Scandi vs. Flat vs. Convex Grinds: What Works Best for Wood Carving?

If you've spent much time looking at carving knives, you've probably come across terms like Scandi grind, flat grind, and convex grind.

They sound technical.

But for a woodcarver, the important part is much simpler:

How does the knife feel when it moves through wood?

Two knives can be made from the same steel, hardened to the same Rockwell hardness, and sharpened equally well—and still feel completely different when you carve with them.

A lot of that difference comes down to blade geometry and the way the knife is ground.

Understanding the basic differences between these three grinds can help you choose a knife that fits the way you like to carve.

First, What Does "Grind" Mean?

When a knife maker talks about the grind of a blade, we're talking about how the steel tapers from the thicker part of the blade(spine) down toward the cutting edge.

That shape matters because the blade has to move through the wood after the cutting edge separates the fibers.

If there's too much steel behind the edge, the knife can start acting like a wedge.

Instead of slicing smoothly, it pushes the wood apart.

A thinner blade generally moves through the wood with less resistance, but there is a tradeoff. Make an edge too thin for the work you're doing and you can give up some durability.

That's where different grinds come into play.

They approach that balance between cutting efficiency, control, and edge strength in different ways.

The Scandi Grind

The Scandi grind gets its name from its Scandinavian roots and is probably the grind most closely associated with traditional sloyd knives and green woodworking.

It's easy to recognize.

The blade remains relatively thick until you reach a broad, flat bevel that runs directly toward the cutting edge.

Traditionally, there isn't a secondary bevel at the very edge.

That broad bevel is one of the things that makes a Scandi grind interesting for carving.

When you're making a cut, you can feel that bevel riding against the wood.

It gives you a reference point for controlling the angle of the knife.

That's especially useful when making long, deliberate cuts.

Where a Scandi Grind Works Well

A Scandi grind is particularly well suited for:

• Sloyd carving

• Spoon carving

• Green woodworking

• Bushcraft-style carving

• Long slicing cuts

• Controlled shaping

It can be a very intuitive grind once you become accustomed to using it.

The bevel almost helps guide the knife through the cut.

From the Shop

One thing I like about a Scandi grind is the feedback it gives you.

You can feel that broad bevel against the wood.

Once you learn where the knife wants to ride, controlling the depth of the cut becomes very natural.

That's one reason this grind has remained popular with sloyd carvers for so long.

Sharpening a Scandi Grind

The other advantage of a Scandi grind is that the bevel gives you a built-in sharpening guide.

Lay the broad bevel flat against your sharpening stone and you've established the sharpening angle.

That sounds simple—and for the most part, it is.

But there is something worth keeping in mind.

Because the entire bevel contacts the stone, maintaining a Scandi grind can eventually require removing more steel than simply touching up a small secondary bevel.

Regular stropping helps considerably.

As with any carving knife, maintaining the edge before it becomes truly dull is easier than rebuilding it later.

The Flat Grind

A flat grind takes a different approach.

Instead of maintaining most of the blade's thickness and then transitioning into one broad bevel, the blade gradually tapers toward the cutting edge.

That creates a thinner cross-section behind the edge.

And in wood, you can feel the difference.

There is simply less steel that needs to pass through the cut.

That can make a properly designed flat-ground knife a very efficient slicer.

Where a Flat Grind Works Well

A flat grind can work especially well for:

• General wood carving

• Flat-plane carving

• Detail work

• Soft woods such as basswood

• Controlled slicing cuts

• Carving where a thin blade is desirable

A good flat grind can feel very nimble.

There isn't as much of a pronounced bevel riding against the wood as you get with a Scandi grind, so the knife can move freely through different types of cuts.

Some carvers really enjoy that feeling.

Others prefer the additional guidance of a Scandi bevel.

Neither preference is wrong.

They're simply different ways of controlling the knife.

What About a Secondary Bevel?

A flat-ground blade can have a small secondary bevel right at the cutting edge.

That tiny bevel establishes the final edge angle.

For a carving knife, it can provide a useful balance.

You still get the slicing efficiency of a thin blade while leaving enough support behind the actual cutting edge for everyday carving.

It also means you don't necessarily have to sharpen the entire face of the blade every time the edge needs attention.

Most of your routine maintenance happens at that very small cutting bevel.

The Convex Grind

A convex grind is a little different from both of the others.

Instead of having a perfectly flat surface leading toward the edge, the blade has a gentle outward curve.

There isn't a hard transition between one surface and another.

The geometry flows toward the cutting edge.

What I like about a convex grind for carving is the way it moves through the cut.

The rounded geometry can reduce the feeling of the blade dragging against the wood while still leaving good support behind the cutting edge.

It can feel like the knife rolls through the cut rather than wedging its way through it.

Where a Convex Grind Works Well

A properly made convex grind works very well for:

• General wood carving

• Roughout work

• Controlled slicing

• Harder carving woods

• Knives where edge strength is important

• Everyday carving knives

For a general-purpose carving knife, it's a very useful balance between slicing ability and durability.

