How to polish & sharpen a blade

A

Ang-Khola

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Nov 15, 2012
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I wanted to sharpen and polish my khukuris but i am not sure how to do it properly. so i read some articles and watched couple of videos, but since this is the best forum to talk about khukuris, i wanted to ask if anyone can give me some advice, so i don't ruin my fine blades. My recent purchased khukuri was a bit dull and had a bit rust and minor scratches on the blade, so i was thinking of buying some 2000 grit sandpaper and a leather strop for the sharpening. for polishing i thought about some 6000, 8000 and 12000 grit sandpaper along with some flitz metal polish. Are there any special techniques or can i make any big mistakes when polishing and sharpening the blade?

regards

Ang-Khola :cool:
 
Fine grit metal rated sand paper is all you need.
depending on how much metal you want to take off...i think i used 800 grit.

you can get a blade super sharp this way alone.
Even lap the blade with the sand paper which will give you an "apple-seed" convex grind, without the expensive slack belt sander.
But you need to have the patience and time.
 
I don't think polishing a working Kukri is necessary unless you just want to do it.
I remember reading what Karda wrote a few months back: "You don't want a shaving sharp Kukri, you want an almost paper cutting sharp blade" (Loosely quoted). Some people like the Kukri hair shaving sharp so that's up to you. Even so using WetnDry sandpaper that's 6000, 8000 and 12000 grit is too high for a chopper.

Below Universal Sandpaper sharpening technique (sadly not using a Kukri but it is the same method)
[video=youtube;GqYfDnEHpTQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqYfDnEHpTQ[/video]

Below is my favorite non-sandpaper sharpening method video
[video=youtube;UxgbrxwFoeI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxgbrxwFoeI[/video]
 
Thanks for the videos :), i wanted to use the 2000 grit for sharpening and the others for polishing. The two khukuris i want to polish are no users, so they only have to be good looking. Since the blades are already mirror polished, what kind of sandpaper should i use for small scratshes?)
 
Oh, I see that's different. I just use Flitz for small scratches. But I'm pretty sure a Dremel tool with a buffing pad and polishing compound will work if your careful.
Dremel Po.jpg
 
Ang-Khola said:
Thanks for the videos :), i wanted to use the 2000 grit for sharpening and the others for polishing. The two khukuris i want to polish are no users, so they only have to be good looking. Since the blades are already mirror polished, what kind of sandpaper should i use for small scratshes?)
Click to expand...

It depends on how deep the scratches are. Light surface scratches that you get from chopping can be removed with a quality metal polish anything deeper needs to be sanded and buffed out. On my show kukris I use 400, 600, 1500, then I finish them with a medium, then soft wheel. That keeps them looking like new. It is labor intensive so I'd recommend having users that get cleaned and little else. Keep your show blades for show.
 
Hair popping scary sharp is good for flesh cutting. If all you're going to be doing is cutting flesh, then it's fine.
A chopper needs to be Axe/Hatchet sharp. A good toothy "field sharp" edge will work fine. You should need nothing more.
Using a scary sharp khukuri for chopping sets up potential for failure. It's finer edge may not be able to hold up to the stresses/impacts from the act of chopping. Common sense, really.

Polishing by hand wont match the finish that the khukuri come with, as that is done on a large buffing wheel. The only way to match it is to use a buffing wheel. Buffing wheels can be quite dangerous if not used properly and with careful practice. Using one is best left to those with experience, unless you have the time and patience to learn how.
Dremel buffing will usually not produce a similar finish also, as the wheel is too small for adequate coverage of such a large area. It can be done, but is an excercise it patience. Usually hand polishing will produce better results.

User khukuri are best left with a villager style finish using scotch-brite or 340 grit sandpaper. This is easily cleaned and easily maintained.
 
Karda said:
Polishing by hand wont match the finish that the khukuri come with, as that is done on a large buffing wheel. The only way to match it is to use a buffing wheel. Buffing wheels can be quite dangerous if not used properly and with careful practice. Using one is best left to those with experience, unless you have the time and patience to learn how.
Click to expand...

