What's new

Jimps

I was just reading the spyderco razor thread and people seem to agree that top and bottom jimps is a must. Why?
In my experience, if you let tang or fingers get wet or leathery, it can slip in your fingers with or without jimps. If you keep tang and fingers dry, no risk of slipping.

I prefer the look and feel of razors without jimps, even ordered my Rigarazor without.

This may only be my experience, I'm interested in other's thoughts on the matter.
 
Spyderco knife are tools used generally with significant pressure, grip here is everything hence most spydys have jimps on thumb and finger notches. Jimps make a massive difference even more so when wet and slippery. Abrasive surfaces just grip better than smooth.

As a side note highly polished surfaces even when dry can be slippery, so jimps improve grip irrespective of conditions.
 
I personally like bottom jimps but not a high priority for me when buying a new one


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
It’s YMMV. I like bottom jimps but in reality on most straights I find them unnecessary. I’ve never had slipping or handling issues with or without.

The only case I could see where I might prefer them is on some big chopper with a really wide or thick shank. I don’t really like those type of straights so never had to test if they are needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Only handled once or twice by mistake with wet or lathery fingers, never again. But my favourites are old Sheffields with no jimps, and I've never had any issue with dry fingers. ATG as well I hold the sides of the tang, this is the most awkward pass anyway. Clearly no jimps are possible on the sides. Jimps are also polished, so I wouldn't call them a rough surface, just a little more surface area...
 
No jimps on this fine lady, but care and thoughtful handling is required when shaving.

http://instagr.am/p/B7oEzCrnOy-/
It's all personal taste, i like classical, functional designs. That razor to me is modern art. Silly shapes for no good reason. I don't doubt it's difficult to hold with the extra curves and extremely short tang.

Oops, I've been saying tang instead of shank in my other posts.
 
I think they definitely offer a better grip especially when stropping.
The shank size does seem to play a factor in the no jimp road.
I have an old Boker with no jimps but the shank is small in stature so its a non issue.
For the most part, having one or both is not so important but having none at all is not for me if given the choice.
 
I was just reading the spyderco razor thread and people seem to agree that top and bottom jimps is a must. Why?

Maybe I am thinking of a different thread, but I don't recall mentions of Jimps in a Spyderco thread I read through here, or maybe I missed them? Usually I would remember something like that because I usually take note of 'personal prefernce' stuff. It's like razor point styles - some love round points, some hate them. I find it interesting when there are groups for and against stuff like that.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
I could care less about jimps, with very few exceptions. Humpback style razors where the shank is higher than the spine, for instance. I recently had a factory sample Gold Dollar #92 that was difficult to keep torqued down onto the honing media. Some sort of gripping surface is needed on such razors, to prevent all of the honing pressure going to the spine.
 
I keep my hands and tang dry while shaving, to the point of whiping down the tang and blade between passes if need be. It keeps the odd water drop out of the pivot if it never gets there.

I like jimps. They feel more secure in the hand, but aren’t necessary, or a buying consideration.
 
Top Bottom