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knife sharping
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Factor
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I'd wondered about that.

I've a hand forged blade by a respected maker known to this board. Can't get the sharpness I read about from other folk. Noticed that the edge doesn't 'keen down' enough for shaving. But dogged if it don't get plenty sharp to lay into a buck deer a'guttin' it in the woods, skinnin' it when I get it home, and butcherin' it after that. Don't have to re-edge it none, either. Just like WBE said.

Don't reckon I'd swap it off a'tall.

Might put an antler handle on it some time, though. Decorate from the results of its own labors, y'see . . .

Unshaven'sticks


As long as there's Limb Bacon a man'll eat! (But mebbe not his wife...)
 
Posts: 4816 | Location: Buffalo River Country | Registered: 23 October 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
<mtnmike>
posted
As to Razor sharp Eeker I would prolly hurt myself Roll Eyes Would like it to "hold" edge better though.
 
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Booshway
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How well a knife will hold an edge depends on steel, hardness and temper. And what you are doing with it. I have a knife by a fairly well known maker that doesn't hold an edge well at all, and fairly cheap knives (Green River Blades) that take and hold an edge very well. Knives that hold an edge the longest are the hardest to sharpen if you let them get dull. I sharpen my knives with a couple whet stones and finish with a steel and any decent knife will shave hair when I get it sharpened. My dad taught me how when I was little and as a trapper I've skinned a heck of a lot of critters so I've had a lot of practice. Also skinning for Pacific Hide and Fur when I was going to school gave me a lot of practice. It's not hard, unless you let them get dull, then it's drudgery.
 
Posts: 507 | Registered: 14 August 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
<mtnmike>
posted
Scoundrel, the knife I need the work on is a K-Bar USMC with the blade from Olean,NY.if you have any suggestions,I would greatly appreciate them.
 
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Booshway
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Mike, I would start out with a fairly coarse stone, I like a very shallow angle at this point. You are flattening out the blade at this time. If I could draw you a picture this would be more understandable. Try your best to keep the same angle and about the same strokes per side. I might go six or eight strokes per side at first to remove material. You are working pretty fast at this point so be careful about running the blade off the end of the stone and into your fingers. Also I forgot to mention that you should be using a light oil, or water, or spit some coffee or some thing on the stone to lubricate it and float of the particles. Wipe the stone from time to time and the blade as well. You can look at the edge of the blade and see a line that shines and that means you haven't got to the edge yet. When you do get there, go to the finer stone. Still keeping the same strokes per side, you can reduce them in number, per side, and get very light with them until you are alternating one light stroke per side, and at this point you will have increased the angle of the blade. By the way, you are going blade first into the stone. At this point, when you make a stroke, you can feel the opposite side of the blade and feel like a wire edge on that side. So you turn it over and very lightly stoke the blade on the stone. When you get that wire edge or ridge feeling gone, touch it up with the steel and it is sharp. Keep it sharp and you don't have to go through the whole ordeal each time, but you will occasionally have to thin out the edge. This is a heck of a lot more complicated to write down than it is to do. I could show you a lot easier.. There are a lot of people that use different methods and get sharp knives, this is the method that I know, and I'm not saying it's the best, but it does a good job. Hope this is of some use to you.
 
Posts: 507 | Registered: 14 August 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
<mtnmike>
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Many Thanks Big Grin
 
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Booshway
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Mike, one thing I should mention. Having a thin edge, as I do, is for a knife that will be doing jobs like skinning or cutting meat. A knife that will be used mostly for rougher work may want to have a bit more of a chisel shaped edge. This is definitely a lot more complicated to describe than it is to do. I guess that's why some people are teachers or writers and the rest of us do something else.
 
Posts: 507 | Registered: 14 August 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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