How do you Sharpen your Fiddleback???

xxkcxx

xxkcxx

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Well I am sure this has probably been done before but I looked and couldn't find any such thread.......

I thought it would be helpful and fun to see/hear how different people keep an edge on their Fiddleback!

I am looking for the best most simple and cost effective was to keep my tools sharp...

Cheers,
KephaC
 
I buy a new, sharper fiddleback knife and strike it against the old one until it's sharp :)


For my scandi's, I use japanese water stones. There's something really enjoyable about working those on water stones.

For the convex, I follow Mistwalker and expand out the microbevel just a bit more. If I'm home I throw it on my apex, flawless edge. If i'm out and about I carry a small 3" 2-sided stone and give it a field grind. I follow the Ray Mears video on field sharpening...works well enough.

At home, I'll usually always strop with leather and compound. Gives it a nice clean look and feel to the edge after.
 
For "simple and cost effective"...you probably can just do the sandpaper convex method. It'll slowly take away your microbevel but I know a number of people on this forum prefer that. Can't go cheaper than 9 bucks worth of sand paper. As long as you do it regularly it'll keep a keen edge
 
solid4ever said:
For "simple and cost effective"...you probably can just do the sandpaper convex method. It'll slowly take away your microbevel but I know a number of people on this forum prefer that. Can't go cheaper than 9 bucks worth of sand paper. As long as you do it regularly it'll keep a keen edge
Click to expand...

I need to try this with one some day. I've had a couple of zero degree convexes and I do like how they hold up...I am just hesitant to use a method that isn't field-expedient for touch ups...
 
mistwalker said:
I need to try this with one some day. I've had a couple of zero degree convexes and I do like how they hold up...I am just hesitant to use a method that isn't field-expedient for touch ups...
Click to expand...

There's some pretty nice tutorials out there on how you can do this method "in the field". One I liked was a guy rolled a couple of inches of 400, 600, and 1000 grit strips up in a 2" thick, 8" long chunk of leather. The leather had eyelets riveted in on each end and he'd tie one end of the leather to a tree and held the other taught. Then he'd just convex like normal. The fact that the leather was pulled and off the ground gave it the "give" you need to convex correctly (like the mousepad method). Took a bit longer but I liked the idea. And, when rolled up, that was a small, cheap, light-weight solution.


I saw another one (that I think I may try myself) was where a guy glued a chunk of leather to the top of an altoids tin. Kept his sandpaper and compound in the tin and then would just stretch the sandpaper over the leather piece, tuck the edges under the lid and closed it. Made a nice little surface. Might be too small for a larger knife but I bet it'd be a great little solution for a hiking buddy. plus he could strop after on the leather.
 
I use sandpaper for both my Convex and Scandi, the only thing that really changes in the system is the base. For scandi, I put the sandpaper on a granite tile to give it a perfectly flat base. For convex, I put the sandpaper on a mouse pad.

I also have a couple of Flexxx's double sided strops with Bark River Black, Green, White and bare
 
thurin said:
I use sandpaper for both my Convex and Scandi, the only thing that really changes in the system is the base. For scandi, I put the sandpaper on a granite tile to give it a perfectly flat base. For convex, I put the sandpaper on a mouse pad.

I also have a couple of Flexxx's double sided strops with Bark River Black, Green, White and bare
Click to expand...

This set from KSF in otter box
 
1X30" grinder for regrinds (1200 grit trizac belts give wonderful polished edges). I sharpen with whatever I have at hand from strops, stones to the Spyderco sharpmaker. I normally gradually remove the microbevel so my knives do end up zero ground convex after a while. Touching them up on a Spyderco double stuff stone (great product btw) when in the field doesn't alter the profile enough for me to worry about it.

I only buy Andy's convex blades as I prefer them to scandis for most things (and being a Norwegian I have a few scandis..)
 
I have the KSF Kit with strop and love it! I use it on all my knives. I use sandpaper on a flat piece of foam I cut from a blue foam camping pad. I cut the foam the 4" x 11" to acomodate 1/2 a sheet of sandpaper. I am eyeing the strops sold on usamadeblade, they are large. I think a large one and smaller one would be really helpful! Sometimes I seem to get a sharper edge with the grey compound than the finer green compound, depends on the blade steel.

-Will
 
at the shop

Picture101_zps89118901.jpg
 
I take that micro-bevel off right away with 1000 grit sandpaper on a flat surface. Then strop it to just shy of a mirror edge. In my opinion it slices much better and bites into wood deeper. It is more prone to rolls and chips though.
 
OK, you guys are makin me really nervous because I don't know half of what you're talking about … research time ...
 
If you haven't had a chance, you should check out our Knife Sharpening Videos -- they are 30 mins long, but worth every minute.

Once I figured out sharpening this way, I sharpen everything just like in the video. :)
 
I'm a complete sharpening nut. I use all kinds of things. For a FF I'll use my 1x30 for sure. I won't use the EP on my convex blades.

For field sharpening I have a small strop (2x3-4") that I use ChromOx with. At the top of the strop I cut a slot so that a piece of sandpaper fits into it. I then wrap the paper around the back of the strop and use that for heavier edge maintenance.

I can take a pic if it'll help.
 
So can I use a strop on my scandis? I thought I heard you can and they will eventually become convex. It seems like from what I'm reading that strops are the most versatile and field friendly

Maybe Derick will set me up with one of those kits! :thumbup:
 
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