Best tool to sharpen my blades?

[Resent]

Okay, so first of all let me just say hello to all of you. I just signed up today since I had my first real experience using one of my machetes. I've got a cold steel kukri, that I sent to be sharpened for $30. It came back with a decent edge, which allowed me to cut through some wood in my backyard but now there are several annoying little nicks in the blade and I want to sharpen them out. I don't feel like sending it back so I was wondering what the best tool to use for this would be.

I also have a latin machete from the same manufactuer, which I also want to sharpen with the tool I get. I asked around on yahoo answers and they told me the best way to get a good edge on machetes is a bastard file but I decided I needed more info than that. First of all (Keeping in mind, that I'm looking for an inexpensive method) is that really the best way? If it is then what brand should I get and does the length of the file matter? By the way, I've used a Lansky puck which a couple of people reccomend and it doesn't really work on these machetes. Good for pocket knives but I think the steel cold steel uses is to hard for it.

Thanks.

 

[Rallan]

I'd say have a look at the Speedy Sharp tool. I bought mine at a local hardware store for less than $20 - works really well, especially on machetes and the like once you get a hang of it. It's also tiny so you can just stick it in a pocket and sharpen up as needed.

 

[David Martin]

Nickelson files are good, 6" coarse or fine. A Norton crystolon puck will do it as well. I think these are a little more difficult to learn on than a 2X8" crystolon stone. There is a forum member here who uses machettes and sharpens them a lot, 'HeavyHands' . He'll be along tomorrow and will give you the skinny on it. Other items I cannot recommend. DM

 

[Resent]

I'd say have a look at the Speedy Sharp tool. I bought mine at a local hardware store for less than $20 - works really well, especially on machetes and the like once you get a hang of it. It's also tiny so you can just stick it in a pocket and sharpen up as needed.

Really that little thing can sharpen machetes??? lol, sorry I'm just a little hesitant when it comes to these pocket sharpeners sharpening my machetes.

Nickelson files are good, 6" coarse or fine. A Norton crystolon puck will do it as well. I think these are a little more difficult to learn on than a 2X8" crystolon stone. There is a forum member here who uses machettes and sharpens them a lot, 'HeavyHands' . He'll be along tomorrow and will give you the skinny on it. Other items I cannot recommend. DM

Well I'm bidding on a Nicholson General Purpose Mill File Single Cut Bastard, it's 12 inches long and gives a medium to coarse finish. Is that good or should I look for something else? I've only got $10 on it right now.

 

[dextertron]

The $40 1x30 benchtop belt sander from harbor freight with some fine to superfine (600-2000+) belts from amazon. I'm sure somebody will comment on the heat generated by using this method but I was told (by a local knife sharpener) that as long as the blade isn't too hot to touch it won't mess up the heat treatment. Obviously this puts a convex edge on the knife and there's a certain amount of risk involved since it's a power tool and all. It's fast though; I can get a spoon sharp enough to shave in under 10 minutes. Practice with some thrift store knives first but once you figure out a reliable method of keeping a consistent bevel you're golden! I'm still not brave enough to sharpen anything like a CRK with this method but my results have been favoring more confidence.

 

[HeavyHanded]

The files are great for establishing a bevel or doing fairly serious repair work. Keep in mind that nearly all respectable machetes are low RC and carbon steel - tho some are stainless, it'll be of a grade that closely matches plain carbon (420hc). Virtually any method can be made to work, my favorite is a King waterstone and here's why. They cut plain steels very quickly without loading up the stone. They do so with a minimum of burr formation - chasing burrs on a large blade is no fun. They're also relatively inexpensive and work with all common pocket knife steels up 154cm and perhaps s30v. My standard method is to use a single cut mill file like the one you're bidding on, then go straight to a 1000 or 1200 grit King. With a light touch you can learn to apply a face-shaving edge with this combo. In all reality you could stop at the file work and call it a day - it will still cut very well. Smaller file impart finer finishes, so you could also switch to a 4 or 6" file to clean it up. I used to just use a file and follow with a lightly grooved butchers steel - this works well enough for hard use where you'll be abusing it and need to fix it often.