From the Shop

For many of the general carving knives I make, I prefer a convex grind with a small secondary bevel.

I've found that combination gives me what I'm looking for in a working carving knife.

The convex shape gives good support behind the edge while allowing the knife to move smoothly through a cut.

The small secondary bevel gives me a defined cutting edge that's easy to maintain.

It's not the only way to make a good carving knife.

It's simply the geometry I've come to prefer after making and using them.

Is a Convex Grind Harder to Sharpen?

This is one place where convex grinds sometimes get a reputation for being complicated.

They don't have to be.

The important thing is not to turn the curved geometry into a series of flat spots while sharpening. 

For routine maintenance, stropping does much of the work.

If the knife has a small secondary bevel, that also gives you a clearly defined edge to maintain without having to rework the entire convex surface every time.

As with any carving knife, the best sharpening routine is the one that preserves the original geometry instead of gradually changing it.

Scandi vs. Flat vs. Convex: How Do They Compare?

Here's a simple way to think about the three.

Those descriptions aren't absolute.

Blade thickness, edge angle, steel, heat treatment, and the skill of the maker all affect how a knife performs.

A poorly executed convex grind isn't automatically better than a good Scandi grind.

And a thick flat-ground blade may not slice as well as a carefully made Scandi blade.

The grind is only one part of the knife.

Which Grind Is Sharpest?

This is where I think people sometimes get distracted by the wrong question.

Scandi, flat, and convex grinds can all be extremely sharp.

Sharpness and geometry aren't exactly the same thing.

The cutting edge makes the initial cut.

The geometry behind that edge determines what happens as the blade continues moving through the wood.

That's why two knives can both shave hair and still behave very differently when you put them into a block of basswood.

For a carver, the wood tells you much more than a shaving test ever will.

Which Grind Is Best for Wood Carving?

There isn't one answer.

If you're doing traditional sloyd work or carving green wood, you may really appreciate the control of a Scandi grind.

If you want a very thin blade with low cutting resistance, a flat grind can be an excellent choice.

If you want a general-purpose carving knife with smooth cutting action and good support behind the edge, a convex grind may suit you better.

What matters is how the complete knife performs.

Not what the grind is called.

Don't Forget Blade Thickness

This deserves mentioning because grind terminology can sometimes hide a more important issue.

The blade still needs to be appropriately thin for carving.

Here we are not talking about the thickness of the entire blade but the thickness at the cutting edge and what's behind the cutting edge.

You can put a beautiful grind on a blade that's simply too thick behind the edge.

It may be razor sharp.

It may shave hair.

But once it enters the wood, all that extra steel has to go somewhere.

If the steel behind the edge is too thick, the result is often a knife that wants to gouge into the wood instead of slicing through it.

For wood carving, I pay a lot of attention to what happens immediately behind the cutting edge.

That's where much of the character of a carving knife comes from.

My Advice

If you walked into my shop and asked me which grind you should buy, I wouldn't tell you that one is always better than the others.

I'd ask what you carve.

I'd also ask how you like your knife to feel.

Do you like feeling a broad bevel guiding the cut?

     A Scandi grind may suit you.

Do you want a thin blade that slices with very little resistance?

     Take a look at a flat grind.

Do you like a knife that feels smooth as it rolls through a cut while still having good support behind the edge?

     You may prefer a convex grind.

I've developed my own preferences after years of making and using carving knives.

You will too.

And that's really the important part.

Learn what the geometry is doing.

Then let the wood tell you what you like.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best knife grind for wood carving?

There isn't one grind that's best for every carver. Scandi grinds offer excellent control, flat grinds can provide very efficient slicing, and convex grinds combine smooth cutting with good support behind the edge. The best choice depends on the kind of carving you do and how you prefer the knife to feel.

Is a Scandi grind good for wood carving?

Yes. Scandi grinds have a long history in sloyd carving and green woodworking. Their broad bevel provides useful feedback against the wood and can help control the angle and depth of a cut.

Is a convex grind good for wood carving?

Yes. A properly made convex grind can move smoothly through wood while maintaining good support behind the cutting edge. A convex grind with a small secondary bevel is especially useful on a general-purpose carving knife.

What is the advantage of a flat grind for carving?

A flat grind gradually reduces blade thickness toward the cutting edge. This can create a thin cross-section that slices through wood with relatively little resistance.

Which is better for carving: Scandi or convex?

Neither is automatically better. A Scandi grind provides a broad bevel that helps guide the cut, while a convex grind tends to provide a smoother transition through the wood with more support behind the edge. Personal preference and carving style play a large role.

Does knife grind affect sharpness?

The grind affects how the blade moves through wood, but it doesn't determine whether the cutting edge itself can become sharp. Scandi, flat, and convex-ground knives can all take very sharp edges when properly made and maintained.

Learn More About Blade Design and Performance

• What is a Sloyd Knife(upcoming article)

• Straight vs. Curved Carving Knife Blades(upcoming article)

• Blade Shapes and the Way They Cut and Affect Control While Carving(upcoming article)