Bark River and ceramic

K

kthornbr

Joined
Jan 26, 2009
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11
Good evening, gentleman. After your recommendations, and with apologies to knifenut, I broke down and decided on the Bark River Highland. A great knife! I should have listened to you guys from the get go!

I want to purchase a GOOD ceramic stone with high grit. Any recommendations on this? Y'all steered me in the right direction on the knife now I just need some help in finding something that will put that mirror-like polish on the edge.

Thank y'all again.
 
For a really great edge on a Barkie, get a strop and coarse and fine compounds. Easier and more effective than a stone. KSF has some kits put together.

The ceramic I carry around is the Spyderco Double Stuff: a coarse grit on one side glued to a fine grit on the other, in a leather slipcase.

I'm going to move this thread to Maintenance, Tinkering, & Embellishment from General Knife Discussion. :)
 
With the convex edge on the Highland, a ceramic stone could easily de-convexify it. I think Bark recommends other methods for better results.
 
Spyderco ceramics are some of the best sharpening products on the market but they along with other flat stones are not for convex edges. Sandpaper and a mouse pad or the JRE convex sharpening block is what you need. Please do not use a stone on your barkriver your edge will be distroyed, convex sharpening is easy and takes very little time to get use to. I highly recommend the JRE sharpening block and the barkriver compound or some diamond compound, the jre comes with all the sandpaper needed to resharpen any edge and the compound of your choice will give you that polished edge your looking for.
 
knifenut, I checked out the JRE system. Looks like what I need...and I've learned to listen to you. Evidently you know what you're talking about when it comes to the convex edges. I think I'm going to get the JRE.

One quick thought, when skinning deer and such, how would you go about touching up the edge in the field? We go through many deer hides here in Alabama during a season and it's not uncommon for a few of us to tag several in a weekend. I often hit my other knives on an old steel during the process to keep the edge in shape. Would the old "chicken plant" steel my father-in-law gave me be OK for the convex edge?
 
Unless you're planning on going thru several deer between sharpening or worse, have a habit of hitting bone, rocks, sandy grit in the hide, you won't need to touch up the blade on the Bark River (yeah, they are that well made, and the steel holds an edge extremely well). If you do, there are several solutions (1.) buy a paint stirrer (paddle style) from a paint store that you will glue leather to both sides with contact cement (smooth side up), treat with Green compound on one side, Black compound on the other (both available from Bark River), apply like a crayon and rub in with your fingers; remove excess and your done. This tool will allow you to maintain your convex edge in the field. In addition, bring along a sheet of 1500 - 2000 grit sand paper that you can fold over the leather coverings, and around the paddle, and then in half again down towards the handle and you've got something to work out a rolled edge or very small nicks in the edge like a portable sharpening stone. (2.) Buy either of a Fallkniven DC4 dual grit ceramic/diamond pocket stone (approx. 4" x 1") or Spyderco Doublestuff (my choice) dual grit f/m grit ceramic pocket stone (approx. 5" x 1") for field use. Both very easy to use. (3.) EZ-lap Sportsmans "M" diamond field sharpening steel (extremely easy to use when used like a chefs kitchen steel and another of my personal preferred choices for pack carry).

Watch the convex knife sharpening videos on the Knives Ship Free website (http://www.knivesshipfree.com/) and then PRACTICE the technique REPEATEDLY, doing it yourself if you've never sharpened anything before.

The trick with either method is to learn how to use either method effectively BEFORE you get out in the field and need to sharpen your knife.

Good Luck.

Be safe.

NJ
 
I agree with the recommendations of a strop or backed 2000 grit sandpaper for your Highland. Good knife by the way, I have one as well. :thumbup:

While a ceramic stone can be used to sharpen convexed blades, it is much more difficult than the stropping method and as such isn't used very often. For other grinds the Spyderco ceramic is great.

I strongly suggest you stay away from diamond stones and rods. They can quickly ruin the convexed edge and change the cutting geometry that Barkies are known for.
 
CarpScot said:
I agree with the recommendations of a strop or backed 2000 grit sandpaper for your Highland. Good knife by the way, I have one as well. :thumbup:

While a ceramic stone can be used to sharpen convexed blades, it is much more difficult than the stropping method and as such isn't used very often. For other grinds the Spyderco ceramic is great.

I strongly suggest you stay away from diamond stones and rods. They can quickly ruin the convexed edge and change the cutting geometry that Barkies are known for.
Click to expand...

Not if your careful to only hit the very edge and not drag it along the entire bevel (basically establishing the smallest of micro-bevels).

Be safe.

NJ
 
Native Justice said:
Not if your careful to only hit the very edge and not drag it along the entire bevel (basically establishing the smallest of micro-bevels).
Click to expand...
Well, you are still changing the grind and it requires a very steady hand. For someone who is not experienced in sharpening a convex edge and who wants to keep it convexed I still think a stop is often the better choice. Just my two cents, and my intent was not to offend. :)
 
Native Justice said:
Not if your careful to only hit the very edge and not drag it along the entire bevel (basically establishing the smallest of micro-bevels).

Be safe.

NJ
Click to expand...

Agreed. I usually take a DMT folding sharpener or a small fine ceramic with me in the field. It's easier for me to just freehand it with the rod or DMT than trying to use sandpaper and so forth to do a convex grind. I just do a barely visible microbevel, which really isn't hard to do. Just use a more obtuse angle than the edge bevel is ground at, it's that simple. when you're back home, or next time it needs more than just a touch up, bust out the sandpaper and the microbevel will be gone in no time, leaving you with a "true" convex grind again.

But in all honesty I don't think anyone here would notice the difference between a full convex grind, and a full convex grind with a TINY microbevel applied using just a fine or ultra fine ceramic rod. You're really not taking off much metal at all. The goal is to keep the knife sharp and nothing more, not reprofile the thing. No need to do that to any sort of grind when all you need is a touch-up.

Strops are nice, but not the most effective means for restoring edges that are starting to have trouble shaving, especially if it's certain types of steels that don't respond to stropping as well. Any edge dulled to where it won't easily shave and I can restore the edge much quicker with the sharpmaker whites than a strop in my experience. Usually gives me a better edge too.
 
A convex edge has no edge like a regular grind if you use a stone or steel to "touch-up" the edge your going to be spending lots of time re-grinding when u get home.
 
The videos on our site are the best I have seen at teaching the method for sharpening and maintaining convex blades.

Be careful, though, once you go that way, there is no turning back! It is so easy, it makes me wonder why I ever did it any other way. :)
 
Mousepads (or similar material) covered with very fine sandpaper in various grits (800-2000) work quite well for convex edges. Not as nice as the KSF set, but I mention it because you probably already have this stuff around the house.

I wouldn't use a hard surface sharpener on a convex, unless you want it to be a flat grind instead.
 
I wanted to try the sandpaper and mousepad. However, I went to Lowe's and Home Depot and neither had ever HEARD of sandpaper of 2000 grit. Where do I get this?
 
kthornbr said:
I wanted to try the sandpaper and mousepad. However, I went to Lowe's and Home Depot and neither had ever HEARD of sandpaper of 2000 grit. Where do I get this?
Click to expand...

Local auto parts store.:thumbup:
 
You can keep a convex edge, and use a stone. You just have to sharpen in circular motions. It's how old timers used to sharpen knives, and how I make all of my beveled edges convex.
 
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