Fallkniven F1 question

B

bkraus

Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
214
Hi fellas,

I just bought a beautiful Fallkniven F1 with black micarta handle scales. I love everything about this knife (except the rather odd choice of sheath :confused:). But I am a bit worried about having to sharpen it when the time comes.

I think I pretty much understand the concept of using sandpaper and a mouse pad.... But if I screw it up, how difficult will it be to restore the convex edge? Can I take it to my local knife sharpener to fix or will I have to send it back to Fallkniven?

This is my first convex ground blade so I am nervous about screwing it up.
 
Sandpaper method is pretty easy and not too aggressive on profile It's hard to screw that bad someone with some experience wouldn't be able to fix it. If you screw it will most likely stay blunt but I would hardly expect something a lot worst then that.
 
bkraus said:
Hi fellas,
But if I screw it up, how difficult will it be to restore the convex edge? Can I take it to my local knife sharpener to fix or will I have to send it back to Fallkniven?

This is my first convex ground blade so I am nervous about screwing it up.
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The only way you are really going to screw it up is my using a really rough grit (80 grit or lower) and manage to re-profile the blade. I use this method on my BRKT. Most often you can get the edge back by just stropping on a charged leather. If you badly dull the blade, start with a 100-150 grit. This should be able to bring the edge back with little risk of dramatically re-profiling the blade.

Also, a some will argue that a secondary edge bevel is a good thing on a convex grind blade. I tend to agree depending on what you are using the blade for.

Congrats on the new knife. The F1 is an outstanding user:thumbup:
 
Thanks fop the input, guys. I feel better about using my F1 now. I was actually contemplating selling it and getting something with a flat grind.

So if I'm understanding correctly, a charged leather strop, used frequently, should eliminate the need to resharpen with sandpaper? Except in extreme cases, ie. extremely dull or dinged or chipped blade?

What would you charge the strop with?
 
bigbcustom said:
Chromium Oxide unless you really dull things up.
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Thanks. Is it a paste? does it come in different grits? Where do you guys buy yours?

Sorry for the newbie questions and thanks a bunch for all your help!
 
bkraus said:
Thanks fop the input, guys. I feel better about using my F1 now. I was actually contemplating selling it and getting something with a flat grind.

So if I'm understanding correctly, a charged leather strop, used frequently, should eliminate the need to resharpen with sandpaper? Except in extreme cases, ie. extremely dull or dinged or chipped blade?

What would you charge the strop with?
Click to expand...

Don't sell it:eek: . The F1 is a fantastic user IMO. Don't let the convex edge scare you. With a little practice you will get the hang of it. One thing you could do is buy a Opinel from www.ragweedforge.com. Opinels are very cheap (about $7-$10) and they have a convex edge. Practice until your fingers hurt and no worries about screwing the pooch on a cheap blade.

I use chromium oxide. It comes in a tube and you can find it at your local hardware store usually in the polishing/sanding wheel section. I use one strop charged for touch up, and one (un-charged) for polishing the final edge. If you want to keep the slightly toothier edge on the blade, just use the charged strop.
 
bkraus said:
Thanks. Is it a paste? does it come in different grits? Where do you guys buy yours?

Sorry for the newbie questions and thanks a bunch for all your help!
Click to expand...

Refer to post above.... and don't worry about the Newb ??? "those that ask are inexperienced for the moment, those that never ask are an idiot forever" :D
 
bkraus said:
So if I'm understanding correctly, a charged leather strop, used frequently, should eliminate the need to resharpen with sandpaper?
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Generally not on the higher alloy blades because they contain carbides which are fairly hard compared to the buffing compounds and thus all you do is polish the steel and the carbides will eventually just tear out. Plus it isn't difficult to blunt down the edge significantly to the point where restoring it with a 0.5 micron abrasive like chromium/aluminum oxide will take a long time. This doesn't mean digging a hole in the ground or anything that drastic, just extended cutting on cardboard or similar. Even wood workers will note that they will only use the very fine buffing compounds a few times before setting the edge again with sandpaper, see Lee's book on sharpening for example.

bkraus said:
But if I screw it up, how difficult will it be to restore the convex edge?
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The edge is v-ground on Fallkniven blades like the F1, the primary grind is convex. It is next to impossible to actually screw up a blade by sharpening unless you take it to power equipment. You might want to experiment with a few other blades first putting the edge that you want to use on the F1 on them first to see how it looks and cuts.

tarmix101 said:
Also, a some will argue that a secondary edge bevel is a good thing on a convex grind blade.
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Fallkniven does, that is how they recommend they are sharpened as do many makers who run convex ground blades, Fowler for example. All edges are v-ground anyway, it isn't like there is any significant curvature in the 0.1 micron or so of edge that forms the actual cutting bevel no matter how you sharpen it. As well, even with the addition of a significantly more obtuse micro-bevel, Dave showed awhile back how it takes really careful measurement to detect the loss of cutting ability and you only see it to a small amount on really shallow cutting. Of course over time the v-bevel will thicken and you will see a reduction in cutting performance and ease of sharpening and you will need to address this by working the primary or adding a relief grind, but this takes a *long* time on modern high wear steels unless you do a lot of extreme cutting.

-Cliff
 
Cliff Stamp said:
...The edge is v-ground on Fallkniven blades like the F1, the primary grind is convex....
Click to expand...

Thanks Cliff. Should I take this to mean that an F1 should be sharpened like any other knife that has a secondaty bevel? Would a shapemaker be okay for sharpening an F1?
 
bkraus said:
Thanks Cliff. Should I take this to mean that an F1 should be sharpened like any other knife that has a secondaty bevel? Would a shapemaker be okay for sharpening an F1?
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When my F1 got dull, I gave it the full works on the Spyderco sharpmaker (with diamond rods). 30 degree back bevel, 40 degree edge. Works like a charm.
 
Don't feel bad I learned how to sharpen convex on my busse SJT. It took me about a week (maybe slow) and much much, sandpaper and leather stropping. I now use my spyderco and a leather strop for sharpening and touch ups. For some reason I never quite got the hang of using sandpaper and found I could get it much sharper with a strop. Go figure!
 
bkraus said:
Should I take this to mean that an F1 should be sharpened like any other knife that has a secondaty bevel?
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In general the nature of the primary grind doesn't force a particular edge configuration. When you shapen an edge you want to be thinking in general of the angle and thickness more so than the nature of the bevel and of course what you can easily do. It doesn't matter if something is in general optimal if you can't do it readily.

Would a shapemaker be okay for sharpening an F1?
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Sure. If you get curious about applying a convex bevel you can also do that with the Sharpmaker as well. The easiest way is to lock the hones in the base and use it like a benchstone. There are many ways to produce convex bevels in this manner either by rocking the blade or the hone to induce a curvature.

-Cliff
 
I use a whetstone. I sharpen all the blade, from the edge to the spine. this way tends to make disappear the secondary bevel. There's no difficulty, just follow the curvature of the grind.

dantzk.
 
Hey GUys...

Bkras...

I can help you with that odd FI sheath...

I've made many sheaths for the FIM..

Drop me a note if you are interested..

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Hey guys just thought I'd thank you for recommending the F1. Got one one real cheap on a group buy. I'm very happy with it. Mine has a rubber handle. The sheath... didn't like it. It snapped, and had a riveted on belt loop, and the metal pieces were making dents in my handle. I made one of my own. Here it is. I added a firesteel. Comfortable, sturdy, and... won't damage my knife.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=408937

I don't know what the policy is on links like this, but I tried to re-upload the pic to here, and the server wouldn't let me. It gave me the link, so I guess its OK to post it? If not, please delete it.
 
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