Best way to sharpen a BWM and SAR 3?

D

Davor

Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
669
What is really the best way to sharpen these Busse knives? I heard sandpaper and a strop and other members mentioned using a Spyderco Sharpmaker. I'm about to sharpen my BWM and I want to make sure I do it right, so I can have my best blade for life. Also the SAR 3 will also need sharpening in the future once I use it.
Thanks.
 
Both the BWM and the SAR 3 should be convex already, so sandpaper would work fine, but that's if you want to keep the convex edge.
 
It depends on your skill base .... if you have'nt done a lot of sharpening I would suggest something like an Edge Pro ....

If you are skilled and have the "bottle" for it .... a belt sander with the right belts .... although practising on a few cheap machete's might be a good idea before doing your Busses ....

The first gives a V grind edge and the second a convex grind edge ....
 
It is all about skill level.

I sharpen with sandpaper and leather backing (also have a mousepad, but the leather is firmer).

The finishing is on a loaded leather strop.

I have a 1x30 belt sander, which also sees sharpening use when I need to reprofile or fix some serious damage (I have used it sparingly on infi so far).

I have a machete, and axes, and throwing knives that get the belt sander treatment more frequently.

Even when I use a belt sander on my Infi, I usually only use it to "break" the shoulder on the transition between the primary grind and the edge bevel. Then move over to sandpaper for finishing work.

By hand, it can take some serious time to reprofile an edge.

If you are just keeping the factory bevels, a flat stone (I have a medium smith stone, with ceramic sticks that I use on some of mine).

You can also match the factory bevel with sandpaper over a strop (or mousepad). Just use a light touch, and go slow to keep checking your results.

Honestly, I convexed one user folder, and it was all over. I did all my infi after that when I realized it was not too hard (just time consuming to do by hand).


For fixed angle sharpening, there are many systems out there that make it easy and painless to sharpen. The Edge Pro is probably the top of those types of systems. Lansky makes a much cheaper version, but it is more time consuming, you have to clamp the blade in, and try to keep a consistent placement of the clamping spot, and how deep you clamp it.

I think the edge pro would be your best bet. More expensive, but worth it. It gives you a V edge profile.
 
I consider myself naturally horrible at hitting a consistent angle even with the sharpie trick...

So I use a Sharpmaker on ALL my Busses and always have fantastic sticky sharp results.
 
Turbo Tension said:
Big Fatty,

Are you pushing the knife over the mousepad/sandpaper or stropping?
Click to expand...

I haven't done either with the BWM, but I have stropped my other convex blades on the sandpaper and strop. The sharpmaker with its diamond stone as a start to its fine stone does a great job on the kitchen and swiss army blades, but not sure if it will damage the convex edge on my Busse BWM and SAR 3.
I know there is a lot of advice on how to sharpen convex blades, and I don't mind the sandpaper and strop, but I would like to know the best method.
BTW the BWM is probably the best blade Busse put out in regards to the price, it slices and chops like a pro.
 
Turbo Tension said:
Big Fatty,

Are you pushing the knife over the mousepad/sandpaper or stropping?
Click to expand...

Stropping for the most part.


I have, when I need to remove a lot of shoulder taken just the sandpaper over a sheet of glass and gone edge first and back. But mostly just a stropping action.

A lighter touch is better. Especially with a mousepad. They are so soft it is very easy to actually dull the edge if you are using much pressure. The weight of a big knife like a FFBM, etc, can be too much depending on angle. Your arm can get very sore keeping the weight off the mousepad.

Leather backing is firmer, and you can use more weight.
 
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