives a volume of 6.75 cubic inches per notch, times two notches, is 13.5 cubic inches of wood removed in total.

13.5 versus 27. Exactly half as much work. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Of course this is only possible if it's something you can easily roll or step to the other side of.

Doesn't everyone do that?

Well, you wrote "Chopping in a V shape, about the same width as the thickness of the wood is the way to do it...". Apparently I'm reading your post incorrectly. I blame turkey-based sedatives.

is a becker better than a scrapyard??

in my mind there is no comparison,a scrapyard will always be "better" than a becker but thats my opinion and someone else might see it differently.

is a becker tougher than a scrapyard???

absolutely not and that is a fact.

and for the record i'll take a scrapyard,swamprat & busse heat treat,design customer service and warranty over any other fixed blade knife.i only use busse kin fixed blades now.i got rid of just about every other manufacturers knives i owned except for a bravo-1 and ranger little bird.

Thank you northern1. That is exactly the point I was trying to make earlier. I was not talking about chopping, I was refering to the original question. Any BK&T is NEVER going to be "BETTER" than a Scrap Yard blade!

My mistake. I was thinking of the last hurricane cleanup and chopping through downed trees when I wrote that. Chainsaws are even better when they will start. Of course chopping in from both sides is quicker and easier when you can rotate the wood. My main point in that post was the advantages a long blade has when chopping.

Bruce

Wise points my friend!
AI

Bruce, and everyone else in the Yard....I don't want this to turn into a pissing match. I feel that a Scrap Yard knife is "Better" than the BK&T for various reasons...
1 - Superior steel
2 - Thicker steel
3 - Resin C handle
4 - Smaller family owned company
5 - Heat treating
6 - Quality control
7 - Customer service
8 - Limited Edition knives
(Reasons listed are in no particular order.)
Those are just a couple reasons why I feel that a Scrap Yard blade is "BETTER" than a BK&T product. I,m sure other people could come up with more, but like you said "Better" means different things to different people. I know one thing.....I would trust my life to a Scrap Yard blade way before any BK&T blade. For the record I'll say that I am not Bashing, or Degrading BK&T in any way. They look like good knives, and before I found SYKC I'm sure I would have bought some. But after what I have learned about SY blades I feel that no other knife can compare. That is just my opinion. Until a knife comes out by another company that can whip a Scrap Yard blade I will continue to buy Scrap Yard knives. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> Scotty.

Thanks Scotty- I will also add that SY has the best forum on the web- most friendly <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> and knowledgeable people and probaly the most active. You can come here and learn- complain a bit- express your opinions and everybody gets along. Plus- we have great Mods !! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> Big " Thumbs Up " on that <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Obviously everyone here is willing to pay a little extra to get a SYKCO knife and even willing to deal with the limited availablity. The superior durability of the SR77 steel to most others and the comfort of the Res C handles make these knives more desirable than many that are available from the large manufacturers. If we did not believe this, we probably would not even be on this forum. There are few, if any, mass produced knives that can take the abuse a Scrap Yard SR77 knife can take. I have the Becker and the SOD, and I can tell you that I would part with my Becker before I would part with the SOD.

A Big Plus One!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />