Let's Talk About Sharpening Our Survive! Knives

[OBX351]

Hey, does anyone use worksharp field sharpener and/or have any advice as to how effective it is?
I am a reeeeeal sharpening noob and looking for an easy but effective method (for now).

Edit: i skimmed through a few pages and see that you use and find it quite effective Silver.
I might pick one up and give it a go

I have one and it works well on 3v and 20cv. I brought back my 4.1 and NII with it. I actually like the field model better than the bigger guided system from work sharp.

I suggest you get a strop and learn to sharpen with it before you start using a diamond stone. You have a much bigger margin of error with a strop. A few bad passes with a diamond stone and you could ruin and edge that might just need to be touched up and then you'll have to put a new edge on it from scratch. If you miss the bevel you'll scratch up the knife. I've done both.

If you go with a strop remember not to put pressure on the knife just drag it and let the leather and compound do it's work. It's also a great way to finish a blade after you master using a stone. I use a JRE Industries Strop bat. Good luck with it!

 

[OBX351]

Xtian: I'm no sharpening expert by any stretch and I often mess things up when using a sharpener by effectively further dulling the factory edge! I have the Workshop Field Sharpener which I personally found out to be not so effective for knives like Survive! I threw it in the kitchen somewhere just for touching up the kitchen knives which I don't really care for much to lose sleep over damaging the edge! To just field touch up your GSO get something better like a Spyderco cermaic or the Fallkniven DC4 (the one I carry) As for work bench sharpening, I use the DMT diamond "stones" in different grits but I am still not good at this. If I were you and you have not dulled your edge to the point which you actually need sharpening the factory edge, I'd recommend that you look into stropping first. Personally speaking, I am fond of Flexxx Strops based in UT which use BRKT compound on high quality leather.

+1 for the DMT and the Fallkniven stones. I have the DC4 and the CC4 as a finishing stone or just to touch up.

 

[XtianAus]

Thanks for the replies guys!
Dont the worksharp field sharpers come with a strop also? I might be wrong there.
I'll check out the JRE industries strop for sure, thanks!

 

[trevitrace]

Thanks for the replies guys!
Dont the worksharp field sharpers come with a strop also? I might be wrong there.
I'll check out the JRE industries strop for sure, thanks!

You could always slap one together too.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/640503-Make-a-leather-strop

 

[Silver Needle]

Thanks for the replies guys!
Dont the worksharp field sharpers come with a strop also? I might be wrong there.
I'll check out the JRE industries strop for sure, thanks!

It does include a strop. I mentioned the strop in my other post on the previous page, but rereading that comment it wasn't quite obvious I was still talking about the field sharpener.

The strop is short and thin and doesn't have any compound on it, so I haven't really seen results using it. I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts on that.

 

[OBX351]

Thanks for the replies guys!
Dont the worksharp field sharpers come with a strop also? I might be wrong there.
I'll check out the JRE industries strop for sure, thanks!

Yes a small one with a green compound. At least the ones that I have do, anyway I think it's a fine grit.

It's such a great strop. It's not small but is really easy to use because of its size.

 

[MDPete]

The strop is short and thin and doesn't have any compound on it, so I haven't really seen results using it. I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts on that.

The Worksharp Field sharpeners I got both had some green compound on them (one was pretty lightly coated though). It's easy to put more on. Just buy a small amount on Amazon and rub it on like a crayon. YouTube is full of videos on how to heat up compound and load strops, but it's really easiest to just rub it on like a crayon and the work it into the strop as you use it. I use the strop probably more than any other feature on the field sharpener because it's so darn handy.

 

[Silver Needle]

Wow, I'm glad others chimed in about that strop! I want to take a closer look to see if I missed compound on it and I want to give it a second try now!

 

[Hard Knocks]

I don't think mine came preloaded either Silver, but like Pete said, they're very easy to load if you have some green compound. Shoot me a PM if you don't have any.

 

[Silver Needle]

I don't think mine came preloaded either Silver, but like Pete said, they're very easy to load if you have some green compound. Shoot me a PM if you don't have any.

You are too kind! I'll let you know if I get to that point, thank you!

As far as compound goes, is there a HUGE difference between colors of compound? Is black to green like a diamond plate compared to an India stone, or are they just different levels of polish on the blade edge?

 

[Hard Knocks]

I know there has been discussion earlier on about different compounds. What is right for me might not necessarily be what you want, but I find green gives me a pretty good balance between polished and toothy. I don't go for highly polished because I like some 'grab' from the blade, as I do much more messing with critters than wood and like the way the edge performs there. There is definitely a difference between the finish you get from different compounds. It's been awhile since I fooled with the others though, and am not brushed up on them. I will say that I think you'll be much more happy with your strop after loading it with something.

 

[dogboye]

I fashioned a strop out of a piece of thin leather contact glued to a wooden block. I loaded it with the red polishing compound that comes with some dremel kits. That has worked pretty good on knives, but tends to be a high polish. It is definitely an abrasive compound.

