Mora clipper

deltawhisky · Jun 15, 2011

I have 2 mora clippers and I was wondering if anyone has any recomdndations on what I should do for sharpening them. I'm not sure wether to stick with the factory angle and sharpen that way or to put a secondary bevel on it and go that route. If anyone has any ideas on what's the simplest and or best way to go about it that would be much appreciated. Thanks

HoosierQ · Jun 15, 2011

Well I don't think a full fledged secondary bevel is the way to go. What I have been doing is using the 30 degree Sharpmaker and putting a very thin micro bevel on them after I have worked some of the "newness" off the factory edge. Just a few dozen passes with the Sharpmaker on each of the 4 grits or whatever is perfect. 30, not 40. I always finish an edge on a strop loaded with green compound especially with the sharpmaker which seems to produce more of burr than diamond plates. The Mora scandi edge must be about 20 or 25 inclusive so while very sharp and bites great, can be a little delicate for hacking tough material, field dressing, butchering. The factory edge is ideal for wood carving which, truth be told, I do very little of.

After a few sharpenings the bevel starts to get too wide to be considered micro, and then I lay the big wide scandi bevel flat on a diamond plate and basically "re-scandi" the thing. I used to always lay it flat but I am finding a micro bevel is quick, does not compromise the wicked cutting ability of the scandi, improves durability, and again does not compromise the ability to "re-scandify" the thing after a few interim sharpenings.

I would strongly recommend against a more conventional secondary bevel on any scandi knife.

Bo T · Jun 16, 2011

I use a secondary micro bevel on most of the Moras that I own. I sharpened them all by hand using 400 and 1200 grit wet/dry sand paper and 3M 3 micron and 1 micron polishing paper mounted on plate glass. I spent a lot of time polishing the primary bevel on them for practice then added a secondary micro bevel after i noticed the edge wasn't very strong. Since I sharpened them freehand I set the secondary bevel by placing the primary bevel flat then raising the back of the blade by the thickness of the blade.

HoosierQ · Jun 17, 2011

Bo T said:
I use a secondary micro bevel on most of the Moras that I own. I sharpened them all by hand using 400 and 1200 grit wet/dry sand paper and 3M 3 micron and 1 micron polishing paper mounted on plate glass. I spent a lot of time polishing the primary bevel on them for practice then added a secondary micro bevel after i noticed the edge wasn't very strong. Since I sharpened them freehand I set the secondary bevel by placing the primary bevel flat then raising the back of the blade by the thickness of the blade.

I would be doing exactly this if I didn't have the Sharpmaker. I am new to the Sharpmaker and am still trying to figure out where it fits with me. I like to freehand. So a freehand approach to the same problem as BO notes is great too. There does seem to be a place for the Sharpmaker but I sure wouldn't want to have to reprofile an edge or even sharpen a very dull knife. So far, I have found it useful only for micro-bevel touch ups at which, I must say, it does quite well.

I will never give up the stones though.

ChapmanPreferred · Jun 17, 2011

I have achieved my best Scandi edge with sandpaper on top of plate glass from the hardware store. I used a series of grits up to 2000 and then stropped on leather charged with green compound.

Bo T · Jun 18, 2011

"I have achieved my best Scandi edge with sandpaper on top of plate glass from the hardware store. I used a series of grits up to 2000 and then stropped on leather charged with green compound."

You did a beautiful job on your knife. Looks like you also cleaned up the back of the blade?

ChapmanPreferred · Jun 18, 2011

Yes, I did flatten the spine because I did not like the stressed metal look it came with from the factory.

raindog101 · Jun 18, 2011

Convex micro-bevel for me. Done with a Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander. Much more durable edge, and not (to me) significantly noticeable from the factory bevel when carving wood.