Another method is to use a regular silicon carbide or aluminum oxide combination stone and finish by stropping on a firm surface with compounds. I use the cheap compound from Sears - black to smooth it out and white to make it sing. Only use the coarse side of these stones if repair or major bevel work is needed, otherwise use the fine side and raise a burr, flip it, wrap a sheet or two of newspaper around the same stone, rub it with compound and strop away lightly. There's a great sticky at the top of the page re stropping. Use oil or soapy water on the stone to keep it from loading up.

A third method is to use a puck or small (4-5") combination stone, hold the machete (I drop to one knee and rest it across the other) and bring the stone to the blade. Use a circular or light back and forth "scrubbing motion". I use a circular motion with the coarse side and a scrubbing motion with the fine. You can rub some compound on a stick and strop a bit - you'll still get a very sharp edge and this method works great when outside.

Remember, these choppers have relatively soft metal - light pressure is all that's needed and you'll still remove metal quickly. Too much pressure or working on one spot too long can whip up a burr that will be difficult to remove, so observe what's happening and only grind where needed. Attack the edge in overlapping sections.

 

[Resent]

The $40 1x30 benchtop belt sander from harbor freight with some fine to superfine (600-2000+) belts from amazon. I'm sure somebody will comment on the heat generated by using this method but I was told (by a local knife sharpener) that as long as the blade isn't too hot to touch it won't mess up the heat treatment. Obviously this puts a convex edge on the knife and there's a certain amount of risk involved since it's a power tool and all. It's fast though; I can get a spoon sharp enough to shave in under 10 minutes. Practice with some thrift store knives first but once you figure out a reliable method of keeping a consistent bevel you're golden! I'm still not brave enough to sharpen anything like a CRK with this method but my results have been favoring more confidence.

Thanks but that sounds like a little too much. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have razor sharp weapons but at the moment I'm looking for something more in the area of $20 and I'd be glad just to get a fairly sharp weapon.

@HeavyHanded
Alot of good advice here. I'm trying to sharpen two Cold steel machetes, each one is 1055 Carbon steel. I've actually tried the third method with a Lansky puck but it didn't work out too well. I thought I was doing it wrong at first so I watched a video and it turned out I wasn't. It seems like the metal is just extremley tough. The man I sent it into said it ate up a belt while it was being sharpened.

I want to go for method 1 but I'll need to hold off on the King waterstone. I'll start with the file. Sadly I lost the one I was bidding on so which would you reccomend that's around or under $20 and would work on the latin and kukri? Thanks for all the advice btw.

 

[Jason B.]

If you look around you can probably find a King 800-1k brick stone in your price range. The waterstone would likely be a better choice because you can easily round a edge of the stone to sharpen recurve blades.

Hida tool has one for $25.

 

[HeavyHanded]

I'd say go ahead and get a Nicholson single cut mill file - 8" or 6" to do the rebevelling if needed. I'm not entirely convinced that would be the case with the one you had sharpened, but he may have made the edge more obtuse as he went, which will make it harder to get nice performance from your chopper. The Latin pattern one will almost certainly need help as well.

I'm a little concerned that the Lansky puck wasn't making good progress - on 1055 at comparatively low RC it should be eating that steel up with few issues. 1055 is tough as in 'takes a beating' - its not that tough as in 'beats up belts and stones' except that there's a lot of metal to work.

Take a look at the surface of the puck and compare it to the sides where it hasn't been used. If it looks plugged up with grit and steel or glazed over, you should probably lap it on concrete (smooth sidewalk grade) using a lot of water as you go. Shouldn't need much of this treatment (if at all - use your judgement). You could also just soap it up good in your sink and scrub it with a scouring pad or stiff brush (try this first).

When sharpening with it, have a container of soapy water (and a towel or two), frequently dunk the puck in as you grind - if you don't use any lube it can and will plug up on you - becoming nearly useless. Keep in mind, you're removing a lot of steel compared to regular sized blade - accommodations need to be made for the amount of material you'll be removing. The puck alone (assuming the bevel is in good shape) should put a very nice edge on your choppers - just use a circular motion and try to maintain a constant angle - stop often to make sure you're not generating a large burr. Raise a small burr, flip, and repeat.

