New to the forum / Sharpening Question...

665ae

665ae

Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
47
Hi all,

New to the forum and I have to admit I know nothing about knives. I recently purchased a Kabar Large Heavy Bowie to take on camping trips. (Can't get myself to spend a lot on a big knife... yet) I was wondering if anyone could recommend something to sharpen it with. Are there different types of stones? Is there one that's better than the others? Should I skip the stone all together and go with some type of edging tool? It needs to be fairly small and light so I can throw it in a hiking backpack. Any help / info would be appreciated.
 
I would recomend a Spyderco Sharpmaker, it's very simple but very effective. Also, there is alot of great info here on it if you have any questions. BTW I think this belongs in the toolshed
 
Hey 665...

I'd get myself a couple of folding DMT stones..I believe they have a folding one that has med on one side and fine on the other..

This would be excellent to sharpen a big knife with..

Lay the knife down on something and sharpen it as you would an axe..

Do a Google search and you'll find DMT products everywhere...

ttyle

Eric...
 
Normally, I'd recommend the Sharpmaker, but...

For a larger fixed blade or ax, Normark is correct IMO.

Normark, what approx. angle would you suggest for general use of a bowie?
 
Hey Ortho...

Yaa the DMT stones are Excellent,, and very hard,, if not impossible to wear out...

As far as angles go..

That I don't know,, you are asking the wrong person about that..

I would just leave the original angle, and just hone it with the stone when needed..

ttyle

Eric...
 
Most of the sharping tools are good. The trick is to get the angle you want and don't change it wile you are sharping. You might think about getting something like a sharpmaker for home & a diamond stone to keep with the knife..I like EZ-lap.
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

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I was going to ask the same question about a good sharpening system. Thanks for the posts. It sounds like for typical folder knives the Spyderco system is the way to go.
 
I just picked up a sharpmaker. I normally use waterstones so never bothered with it but found one at a local store marked down to thirty something (it was the only one left and was behind some other stuff on a bottom shelf so they must have quit carrying them) so figured I'd give it a try. Only have a dvd player hooked up so haven't seen the tape, but the booklet tells you everything you need to know, and it works so well I actually ordered some ultra fine stones for it (the regular fine stones are pretty smooth to begin with, but am curious to see just how fine "ultra" is).

The fixed 40 degree "V" is good for outdoor knives and the 30 degree "V" makes a nice edge on steels that will handle a 15 degree per side bevel (most of my "high tech steel" blades are already thinned to about 12 degrees per side so 15/side makes a good edge bevel on them... and, it is a reasonable angle for thinning a blade you'd finish at 20 per side, as they suggest)

I really wouldn't want to reprofile a knife with one though. I'll stick with my coarse (80 to 1000 grit) waterstones for that, but it sure comes in handy for touching up some of my Henckel's, Wusthof's and utility knives though.

It all fits into its slightly less than 8x3x1 inch case/stand so I'd say it would be perfect for dragging along on camping trips to keep that bowie sharp... might want to pick up the diamond rod-sleeves too if you're going to be chewing up the edge hacking on things with it, as they would make fixing a damaged edge easier. (might also need a 220 grit water/India or diamond stone to profile it down if the blade is too thick for the angles on the sharpmaker, but once thinned you wouldn't need to take that camping with you) One of those 2 sided folding diamond files might be a better size if you're planning on backpacking up the side of a mountain though.
 
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