How sharp do you keep your junglas? (or other choppers)

My axes end up in the dirt quite a bit. So they are sharp but not shaving by any means. I try to keep everything else shaving sharp because you never know when you might need to leave or use it.

The sharpest piece of metal I own is an Ontario CT1 machete. 1095 with a good polished edge is pretty neat.
 
I don't have a Junglas but I do have a BK-9 which is similar, by BK-9 is at least 'shaving sharp'. I also have a HI Khukuri and a KA-BAR Kukri machete which are capable of shaving leg or arm hair. I'll keep my Lite Machete similarly sharp once it arrives (woohoo, new toy for Xmas).

I bought one of these:
http://www.knivesshipfree.com/Complete-Sharpening-Kit-for-Field-or-Home-w-Black-OtterBox

I figure that sharpening whatever I've used during the day would be something I can do at night around the camp fire before hitting the bedroll for some sleep. I keep all my choppers sharp, maybe not as sharp as my Mora knives or folders but still sharp enough to shave leg hair. For the choppers I probably wont bother polishing the edges because that would be a lot of work on a longer blade - l'll just run the 400 grit sandpaper along the edge a few times until the chopper is sharp and maybe strop to remove any burr and call it good.
 
I keep my choppers as sharp as I can.
Couple of reasons
1. A sharp knife is a safe knife
2. If a situation turns bad and its the only knife I have I want to make sure it can handle what ever I need it to do.
3. A large knife has many uses past "chopping" things, and thinking of it only as a chopper is misguided.
 
Super thin edges on choppers is just asking for a major sharpening problems later on due to folded edges, chips and the like. Shaving sharp is not necessary on a chopping blade because your not gonna shave with the darn thing ! You are going to cut wood and vegetation. A good working edge is all you'll need. If you are using it regularily , you'll be sharpening it on a regular basis anyways. The finer that edge is, the quicker it dulls also.
For my bigger choppers incl. Junglas , I just put a glove on , grab a Norton fine India 8" benchstone , and go in circles at the factory 20 deg. angle. I find it holds it's edge decently there , resists fold-over and chipping and cuts any items in my woods plenty fine. I can still get it super sharp , but my angle stays at the 20 deg. zone. That way theres more steel behind the edge to back it up. I don't convex it because then I'd be in the bush with a 10" blade going the convex sharpening route instead of taking the benchstone and be done in 10 minutes. Just my 2 sense.:)
 
hiwa said:
Super thin edges on choppers is just asking for a major sharpening problems later on due to folded edges, chips and the like. Shaving sharp is not necessary on a chopping blade because your not gonna shave with the darn thing!
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I agree about not want super thin edges, but disagree about not wanting shaving sharp. My Beckers came shaving sharp, but with a healthy angle on the edge - they haven't had any problem with chopping. The sharper the edge the easier to get it to bite into the wood, the duller the edge the harder it is to cut or chop with it. Sharp is good! (but 10 degrees per side would be crazy for a chopper)
 
Your absolutely right. Sharp is great :thumbup:, but I guess what I meant to imply is too shallow (acute) of an angle possibly may cause problems with heavy use due to thinness of the edge.
:)
 
hiwa said:
Your absolutely right. Sharp is great :thumbup:, but I guess what I meant to imply is too shallow (acute) of an angle possibly may cause problems with heavy use due to thinness of the edge.
:)
Click to expand...



this is a concern of mine, too. both my ESEE 5 and my Rodent Waki came with an angle steeper/more obtuse than the 42* (inclusive) that i put on them with my EP. do you think that is too acute for a swingin blade? i wouldn't risk going that thin, but i have a lot of faith in SR101, and Rowens HT of the 1095. i haven't noticed any problems with the Waki, at all. it still gets called on to hack stuff down and the edge hasn't rolled a bit. the "5" hasn't really seen quite enough use to tell if it was a mistake to go that thin, yet, but i'm really concerned because i planned on taking my Junglas to the same angle. do you think that's too thin? or no worries?

to answer the OP - 42* down to 1000grit, they're pretty sharp. not quite as sharp as some of the guys here keep 'em, but to put it in perspective i sprayed some oil on a paper towel to wipe down my Waki. i cut right through it and into the heel of my palm. i'm not new to handling knives, at all, it was just really that much sharper than i realized.
 
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