I agree, I have many years of experience polishing with a large buffing motor. If you're not careful the wheel can rip the object to be polished out of your hands and throw it across the room, sometimes with disastrous results. Use extreme caution while learning how to use this set up.
 
I have seen some youtube videos, where people got some really nice results, with polishing the blade by hand with different sandpaper. Since the scratshes are not deep i will first try to polish it with flitz and a microfiber cloth. Do i have to go up with the sandpaper for razor sharpness or is 2000 grit enough?
 
If you own a drill, try this method: Go to the auto parts store and pick up a kit for removing the cloudy haze from headlights. This will come with a wheel that you can chuck up in your drill (that has a velcro pad on it), several 800 grit sandpaper disks, a polishing disk, a buffing disk, and some rubbing compound. I would start with the 800 grit disks just to knock down all the imperfections. You might go through several as you'll be taking off enough steel to fill up the disks if you're really going at it. Lock your drill on the highest speed or else just hold down the trigger all the way and work your way back and forth across the flat side of the blade. When sufficiently smooth, switch to the polishing disk, squirt some rubbing compound on the blade and polish it until your heart's content, continually adding rubbing compound as you go dry. When you can almost see yourself in the blade, switch to the buffing wheel. Ideally you could chuck this up in something faster, but a drill will still work. Work your way up and down the blade until you have a perfect mirror finish.

As for sharpening, I use the old mouse pad and 1500 - 2000 grit sandpaper trick. I've taken a BK-2 down to a paper slicing convex grind from that fatty wedge you start with and every thinner machete I've tried since seemed easy in comparison. If you nick the side of your blade once you start sharpening, you might have to clean it up again when you're done but you should be an expert by then :)
 
GeoBruin said:
As for sharpening, I use the old mouse pad and 1500 - 2000 grit sandpaper trick. I've taken a BK-2 down to a paper slicing convex grind from that fatty wedge you start with and every thinner machete I've tried since seemed easy in comparison...
Click to expand...
The sandpaper technique is one of the easiest and best ways to sharpen a blade. Of course there are other methods (see below).
Note: You can replace the mouse pad with a large phone book.

Sharpen Kukri.jpgsharpen1.jpggurkha_sharpening_kukri.jpg
Above: In the field use of a stone (L), a Falkniven dc4 stone (M), and right (R)a Gurkha using a grinding wheel

Remember to the best way to keep your knives sharp is not letting them get dull. To do this steel and strop them after use every time. If you do this religiously you will never have to "sharpen" them again.
sharp2.jpg
 
 
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If I understand, the recommended way to sharpen is all the way back to the grind, not on an angle such as a buck knife or kitchen knife. Is this correct? If so that is going to take some serious getting used to.
 
That last diagram is key sweetcostarica,
Man you constantly have good posts. With cool references.:thumbup:
You dont get enough :) for your hard work so.
:):):)

Now... hold the edge profile diagram upside down and imagine an arch.
Which one would you want to be under if something is going to pound on the roof?

The convex.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lansettbåge.png
 
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GoodStuff said:
That last diagram is key sweetcostarica,
Man you constantly have good posts. With cool references.:thumbup:
You dont get enough :) for your hard work so.
:):):)
Click to expand...
Thank you very much!

Our Kukri's concave blade with it's convex edge does produce better results (like the Iberian falcata, Turkish yataghan, the Greek kopis, etc.) in flesh and wood. Better for a chopping cut. One handed use is also more intuitive with this design.
Kukri Convex.JPG

The average Japanese Katana's blade shape with convex edge is more naturally designed to be drawn along someone as it cuts. Better for a slicing cut in flesh. Making two-handed draw-cut more natural and effective.
Japan Convex.jpg

The above two examples I have used and read about help prove to me that I like a convex blade better than others. But remember better is relative.
 
Thanks sweet, i must say too that sweet's posts are always very informative! This morning i weight my two blades and the result was very surprising to me, the 16 inch ang-khola was 966 grams (~34 ounce) and the 18 inch tin-chirra was 1016 grams (~36 ounce). Although this is quite heavy i can wield them both with ease but i must say 16 inch is more suitable for me!
 
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