I took a Leek and messed it up

[NotSoSharpBob]

Yesterday a customer brought me their Kershaw Leek to sharpen. Easy enough I thought and proceeded to put what I thought was a nice edge on it. It was not especially dull so a lot of time was not required. The customer is a friend so that was good as when they picked it up they were somewhat disappointed because the blade lock no longer worked.

I thought there was something wrong with the lock until I compared it to my Leek which had never been sharpened. I screwed up as the blade on his knife is now about 1/4" shorter than it was when I started with it. I am sending him a new knife but that kind of eats into my profits quickly.

Is their something special about the profile on these blades that I should sharpen differently or was I just careless?

Anyone sharpen a Leek before?

Thanks

 

[cbwx34]

What did you use to sharpen it?

cbw

 

[cbwx34]

Nevermind (maybe) I read your post that you're using the Loray?

Anyway, you many not have been careless... it depends on your technique. If you normally "raise the handle" to reach the tip of a knife, doing this at all with a Leek will take the tip right off... it's such a fine point. You'll basically remove a little of the tip with each pass and form a new one, so you won't see it happening until you see what you posted... a shorter knife. If you do a few dry runs with the belt off, you should find just a slight rotation of the blade, bringing the handle toward you, will allow the belt to reach the tip without taking the very tip off and forming a new one.

cbw

 

[NotSoSharpBob]

Thanks CBW that makes sense as my habit is to raise the blade handle to follow the curve of the balde. Since the Leek is almost a Wharncliff no lift is required.

 

[ricklee4570]

How does the tip affect the blade lock?

 

[SSonnentag]

How does the tip affect the blade lock?

The Leek lock is a simple sliding switch that slides over the tip of the blade and prevents it from opening.

Note the sliding switch in the handle near the tip of the closed blade.

 

[AF]

You were careless.

 

[SSonnentag]

You were careless.

Doh! Way to rub it in.

 

[ChapmanPreferred]

Sorry to read about this issue, but thank you for posting it anyway.

 

[zyhano]

Sorry to read about this issue, but thank you for posting it anyway.

yes, informative :thumbup: thanks

 

[ricklee4570]

The Leek lock is a simple sliding switch that slides over the tip of the blade and prevents it from opening.

Note the sliding switch in the handle near the tip of the closed blade.

Thanks! That explains it!