I tried a second one, larger, with another spare piece of leather, and put a black compound on it that I found in a local hardware store. That strop has never worked very well for me.

I have not tried green, and I don't have a good piece of leather to try yet another one. I wish I could figure out how I might be able to get most of the black off that one piece. I'm wondering if I could use a solvent of some kind. Like brake cleaner or something.

I'm thinking I might try to pick up a professionally made strop from either Flexx or Stropman. Oh, I have touched up the edge on a couple of blades using an old leather weight belt hanging in my closet. I use it kinda like the guy in a video that was posted over on the Busse board.

This thread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1402188-The-Manliest-Shave?p=16164714#post16164714

 

[OBX351]

You are too kind! I'll let you know if I get to that point, thank you!

As far as compound goes, is there a HUGE difference between colors of compound? Is black to green like a diamond plate compared to an India stone, or are they just different levels of polish on the blade edge?

I don't think it matters much with the field sharpener. It's got a ceramic rod that has a fine setting, so if you don't have any compound on the strop it's not a big deal. Consider the unloaded leather as extra fine or finer to finish/hone the blade. I use the Field Sharpener and finish on my strop bat which has 4 sides that go from coarse (black, green, white and raw leather) to raw leather. It really does a nice job finishing the blade.

 

[OBX351]

More on the bat:






I use these compounds most are from JRE and from Enkay



The strop with the black side really works well on anything less than 60 Rockwell for all but the worst chunks/nicks. It's money for more traditional high carbon steels like 01 or 10x5. For anything 60 or higher it's okay for micro folds but you'll need a diamond to clean up nicks or if the knife is really dull. After I put a new edge on it I finish with the bat. It doesn't work well on my Lion Steel SR2 folder in D2 61 rockwell. But on my Viper Golia in D2 at 58-60 again it's good for micro-folds but takes a LONG time to get them 100% out. I am geeking out again, aren't I??

 

[Silver Needle]

We like geeking out about knife stuff here :thumbup:

Like many things in life there can be many right ways to do something and I find it interesting how some people swear by powered belt sanders and some people mostly use strops... and all those folks in between!

 

[B34NS]

Great short video, love the work.

It's showing for me, but I'm on a laptop. B34NS, if you did the cinematography on that, kudos brother. Nicely done.

Cool video B34NS. Admired your work as well. You seemed quite an all rounder and truly a Survivor!

Thanks guys!!:thumbup::thumbup: continually reminding me what great lil' community we have in this corner of BF.

Very nice production job B34NS. Didn't know we had a Michelin caliber celebrity among us :thumbup:

Thanks! Haha, I’m still workin’ on the celebrity part, but I don’t miss the schedule

B34NS, thanks for re-embedding. Great video! I'd love to hear more from a true master such as yourself....... culinary, sharpening, filming and editing...... what can't you do?

Of course brotha! Thanks!! Every day of my life is school and I never graduate

Now, about your cooking thread................

I know! My tripod too a dump, so I’ve been raising some funds to get it back in the game. I started with the GSO 6 and GSO 10, but was only photos, and as soon as I got to use the 4.7, decided it’d be fun to lob it all into a video instead with the new spec as I figure that’s what a lot of people will be using. Then started thinking, why not make a repository for it all on a youtube channel or something that way I could get feedback as I mostly lurk on youtube.

on the stropping subject, I usually just get a cheap piece of 10 oz wickett and craig leather and treat it with 1/.5 micron diamond paste that comes in the little syringes.

 

[Hard Knocks]

I am geeking out again, aren't I??

Not at all! Great post man. I have no doubt that strop bat works wonders. I use the large two-sided strop from sharpening supplies dot com which has a rough side and a smooth side. While it works very good, the strop bat would be better with all those progressive steps to control the level of finish.

 

[OBX351]

Not at all! Great post man. I have no doubt that strop bat works wonders. I use the large two-sided strop from sharpening supplies dot com which has a rough side and a smooth side. While it works very good, the strop bat would be better with all those progressive steps to control the level of finish.

Thanks Bud! You really can get a crazy fine edge on it. Not quite to Guy's ability but close enough for gov't work!

 

[Casinostocks]

Always closeby and on my other "desktop"

 

[Silver Needle]

Of course brotha! Thanks!! Every day of my life is school and I never graduate



I know! My tripod too a dump, so I’ve been raising some funds to get it back in the game. I started with the GSO 6 and GSO 10, but was only photos, and as soon as I got to use the 4.7, decided it’d be fun to lob it all into a video instead with the new spec as I figure that’s what a lot of people will be using. Then started thinking, why not make a repository for it all on a youtube channel or something that way I could get feedback as I mostly lurk on youtube.

on the stropping subject, I usually just get a cheap piece of 10 oz wickett and craig leather and treat it with 1/.5 micron diamond paste that comes in the little syringes.

Great quote! I need to remember that!

Youtube vids, new thread, loads of pics............. whatever works a for you to showcase your camera work and expertise and GSO's