advice from the knife guy at sportsmans warehouse

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yoippari

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May 8, 2004
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I went in to sportsmans ware house to see if they had anything that would fit the karda/chamak slot, they didnt. But besides calling a khukuri a gurka, and suggesting to buy one made from carbon 5 steel, no cho, and rubber/plastic/synthetic handle (he showed me one from a cataloge) he pointed out a couple of sharpeners. I asked about them so he wasn't just trying to make a sale or something. I mentioned that I would like to put a beveled edge on it. He chuckled and said that they are too hard to maintain and its not worth it. Are they really that hard to maintain? He pointed out that unless I had a peice of leather on me all the time then I shouldn't.
He also likes carbide sharpeners but I haven't heard anything about them on here and would like some advice on them as well.
I really have next to no experiance with this and would simply like to verify what I hear and to offer some counter points to anything else he says *chough* its not a gurka *chough*
 
by 'beveled edge' are you talking about a convex edge? forgive me- the knife experts will sock this one out of the Park, but it's late and I'm standing here so I thought I'd take a try at filling in.

A knife expert once said we couldn't get a true convex edge without special equipement- I think a belt sharpener-

THere's probably a lot of truth there. On the other hand, primitive peoples used a convex edge and river stones to get them.

I think the word 'perfect' is what this is about. Like an evenly distributed bevel- probably impossible without some kind of great machines. The beauty of a convex edge is it is formed by the addition of all of your variations at making one. all your 'mistakes' add up.

So, bottem line- no, it is not hard to maintain, strongest, in fact, of the edges, and not impossible to get, either, as long as you don't have to have symetrical perfection.


..well, the knife boys will be along shortly.

munk
 
Where to start?

First, the convex edge has more steel right behind the edge so in heavy use it is less apt to get dinged, chip out, so on. That's why axes are made with canneled* edges.

Second, once you get an edge convexed, renewing the edge is easy. You tend to do it naturally as you sharpen - despite efforts to do a good job, you end up rounding the bevels.

There are lots more who can explain it better, so sit back and I'm sure they will tell you.

* canneled = fancy term for convex
 
munk - you and me are beginning to sound like the Bobbsey twins ( old geezer trivia reference ).
 
If you want to convex the entire knife from edge to spine, it will take a bit of doing, but you can always start with just convexing the edge. Take a look at Buzzbait's convex tutorial It's a great place to start. Find yourself an old mousepad, and pick up some wet/dry sandpaper in varying grits from around 400 up to 1500 or 2000. You can find the higher grits at automotive stores in the paint section, and sometimes you can find it at Wal-Mart in the automotive section. You can always touch up the edge with a ceramic sharpener or some other sort of sharpening stone, so it's not like you always have to carry around sandpaper and a mousepad.

When I first started hanging out at bladeforums, I heard how hard it was to maintain a convex edge, and for a long time, I steered away from knives with convex edges because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sharpen them. I'm really glad I gave it a try. It's easy, and the edges are great--sharp and durable. If you want more info, I believe Pendentive has a convex edge sharpening tutorial CD for something like $5. I haven't seen the CD, but I have seen the videos Pen has posted of paper cutting, etc. Pendentive knows sharp. You can also search the HI forum for sharpening threads--there's a wealth of knowledge here.

--Josh
 
Sorry, I know its called a convex edge, but my mind slipped.
I have already read that tutorial and figure that I would get a mouse pad (we all have optical and have no use for pads) and sandpaper. when in the field I would have a plate and just tilt the blade as I go.
I like the illustration showing the cutting surface of a full/partial convex and a flat edge.
After reading that tutorial I thought "oh, thats easy, I should try that"
One more question: when making a full convex on a khuk whould I end up removing the markings at the bend, and remove the line along the middle of the blade? not the fuller, the start of the bevel.

I just looked at the tutorial again and noticed that there isn't anything on going from a flat to a convex bevel. How do I do this, same as maintaining the bevel?
 
I have never felt it neccesary to fully convex the 'knife blade' . I'm trying to understand what Josh meant by that. I guess you could have a flat ground edge but the the actual end/tip of it convex, or you could have the whole edge convex- you know, the half or 3/4" of taper proper that is called the 'edge'. That is what I strive for- but I'm in no hurry. I convex the tip of the edge, and as it needs sharpening keep going. If Josh goes further than that I'm not interested. I'm speaking of the final taper and profile of the edge as is commonly understood. I'm not convexing to the spine, or halfway up the blade. I can't believe he meant that. I must have misread late last night.

I use a sandpaper paddle. It has a rubber felt backing on it.
My father used to put a convex edge on pocket knives just with a stone. As I said- the natural variences of your strokes do this. I hold the knife with one hand, and a large Norton stone in the other.

edit- You know, weatherby has a radiused shoulder on cartridges. That's rounded rather than a straight angle. But if you had a slight angle, a bevel, fron the spine down, it would be so slight I'm not even sure you would notice. For all working extent and purposes, it is only as the angle increases most dramatically that a convex exists. I guess the 'edge' of this departure is an inch or more on khuks, depending. I just pulled out an AK with fullers; about an inch until the first fuller. That inch gradually bends to the point of the edge. There is a 'flat' slightly bowed- kumar's almost convex edge. Over time I would increase the bow, but am in no hurry to do so.
You will loose a lot of metal uneccesarily trying to convex drastically across the final flat. It is pointless in my humble estimation.
 
Convex has to start from a flat; if it doesn't, we're talking about a pipe with an edge on it.



munk
 
It looks like I'm out of luck for face to face advise from the locals. I went back to SW (Sportsmans Warehouse) today and the guys carbide is near useless on this blade, however he did put a "sevicable" edge on the karda with about 4 minutes with various tools. He did like the kobra that I brought in BTW. but he will stick with the cold steel khukuris. Do any of you know much abuot them?
It looks like its off to the auto parts store for some sandpaper. I guess I will put a convex bevel on the lower 1/8 (half the tapered area). Also the local knife store Northwest Knives & Collectables, while they have a decent stock, and the guy knows most of his stock. He doesn't seem to know much about his stock. He kept on refering to a roman gladius (I think thats how its spelled) as a conan sword. He is used to the kill bill and conan types. However he does carry a couple of ghurka house khuks. I will be back there for kitchen knives though.
 
munk has the right idea.

Quickest, easiest way to get the convex edge is to just apply it to the last 1/16" of the blade's edge. The "sandpaper over a padded surface" idea is what forms the convex micro-bevel. Until you can get access to power-sharpening tools, I wouldn't mess with making a large convex bevel (unless you got lots of time and energy for such a thing).

Shoot me an email, and I'll send you a write-up I've made.
 
I'd add get a sandpaper pad and experiment on a cheap knife. You'll see. This really does prove itself.

Look- if I can do it....well, you know the rest.

preferring a cold steel to a HI is in the words of Cliff Stamp, like taking ground round over Prime Double AA T bone. (he actually said top sirloin)

munk
 
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