Maintaining convex grind with stone?

I would forgo the stones and use a strop instead:) Stones are great when you really put a hurting on your blade, but you shouldn't need to stone the edge often. If you steel and strop with some good polishing compound in between your chopping sessions, you should be able to keep your edge more than sharp until your first big oopsie with your khuk's edge hitting something hard.

If you sharpen by hand, you will end up with a convex edge of sorts, it just may be at a steeper/shallower angel than you might have liked.
 
I have heard of Gurkhas passing by rivers/streams and preferring to use the smooth stones that they found to sharpen their Khukuris but I don't know what technique they practiced. I'm thinking they were not going for convex but just sharp.
Murray Carter is clearly an expert at using water stones but I think the method in the video would take a lot of practice before trying on a $100 USD Kukri. Good video though :thumbup:.
The main problems that I see is how to maintain a constant convex edge and how not to noticeably scratch the sides of the knife. Using stones to convex a knife is very difficult and a lot of trail and error is needed to learn but if it is something you want to really do I recommend you take a professional course on the technique. At least in the classroom you will have skilled teachers guiding you through your mistakes and with their experience you'll learn the right methods.

I know you asked for the stone method but the famous mouse pad/sandpaper or phone book/sandpaper technique is the best, cheapest and easiest method I have used to date. The finishing touch is stopping. YouTube links below:
Knife - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQCkKPGSOtA
Kukri - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vplOsEUgwIg
 
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Too busy taking a full load as a business management student right now. Too bad my school doesn't offer a sharpening course. I typically like to sharpen all of my blades free-hand. Although, I will say that you are winning me over with this whole mousepad technique or phonebook technique. I think I am going to try it on my egkh blade before i hit up my hi siru. PS I think the convex grind is gone on my egkh blade. lots of sharpening and never sharp that one is.
sweetcostarica said:
I have heard of Gurkhas passing by rivers/streams and preferring to use the smooth stones that they found to sharpen their Khukuris but I don't know what technique they practiced. I'm thinking they were not going for convex but just sharp.
Murray Carter is clearly an expert at using water stones but I think the method in the video would take a lot of practice before trying on a $100 USD Kukri. Good video though :thumbup:.
The main problems that I see is how to maintain a constant convex edge and how not to noticeably scratch the sides of the knife. Using stones to convex a knife is very difficult and a lot of trail and error is needed to learn but if it is something you want to really do I recommend you take a professional course on the technique. At least in the classroom you will have skilled teachers guiding you through your mistakes and with their experience you'll learn the right methods.

I know you asked for the stone method but the famous mouse pad/sandpaper or phone book/sandpaper technique is the best, cheapest and easiest method I have used to date. The finishing touch is stopping. YouTube links below:
Knife - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQCkKPGSOtA
Kukri - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vplOsEUgwIg
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Graduating Business management school is more important by far than taking a convex sharpening course :thumbup:. The good thing about the Kukri is that as long as it's sharp it will work well no matter what the grind. At first using the mousepad technique or phonebook technique won't be very convex but over time it will give your knives a very nice, sharp convexed grind.
 
I strongly suggest watching Murray Carters sharpening videos-even if you don't use water stones, the techniques apply to leather strops and sandpaper/mouse pad sharpening as well.
 
Derek the Destroyer said:
my philosophy has always been... If you cant shave with it then it is dull
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On a khukuri, shaving sharp is too sharp.
A shaving sharp khukuri will be more prone to chipping and rolling due to the finer edge. Sharpness should be similar to that of a hatchet or axe. Sharp enough to do the job with an obtuse edge enough to withstand chopping.
 
Karda is alive, welcome back oh yeah to the OP after I punished my M43 taking down a full size pine tree it was still plenty of chopping sharp. no dings no rolls, a little stealing and she was ready for the rest of the camping trip. I have to agree with Karda shaving sharp on these is too sharp. That kind of edge with that much mass behind it is really dangerous one awww shit and you have several stitches or missing finger.
 
I don't know what anyones talking about, because you don't see me doesnt mean i'm not here........i'm always here.:D

On a side note: "please, lets all watch our language here. It is against forum rules and especially not allowed in Auntie Yangdus showroom.
 
I think I am going to listen to Karda because he looks wise beyond my years. I havn't rolled an edge over on my siru yet but I don't want to experience that. You guys are so helpful in maintaining my khuks! So thanks to everyone. PS I think I want to plan a trekking trip in Nepal next year when I graduate from University. Any advice for planning the trip anyone?
Karda said:
I don't know what anyones talking about, because you don't see me doesnt mean i'm not here........i'm always here.:D

On a side note: "please, lets all watch our language here. It is against forum rules and especially not allowed in Auntie Yangdus showroom.
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The easiest way i've found is to set your edge with sandpaper (mousepad not included) I use 240 grit and finish with a finer grit as desired.
Then i hone the edge with my coarse stone and strop on a piece of cardboard (no rouge). Plenty toothy and sharp for any chopping i need to do.
If i need to slice cleanly, i refine the edge a bit more before stropping with the fine stone to take the toothiness off.
 
On a khukuri, shaving sharp is too sharp.
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Thanks for this wise and experienced piece of advice. I always though that on bigger knives shaving sharp wasn't necessary. You have confirmed this and saved us some sharping time.

Karda said:
Then i hone the edge with my coarse stone and strop on a piece of cardboard (no rouge). Plenty toothy and sharp for any chopping i need to do. If i need to slice cleanly, i refine the edge a bit more before stropping with the fine stone to take the toothiness off.
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Does the stone put a secondary bevel on the edge?
 
sweetcostarica said:
Thanks for this wise and experienced piece of advice. I always though that on bigger knives shaving sharp wasn't necessary. You have confirmed this and saved us some sharping time.

Does the stone put a secondary bevel on the edge?
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If youre putting a secondary bevel on your khukuris you are doing it wrong, removing more material than necessary and potentially voiding your warranty. These khukuri come with the proper edge geometry, the only thing we should be doing is keeping the edge clean & sharp.
 
I would say that shaving sharp is good for beheadings.....:mask::mask:
sweetcostarica said:
Thanks for this wise and experienced piece of advice. I always though that on bigger knives shaving sharp wasn't necessary. You have confirmed this and saved us some sharping time.

Does the stone put a secondary bevel on the edge?
Click to expand...
 
sweetcostarica said:
OK, I see what you were doing now. Use the stone lightly just for honing. Thanks.
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Karda said:
Then i hone.....
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Thats why i used the word specifically, yup......
I don't know about "lightly", but you should not be so agressive as to be creating another bevel. With a little practice you can hone your edges and still have them scratchless. You just have to pay attention to what you're doing and not be in a hurry to git r' done.
 
Honing - This final process, the one you describe is what I have not been doing. You're patience in explaining it has given me all I need to start. After this message I will buy a Japanese whetstone 1000 grit or maybe 1200 grit and practice honing my lesser value Kukri. Thanks as always Karda.
 
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