Got my new blades

roughneckrob

roughneckrob

Joined
Jul 3, 2009
Messages
1,213
Hey guys, I finally got my new blades in. I was out of town working for a few weeks and when I got home they were here waiting for me, a new CAK and Kerambit I got off the deal of the day:D. They are both amazing blades, I love them. I do have a question, the kerambit is not very sharp at all and I have no idea where to even begin with a process for sharpening this style of blade. I don't know if I can do it with my sharp-maker. Anyone have any tips for me?
 
600, then 1500-grit sandpaper cut to size to match the width and length of a stiff rubber school eraser.
The brand of eraser i use is called "Foohey."

Place the cut paper on the flat side of the eraser and carefully stroke from bevel to edge along the entire length of the recurve. For the narrow concave areas you can use the narrow side of the eraser with paper cut to fit. It takes time, but produces amazing results and will produce a natural convex edge. After you finish with 1500 grit, the finish will be very smooth but with enough tooth to slice well.

If you're really good, you won't scratch the rest of the blade.
If you do, I use a product called simichrome to buff out the scratches. Use it on a small rag (sparingly), rub it in then buff out by hand. Great stuff.
 
MrMike - thanks for the simchrome suggestion. I am going to try it. So far I end up removing the mirror finish off of all my khuks because I end up getting scratches in the finish no matter how careful I am. I would like to refinish a handle and sharpen a Chitlange and keep the mirror finish. This might just be the ticket.

Also, a question about your sharpening technique. When you "sand in the edge" you are stroking perpendicular the edge of the knife, right?

Thanks again
 
no, not "sand in the edge", I was indicating sanding from the top of the bevel to the edge - yes, perpendicular to the edge (work in 1/2" sections, never sharpen from edge back to the bevel and NEVER sand the length of the edge the long way. That works great for initial profiling but the final grind will not be razor sharp.)

Watch each side so you keep the profile even. Some of the knives exhibit annealing from the kami buffing process - the process heats up the blade and may take out some of the temper along a microlayer of steel. You'll notice when the edge starts to hit harder steel. The sandpaper will not bite as well.

Another great trick - take small squares of sandpaper (about the size of your big thumbnail) and use them to sharpen by "pinching" the paper to the blade while pressure-dragging toward the edge. This effectively is stropping with sandpaper using a very controlled technique. I put my final edge on this way with 1500-grit and never use my green-chromium strop anymore... it's overkill. I have an 18" Bura Sirupate that is scary sharp using this method.
 
Got it. Always "sand" in one direction from the bevel out - like stroping.

Thanks again
 
Let me know how this method works for you. I find it easy and affordable. After much frustration using sandpaper on a mousepad or a stropping rig, I've found this method allows the most control without scratching up the blade (especially by the arm of shiva spine detailing.)

And I'm happy to say it's my idea! I found an old eraser in my kid's school pencil box and tried it. Sometimes simple is best.
 
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