Help! I can't get my basic 3 sharp!

rwdata

rwdata

Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
855
As the title says, I can't get my basic 3 sharp at all. I have read and re-read the sticky about this but I still can't get it sharp. A have used the ceramic stick on the flat side and stropped the convex side with a diamond paste infused leather strop. I can get the bur sharp, but as soon as I remove the bur the blade is dull again.
I have a decent size collection and this is the only knife I can't get sharp. Can anyone suggest something different?
 
I did that and they did it really fast. Unfortunately it didn't come back sharp enough to even shave arm hair. :(
 
I haven't seen the coating that was used on that knife but I would try a good stripping using bark rivers black and green compounds, if that doesn't work I'd try a work sharp. Now if it gonna be a user and you don't care about the coating strip the coating and do as I said before I did it wit my 411 and it's a razor! Hope this helps ya!
 
I do have a work sharp, that is my last straw attempt. The coating is different than what they use now. It is a mild user and I was going to strip it, but Garth recommended not to. Thanks for your help. :)
 
I have a 4 sided stropping bat. Black, green, pink pastes. That's all that was needed to get my nmfbm hair popping sharp, and I ain't no expert. Took some time doing though.
 
rwdata said:
I do have a work sharp, that is my last straw attempt. The coating is different than what they use now. It is a mild user and I was going to strip it, but Garth recommended not to. Thanks for your help. :)
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Guess I misunderstood. I thought you wanted to keep it original. If you plan to use it then by all means, strip it and make it yours. If maintaining the coating is not a concern then we could take it down to a zero edge if you want.

I apologize if something I said caused you to end up with less than what you were after.

I would be more than happy to help out in any way that I can.

Garth
 
I do gotta add the Garth editions are so pretty...a quick run on a worksharp and a good stropping may do the trick
 
Hi Garth, I was in no way dissatisfied by either your sharpening or your recommendation to keep the coating on my basic 3. You are after all the expert and I was both delighted and surprised that you even called me to help and I took your advice with no hesitation.
I like my knives to be razor sharp and because it wasn't, I thought I would do it. I have sharpened all of them with sandpaper and mouse pad and diamond paste coated leather strops. But that asymmetric edge has me beat and I am just looking for help. I did not mean for this to sound like I was complaining about you or Busse, I am a devout fan of both.
Thank you for your offers and I apologize if I offended anyone.
 
No offense taken in any way. Just want to make sure at the end of the day you are happy. If I can help I would be happy to do so.

Garth
 
Ok, here is the Basic, easy answer.

You start with the burr removed, you drag up a consistent small burr and strop that, use the burr, use the knife and when it dulls, crock stick the burr back into place.

In relatively soft (clean) materials Rope, wood, that sort of thing, you will be amazed at how long it stays sharp and how easy it is to bring back to hair popping!

Cleaning deer/elk /rabbit stays sharp, skinning pigs, cutting cardboard not so very long, but a few strokes with a crock stick to get it back into shape.

I had this discussion with Jerry back in 1999,He told me to keep the burr, to use the burr, that on the Asym grind it will consistently fall to the short side and easy to crock stick back to shaving and it has worked well for me for the last 15 years, a Basic number 3 has been in use that entire time, I even have used it as a cold chisel to cut the metal fuel line on my 94 Dodge Diesel pick up.
 
Now I understand better I think. I have never heard of using the burr as the primary edge, but I will give it a go. I have no problems getting the knife sharp because of the burr, I was going to keep it that way originally, but that isn't the way I am used to with other blades, so I always removed it. Thanks everyone for your help.
 
papathud said:
Ok, here is the Basic, easy answer.

You start with the burr removed, you drag up a consistent small burr and strop that, use the burr, use the knife and when it dulls, crock stick the burr back into place.

In relatively soft (clean) materials Rope, wood, that sort of thing, you will be amazed at how long it stays sharp and how easy it is to bring back to hair popping!

Cleaning deer/elk /rabbit stays sharp, skinning pigs, cutting cardboard not so very long, but a few strokes with a crock stick to get it back into shape.

I had this discussion with Jerry back in 1999,He told me to keep the burr, to use the burr, that on the Asym grind it will consistently fall to the short side and easy to crock stick back to shaving and it has worked well for me for the last 15 years, a Basic number 3 has been in use that entire time, I even have used it as a cold chisel to cut the metal fuel line on my 94 Dodge Diesel pick up.
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Yo Papa! .....that is a very French Canadian sounding name at the bottom of your post.
 
I will be more than happy to sharpen the blade for you. Just cover shipping to me, and I will cover return shipping.
 
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