A huge THANK YOU, and a short muse

[Sword and Shield]

I do wonder, after looking at yours, am I sharpening the edge too acutely? It seems my edge bevel is always so much taller than most people's.

If it does the job you want it to do, it's not too thin. It's surprising how thin a traditional can go- I've taken a small sodbuster to less than 15* inclusive, and it's only chipped once, when I was forced to use it to tighten the screws on my glasses.

I really need to get one of these. Life's not been treating me so well lately, but the simple meditation of sharpening and maintenance has kept me sane.

 

[waynorth]

Charlie, honestly I never was super crazy about the barlow pattern when I was younger. They've really grown on me over the past year or so. Once I saw different knives other than the typical, what I call standard looking, barlow I got more and more interested in the humble barlow. These knives are incredibly well made, and I have no doubt they can go the distance. That single blade spear in antique yellow is a beautiful knife as well. That was the bone and blade I was going get on the pony jack. Very classic style.

I do wonder, after looking at yours, am I sharpening the edge too acutely? It seems my edge bevel is always so much taller than most people's.

I'm happy the Barlows have won you over!
On the subject of sharpening, that more acute angle of yours makes for great slicing and cutting. A larger included angle is tougher, resisting chipping better, but if you are a respectful user, your geometry can be a pleasure!

Whoops! Didn't see you there S&S! It's true! Sharpening can be a great, if brief meditation, putting the day into perspective with a bit of useful accomplishment!

 

[Sword and Shield]

Whoops! Didn't see you there S&S! It's true! Sharpening can be a great, if brief meditation, putting the day into perspective with a bit of useful accomplishment!

That's not something people often say! Former boxer/football players are hard to miss.

 

[Brian.Evans]

Life's not been treating me so well lately, but the simple meditation of sharpening and maintenance has kept me sane.

Indeed, sharpening can be meditative. A better word for it is mindfulness, and its something I'm not very good at but something I try to accomplish every day. If you do some research on mindfulness, especially the work of John Cabot Zinh and Thich Nhat Hanh, you will find a wealth of information at your disposal to help you on your path.

 

[meako]

What an awesome gift (boom buh buh boom -phantom come to BF trad forum)
the steady rhythmic sound and feel of the blade on stone is very meditative and relaxing.

I too find it therapeutic although some of the guys I work with like to tell me I'm a psycho.
I'm starting to believe it.
Who's crazy ?the man who sharpens knives or the man who asks the psycho to sharpen the knives?
You decide.
I humbly bow to my supervisor "Shep" who showed me the way.
Traditional pocket knives link us to our forefathers.The Barlow anchors me in the past.
Lets face it at the moment we can only take the future as it comes.
cheers.