How Sharps Your Knife?

[Zuluninja]

The part near the tip, there is a flat spot that I can not grind out with my course stone.

try with a flat diamond pad, going over the bevel like you would using a file. It doesn't matter how good you are with a stone, sometimes getting the right angle is tricky. You can also try choking high up on the blade (wrap the blade with a rag) to get more control over the tip.

 

[hung-solo]

My everyday kitchen knives are working sharp. My EDC Delica is pretty darn sharp. My BK2 right now is really sharp. My Moras are all laser beam sharp. My BK14 needs work, kinda sharp. My tomahawk is kinda sharp. My BK5 is almost scary sharp.

I judge my edges with my fingertips and nails. I also think if you hand someone a knife and feel like you should warn them about how sharp it is, it's pretty sharp.

my moras are laser sharp too. sharpest knives i own hands down................. i keep all my knives working sharp. might not be hair popping sharp but sharp enough to take some skin off.

 

[Shotgun]

My Remora can split atoms. Everything else is pretty damn sharp. Dull knives are useless. I use the 2x8 lansky diamond stones in about every grit. Sharpening is a skill that takes a little bit to learn and I refuse to use power tools to sharpen my knives. I like the one on one connection with them that sharpening brings.

Same here. All of my stuff is sharpened by hand. I use sandpaper on a wood backed leather strop to 2000 grit and then use bark river black and green compounds. You make enough fuzz sticks and you start to realize how much of a difference a polished edge makes on your knife.

 

[JustAFleshWound]

try with a flat diamond pad, going over the bevel like you would using a file. It doesn't matter how good you are with a stone, sometimes getting the right angle is tricky. You can also try choking high up on the blade (wrap the blade with a rag) to get more control over the tip.

You just described exactly what I was doingl; but did not know how to describe.:thumbup:

 

[bdmicarta]

My EDC knives are usually just short of shaving sharp because I use them to cut open boxes, open envelopes, etc. I'm not very good at sharpening and I don't want to spend a lot of time sharpening. But right now I'm carrying a new Para 2 with M390 steel and it is beyond sharp. I may not have to try sharpening this one for a long time. I bought some other new knives recently from Kershaw and CRKT and they needed to be touched up right out of the box. I improved their situation but I don't know if they will shave or not.

 

[LG&M]

So when you get a new Becker or any knife do you put your own edge on it right away or use the factory edge until it gets dull? I use the factory edge, beat it up then put mine on and yes it must shave arm hair.

 

[crimsonfalcon07]

It kinda depends on how good the factory edge is. Most of the time I'll leave it be for a while, unless I don't like it. I've got a fair amount of sharpening tools, including a slotted paper wheel system. What kind of edge I put on my knives depends on what I'm planning on using it for. An EDC blade like an 11 or 14 will get an edge sharp enough to cut an S-curve into newsprint, or shave hairs. A cutter will get a toothy edge that's not generally shaving sharp, but will cut and cut and cut like there's no tomorrow. A chopper will get a working edge that won't have to be redone constantly.

 

[mrn8]

This discussion got me thinking that I'd never split / whittled hair with any of my knives. I'm happy to say that after a quick reprofile of the Remora and some time on the strop, it's been accomplished.

 

[CamH_16]

I just recently got to a point where I can split hairs with a stropped edge, green compound on a bench strop.

Thats awesome, green compound is definetly better ones as it gives you that final polish.

 

[CamH_16]

So when you get a new Becker or any knife do you put your own edge on it right away or use the factory edge until it gets dull? I use the factory edge, beat it up then put mine on and yes it must shave arm hair.

Generally reprofile right away, But with Ka-Bars new coating and possibably better sharpenining? I might beat on the factory knife before I do any customization.

 

[CamH_16]

my moras are laser sharp too. sharpest knives i own hands down................. i keep all my knives working sharp. might not be hair popping sharp but sharp enough to take some skin off.

I used to think MY Moras were sharp...Then I sharpened my BK-2 The 2 beats the Mora hands down.

 

[CamH_16]

I suggest that everyone who is into knives get or at least try a HF 1"x30" belt sander on something that is as dull as dull can be. It just saves you soooo much time when removing nicks in the blade or evening out the grind or changing the edge profile & convexing. They just happen to be on sale now too, & don't forget the 20% off coupon on top of the sale price. They are avail in just about any "guy" magazine.

I was the same way. Power tools for sharpening---EEEK ! I have never/would never use them. But when my blade collection started growing & i damn near wore out a course diamond sharpening stone in my Gatco kit, i said there has GOT to be a better way. How long would it take you to hand sharpen a cheap $16 Cold Steel Kukri machete that had NO edge at all ? I did 3 of them in 15 minutes & they were all shaving paper. Get the burr, then a couple swipes on the butchers steel & a couple swipes on the Bubba Stick ceramic stick. The key is to go slow & practice on things that are cheap, at first, until you get the hang of it.

I have almost every sharpening devise known to man kind. They all work, to varying degrees. I can free hand sharpen on a stone, or convex on abrasive paper & even made my own convexing stick w/mousepad. I do not have a hand strop yet. I will someday. I do have a leather belt for my 1"x30" belt sander. It works, but i am not a big fan yet. Still learning. For me, if it shaves arm/leg hair & shaves paper, then it is sharp enough for me. My blades are users, so i don't need it to be perfect under a microscope. I have been checking out the wicked edge system though.

Using a belt sander for sharpening is considered "reprofiling" to me but I do agree with what your saying like when I got my ontario machete it was effing terrible, I wasnt sure if it was a saw or a knife when I got it cos the damn chips were THAT big LOL! The belt sander got rid of that pretty damn quickly.

 

[CamH_16]

The part near the tip, there is a flat spot that I can not grind out with my course stone.

Remember to raise the knife when you sharpen near to tip to keep the angle consistant, maybe why its not sharp is cos your sharpening just above the edge on the flats?

 

[The Warrior]

Ever heard of multi quote?

 

[CamH_16]

Moose

Thanks for all the pics Moose!

 

[CamH_16]

Ever heard of multi quote?

I just realised there was a multiquote thing in the reply box...Shit, am I retarded?

 

[Flexxx]

3M wet/dry sandpaper followed by stropping with black, green then white compound and its one damn mean edge.

 

[The Warrior]

I just realised there was a multiquote thing in the reply box...Shit, am I retarded?

No more than the rest of us I guess, haha.

 

[CamH_16]

No more than the rest of us I guess, haha.

Thank you, that makes me feel alot better .

 

[willis]

All my knives will shave hair,some will whittle hair.All except for the one that I use for scraping barnacles off boat hulls,it has an edge so obtuse that it is as dull as a science fair in coquitlam,eh.