Damn Recurves!

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I like to free-hand on bench stones so recurves get me pissed off. I like their design though. I think some of the Strider, Mercworx and Zero Tolerance recurves look great. Recurves must be sharpened just like Bowie Hooked clips. I find the best way is to use a rounded diamond sharpener like EZE-Lap and follow up with an Arkie Translucent round slip stone. The round white ceramic rods also work quite well. Sharpening recurves are one of the skills that a Knife-Nut must master. Think of it this way: there is a lot of satisfaction to be had in getting a recurve shaving sharp. We have to learn to live with them.
 
I don't like recures pretty much for the same reason. The only recurve I have left is my classic Benchmade Mini-AFCK, and there is no way I would part with it!
 
Grampa said:
I use the old Harbor Freight 1x30" to sharpen my recurves, and it does an excellent job.

The secret is to keep the edge perpendicular to the direction the belt is traveling.

Run down through the grits, finish with a leather belt with black compound.

Less than $100 for the set-up, and it'll sharpen anything you throw at it to an excellent edge.

Or just send me all your recurves, if you're sure you don't want them anymore! :D
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Grampa,
I have a Harbor Freight nearby and go there often. I've been looking for chrome oxide buffing compound but can't find any locally. Is that 'black compound' you mention above the Harbor Freight product? If so, how does it compare to the traditional green chrome oxide?

Also, since none of the HF compounds mention composition, grit size,etc, I can't tell which is coarse, fine, extra fine, etc. Can you sort out the various Harb.Freight compounds for me?

Thanks,
JMH
 
Richard j said:
michael, i disagree with hand sharpening being faster. while you are just getting started on setting up to do 1 side of the blade, I'm probably half way done if not done and moving on to the paper buffing wheel. i used to do all my sharpening by hand years ago and i thought i was pretty fast. i have sharpened 3' machetes in a couple minutes time to a shaving sharp edge.
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Richard, I was talking about faster than a sharp maker and the like. My equipment in the shop is much faster than the cardboard wheels, and a lot easier to use. It is very expensive professional equipment. a lot of people have a hard time with those glue on cardboard wheels. I'm sure you know what your doing. And this is a must. The old boy that use to set up at the gun shows here in central Texas ruined a lot of knives with those wheels. He never knew the difference. Sadly, neither did the majority of his customers.

The RPM is too high on the typical grinder. Yes even the 1700 rpm ones. The corners of the wheels are too sharp. You have to bevel them. If you aren't watching, they will put waves in the edge. They will do a fair job. But not a truly professional edge. It takes a little more than some glued on silicon carbide, and rouge on a card board disk for that. :D
 
Green Chrome is extremely fine. Black is one of the very courses. Neither are rouge. rouge is a type of grit. It's normally a reddish Burgundy tent. Not a generic term for compound.

Why not buy pro quality compounds. harbor freight is pure junk. Here

1800-874-7007 is the Number for the good stuff. Ask for Miss Ann. This is Sheffield Knifemakers supply. Why not use what the pro's use.:thumbup: Its available here, and not a bad price at all! ;)

M. Lovett
 
I try to buy knives I can sharpen on a flat bench stone, I hear ya.
 
Pardon my asking in this thread, but I was seeing reference to paper wheels.....is this referring to segmented paper wheel sharpening system I see advertised around?
 
Michael Lovett said:
Green Chrome is extremely fine. Black is one of the very courses. Neither are rouge. rouge is a type of grit. It's normally a reddish Burgundy tent. Not a generic term for compound.

Why not buy pro quality compounds. harbor freight is pure junk. Here

1800-874-7007 is the Number for the good stuff. Ask for Miss Ann. This is Sheffield Knifemakers supply. Why not use what the pro's use.:thumbup: Its available here, and not a bad price at all! ;)

M. Lovett
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Thanks, Michael.
I know, I use a green Cr2O3 mylar film (originally for polishing the ends of glass fiber optic cable). And I've used jewelers' rough, typically iron oxide Fe2O3, and tripoli, etc.

I've found chrome oxide via the internet, but was looking for a local source.
I'll probably have to break down and get it from Sheffields, thanks for the number.

JMH
 
bigbcustom said:
Pardon my asking in this thread, but I was seeing reference to paper wheels.....is this referring to segmented paper wheel sharpening system I see advertised around?
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PM or email Rich,He's a great guy.I'm sure he'll explain it to you.
 
Dr Heelhook said:
An annoying thing about only using rounded rods though is that in the long run the risk of blunting the tip is a little bigger.
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Totally agree with you on that. That is pretty much why I gave up using rods,
and why I do not buy any new recurves. I've got two, one a Kershaw, one a Benchmade, both in a display case now.

SEE YA!
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Yes, i have read the whole thread, but still got one question left, even though, it may sound stupid:

Is there any way to sharpen a recurved edge convex on mousepads?
 
blop, it might work but i'm not sure since i dont use the mousepad method for sharpening or making a flat edge into a convex edge. maybe with a narrow piece of mousepad to allow the pad to conform to the curve.
 
I've had some of the same objections to recurves ... however a few months ago I picked up a Kershaw Shallot, which has an ever-so-slight recurve that I've heard called a swayed edge. The Shallot sharpens nicely on an ordinary benchstone, and you still get much of the same favorable cutting action as other recurves, especially slicing on a draw or pull.

So maybe the Shallot is the cure for your recurve blues, too; it's a terrific knife all-'round.
 
About the only recurve I can sharpen easily,because it's so slight is the 710.Anything deeper than that,I have problems with.
 
Imagine sharpening this used and abused BM630. That's why I'm sending it to Richard in a week.
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edit: BTW it is double edged.
 
No offense intended SS,but that is one Fugly knife:barf::D...it's like drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa IMO.:confused:


I guess it's true what they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder;)
 
I didn't do it for looks. Purely for effective separation of living tissue in a last resort situation. Pure wave opening double edge nastiness :D
 
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