Casexx 1998 USMC knife. Specific sharpening question

[SamuelC]

Hey folks, I've been browsing these forums for a while and just now decided to make an account. I have a very specific question which I haven't been able to find the answer to. Any help would be appreciated. I have a 1998 CaseXX USMC knife, and I believe this knife has a flat ground bevel that starts at about the half point on the face of the blade. To sharpen it I would lay the blade flat on the stone then tip it so the entire face of the bevel is against the stone.

Here are the questions:

1. When sharpening the knife, do you run the entire face of the bevel along the stone? It seems to me like that would be holding too much of the knife against the stone. But, i could see how that would easily maintain the bevel and the proper angle.

2 Or, if 1 is incorrect, do you tilt it onto the bevel, then tilt it slightly higher so only the edge is touching the stone? This seems to me like it would create what I think is called a micro bevel, right?

Any help with these questions would be greatly appreciated. I know to some they may seem obvious, but I've literally read dozens of guides and watched just as many videos. They all cover general technique but I haven't found any that cover very specific details like these.

 

[marcinek]

Option 1 sounds like the way many people sharpen Scandavian knives. It would result in a "zero ground" knife. Easy to get the angle right that way, as you say. Very popular for woodwork. Think of a wood chisel.

My Scandi knives I sharpen using method 2. That micro bevel, for me, yields a more sturdy and longer-lasting edge. But not as "refined" as the zero grind in Option 1.

The upshot is that either method is "correct", you just want to choose the one that is the most appropriate for how you intend to use the knife.

 

[marcinek]

I will go out on a limb and say that that Case had more than a microbevel on it when it was new. That is what a sabre grind with a v (or flat) edge bevel would be. Typical on a "fighter/military" knife like that.

 

[puukkoman]

Yep, from the factory that knife would have a secondary bevel. If it no longer has one, it's because of a previous user's sharpening preference. If I were you, I'd restore the secondary bevel; this will make sharpening in the field easier. It will also allow you to preserve the blade coating; if you sharpen it scandinavian-style, the finish will wear right off.