I recently purchased a new blade, but the edge from the factory is rounded -- maybe a bit "sharper" than a butter knife, but not by too much. I'd like to sharpen the thing, but I don't think the edge is close enough yet to use my spyderco sharpmaker to good effect. How do I get the edge started? Sandpaper or file, perhaps? Any advice would be welcome -- I certainly don't want to ruin the blade in an overzealous attempt to sharpen it.
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how to "start" an edge
- Thread starter Metric
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- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
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- 3,536
Assuming a sharpened sword cane is legal, there's a simple way. Take a really coarse stone and lean it against one of the Sharpmaker sticks. Hone as normal. 
- Joined
- Apr 27, 1999
- Messages
- 6,117
I agree that you probably only want to sharpen the last foot or so of blade. This is where most of the work is done. By the way old duelers had a technique called "shortening" their blades where they would hold the middle of the blade in their left hand and do a two-handed upward thrust. This is what they might do for a finishing thrust. Having that part of the blade dull would help for that technique.
Usually swords and bayonets are soft enough to sharpen with a file. If you are careful you will probably do a neater job with a file. Be careful since this is a great way to get cut. If you want to provide extra protection for the finish of your blade run some tape down the middle of your blade on both sides. Pick tape narrow enough so that about 1/8-inch of steel is exposed where you want your edge to be.
I would get a large C-clamp and a new 10-inch mill bastard file with handle. I would put the middle of the sword blade between a couple boards or a couple books such that the last 12 inches of blade sticks out. Clamp the combination to a table, counter or workbench with the exposed blade projecting over the side of your workbench using the C-clamp. One easy way to profile the edge is by "draw filing". Stand or sit with the point of the sword facing you. Hold the file in both hands approximately cross-wise to the blade, but with the handle end a little further from you than the squared-off end of the file. You file by drawing the file back towards yourself. This will sort of shave off the edge material. You need to have the file tilted about 20 degrees from the surface of the blade to set your edge bevel. Keep filing till you reach mid-line of the edge (or where the edge should be). Switch hands and do the same on the opposite edge. Then unclamp and flip the blade over and do the opposite side.
You could finish the edge using only the file. You would leave the blade clamped and lightly file the edge using strokes into the edge. By this I mean that as you stroke the file you work from outside the blade with strokes going towards the mid-line. You need to alternate sides as you work. Instead of finishing with a file you might want to use some 600 grit Wet or Dry sandpaper. Tape the sandpaper to a hard flat surface with open access. Something like close to the edge of a counter top. Use edge-forwards honing strokes alternating sides. Another thing that works for finishing a long blade is a long ceramic "steel". This is a ceramic rod with a handle like a conventional butcher's steel. This can be used a little like the file for some light finishing strokes. It won't remove much material, but it will refine the edge.
Usually swords and bayonets are soft enough to sharpen with a file. If you are careful you will probably do a neater job with a file. Be careful since this is a great way to get cut. If you want to provide extra protection for the finish of your blade run some tape down the middle of your blade on both sides. Pick tape narrow enough so that about 1/8-inch of steel is exposed where you want your edge to be.
I would get a large C-clamp and a new 10-inch mill bastard file with handle. I would put the middle of the sword blade between a couple boards or a couple books such that the last 12 inches of blade sticks out. Clamp the combination to a table, counter or workbench with the exposed blade projecting over the side of your workbench using the C-clamp. One easy way to profile the edge is by "draw filing". Stand or sit with the point of the sword facing you. Hold the file in both hands approximately cross-wise to the blade, but with the handle end a little further from you than the squared-off end of the file. You file by drawing the file back towards yourself. This will sort of shave off the edge material. You need to have the file tilted about 20 degrees from the surface of the blade to set your edge bevel. Keep filing till you reach mid-line of the edge (or where the edge should be). Switch hands and do the same on the opposite edge. Then unclamp and flip the blade over and do the opposite side.
You could finish the edge using only the file. You would leave the blade clamped and lightly file the edge using strokes into the edge. By this I mean that as you stroke the file you work from outside the blade with strokes going towards the mid-line. You need to alternate sides as you work. Instead of finishing with a file you might want to use some 600 grit Wet or Dry sandpaper. Tape the sandpaper to a hard flat surface with open access. Something like close to the edge of a counter top. Use edge-forwards honing strokes alternating sides. Another thing that works for finishing a long blade is a long ceramic "steel". This is a ceramic rod with a handle like a conventional butcher's steel. This can be used a little like the file for some light finishing strokes. It won't remove much material, but it will refine the edge.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2002
- Messages
- 719
When I want to really hog off metal from an edge (or potential edge) I use one of those Carbide V sharpeners that are not good for much else. Using a bench mount one in a vice, I am currently putting a back edge on a cheap tramontia machete.