Some cheap polishing compound is invaluable for keeping up on the edge and for finishing it off after the fine side of your puck. Wrap some newspaper around any really hard surface (I wrap it around my bench stone, or in a pinch around the edge of a hardwood cutting board), apply a light coating of black emery and lightly strop till the burr is gone. Repeat with white compound for just a few passes.

If the edge isn't too hammered you can use the compound to restore it without resorting to a stone or file - keep the angle nice and low and use light pressure - throw the paper out and use a fresh one when it loads up - it will load up fast with a machete due to the overall size and type and RC of the steel commonly used for large choppers. Go slow - these big knives are usually very easy to maintain once you have a system and some muscle memory. Also, watch for your fingers on the puck and make small circles - dime sized or so.

 

[Resent]

If you look around you can probably find a King 800-1k brick stone in your price range. The waterstone would likely be a better choice because you can easily round a edge of the stone to sharpen recurve blades.

Hida tool has one for $25.

So you think I should take that over a file?

@HeavyHanded
This one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nicholson-6...037?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4abaf0b8d5

Also, sadly I no longer have the lansky puck. My dad was trying to help me sharpen my machetes with it as well since he used to be a sword collector but it wasn't working at all so we threw it out. Yeah, I was going in small circular motions but it wasn't getting any sort of edge. I don't know what it is with cold steel blades but they seem to be a serious pain in the ass to sharpen. Sorry for all of the questions and doubt, I'm just really new at sharpening and don't want to mess up my weapons. The only tool I have at the moment is a knife sharpener I got from Ikea.

 

[ConBon]

So you think I should take that over a file?

@HeavyHanded
This one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nicholson-6...037?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4abaf0b8d5

Also, sadly I no longer have the lansky puck. My dad was trying to help me sharpen my machetes with it as well since he used to be a sword collector but it wasn't working at all so we threw it out. Yeah, I was going in small circular motions but it wasn't getting any sort of edge. I don't know what it is with cold steel blades but they seem to be a serious pain in the ass to sharpen. Sorry for all of the questions and doubt, I'm just really new at sharpening and don't want to mess up my weapons. The only tool I have at the moment is a knife sharpener I got from Ikea.

They're Cold Steel, that's the problem.

Welcome to the forums,
Connor

 

[Jason B.]

Cold steel actually makes a good machete, they just don't sharpen them and they can take a lot of work.

As for the tools to sharpen I would recommend saving some money and investing more than $20 to maintain your blades. The file would be a good start, the stone would be good to refine the edge and I would add something a little higher say 4k to polish the edge. A little higher refinement of the edge will go a long way when chopping.

 

[HeavyHanded]

So you think I should take that over a file?

@HeavyHanded
This one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nicholson-6...037?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4abaf0b8d5

Also, sadly I no longer have the lansky puck. My dad was trying to help me sharpen my machetes with it as well since he used to be a sword collector but it wasn't working at all so we threw it out. Yeah, I was going in small circular motions but it wasn't getting any sort of edge. I don't know what it is with cold steel blades but they seem to be a serious pain in the ass to sharpen. Sorry for all of the questions and doubt, I'm just really new at sharpening and don't want to mess up my weapons. The only tool I have at the moment is a knife sharpener I got from Ikea.

Ouch - rule #1 when learning to sharpen stuff - always suspect you are the problem, not the tools or item to be sharpened. Toward that end, NEVER throw away sharpening tools or things you couldn't get a good edge on. Sometimes it IS the tools or blade, the other 99.9% of the time its going to be you.

Second, just go the hardware store if you're anywhere near one, and ask for a single cut mill file 8 or 6" - they'll be able to set you right up. If you're anywhere near a Sears they'll have the file, a combination silicon carbide stone, and black and white compound - all for under 30 bucks and maybe even hit your 20 dollar budget. In all seriousness you should prowl some yard sales and buy old kitchen knives or use your own to practice on. The Latin pattern won't be too tough to work on, the kukri will be a little more difficult due to the recurve profile. Not a problem, but if you care for these items, be ready to watch them take a bit of a beating as you learn to sharpen.

