I have tried to find a web site that compares different brands of Reed Knives, but have come up empty. Even on forums, I have not had much luck.

Can anyone give me a quick lesson on knives? In particular, I am interesting in comparing and contrasting ...

- Alloys of blades
- Types of handles
- Types of grinding of blades and purpose of each
- Recommended $25 knives
- Recommended $50 knives
- Recommended $75 knives
- Recommended $100 knives

And finally, what makes the more expensive knives "worth" their asking price?

Thanks a bunch!!!

To tell you the truth the more expensive knives aren`t worth it. I mean the double hollow ground Rigotti knife which is $30 is probably as good value as the Landwell which is around $60. I am assuming the hardness of the steel allows the knife to stay sharper and dull less easier. I am currently using a MCW Double Hollow Ground Deluxe model which is pretty nice but the Rigotti I think is just as good.

I have a Vitri (vitry) whatever... I got it from WWBW for 20, and they`re on sale for like 18.99 not that much difference but whatever... (double hollow ground) works well for me. easy to sharpen whatever.

Fox knifes, but only the older style...where the blade is just as heavy as the handle. You want your knife to be balanced at the meeting point of the blade and the handle when you hold it up by one finger. If the blade is too light, you`ll have to work harder.

Woah there. Landwell knives are the best finishing knives on the market. Look them up and youll find out why. Try the IDRS site. They`re hard to use until you know how to make a reed though, and hard to sharpen, and easy to ruin, so uh, be careful if you buy one. I go three vitry knives for $10 each, and theyre all terrible. The old ones are good.

I`ve tried many landwells and I have found that they are a waste of money. You can finish a reed just as well with a fox knife, and for a lot less money. Landwells don`t have balanced blades...try it...the handle is heavier than the knife blade. But, then again, whatever knife works for you works for you. this is just what works for me and my reasoning behind it. If landwells work for you, go for it!

landwells sharpen better,and are better for thinning the tip. They`re thin, which is why they`re hard to use.

And you`ll find that the weight of the blade versus the handle really matters less for a finishing knife than for a bark knife.
(sorry for the double posts)

If the knife is thinner, it`s easier to take off corners or ruin the fine tip. I like fox knifes because they are balanced and are easier (and safer) to use on the tip.

Thats why I said that theyre hard to use. They get the corners of the tip finer than thicker knives do, which is the area that makes the reed respond.