- Joined
- Feb 9, 2002
- Messages
- 69
I just got a Ka-Bar USMC knife. What should I use to sharpen it? Also, what implements are best for sharpening it?
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How to best sharpen a Ka-bar?
- Thread starter ThePatriot29
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2002
- Messages
- 1,821
I love my KA-Bar. It is my favorite knife for serious duty. Mine is perhaps my sharpest knife, and I can go through a deer in short order with it. If I knew I was going in harm's way, I would be wearing that knife.
I sharpened mine on a medium Arkansas stone with water (not oil) until it shaved. Then I refined the edge with a fine ceramic flat stone (I love that thing 2" wide by 7" long mounted in a bigger wooden block.) Then I used a 1942 Navy issue barber's razor strop seasoned with 1980's ultra fine Flitz paste (not sure if they still make it). This knife will cut you if you look at it the wrong way.
I sharpened mine on a medium Arkansas stone with water (not oil) until it shaved. Then I refined the edge with a fine ceramic flat stone (I love that thing 2" wide by 7" long mounted in a bigger wooden block.) Then I used a 1942 Navy issue barber's razor strop seasoned with 1980's ultra fine Flitz paste (not sure if they still make it). This knife will cut you if you look at it the wrong way.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2002
- Messages
- 69
Where would be a good place to get an Arkansas stone and ceramic hone? I have a small stone, like 1/2" x 3" but it's hard to sharpen something as large as a Ka-Bar with it.
Thanks so much.
Thanks so much.
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2002
- Messages
- 1,821
I got my big ceramic stone at a flea market in Georgia. I live in Pennsylvania. No manufacturer marks on it, and I won't part with it. My large Arkansas stone is a Smith's (not sure if they have a website, but I've had that stone for over 20 years.) Any ultra fine stone or larger ceramic rods would fit the bill. Check with smith's sharpening or Lansky. Another word of advice, If you want to get blades really sharp, and I mean REALLY sharp, learn to use strops and compounds (very fine abrasive pastes and such). Read the string on here titled something like "I'm a sharpening Kung Fu master". You'll learn a lot (and probably purchase a good leather strop soon). Sharpeners with guides like the Lansky system are pretty good if you can't freehand on a stone. I've actually drilled into the cedar base on my large Arkansas stone and installed a fitting for the lansky guide rod so I can keep the angle constant with the lansky blade clamp.
"Surrender your soul to the Gods of Steel, In the Blood of the Fallen Your enemies Kneel."___Hammerfall
"Surrender your soul to the Gods of Steel, In the Blood of the Fallen Your enemies Kneel."___Hammerfall