Free Calculator
Blade Geometry Calculator
Work out edge thickness, grind width and the belt grit progression for a target bevel angle and grind type.
Grind height (per side)
How the numbers work
The bevel is a triangle. Given the spine thickness and the angle per side, the height of the grind follows from trigonometry — and that height is what you actually set on the grinder by how far the blade stands off the platen. A shallower angle gives a taller grind and a thinner edge, which cuts better and is more fragile.
Hollow grinding removes material with the contact wheel and produces a concave face; it thins the edge faster than a flat grind for the same angle, so the edge can overheat quickly. Scandi grinds are a single flat bevel with no secondary — easy to sharpen in the field, but the whole face is the edge, so it is thick behind the edge. Convex grinds are the toughest and are usually finished on a slack belt.
Reference values used
| Kitchen / slicing knife | 12–17° per side |
|---|---|
| General outdoor knife | 18–22° per side |
| Survival / heavy chopper | 22–28° per side |
| Profiling belts | 36–60 grit |
| Establishing bevels | 120–220 grit |
| Refining before stones | 400–800 grit |
| Sharpening stones | 1,000 / 4,000 / 8,000 grit |
Related reading
Blade Grinding: From Profiling to Sharpening
Grinding is where a knife is won or lost. This covers belt selection and grit progression, setting bevels and plunge lines cleanly, and taking an edge from a 36 grit belt all the way to an 8000 grit stone.
Knife Maintenance and Sharpening
An edge fails in predictable ways and each one has a different fix. This covers the angles for different knives, a stone progression that works, and how to keep a carbon steel blade from rusting.
How to Start Knife Making: A Beginner’s Guide
Knife making rewards patience more than tools. Here is the honest starting path: one simple steel, a handful of files, and the three skills that actually decide whether your first blade works.