I am asking this because i have a tops bob field-craft knife with a modified scandi grind. At this current time i am reading reviews and forums for the best sharpener for scandi grinds. So i have it narrowed down to three different ones. The first one is doing it free hand with stones, i kinda suck at freehand. The second one is the worksharp belt grinder, only thing about this belt grinder is it puts a convex edge on everything. I also know you can blunt your blade tip if not done correctly. The last one which is the wicked edge gen III, this one is expensive but can handle a variety of different blades. The tops bob is almost looks like a modified v flat grind to a convex at 11-12 degrees finale edge, from what tops told me. I assume they mean 11-12 degrees on both sides for a total of 22-24, unless they mean 5.5-6 degrees on each side. I guess my question is what is the best way to sharpen a scandi grind. I am just torn between sharpeners, they all have pros and cons. for instance the work sharp won't give an exact same degree on both sides of a blade. I will be getting different blades with different edges, like convex. I will most likely have a lot of scandi and convex edges since all my knives are for bushcraft/survival and outdoor stuff. SIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Best way to sharpen a scandi grind?
- Thread starter SethO
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- Apr 12, 2009
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- 13,442
In terms of freehand skill level required, a Scandi is actually the easiest to sharpen, due to the wide bevels serving as the built-in angle guide. Just lay the bevels flush to the abrasive and grind away. A hard & flat medium is by far the best; either a flat stone, or some wet/dry sandpaper over a hard backing like glass/stone. The firmer & flatter the grinding/sharpening media is, the crisper the results will be. Anything even a little soft or forgiving will tend to round/convex the bevels and edge.
When grinding, keep a finger or two on the upward-facing bevel, directly above the portion of the blade being worked. This will ensure it stays flush to the media and won't pitch forward/back, or bounce or skip. Using some water or oil on the grinding media will help keep everything moving smoothly, and will also slow down the clogging or loading of the grit surface. A large working surface will make the job much easier (& faster). Something large enough to handle 1/3-1/2 sheet of wet/dry sandpaper would work well; a backing surface big enough for a full sheet is even better (can be turned around to fresh side if the grit starts to slow down). I used a ~10" x 12" granite reference plate as a backing for a full sheet of wet/dry paper to do mine, and I liked that method best for the heavy grinding.
The one thing that can make it difficult or tedious is if the edge is very dull or not fully apexed. A lot of steel would have to be removed to fully apex the edge again, and that'll take time. This is why a larger working surface is important; trying to do it with a very small or narrow hone will take a very long time, and will also be more difficult to stabilize and keep the bevels consistently flush to the working surface.
David
When grinding, keep a finger or two on the upward-facing bevel, directly above the portion of the blade being worked. This will ensure it stays flush to the media and won't pitch forward/back, or bounce or skip. Using some water or oil on the grinding media will help keep everything moving smoothly, and will also slow down the clogging or loading of the grit surface. A large working surface will make the job much easier (& faster). Something large enough to handle 1/3-1/2 sheet of wet/dry sandpaper would work well; a backing surface big enough for a full sheet is even better (can be turned around to fresh side if the grit starts to slow down). I used a ~10" x 12" granite reference plate as a backing for a full sheet of wet/dry paper to do mine, and I liked that method best for the heavy grinding.
The one thing that can make it difficult or tedious is if the edge is very dull or not fully apexed. A lot of steel would have to be removed to fully apex the edge again, and that'll take time. This is why a larger working surface is important; trying to do it with a very small or narrow hone will take a very long time, and will also be more difficult to stabilize and keep the bevels consistently flush to the working surface.
David