Attention: Mini-Bowie Owners, Help!

J

jebib

Joined
Apr 21, 2011
Messages
166
I inquired earlier about the Mini-Bowie and received a lot of good advice which lead me to purchase one. All in all I am very pleased it is a real tank!
It is sharp as a razor too. Except for about the last 1/2 to 3/4" to the tip of the blade. While I have no intention of "screwing" with the edge where it is already excellent I was wondering if I could avail any of you for advice in sharpening the "tip". I have a Lansky System and was wondering if any of you could offer advice on the degree I should use and if for that small part to go all the way from coarse to extra fine. Thanks for listening. And thanks in advance for any advice offered.
 
I use a Lansky very cautiously as to handmade knives as the Lansky clamp system assumes a dead square and flat piece of barstock with an edge ground on it.

I must clamp them up and observe if square to clamp and where things get tilted when clamp applied...for tip work on any longer knives require moving fixture forward to avoiding reaching way out yonder at shallower angle and ending up with the sharpened edge widened considerably....

The Lansky will be useful only to degree you can keep blade square in clamp and not reaching far to sides...

Best would be simply using such as 1000 and 2000 grit automotive sandpaper on a giving surface for major convex or simply loose on hard flat surface for minor convex....drag blade in reverse and start with tip to avoid putting flat sides to tip with handle lift at the end of a strop....
 
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Yup, go with the sandpaper on a mouse pad or phone book, (anybody have a phone book anymore).

I've tried using the Lansky stones free hand but the sand paper / mouse pad works way more better.

I've often thought of sending mine off to a pro to have them make it a razor and then just try to carefully maintain it, never got around to it yet. Plus I'd hate to be without it for very long, we're sort of conjoined.
 
Grats on that Bowie! Glad you got one.
Im not familiar with the Lansky setup but im assuming it is like any other guide system. Just my opinion and experience but I wouldnt clamp it at all. You will be removing material from behind the edge no matter what angle you do it therefore weakening the edge. You want convex not a flat bevel. Depending on how much material you need to take off would dictate what grade of sandpaper you use. If it pretty flat you might start with 400 grit. Maybe 800 would do it? Nothing wrong with using a stone either once you learn how to shape a convex edge. To find the approximate angle run the sharp part of the blade across your fingernail like you would if you were slicing a thin slice off continuing to increase the angle until it digs in and that is the maximum angle the Kami put on it. I find it quite high like 45 degrees from your stone which would be 22-23 degrees. Black sharpie the edge so you can see what your taking off as you go. Begin sharpening at slightly less than the maximum angle and watch how it blends in where its already sharp. That way you can get it uniform with respect to the part thats already sharp.
 
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Bawanna, i think your homespun as good as anyone's....can finish with tripoli and red rouge if you wish the mirror....and of course always strop off wire edge on inside of cereal box or tablet back or real strop...rouge is the classic barbershop charge to a strop...
 
Cereal box:thumbup: Ive done that before. I keep a piece next to my 2000+ grit paper. Heat it with the heat gun and rub in some rouge. Thats a redneck strop:D
 
Another trick I just remembered that I think somebody here may have mentioned before, or maybe somewhere else, who can remember any more is the top of your side window on your car or pickup.

Just roll the window down to a comfortable height, for me I probably gotta borrow a Mazda Miata but maybe the wife's mustang is low enough.
Then just run your blade along the top like a stone. I've done it and it works great. Be ideal for out in the woods and you need to touch up your blade to shave or whatever so you can go to town and pick up chicks etc.
 
Bawanna. Take the toilet tank lid off and check out that fine ceramic edge all around the tank and lid. Dont tell the missus i told you that. Closer to the ground too. You can put the lid on your lap while pondering the mysteries of the universe and put an edge on your IBBBBB too. There should be some paper nearby to wipe it clean too (im talking about your knife) when your done. An American Standard:D
Dont tell my wife neither!
 
She will find out whether car window or tank lid when you inevitably drop a heavy knife...when it happens, post video please....
 
To original questioner, if shy or inexperience at what suggested, and worried of messing up, blacken entire edge with a magic marker and practice on cereal/cracker/etc inside surface cardboard....you can see where marker rubs off when you are getting it right....and do same with any abrasives and you can start with finest first if still nervous....after a while you will tire of getting nowhere and know you are ready and will charge headlong into the world of low tech razor sharp knives....look Ma, no hands....be careful....
 
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