A Guide to Scandi Grind
Scandi grind is one of the most popular knife grinds for bushcraft and survival knives. It’s a symmetric, convex grind which is both very durable and strong. It’s a great grind for knife-makers who want to create a light and sharp blade without sacrificing durability.
The combination of a Scandi grind and a high quality steel blade will give you a dependable blade for tough cutting tasks. The Scandi grind is a single bevel grind, meaning it has a shallower angle than the double bevel edge most knives come with. This angle makes it suitable for outdoor tasks such as woodcarving and batoning, as well as general bushcraft and survival purposes.
Creating the Scandi Grind
Creating a Scandi grind can be done by a DIY enthusiast at home using a belt grinder or grinding wheel – just make sure you wear the correct safety gear. Using a belt grinder you need to tilt the knife to the side at a 20-30 degree angle and grind along the length of the bevel. With a grinding wheel, the knife needs to be placed flat and the wheel should be angled towards the cutting edge. Keep a constant pressure and angle while you grind until you’ve achieved the desired edge.
Sharpening the Scandi Grind
Once you have the Scandi grind, you will need to sharpen the blade in order to use it with full efficiency. You can use a sharpening stone or a sharpening steel. With a sharpening stone, start by placing the blade at a 15 degree angle and moving the blade away from the stone in a “draw knife” stroke. Then reduce the angle slightly and repeat the process. When both sides have been sharpened at the same angle move on to stropping to create a finely honed blade.
A sharpening steel will help you create an even sharper blade and is perfect for taking off the burrs when doing any kind of resharpening. With a sharpening steel start by drawing the knife across the steel at a 10 degree angle. Flip the blade and rotate it 90 degrees and repeat the process. Keep a consistent angle and repeat the process on each side until the blade is sharp.
Conclusion
Scandi grinds are popular for creating a lightweight but durable blade for bushcraft and survival knives. You can create a Scandi grind at home using a belt grinder or grinding wheel and then sharpen and hone the blade using a sharpening stone and steel. With the right technique, you can create a Scandi grind that’s perfect for the job at hand.
