New to hawks, need adivice on sharpening

B

bcm

Joined
Oct 14, 2009
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Got my first hawk the other day, and it is the benchmade killian combat hawk. I have read some information on it, but not a whole lot (cannot find a lot), I am of the understanding that it is basically; a breaching tool? (that is a question)

I am pretty happy with it overall, although there was a huge downer when I opened it and found out it was not sharp, not at all.

SO my ultimate question is; if this is a breaching tool; do I want parts of it sharp? (if so, just the edge and the pick end?), none of it sharp? (personal preference?)

Next question; if it is a personal preference, I would like it sharp. What is the best way that you have found to go about sharpening the edges of your hawks?

Picture: http://www.benchmade.com/products/model_lgshot.asp?model=172

it is made of 1095.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks again guys.
 
Define sharp.

As my understanding goes, the common assumption of what "sharp" is supposed to mean doesn't necessarily pertain to axes. The mechanical power involved in the blow from an axe is enough to cut, chop, dismember parts. Even if it doesn't slice paper. Granted it's not blunt, and the edges meet, that's probably sharp enough. At least, that's my understanding.
 
you can sharpen it on a piece of sandpaper laid on a phonebook. some people use a mousepad but i think they are too soft. you can put a convex edge on using this method. start out with some 3m wetordry paper that you can get from an autobody repair supply store. the grit you choose depends on how dull the edge is. if it has a decent edge, you can get by saarting off with some 280 on up to 400 grit.

tape the paper down or use rubber cement along the backside edges and lay the blade down but not quite flat. push the edge away from you repeating this on both sides until you work up a burr. go through the grits until you end up at 400 grit. any burr that is left wont last long if you chop with it but you can get a strop and some white rouge to finish off the edge with.

if you want some more help send me an email and i'll take some pictures to show you what to do. rje196021@gmail.com
 
bcm said:
SO my ultimate question is; if this is a breaching tool; do I want parts of it sharp? (if so, just the edge and the pick end?), none of it sharp? (personal preference?)
Click to expand...

The ultimate question is, what do YOU want to do with it?

Unless you are going to exclusively hack through steel doors, pry car doors off their hinges and some such, sharpen that baby up.

Richard gives good advice. Convex edges hold up best and are really what you want on a hawk or axe. Since it's 1095, you can quickly establish the convex with a file (use a round file on the sharpened beard, although a flat bevel won't hurt there for what that part is mostly used for), and then finish it off with the sandpaper methods.
 
Define sharp: I would say most hatchets axes I pick up at your standard hardware stores/outdoor stores are sharp enough for me (like the fiskars, or estwings). They probably wont shave hair/or paper, or anything else with out a little work done to them but they will cut you.

I would not call it blunt, blunt to me is basically a flat surface, like a bludgeon. But for example I can press my finger on the edge of it firmly and run it down the edge and not get cut. it has what I would call a starter edge, with a little elbow grease it would probably sharpen up pretty nicely.

but I use a sharpmaker that I got a smokin deal on, and DMT diamond stones for my knives, , and for the kitchen knives, I use a chefs choice electronic sharpener.
which is why I am askin, I dont think the sharpmaker is going to work out real great on a hawk. and the diamond stones it will probably take me forever, which would work, but if someone has done this before, and knows more about it than I do, I am always open for suggestions. Theres the hard way, and then theres the efficient way, in my mind.

Cutting and smashing steel doors is not on my list of 'things to do' as of yet, but that is kind of why I got this one, for the beloved 'just in case I need/want too', I have that option.

Rich thank you and I sent you an E-mail.
 
When I woke up one day and decided I wanted sharp, like, really sharp, I filed my norse hawk down to a 30 degree bevel, convexed it, and finished it with a medium stone, a fine stone, and then a smooth piece of boot leather. Result? It slices like a knife and chops like an axe. (< I hope that isn't too cornball.) That was my first attempt at tomahawk sharpening and am rather proud of how well I did.

But yeah. For swords and axes, convex is the only way to go.
 
how sharp does cold steel hawks come when you get one from factory,my trail hawk is on it"s way,p/u at the end of the week,traded a new cold steel kukri i had for it.just wondering.
 
bargs said:
how sharp does cold steel hawks come when you get one from factory,my trail hawk is on it"s way,p/u at the end of the week,traded a new cold steel kukri i had for it.just wondering.
Click to expand...

To answer your question, I'd say NOT very sharp.

moreknives012.jpg


I would highly recomend convexing the edge using the methods spoken of above, unless you are only going to use it for throwing in which case I wouldn't bother.

here's the most recent edge that I did, I started with a file then sandpaper on leather. Finished with loaded strop, now I could shave my face with it if I chose to. :)

moreknives020.jpg
 
thanks for the tips,but i gotta ask,bryfry" your hawk with the floural design on the handle and file work on head ,very nice,how did you get that finish ,can i strip my bit and cold blue it for that look.or is there more to it.thanks.
 
bargs said:
thanks for the tips,but i gotta ask,bryfry" your hawk with the floural design on the handle and file work on head ,very nice,how did you get that finish ,can i strip my bit and cold blue it for that look.or is there more to it.thanks.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Yeah for the head I just sanded it down then used a couple coats of gun blue. Very easy to do, and I'm pretty happy with the results.:)

Another pluss to the blueing is that it is easy to reapply, or touch back up if the patina starts to get too worn. :thumbup:
 
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