Knife Grinds Explained: Scandi, Flat, and Convex

Grind is the shape of the bevel behind the edge, and it affects how a knife cuts more than steel does. A Scandi grind and a hollow grind in identical steel behave like completely different tools.

1. 1

   Scandi: the wood-working grind

   A single wide bevel running from the edge partway up the blade, with no secondary micro-bevel. It bites into wood predictably and controllably, which makes it the standard on Nordic bushcraft knives like the Morakniv range and the Helle Temagami. It is also the easiest grind to sharpen — lay the bevel flat on a stone and the angle sets itself. The weakness is food: the thick shoulder wedges vegetables apart rather than slicing them.

2. 2

   Flat: the versatile compromise

   The bevel tapers evenly from the spine to the edge. It slices better than a Scandi, handles wood acceptably, and is the most common grind on general-purpose knives like the ESEE 4. It needs a consistent angle to sharpen, which is slightly harder than a Scandi and easier than a convex.

3. 3

   Hollow: the slicing grind

   A concave bevel ground on a wheel, leaving a very thin edge that slices superbly. This is why hunting knives like the Buck 119 use it. The thin edge is also fragile — hollow grinds chip on wood and bone, so they are a poor choice for camp wood work.

4. 4

   Convex: the toughest grind

   The bevel curves outward to the edge, putting more steel behind it. That makes it the strongest grind for chopping and batoning, used on the Fällkniven F1 and most axes. It requires stropping or sandpaper on a soft backing to sharpen — a flat stone will slowly convert it into a V-grind.

   Sharpening guideTechniques for each grind type

   Read Guide →
5. 5

   How to choose

   Decide by task. Mostly wood: Scandi or convex. Mostly food: flat or hollow. Genuinely both: flat. Then check whether you have the tools and patience to maintain that grind — a convex edge you cannot sharpen is worse than a flat edge you can.

Grinds Compared