Finally got it down . . .

[mike biz]

I've finally been able to perfect? my honing technique on my Busses and Rats. Over the past couple of nights I've spent a few hours putting polished, razor-sharp, zombie killer edges on my BA-E, HRLM, NO-E, INFIcoot, Lep Warden and Tan/DC Warden. The Tan/DC may be the scariest knife I've ever owned. The hairs on my arm actually pop off before coming in contact with the edge.

My method goes as follows. Keep in mind that none of these blades were terribly dull, but they needed to be sharper.

I have a double sided leather strop from Lee Valley with one side loaded with Green Honing Compound.

First I start with a strip of 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper that is just the width of the strop. I lay that on the leather side (in place of a mouse pad) and work one side of the edge then the other until most of the grind marks are out. Then I do the same with 600 grit, then 1000 grit. This takes virtually all the grind marks out of the edge. I then strop the edge on the loaded side of the strop, one side of the edge then the other like above. This polishes the edge to a mirror. I then lightly strop the edge on the plain leather, alternating strokes back and forth like a barber prepping a straight razor. The results are amazing. I need to work my FBM next. That may be a little tougher since it's so big.

Just thought I'd pass this along to anyone who has become frustrated with this process before. Practice makes perfect as they say. Good luck.

 

[nut_sak_himself]

this is awesome, i have been looking for a proper sharpening technique, and this looks like it! thanks!

what would you recommend for taking out rolls, or for doing heavy duty sharpening? a japanese wet stone? diamond?

what about sharpening in the field?

 

[bluejaunte]

Cool. Do you do all the sandpaper dry?

My GW and AD need a little sharpening to get to that hair-popping edge. Oddly my FFBM is the sharpest INFI I own. And man, is it sharp.

 

[resinguy]

Mike, thanks for the post. I have the same strop, and similar technique, but haven't gone down to mirrored edges yet. How do you hold down the sandpaper strips?

btw, there is lots of good sharpening info/help on the Toolshed forum. The consensus view of the cognoscenti over there is that mirror edges are better for choppers, while slicers work best with some 'tooth' to the edge.

 

[Broos]

Yes sir, loaded leather will get INFI really sharp. I use multiple strops loaded with 1 to 10 micron diamond paste to finish my polished edge Busse's. I also enjoy checking my work by cutting a plastic bottle, tin can, or paper tube. Some of this sharpness will be lost in the first few chops into wood, though.

 

[foxyrick]

btw, there is lots of good sharpening info/help on the Toolshed forum. The consensus view of the cognoscenti over there is that mirror edges are better for choppers, while slicers work best with some 'tooth' to the edge.

I do a combination edge on my slicers. A rough grade, usually 240 or 400 depending on my mood, followed by very fine (loaded strop) without trying to completely get rid of the previous grind marks. That gives an edge which has teeth for good slicing, but the teeth have polished sides for low friction. I can feel the difference when one of these bites me, compared to just rough finish or all polished.

It really helps to have a good magnifier to see what is really going on at the edge. I use a jewellers loupe (10x and 20x), or if I can be bothered getting it out, a binocular microscope intended for biological/dissecting work. It's very educational!

Rick.

 

[mhawg]

I've been returning to my old sharpening roots, myself. I did pick up a nice 250/600 grit bench stone at Blade but I also dug out the old faithful 2 sided stone from my shop. I've been able to bring a few Busse user blades back to shaving sharp on each one, as my new crop of band-aids will prove. Here's a link I found today just poking arround.
Bill Hay Convex Edge

 

[mike biz]

this is awesome, i have been looking for a proper sharpening technique, and this looks like it! thanks!

what would you recommend for taking out rolls, or for doing heavy duty sharpening? a japanese wet stone? diamond?

what about sharpening in the field?

I think that you could sharpen rolls out pretty easily with this technique. It'll be more time consuming, but it should work.

For sharpening in the field I have heard some folks talk about carrying some small strips of sandpaper and some leather. You could also hold the sandpaper on your thigh and strop against that. I still need to experiment with sharpening while not vegetating in front of the TV.

 

[mike biz]

How do you hold down the sandpaper strips?

Resinrib:

I hold the sandpaper strip down on the strop near the handle with my thumb. I sharpen with my right hand so I use my left thumb to hold the paper. This works on the right hand side of the blade. To work the left hand side I take the strop and hold the handle up towards the ceiling and grab the paper with my thumb while my other fingers are wrapped around the handle and base of the strop. This can be a little sketchy as you left palm can be put dangerously close to a sharpened INFI point. I then put the blade near my left hand at the top of the strop and stroke downwards.

 

[mike biz]

Cool. Do you do all the sandpaper dry?

My GW and AD need a little sharpening to get to that hair-popping edge. Oddly my FFBM is the sharpest INFI I own. And man, is it sharp.

bluejaunt:

I don't use any water on the paper. Dry as a bone.

 

[rt014]

It really helps to have a good magnifier to see what is really going on at the edge. I use a jewellers loupe (10x and 20x), or if I can be bothered getting it out, a binocular microscope intended for biological/dissecting work. It's very educational!

Rick.

I second the use of a good magnifier. I use a Bausch & Lomb 7x jewelers loop to scan my edges. I still have a ways to go though in terms of perfecting my sharpening technique. I think a higher magnification than 7x would be good to really see the apex of the edge.

 

[resinguy]

Resinrib:

I hold the sandpaper strip down on the strop near the handle with my thumb. I sharpen with my right hand so I use my left thumb to hold the paper. This works on the right hand side of the blade. To work the left hand side I take the strop and hold the handle up towards the ceiling and grab the paper with my thumb while my other fingers are wrapped around the handle and base of the strop. This can be a little sketchy as you left palm can be put dangerously close to a sharpened INFI point. I then put the blade near my left hand at the top of the strop and stroke downwards.

I wrap a rubber band around the paper and the strop handle; I was just looking for a better idea. I think I'll keep looking.