flat grind to convex edge

J

jdc215

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Mar 18, 2011
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i am new to this site this is my first post. i have owned lots of knives over the years but i have recently got the "seriously sharp" bug you could say. everyone i have talked to and everything i have read says that a convex edge is the best way to get there. my problem is that most knives from the factory are flat grind. how can a flat grind knife be changed to a convex edge?
 
A convex does not make a edge sharper.

A convex edge may be easier to get sharp because you can be sloppy without much negative effect on the edge.

If most of your knives are V grind then stick with it until you figure out how to properly sharpen. Trying a new method takes more learning, continuing to try something new because your not getting the results expected only sets you further back.
 
I reprofiled my recon scout to convex edge with pretty good results considering the tools are my disposal and my skill level. Just need some patience and a whole lotta sandpaper.
 
you can change a flat grind to a convex easily with a phone book and some sandpaper. if you want some help i would be glad to give you a call and talk youi through convexing your knives. its not really that hard to do with some instructions. rje196021@gmail.com
 
knifenut1013 said:
A convex does not make a edge sharper.

A convex edge may be easier to get sharp because you can be sloppy without much negative effect on the edge.

....
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That is an excellent point that isn't made enough, I think. :thumbup: Well put.
 
You can put a convex edge on any knife, from hollow ground to full flat. A full convex grind is another thing. Full convex grinds are difficult to do on previously existing flat or hollow ground blades. I have been using flat and convex edges interchangably for years now and have not noticed any difference.
 
jdc215 said:
i am new to this site this is my first post. i have owned lots of knives over the years but i have recently got the "seriously sharp" bug you could say. everyone i have talked to and everything i have read says that a convex edge is the best way to get there. my problem is that most knives from the factory are flat grind. how can a flat grind knife be changed to a convex edge?
Click to expand...

The grind type has almost nothing to do with sharpness. You can grind any blade to have a super thick edge that won't cut a thing.
Oppositely you can grind any edge super thin, and it will cut like a laser. If the blade is too thick overall you'll end up re-profiling the entire thing just to get the right edge angle, so don't start with a blade that looks like a pry-bar.

At the same time, I have seen some pretty thick edges shave pretty nicely, so it's not like you have to have a thin edge for a knife to be sharp. A thin edge will cut better overall though, and will keep cutting longer (when well cared for).

The angle you use on an edge should be determined by your intended use for the knife. If you're sharpening a machete (or your relative's kitchen knives), chances are you'll want a relatively thick edge, because it will resist damage better when you accidentally hit a rock in the ground (or they try to chop through frozen meat with bones in it:mad:).
If you are sharpening a small knife, I find it best to go as thin as possible, since these knives probably won't be hitting rocks any time soon, and the extra cutting ability in a small package is very appealing.
To fine tune the edge, I like to grind it to an angle that is probably too thin, and then see if it rolls or chips during regular use. If it does, then you just apply a micro bevel. That is, make a few swipes on your finest grit sharpener at a slightly steeper angle than what you originally put on the knife. For example, I like to sharpen my knives at around 10-15 degrees overall (very thin, sometimes flat with the blade grind) and then put a 20 degree micro bevel on the edge.
This way the very edge is more durable, but you keep much of the cutting ability from the thinner edge grind.

To get a thick edge sharp it just needs a lot of polish, that's probably where the sandpaper tricks will come in handy the most.

I sharpen on benchstones, so most of my edges end up somewhat convex. It seems that robots grind flat edges much better than I can.
 
from what i understand a convex edge is slightly easier to take care of and i find that appealing, i also am under the impression that it is easier to keep sharp once you get it sharp because it is easier to maintain. maybe im barking up the wrong tree all together. my issue arrises in that i recently baught some nice knives that came very sharp but iahve realized that i dont use them because i know that once they get dull i dont know how to get them as sharp as they are again. my thought with the convex edge is mostly centered around a hunting knife i have that looks real traditional and i just think it would look better with a convex edge and i would like it to be sharper for dressing animals.
 
I have not found convex edges any easier to take care of than any other type of edge. Maintaining a sharp edge is no easier or more difficult either IME. I do like convex edges for their appearance, which sounds like what you want for your hunting knife. There is a lot of hype about convex edges floating around, and it's difficult to tell what's what.

I sounds like you just need to learn to sharpen your knives. Convex edges won't be any sharper than V edges. In the end, sharpening is all about proper removal of metal. Do you have any sharpening equipment and some cheap knives to practice on? Understand that convexing an edge will get it sharp, but it's not any easier or harder than a V edge. Also realize that if you sharpen without a guided system like an Edge Pro or Lansky, you'll end up with some degree of convexity just from the slight differences in your hands during the sharpening motion.
 
The convex edge I put on freehand with a flat Diamond on a flat grind knife is the best way i know to keep any knife easy to maintain in the field .
 
One more advantage to a full convex edge is that when splitting wood it acts like a wedge the sharp edge initiating the cut and the wider/thicker portion of the blad forces the wood apart like a wedge. If the blade tip to shoulder proportion is correct the blade will continue to initiate the cut followed by the wedge action of the blade.

It is far from my best skinning knife, I like a full flat grind and a thinner blade for that.
 
Big Mike said:
My best skinning knives have high hollow grinds and convex edges. :cool:




Big Mike
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to do that to my hunting knife would require extensive reprofiling i would be content i with just a basic convex edge to get rid of some of the hard lines and i think it i like the idea of stroping the blade when it gets dull rather than running one of those unholly carbide drag sharpeners over the blade.
 
:eek: please dont tell us that you use one of thoes pull through sharpeners.
they are the worst thing you can use on a knife.
 
i have learned the folly of my younger years. Although tough to embrace, i have learned that patience is the key to good sharpening.
 
That's pretty hilarious.

He describes in six minutes what took me the last 5 years to figure out.
 
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