Kukhri Too Soft To Sharpen?

[redsquid2]

A friend of mine sent me a kukhri. He accepts them from time to time, as gifts from Pakistani military officers. He does not know one kukhri from another, and neither do I. I do not know what kind of steel they are made of.

It feels like it has a barbed wire edge, but it won't develop a hair-popping edge like I get on my other knives.

I love the knife anyway; I would never look a gift kukhri in the mouth. Just wondering if anyone would know what steel/ heat treat/ and if it is capable of having a keen edge?

See pic below.

Thank you.

Andy/redsquid

 

[bucketstove]

...It feels like it has a barbed wire edge, but it won't develop a hair-popping edge like I get on my other knives....

So a big floppy burr?
What method do you use to get rid of burr?
How many times have you sharpened it?
I read on the internet it can take 3 sharpenings to remove damage from burned edges.
So to check for a burnt edge, I would dull the knife by cutting into the stone, then sharpening it again.

 

[HwangJino]

Kukri isn't suppose to get hair popping edges, it can make it chip.
I'm not sure if true, but when I got my kukri, they said most kukris steel is from leaf springs off of old trucks. I'm sure it's tough steel but too soft for thin edges.
Mine is dull for my standards but chops wood very easily. It would do unthinkable damage to an attacker, wouldn't even need to be sharp with the momentum of the blade.

 

[Sadden]

You can get anything super sharp. Its how long it will hold it is the question. Even crappy pakistani "steel" comprised of whatever happens to be in the pot that day can get sharp. But it wont hold it for more than a cut or two normally.

Sounds to me like you have an excessive burr. Out of curiosity what are you using to sharpen.

 

[bucketstove]

Kukri isn't suppose to get hair popping edges, it can make it chip.
I'm not sure if true, but when I got my kukri, they said most kukris steel is from leaf springs off of old trucks. I'm sure it's tough steel but too soft for thin edges.
Mine is dull for my standards but chops wood very easily. It would do unthinkable damage to an attacker, wouldn't even need to be sharp with the momentum of the blade.

Shaving hair doesn't require thin edge, people often show shaving with axe .. not thin

 

[Sadden]

I made an edge that was 90* inclusive once for craps and laughs. It shaved. But sure didnt cut very well.

 

[shortwinger]

Andy,

What is the size of that kukri?

The steel of most kukri is leaf spring or other similar scrap. Most are decently heat treated but some strictly tourist trinkets may be very soft.

The well made ones have a convex edge and can get very sharp, but leave some meat behind the edge like in a hatchet. As already mentioned, if you make the edge too thin it will chip or roll when it is used for chopping. Since they are normally so think they are rarely used exclusively in the knife roll so thin hair splitting edges are not required.

Some of the ones that are polished may have a bit of soft material at the edge that should sharpen out. You can usually hear when you get to the properly hardened material, assuming is was done properly. I normally sharpen until I hear the hardened edge and then go chop with it. If you get chips or rolls then sharpen and remove any soft material and repeat the chopping. If it does it again it goes to the land fill.

 

[redsquid2]

So a big floppy burr?
What method do you use to get rid of burr?
How many times have you sharpened it?
I read on the internet it can take 3 sharpenings to remove damage from burned edges.
So to check for a burnt edge, I would dull the knife by cutting into the stone, then sharpening it again.

Maybe I am misusing the term "barb wire edge". It's not floppy. It just feels a bit "snaggly" when I lightly touch it.

My other knives I just sharpen by pushing across my DMT diamond stones, up to the fine grit (red).

I have worked on it three or four times, never got that hair popping edge. I have had a similar problem with an old K-Mart paring knife, and a Gerber LST - just practically impossible to get that sharp of an edge. However, I am sure there are other people whose sharpening skills are more advanced than mine.

 

[redsquid2]

shortwinger, thanks for all the info. And thanks everybody else. Lots about kukhris I did not know.

[edit] I don't have it with me right now, but distance from tip to front of handle is about 9 to 9.5".

I have had it about two years now, and I take it out and work on it from time to time. I have taken a small DMT in one hand and the kukhri in the other, and pushed the DMT across it. I have also put down some 400 grit sandpaper on the "bullnose" of the countertop, and stropped it on there. My stropping results, no matter what I am stropping, are never consistent; I need more practice stropping.

