Thread: wider bevel=more flex?

Originally Posted by Bart

2. the thickness of the blade.
A full hollow has a very thin blade, hence a small bevel is to be expected. A wedge has a thick blade, hence it will carry wider bevel sides. In this case the wider bevel will be a bit sturdier, because it contains more steel for the same height. (it has a wider base).

Not sure if you said that quite right? Assuming that "wider bevel" means that the bevel is "taller" extending further toward the spine from the edge then, at the same height (distance from the edge towards the spine) it would only contain more steel if the bevel angle is wider. The implication being that wedges have thicker spines for the same width blade.

Originally Posted by Quick

Not sure if you said that quite right? Assuming that "wider bevel" means that the bevel is "taller" extending further toward the spine from the edge then, at the same height (distance from the edge towards the spine) it would only contain more steel if the bevel angle is wider. The implication being that wedges have thicker spines for the same width blade.

Let's try a quick drawing.
On a theoretical full wedge, the bevel is equal to the razor. If we start to take away steel, by hollowing the sides of the wedge, we also take away steel from our bevel sides. They simply can't extend that far anymore because there is no steel to occupy. The hollower, the lesser steel left to be part of the cutting bevel.
One way to look at is is to realize that on a hollow razor, a part of the cutting bevel can't exist, because it was already ground away by the maker of the razor. In a way of thought, part of the steel has been removed for us during the production so we don't need to remove it during sharpening. (that is one of the historical reasons for hollowing a blade)