How do you sharpen a khukri ?

What kind of edge? For a convex edge I've heard people here say sandpaper on a mouse pad, or sandpaper on leather. Then strop. For a flat bevel you'd have to ask someone else, but I'd imagine you'd have to use a rod then the strop.
 
I am....doing it already,believe it...It's sort of like a homemade stew....everybody is doing it differently. Just wanna hear some insightful ideas that I can learn from. Beginner you see.... :o
 
aproy1101 said:
What kind of edge? For a convex edge I've heard people here say sandpaper on a mouse pad, or sandpaper on leather. Then strop. For a flat bevel you'd have to ask someone else, but I'd imagine you'd have to use a rod then the strop.
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For my 12" Chitlangi......mousepad with 220 grit for now. Polishing perpenticular to the spine, that is the spine nearer the handle. (don't know whether it right but I'd figure it'll have a sharper bevel that's good for a 12" that'll see more slicing than chopping). After the 220 grit it's sharp ! Now I wonder whether I polish with 400 grit at a slight angle or just at same angle with my original 220 grit ?
 
I wrap the mousepad 'round a dowel, and the sandpaper 'round that. As khuks are so big, I find it much easier to clamp the knife in a padded vise, and then bring the abrasive to it, rather than doing it the other way. I suspect I'd do better with a longer dowel, which I could holding with a hand on each end (like a file).

I sharpen most knives on a waterstone, working the blade like I'm trying to cut a slice off the top of the stone. But I do the reverse with my khuk, stroking from the spine towards the sharp edge. Unlike a sharpening stone, the mousepad/sandpaper gets cut to ribbons if I try going the other way.

I finish up with a strop loaded with green chromium dioxide. Though I'm sure I'd do better with a strop mounted on a dowel, like the mousepad, I just roll up my razor strop and use it. Too cheap to buy a dedicated one for khuks.

t.
 
TomFetter said:
I wrap the mousepad 'round a dowel, and the sandpaper 'round that. As khuks are so big, I find it much easier to clamp the knife in a padded vise, and then bring the abrasive to it, rather than doing it the other way. I suspect I'd do better with a longer dowel, which I could holding with a hand on each end (like a file).

I sharpen most knives on a waterstone, working the blade like I'm trying to cut a slice off the top of the stone. But I do the reverse with my khuk, stroking from the spine towards the sharp edge. Unlike a sharpening stone, the mousepad/sandpaper gets cut to ribbons if I try going the other way.

I finish up with a strop loaded with green chromium dioxide. Though I'm sure I'd do better with a strop mounted on a dowel, like the mousepad, I just roll up my razor strop and use it. Too cheap to buy a dedicated one for khuks.

t.
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For my Malla, which has a saber grind. I'd doubled sided taped sand paper with mousepaded backing on a plastis ruler....much like you taped on a dowel, but I'd figure that I can get more of a convex with a bendable ruler mousepad backing. :o that I wish to achieve a micro convex bevel.
 
I have an adjustable tension strop. I lay a piece of 600 grit on it and just strop the khuk till it is sharp.

Then I follow that up with 1500 grit and then just use the strop.

I could use a coarser grit and get it done faster, but this results in a nice razor sharp convex edge that doesn't stick.
 
Astrodada said:
How do you sharpen a khukri ?
Without a belt sander ? :confused:
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The same way porcupines make love.
Very, very carefully.

To be serious though, be sure afterwords to clean the green buffing compound thouroughly off your toungue.
;)
 
Yeah jmings mu 12" lil AK was blessed......with my own...blood. Cut myself around the cho area resulting in a 1/5 inch cut. Luckily just an ooops cut not an aawwww cut.

be very very careful. :o
 
Astrodada said:
Yeah jmings mu 12" lil AK was blessed......with my own...blood. Cut myself around the cho area resulting in a 1/5 inch cut. Luckily just an ooops cut not an aawwww cut.

be very very careful. :o
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Smoke goin' up for ya.
Luckly nothing happened other than wood hitting my shins lately since the 4 stitches from a chisel. And the incident with the Jin Tachi was a long time ago.
How's the saying go? "Be afraid. Be very afraid."
 
jmings said:
Smoke goin' up for ya.
Luckly nothing happened other than wood hitting my shins lately since the 4 stitches from a chisel. And the incident with the Jin Tachi was a long time ago.
How's the saying go? "Be afraid. Be very afraid."
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mvc-483f.jpg


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Oh, I almost forgot this one. Look at the thumb where an unsharpened katana caught me while resheathing.


mvc-354f.jpg

:eek: :thumbdn:
 
I sharpen my khuks at work when I'm not busy during the winter months. To start, I use a heavily grooved butcher's steel to hog off some metal if the blade it very dull. Then I use a "worn out" butcher's steel will a less agressive groove to it to hog off less metal and smooth more. Then a take a very hard chakma down the edge for a long time to smooth even more. Then I take a sanding block with 600 grit sandpaper taped to it and strop the edge on that. Then I move to a rough piece of leather to polish the blade some more. Then I move to a smooth leather with fine polishing compound. FINALLY, i use my pant leg as a finishing touch. It tends to bring the edge to a full gleam. Ideal? Probably not, but i'm left with an edge that is convexed to a certain degree and will easily shave hair from my arm.

Jake
 
Astrodada?

These guys, being experienced and all with sharp objects and tools and stuff like that, ALWAYS forget to mention a very important part at the very beginning of a khukuri sharpening session. Took me months the first time I tried to sharpen one...then I saw some pictures, made an evaluation, and figured it out. From me, to you...


Sharpen the thin side.





Be well and safe.
 
Astrodada said:
Oocchhh !!!! :(

What happened with the Taichi jin ?
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OK, Astro, but Don't Tell Anyone.
I was repairing the scabbard and put the blade under the couch just to be safe and somehow my long toe backed into the point of the blade. No stitches, little blood but painful and took a long time to heal.
Keep this under your hat!
 
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