Best edge on an ESEE

Personally All my rats are convexed now and go up to 2000 wet and then a leather strop loaded with mothers polish and then plain leather. Works plenty good for a hair popping edge but my izula came with a weird recurve near the back which I think was a screw up but I don't mind. However to get it funky sharpened I have to use some odd angles.
 
my izula came with a weird recurve near the back
Click to expand...

I have 3 Izulas and the 1st one I bought has the slight recurve in the back like you're describing but it's no problem to sharpen it with the Sharpmaker rod's corners and then a bit of a handle drop on the strop at the beginning of the stroke and lift the handle as I travel across the surface. Looks cool! :)
 
Last edited:
hiwa said:
[/B]

Please elaborate, as I bet a few of us use them . I know the Nortons are of good quality from what I've seen and used.
Click to expand...

When I was in Boy Scouts nothing was ever discussed about the quality of "stones" and maybe it wasn't necessary due to mostly all carbon blades. I was introduced to Norton India stones and I will never look back. They sharpen much faster with a definite burr as long as you use plenty of oil. I believe if more people started sharpening with common carbon butcher knives and Norton India stobnes they would understand sharpening really quickly. Just color the edge with a sharpie and experiment until you get the freehand angle right. The choices are overwhelming to even an experienced knife guy but I like an 8 " combination (Course/Fine) Norton India stone IB8. Maybe a Norton Arkansas for a finish stone but I have been very happy with the Sharpmaker to finish and touch up,
 
I scored two Norton stones recently. Both are replacement stones for the Norton Triangle system(about $300). I have the medium crystolon, and the fine india, both large stones ( 1/2" by 2 1/2" by 11 1/2") The benchstone suggested above is versatile, economical,and recommended by more than a few good knifemakers.

I can say from experience, I get better edges than ANY of the diamond stuff I have ( which is a whole lot of DMT stuff). I'm pretty good at free-hand,but those Norton stones just seem to remove the right amount of metal. I do the " Juranich" method of using them dry, but I do clean them periodically with WD-40 during use if the swarf builds up. (BTW, WD-40 is an excellent cleaner for a lot of things;not-so-good of a lubricant, IMO.) I don't particilarily like highly polished edges:they slide of matter too easily,instead of grab-and-cut. Just feel the factory edge when you get a new one.
My suggestion for guys starting out, is to get that Norton India combo stone(around$20-$30 ), and start with that, before spending a ton of coin on diamonds. That being said, small diamond honing rods and stones ( DMT paddles,Eze-lap rods,etc.) make great bush carry- along units. Really, who wants to carry a benchstone around in the woods?
Today I did some whittling with my new RC4, and the factory edge is great!! 1095 rocks. It's one of my favorite steels.
 
hiwa said:
I scored two Norton stones recently. Both are replacement stones for the Norton Triangle system(about $300). I have the medium crystolon, and the fine india, both large stones ( 1/2" by 2 1/2" by 11 1/2") The benchstone suggested above is versatile, economical,and recommended by more than a few good knifemakers.

I can say from experience, I get better edges than ANY of the diamond stuff I have ( which is a whole lot of DMT stuff). I'm pretty good at free-hand,but those Norton stones just seem to remove the right amount of metal. I do the " Juranich" method of using them dry, but I do clean them periodically with WD-40 during use if the swarf builds up. (BTW, WD-40 is an excellent cleaner for a lot of things;not-so-good of a lubricant, IMO.) I don't particilarily like highly polished edges:they slide of matter too easily,instead of grab-and-cut. Just feel the factory edge when you get a new one.
My suggestion for guys starting out, is to get that Norton India combo stone(around$20-$30 ), and start with that, before spending a ton of coin on diamonds. That being said, small diamond honing rods and stones ( DMT paddles,Eze-lap rods,etc.) make great bush carry- along units. Really, who wants to carry a benchstone around in the woods?
Today I did some whittling with my new RC4, and the factory edge is great!! 1095 rocks. It's one of my favorite steels.
Click to expand...

+1 on sharpening and RC4, I have been practicing fuzz sticks for days with my RC4 and have yet to sharpen it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top