 

[bucketstove]

Maybe I am misusing the term "barb wire edge". It's not floppy. It just feels a bit "snaggly" when I lightly touch it.

My other knives I just sharpen by pushing across my DMT diamond stones, up to the fine grit (red).

I have worked on it three or four times, never got that hair popping edge. I have had a similar problem with an old K-Mart paring knife, and a Gerber LST - just practically impossible to get that sharp of an edge. However, I am sure there are other people whose sharpening skills are more advanced than mine.

yes, I think "snaggly" is the technical term
Do you cut off the burr on the stone (high angle microbevel)?

I've experienced "snaggly" with not flat stones (harbor freight diamonds not flat),
even if I get it sharp enough to scrape shave, its very very scratchy on the skin.
I haven't gotten to hair popping yet.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Maybe I am misusing the term "barb wire edge". It's not floppy. It just feels a bit "snaggly" when I lightly touch it.

My other knives I just sharpen by pushing across my DMT diamond stones, up to the fine grit (red).

I have worked on it three or four times, never got that hair popping edge. I have had a similar problem with an old K-Mart paring knife, and a Gerber LST - just practically impossible to get that sharp of an edge. However, I am sure there are other people whose sharpening skills are more advanced than mine.

This all sounds like the steel is likely very soft in this blade. Your description of a 'snaggly' or 'barb wire' edge would sound about right to me, if a red (Fine) DMT as as fine as you're going in grit; same would apply if you're also stropping it with 400-grit sandpaper. The combination of the very softish steel and the very aggressively-cutting diamond (or SiC/AlOx in the sandpaper) means the abrasive will cut deeply, and leave a pretty coarse edge on it, which wouldn't ordinarily shave or pop hairs very easily or reliably. With such blades, if I'm pursuing shaving/hair-popping edges, something finer in grit and a very, very light touch is usually the only thing that works for me. Something like an EF diamond (1200; that would be DMT's 'green'), or 600-grit or higher sandpaper should get you closer, and stropping on something like plain leather, denim or linen with green compound should clean up most of the burrs, without being too aggressive. Because the steel is likely very soft, you're looking to use tools that don't overkill the edge; that means finer-grit, less-aggressive abrasives (like maybe AlOx stones or natural stones), which won't cut as deeply for a given grit size), and simpler and somewhat gentler stropping methods, ALL DONE WITH A LIGHT TOUCH.

Obviously, technique issues can play into it as well. But at the very least, using abrasives and methods more suitable to the steel will help get you going in the right direction.


David

 

[redsquid2]

yes, I think "snaggly" is the technical term
Do you cut off the burr on the stone (high angle microbevel)?

On my other knives, I do slightly increase the angle and decrease the pressure to a very delicate touch, for the final few strokes. I don't, however, move up beyond fine grit. If I am touching up on the bottom of my coffee mug, or a diamond rod, or whatever, I use the same technique, without going on to something finer.

Regarding stones: I have a big India stone, but I can't seem to work with it. It sits on my bench without much use. I have very little experience with water stones, and don't own one.

I think I'll just leave the kukhri as is, recognizing that it is a chopping tool, and has a good enough edge for that task.

 

[bucketstove]

On my other knives, I do slightly increase the angle and decrease the pressure to a very delicate touch, for the final few strokes. I don't, however, move up beyond fine grit. If I am touching up on the bottom of my coffee mug, or a diamond rod, or whatever, I use the same technique, without going on to something finer.

Regarding stones: I have a big India stone, but I can't seem to work with it. It sits on my bench without much use. I have very little experience with water stones, and don't own one.

I think I'll just leave the kukhri as is, recognizing that it is a chopping tool, and has a good enough edge for that task.

I don't think you're removing the burr
If I only raise the angle slightly it only pushes the burr for me
I need to increase at least double the edge angle to cut it off

You might try that next time, double the angle to cut off the burr, then a few strokes at original angle ...
you never know when an emergency might call for a shave

 

[WuGod]

Yeah microbevel, hard plastic pull through, or strop to remove burr sounds lime the ticket.
I have been goofing off with a carbide pull thru smths with really light preasure to deburr, and so far am impressed at least with my toothy edges.