Difficulty with sharpening double edged blades

Hi all, I'm not an actual knifesmith or anything, but I was told to go to the experts with my questions about double edged knives.

I have a double edged butterfly knife which was rather dull when I got it, but had a needle sharp tip. I put it in a lansky device and soon both edges were hair-popping sharp, but the tip had become rounded off by my efforts.

Was I doing something wrong? Any advice on how to achieve razor sharp edges AND needle sharp tips?

Also, what are the benefits of a double edged knife over a single edged knife, anyway?

Any advice from the experts?

-Dave

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Craig Rosebraugh is innocent!
 
D

Dave K

Joined
Jul 5, 1999
Messages
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Help! I am dying of ignorance! Somebody please save me!
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All I can think of is make sure your not draging the tip across the stone alot and rounding it off. If your raising the handle of the knife up at the end of each pass, you will change the bevel at the very end and grind the tip off instead of polishing it down thinner like you do the edges.Also don't run the tip down the stone with it perpendicular to the stone like you do the cutting edge, that will make it flat and wide like a chisel point. Really your edge bevels from both sides should meet at the end of the blade and form the point, and you shouldn't have to do anyhitng specific for the point at all.
As for the benefits of a double edged blade, it depends on the knife. Figthing knives have a double edge so they can be used in various grips and deliver blows from both edges of the blade.It also aids in the knifes peircing capabilities some as the back of the knife isn't thick, so it produces less resistance.
I have also seen double edged carving knives. I'm not a fan of them myself as they don't allow you to use your thumb to apply pressure on the blade when your making delicate cuts. But the idea of them is you can cut on a push or pull stroke without changing your grip on the knife.And you have two cutting edges to be used before the knife needs sharpened.Its more for convenience than anyhitng else.
Hope that helps answer your questions.

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Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !
 
Thank you for the speedy reply. Perhaps I was pushing the lansky hones down too much at the end of the strokes, which maybe would lead to the same effects as lifting the handle if sharpening free hand.

In this particular case it seemed difficult not to do that. I don't know whether it is the design of my particular knife, the design of the lansky system, or a basic attribute of double edged knives in general.

Anyone out there thought this through further than I have? Which is preferable for a fixed blade knife used for defense: single edged or double edged? And what about for autos and folders carried for defense?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

-Dave

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Craig Rosebraugh is innocent!
 
Dave,

The preferred knife for self defense is whatever you are the most comfortable with using.
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Each knife edge (single or double) has unique characteristics that are suited for a particular style of fighting. That is if you are trained to fight with a knife. I guess it all boils down to "What do you like?"

My $.02

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Barry
Jones Knives

Do you hear that?
That is the sound of inevitability.
 
I agree with barry on a knife for self defense. What your comfortable using, and even more importantly what your comfortable carrying all the time. A knife isn't much use if you don't like to carry it and leave it at home all the time. To get a better veiw on this (I don't know anything about fighting with knives and which knife goes with which style) you should post your question in the tactics and training forum. They have a special forum there for self defense. You can post your question and give them your level of experience and I'm sure they can give you alot better info , and more specific suggestions for the type of knife.

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Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !
 
That is a good idea.

Off to the tactical-type forums I go.

Thank you both for responding!

-Dave
 
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