Vic Alox blade width question

[greenbear]

I have a question about Vic Alox blades - are they thicker than the standard Vic blades?  I've just watched a YouTube video that says they are.  I'm sure this has been asked before, but I have a Farmer and a Spartan and I've never noticed a difference in width - does anyone know? 

[nate j]

Yes, the main blades in 93 mm knives are thicker than the main blades in 91 mm knives.

[greenbear]

Thank you, I honestly never knew that 

[marktaylor]

just measured with digital calipers the thickest part of a few blades in my collection

84mm has 2mm thickness
91mm has 2mm thickness
93mm (alox) has 2.7mm thickness
111mm has 2.4mm thickness
130mm has 2.5mm thickness

[Reinier]

91mm has 2mm thickness

I think a few years back 91mm blades were 2.4mm (before the "bump" in the liner was added to make up for the smaller thickness). Even longer ago, blades were 2.7mm. I don't know when those changes happened though. I'm not very good at dating (in general, SAKs specifically).

[Aloha]

just measured with digital calipers the thickest part of a few blades in my collection

84mm has 2mm thickness
91mm has 2mm thickness
93mm (alox) has 2.7mm thickness
111mm has 2.4mm thickness
130mm has 2.5mm thickness

Interesting.  I would have thought the 84mm main blade would be thinner than the 91mm.  Thank for measuring.  Not surprised the 93 is a thicker blade and thicker than both 111 and 130.  Its a hefty blade for sure and no wonder why so many prefer Alox. 

[nate j]

I think a few years back 91mm blades were 2.4mm (before the "bump" in the liner was added to make up for the smaller thickness). Even longer ago, blades were 2.7mm. I don't know when those changes happened though. I'm not very good at dating (in general, SAKs specifically).

Before the liner "bump" was added, the blades themselves were not any thicker than they are now; it was only the tangs that were thicker.  I would not count the tang when evaluating blade thickness, but perhaps Mark Taylor can tell us where he measured?

[marktaylor]

I measured the unsharpened part, is that the tang or ricasso ? Anyhow this the picture with the SAKs measured, from left to right :

Waiter, Camper, Farmer, Rucksack, Ranger Grip 55

[nate j]

I measured the unsharpened part, is that the tang or ricasso ?

According to A.G. Russell's Knife Encyclopedia:

Tang - That part of the blade that is either fastened between scales to make the handle or goes through a hole in the handle material. Also the part of a pocket knife blade that is between the handles.

Ricasso - The flat area above and behind the hollow or flat ground area of the blade.


I would argue that there isn't a meaningful distinction between the two on a folding knife, whereas on a fixed blade there is.  FWIW, when there is information stamped in this area of the blade, everyone seems to refer to this as a tang stamp; I've never heard anyone call it a ricasso stamp.

Regardless, we know where you measured now...