The basics are always the same - establish a clean bevel with a coarse stone or file, raise a burr and flip it. Refine with a finer abrasive, flipping and reducing the burr as you go. Finish off with some sort of edge trailing, usually on a hand strop, polishing grade waterstone, or powered belt/wheel.

If you're just trying to get your machetes reasonably sharp, the file, butcher's steel, and finish with some compound (or not) will get you to a very respectable working edge. For a short-cut, you could just use the file, strop with some black compound on a hardwood board, and finish with black and white compound on paper or pressed cardboard. Either way you'll have to learn some skills - machetes are not difficult to sharpen for the most part, but its a long stretch of metal to account for and maintain edge angle discipline etc.

Lastly, I cannot speak for your machete, and I believe the Latin pattern CS is made in China (though has an OK reputation anyway), but my CS machetes take a wicked edge and hold up very well even compared to some of the better S American brands I have. My backpacking bolo can literally tree-top leg hair. Take your time, have patience. A working edge can be learned fairly quickly, a shaving edge on a machete or any other blade takes a bit more practice. You might want to tackle some smaller knives till you have a better understanding of the fundamentals.

 

[Resent]

They're Cold Steel, that's the problem.

Welcome to the forums,
Connor

Thanks, didn't know there was anything wrong with cold steel though lol.

@Knifenut1013
Sounds good. I'll start with getting the file. This might be a stupid question but I've seen a lot of handles on sale for the files as well. Are they neccesary?

@HeavyHanded
Yeah I thought I was, it's just that from the video I was watching I couldn't see myself doing anything diffrent. The guy was sharpening the same machete too. The hardware store near me is practically useless and this may sound weird but I've never been to or even seen a Sears. I buy most of my stuff online anyway. I've got a bunch of kitchen knives I can use for practice.

Okay so first things first, the file. The Nicholson 6 inch and 8 inch are both up on ebay for reasonable prices. Should I go for the 8 inch just because it's bigger? Yeah I'm not trying to get hair shaving sharp...not just yet anyway. First I need an edge. The latin one is completley dull so that one will probably be more work.

 

[HeavyHanded]

In the interest of speed I'd get the 8" as it cuts faster. I make handles for my files out of old tool handles or dowels. The larger the handle the more control you'll have - mine are at least as long as the file they hold. I also use a C clamp and a block of wood to hold them to the bench, at least when carving a fresh bevel.

 

[Razorsharp-Travis]

Usd a concrete slab or a brick - probably better than a file

 

[Resent]

Usd a concrete slab or a brick - probably better than a file

It's sad that the only reason I know that's a joke is because of a video I saw on youtube lol.

In the interest of speed I'd get the 8" as it cuts faster. I make handles for my files out of old tool handles or dowels. The larger the handle the more control you'll have - mine are at least as long as the file they hold. I also use a C clamp and a block of wood to hold them to the bench, at least when carving a fresh bevel.

Alright, probably going to buy it tommorow. Thanks for all of the help. I'll post more here if I have any more problems.

 

[Rallan]

Really that little thing can sharpen machetes??? lol, sorry I'm just a little hesitant when it comes to these pocket sharpeners sharpening my machetes.

I was skeptical about the SpeedySharp too... till I tried it. For a few bucks it's worth your time to give it a try. You might be surprised as I was. I see guys with them on their keyrings now.

 

[ConBon]

It's sad that the only reason I know that's a joke is because of a video I saw on youtube lol.

Hey, hey, hey! I use the flagstone on one side of my house to produce excellent results, and cinder blocks that don't have large aggregate (visible rocks) are great for quickly, yet controllably making a bevel. Just rub one cinder block ontop of another in a figure eight motion and keep the rubbing surfaces soaked, and you will have two nice and large sharpening surfaces in no time.

Cheers,
Connor