It's actually a balance of overall geometry, balanced combination of thickness, width, grind and edge.

As part of the balancing process you have to take into consideration the tools use. one example would be hollow grinds, this grind is a poor choice (under most conditions) for choppers do to the lack of material supporting the edge. They have a tendency to chip or crack.

They also don't work well on narrow thick blades do to the abruptness of angle change from edge to spine. Of coarse no grind really works well in this situation.


Some designs just won't cut well.






Here is a picture of a froe and maul for anyone who is not sure of what it is.

Until the advent of machines this is how all ceder shakes were split.