Edge bevel's, thoughts....

Thank you very much guys. I am just glad to be able to contribute.

For the edges described I used either a Kalamazoo 1SM or Dan's Arkansas translucent stones. My hand strop of choice is a very old hand me down from my grandfather. It is a very long double strap barbers strop. One strap is horsehide leather and the other is linen.

Kevin
 
richstag said:
Thank you very much guys. I am just glad to be able to contribute.

For the edges described I used either a Kalamazoo 1SM or Dan's Arkansas translucent stones. My hand strop of choice is a very old hand me down from my grandfather. It is a very long double strap barbers strop. One strap is horsehide leather and the other is linen.

Kevin
Click to expand...

I have a couple of strops. I only use the conditioning paste on it. Do you use any abrasive pastes or just go at it dry?
 
Let me start by saying a strop does not make an edge sharp, it only refines and removes any burr (if you don't have it right off the stone the strop isn't magic). Not unless its close to sharp and your using aggressive compounds on a belt sander with a leather belt. With that said, I use the horsehide plain as it has natural abrasives that will cut any cutlery steel. The linen side has some mystery dry compound on it from my grandfather. I found a huge box of compounds from his metal working shop that I have played with. I would guess its a white dry rouge. For the leather belt on the 1SM I have used one of the three white, green or black compounds that are common in the knife world.

I would list the vendor but I am unsure if they are a dealer here.

Hope that helps.

Kevin
 
I am amazed at Kevin's work, simply amazed :eek:. But after seeing that Elliot mentioned a Viking sharpening stone, I looked them up. Turns out they can be had for cheap and of a high quality. Found a good site, but can't post a link here.

Connor
 
richstag said:
Let me start by saying a strop does not make an edge sharp, it only refines and removes any burr (if you don't have it right off the stone the strop isn't magic). Not unless its close to sharp and your using aggressive compounds on a belt sander with a leather belt. With that said, I use the horsehide plain as it has natural abrasives that will cut any cutlery steel. The linen side has some mystery dry compound on it from my grandfather. I found a huge box of compounds from his metal working shop that I have played with. I would guess its a white dry rouge. For the leather belt on the 1SM I have used one of the three white, green or black compounds that are common in the knife world.

I would list the vendor but I am unsure if they are a dealer here.

Hope that helps.

Kevin
Click to expand...

True, a strop wont make a dull knife sharp. I have trouble with some of my knives, I cannot satisfactorally deal with the burr. Even stropping has limited affect...oh well, more practice!
 
I have used a Lansky diamond set up and leather strop mounted on a flat block of wood I made or years. It has worked fine for me but if you get a knife with a thick edge then it can take quite a while to get the angle I want because they never come with the angle I use or are they even but I just put the guide on it and sit in front of the TV and watch a good movie and sharpen away. I use to like the thick blades on all my knives but I have changed since I see how we'll a nice thin blade cuts compared to the so call sharpened pry bar blade, no matter how sharp I would get the thick blade it would still not perform as good as the thinner blade even if its not as sharp as the thick blade was.
 
I have found that to be one of the challenges with particular knives myself. It takes different approaches. Some steel could be a little soft. Some stainless seems gummy. There are a few quick tricks that usually work. One is to cut a wad of paper towel and it will rip it off. Then lightly hone or strop to abraid the remaining edge back down to a very refined burr free edge. The other is to avoid burr formation as much as possible from the start. This is much more exacting. The linen strops are desined to rip large burrs off also.

I'm out of it and tired for the day, but I hope I'm remembering to mention some helpful tips.
 
lol just throwing my two cents in because i should be going to bed and well...lol

anyways, my new GEC 85 needed sharpening, i hadnt touched the edge up since i got it and i have been using it at work and.well it was dull
now i only use stones and strops, i'd like to say its because i am old fashioned, but lets be honest, i am not interested in spending the money on a more advanced system :D

anyways, i been working on it for awhile, and let me tell you the blade felt THICK, much thicker than my cases came, and i thought i was in for having to remove alot of metal from behind the edge to get it to where i wanted to...

turns out, i was using too shallow of an angle, i think i got used to the edge of my texas jack and the GEC is just different (i may be using the wrong terminology here but: full flat grind vs hollow grind is what i think) so anyways, i adjusted my angle and started noticing an immediate improvement. Now its 11:30pm and i gotta get to work in the morning and i should be in bed already...so its not hair shaving sharp like i am hoping to get it, but i think now that i can get it there with just a little more time and patience.

so i am not really sure how relevant to this subject this is, but its my edge bevel thought of the day :D

ps, by working on it for like 30 minutes with a too shallow angle, i thinking i just convexed the edge :D
 
pps:

yeah got her shaving arm hair now :D
pretty happy once i figured out the angle

now just gotta start eating more fruit so i can get the patina going real good ;)
 
Ha, ha,

I'm with Kevin here re: edge burrs. I've only worked up a burr when seriously reprofiling. If you are maintaining the edge keep holding the knife up to the light and gently turn it whilst looking at the edge bevel. You'll should see a constant shade of fresh steel right up to the edge, if there are any bright strips or changes in light your not right up to the edge at those points. Keep going, even on both sides (the sharpie trick can be useful here if you're not sure what you're hitting) until you get to this stage. You may not raise musch of a burr, I tend to when reprofiling as I'm using course 400 grit paper to get there quickly, hence more material each stroke. I then reduce that burr as I work through to 1200. I can't feel a noticable burr when I switch to the strop. I imagine there is still a burr but very small (need Kevins microscope:))

Sam
 
Sam,

I bet in your line of work you have figured the same kinds of things as I have :)

I remember a few years back when I was first learning to do the convex edges with a handheld belt sander. I was at my work at night with a break. I asked my buddy to hold the belt sander upside down while I ground the edge. Its funny how you have to start somewhere. The point of this story is after we finished it up I was out in the alley and one of the nicest guys there that drove the refrigerator truck for the companies catering service walked down to talk to me. He saw the machete and his eyes LIT UP. He looked it over and went to tell me the island he was born on machetes were all they used. He said they used them for everything and always have. He told me the edge on mine looked great but I should see the way the natives do them. He went on to explain how the bevels would be so wide that they would nearly, and sometimes fully reach the spine. He said they just layed the blades flat on a block of wood and went at it with files.

Anyhow, I just thought it seemed appropriate to share that :)

Kevin
 
Thanks Kevin, sounds like my approach to sharpening Bill hooks!

There's a real art to using a machete... I was with a guy in the Amazon for a few weeks, watching him a work was a a joy. He was just using a cheap, thin one but nicely sharp. He offered me a go and I though, hell I've cleared plenty of brush with other tools, hooks etc, how hard can it be...? Anyhow, after an embarrassing few minutes I conceeded defeat and handed it back!

Sam
 
I agree Sam. There is a lot to be said for being a natural with a machete and growing up with one.
 
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