Next time you get board----

[knzn]

The next time you get board, and have a dull knife laying around that you wouldn't mind experimenting with, give this a try. It won't hurt a thing, and if you don't like it, no harm has been done and you can finish it off as you desire.

Starting with the coarsness of diamond or stone needed to get you edge, (extra coarse, coarse, whatever), work down to the medium and stop with the medium. Doesn't matter if you prefer diamond, stones, freehand, lansky or whatever, just get you burr, swith sides, get that burr, and stop at the medium coarsness.

Now go directly to a good old fashioned set of crock sticks, and give it about thirty or forty or so lick per side on the crock sticks. Stop with thirty if it tests good, or keep crocking untill you are happy. My Buck XlTi, is in good shape at about thirty strokes, and my D2 skinner needs closer to fifty, usually.

This has been leaving me with a hair shaving edge, that has an excellent toothy bite that zips through rope and flesh and hide, and is more durable than a polished edge (one that has been finished up on a fine hone and stropped).

I enjoy time spent in front of a hone, and take pride in really shining up an edge with the fine stones and strop, but I am thinking for a durable edge for general chores, ranging from cardboard, rope, dead critters and such, that this is pretty hard to beat. It probably wouldn't be first choice for wood chisles or shaving razors, but it's pretty good for just about all else.


If you try it, give me some feedback.

thanks

 

[the4th]

Dang, you figured out my secret sharpening method. On ALL my knives I keep a slightly aggressive edge that will still shave hair.

No, they won't slice a free-falling cigarette rolling paper 3 times before it hits the ground, but it will cut everything else with ease.

 

[Frantium]

Hear ye, hear ye...

The method knzn mentioned actually works, and I've been doing it for a while. I'm surprised (and glad) that other people came with the same idea. The foreseeable problem is that not all people have more than one system, but granted knifenuts have at least two different systems. Of course if you have a Sharpmaker (203/204) you can convert it to a flat benchstone.

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Reynaert

[This message has been edited by Frantium (edited 02-03-2000).]

 

[IUBI]

thanks for the great info knzn. I have to try that. I have been trying to figure out a metheod for sharpening and i thing this one is a keeper.

thanks again

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And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold the great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads...And His tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

 

[MICKEY77]

I hear that I muk around all the times with my knives....

 

[MTF3]

I put together a board with a Lansky pedestal mounted and all related sharpening paraphernalia with molding attached to prevent stuff from rolling off. I cut the tops out of two Lanksy boxes and mounted them to hold the hones. I can sit in my recliner, rest this board across the arms and sharpen to my heart's content. I keep everything ready to sharpen at a whim, plus I keep crock sticks in my kitchen and my shop.

Now all we need is a combination computer mouse/sharpening system so we can put that fine edge on while we peruse through Bladeforums.com.