False edge--what angles work?

[Fred Rowe]

People ask the question a lot; whats the correct angle to grind a false edge [swedge]. There is no correct angle I don't believe, more a matter of taste. The blade pictured was ground using a setting of 30 degrees each side or 60 degrees inclusive. The spine is 3/16 at the beginning of the swedge. At 30 degrees and this thickness, the edge will be sharp but not scary, if the grind is moved to a more acute angle say 27 degrees, the edge can be made very keen.
Rule of thumb is the thinner the stock the more acute the angle

 

[Sampson knifeworks]

Hi Fred,
I use a twenty degree angle on my swedges, but most of my blades are 1/8" thick and I leave about .020 in the middle. I do not normally sharpen them, but use them to add better piercing for the points, plus they look great if done right. I played with the angles for awhile and this worked best for the knives I make, like you said I do not think these angles should be generalized for all blades and thicknesses. Nice looking blade Fred !
Clint

 

[Fred Rowe]

That makes seance; the thinner the stock the more acute the angle can be. I had a gentleman wanted a thin fighter with both edges sharp, I made it for him and bled all the way through the making. False edges are a very useful part of a blades geometry.
Thanks for the post, Fred