Becker BK14 Sharpening Do's and Don't's.

DerekH

DerekH

Handsome According to my Mother
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DON'T:

Decide that since you haven't used it in 5+ years the Lanksy system is going to be like riding a bike. Those little holes have play in them.

Think that since there is play you have to hold it back to the most extreme of that angle it will go.

Arbitrarily decide on 20º as the angle you are going to go with just for fun.


DO:

Use your head and maybe ask someone before you go reprofiling your edge to a ridiculous 20º edge that is so far back from the starting edge that it almost ends up being a scandi.

Be prepared to spend an entire evening fixing your earlier mistakes because you were a bit too gung ho with the sharpening stones and now have a knife that is actually closer to an Izula than an Eskabar because like a retard you removed a huge amount of material trying to get the profile back to where it was.

Use caution because you might just end up getting that thing sharp enough to slice translucent curls off your fingernail cause you were paying more attention to Maggie Q and her sexy rear in the latest episode of Nikita instead of the rapidly approaching razor sharp piece of steel in your hands that you are sliding your hands all over. Those could quickly turn into not-so-translucent curls of flesh.


Closing thoughts:

Yeah, I screwed up, and since I hadn't used the Lansky in forever thought I would just go to town. The thing looked like a completely different knife there for awhile due to my stupidity, and it took A LOT of effort to get it back. That effort included grinding the knife edge on a file to remove the paper thin edge back to a place where you could actually use the stones and get somewhere with it. Prolly not the best way to manage that, but I have never been accused of doing things the easy (or right) way.

And remember kids, knowing is half the battle. :D
 
what? no pictures? ;) NEED :)

also, i posted mine :)
 
I tried 20 deg at first. Did not like it. I have since reprofiled almost everything to 25 degrees. That seems to be the ticket for me, even for my BK11's. Except a japanese kitchen cleaver type of thing. That thing is so sharp, i have never had to sharpen it, in the 20 yrs I have owned it.
 
I don't have any pictures of the before, or rather the screwed up period. I got it fixed last night, so now it is at 30º, and is pretty good. Might give it another few passes with the medium and fine stones this evening though. And until I track down the camera no pics of it since the phone doesn't take good pics of the edge at all.
 
Hey Dereh......

It always seems like such a GOOD idea in the beginning dosen't it....Arrrgh....

ethan
 
Ethan Becker said:
Hey Dereh......

It always seems like such a GOOD idea in the beginning dosen't it....Arrrgh....

ethan
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You know, it really does.

But a paper thin edge that goes back almost a good 5mm is not such a good thing, not very durable I am thinking. Oh well, got it fixed up now, edge is back to shaving sharpness (using the Lansky, so now I at least feel comfortable with it again) and while it isn't a polished edge like I usually get hand sharpening, it is decent. Prolly gonna take the ceramic rod to it to finish it off. Still gotta do something about that sheath though. Think a heat gun would work?
 
I worked on the Feb challenge last night with my BK-11 and managed not to put it on the belt grinder. I still might, tho. I trashed the edge profile awhile back before I had the grinder & platen setup.

-Daizee
 
DerekH said:
You know, it really does.

But a paper thin edge that goes back almost a good 5mm is not such a good thing, not very durable I am thinking. Oh well, got it fixed up now, edge is back to shaving sharpness (using the Lansky, so now I at least feel comfortable with it again) and while it isn't a polished edge like I usually get hand sharpening, it is decent. Prolly gonna take the ceramic rod to it to finish it off. Still gotta do something about that sheath though. Think a heat gun would work?
Click to expand...

I'm alternating a coarse edge and a polished edge on some of mine. That toothier edge tends to cut better on the draw, but polished lasts so much better on push cuts in green wood. Still on the fence about which I want on what blade. My BK2 is mirror polished right now, and generally stays that way. My 9, toothy as an alligator grin.

Moose
 
I think it mainly goes with the size of the blade - the smaller the knife, the shallower angle and more polished I tend to work.

I would be okay with a Remora scalpel, assuming that I am only doing light work with that blade. My BK2 I keep shaving sharp and polished, but not a crazy angle and I don't try and keep it super sharp, as it will get hard use.

I agree with Moose - something like a BK9 or a small machete / hatchet, I am not going to bother with a super fine, polished edge. It would just get knocked down in the field too quickly. I think a toothier edge is somewhat like a serrated edge and will hold up to hard use better and remain able to cut longer, even if it is not technically as 'sharp' as a finer, polished edge.

If you want a hair whittling hatchet, by all means - but are you going to be reluctant to then hack wood and throw it?
 
I have been using an EdgePro Professional for the past year with excellent results on all my blades. As a rule I default to the manufactures edge, maybe fudge a degree or two. But rarely more than that. To test that I have the correct angle I mark the edge of the blade with a Sharpie. Than eyeball the angle as best I can and set my arm and take a few strokes with the polishing hone. That shows me exactly where the hone is hitting the blade without doing any potential damage. I adjust if need be. So far have had nothing but perfect edges every time.
 
Goodness people, I don't have any pictures of the thing with the crazy pulled back edge and ridiculous low angle. Any pics I take now it would look like a regular Eskabar, with maybe like 2-3 mm less material in the blade front.

Actually the only thing that is really noticeable to me is that before all this, there was a very visible transition towards the curve on the blade from straight to curve, whereas now it is a very smooth transition. Not a gripe, just an observation. I worked it a little more last night with the ceramic rod via some hand sharpening, and it is cutting very nice. Still needs a bit more work though before it will be ready to tackle carving a fork. Not the smallest blade in the world for carving tasks, and I have never done anything that detailed with something that has as wide a blade as the 14.
 
tradewater said:
Hey man, if you need help posting pics, I'll be glad to give you a hand. :D:D
Click to expand...

The problem isn't posting the pics, that I can manage. The problem is that there are no pics of the blade when it was in the abyssmal shape before I fixed it. An oversight on my part, for which I will humbly apologize, but since that edge is gone, reprofiled away to never again see the light of day, there isn't much I can(will) do to bring it back. I can take pics now, or rather when I get home, but it will just be the regular looking BK14, nothing fancy, and thankfully no real evidence left of the travesty that was the previous profile and edge.
 
DerekH said:
The problem isn't posting the pics, that I can manage.
Click to expand...

The only reason I can manage is because you took the time to show me how.
I'm just giving you a hard time.

However, Rule 19b section 4.113 clearly states "Pics, or it didn't happen"
 
tradewater said:
The only reason I can manage is because you took the time to show me how.
I'm just giving you a hard time.

However, Rule 19b section 4.113 clearly states "Pics, or it didn't happen"
Click to expand...

Ah, that was sarcasm, okay, that is familiar territory.

Honestly, I am fine with saying it didn't happen. Absolves me of a rather large screwup. Would love to forget the entire incident and chalk it up to too much patina mustard before bed induced nightmares.
 
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