No more convex edges for me

STM

STM

Joined
May 27, 2006
Messages
205
Well today I did it, some may think I'm going to hell for this, but I sharpened two of my Bark River knives (Fox River and Aurora) with a stone and got them shaving sharp. :eek: This after purchasing a lot of wet/dry sandpaper, overpriced strops and compounds in various grits attempting to get a wicked sharp convex edge. I had also watched countless clips on YouTube on the subject with all of them ending with something stupid like “and that’s all it takes to get a great convex edge”. Well I couldn’t do it. :grumpy:
This feeling of failure I'm an experiencing is overshadowed by the satisfaction one feels when his favorite knives are shaving sharp. Don’t judge me. :)

Scott
 
Some of my convex edges have evolved to more traditional V edges over time, and vice versa. Both cut equally well in real life. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
If you sharpen freehand, you will end up with a convex edge anyway, just the radius will depend on how steady your hand is, that's all. I don't think it's convex edge that's affecting your results, just general sharpening skills.
 
Yep — sharpening can take a lot of time to master for some of us — and even then it still can be tricky every so often to get things right.

Research and experimentation of various sharpening tools and techniques is the key guideline.
 
Honestly I think one of the biggest things that people like about convex edges (without knowing it) is the blending and thinning of the edge shoulder. That just ends up making the knife slice a little (sometimes a lot) easier. You don't need to keep it a perfect true convex to achieve the same effect, and I field sharpen my convexed knives like a regular "V" edge.
 
Hello All! I am a USDA meat inspector that uses a knife in hand for 8 hours a day and sharpening is an aquired skill! I was a boner for a packing house for 22 years before I came into the agency and my knives were always shaveing sharp. Now being much older and haveing a lot more arthritus, carpal tunel, burcites, rotator cuff degeneration etc I have also learned the fustration of an ever changeing edge. All in all I prefer a convex edge because it is more forgiving of my degeneration and is easier for me to get a working edge on the knife. I also went from free handing my sharpening on wet stones to trying many different sharpeners. I now use a worksharp electric sharpener exclusivly at work and I am pretty happy with it after I understood what it was actually doing to the edge. I own a wicked edge machine and like it very much if I have the time needed to do the job right, which I seldom do. If I am in a hurry at home I use a warthog sharpener for the kitchen knives and it does an adequite job. So basicly what I am saying is that I FEEL YOUR PAIN !! A scarty sharp edge can be very elusive sometimes but you have to keep up the hunt to find an answer! David
 
STM Dude, chill. If that will send ya to hell, then i should have been struck by lightening long ago.I sharpen using "THE FORCE", as Yoda would say. I use stones and diamond hones that are from Harbor Freight or of equal quality. I finish most sharpening jobs with a piece of ceramic or a butcher steer. I wouldn't try to shave (( funny in Whine & Cheese, not funny in General Knife Discussion )) with all of my knives,but most will shave arm hair. regards Henry
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Henry44 said:
STM Dude, chill. If that will send ya to hell, then i should have been struck by lightening long ago.I sharpen using "THE FORCE", as Yoda would say. I use stones and diamond hones that are from Harbor Freight or of equal quality. I finish most sharpening jobs with a piece of ceramic or a butcher steer. I wouldn't try to shave (( funny in Whine & Cheese, not funny in General Knife Discussion )) with all of my knives,but most will shave arm hair. regards Henry
Click to expand...

Great line,

Scott
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Whatever works for you, man. Hell, Fallkniven recommends that folks sharpen their convex edged knives on regular old flat stones, for what that's worth.
 
Man, I love this place. So much to learn, and so much to teach.
It's great, Mr. Spark!
 
You can try the Worksharp Knife & Tool Sharpener for easy convex edges. Though unless there's something wrong with your current method, I don't see why you would need to go out of your way to get convex edges.
 
I use a HF 1x30 belt sander, personally. Not as portable as a Worksharp but it's a great tool for doing long blades like machetes on. :)
 
ldshawn said:
Hello All! I am a USDA meat inspector that uses a knife in hand for 8 hours a day and sharpening is an aquired skill! I was a boner for a packing house for 22 years before I came into the agency and my knives were always shaveing sharp. Now being much older and haveing a lot more arthritus, carpal tunel, burcites, rotator cuff degeneration etc I have also learned the fustration of an ever changeing edge. All in all I prefer a convex edge because it is more forgiving of my degeneration and is easier for me to get a working edge on the knife. I also went from free handing my sharpening on wet stones to trying many different sharpeners. I now use a worksharp electric sharpener exclusivly at work and I am pretty happy with it after I understood what it was actually doing to the edge. I own a wicked edge machine and like it very much if I have the time needed to do the job right, which I seldom do. If I am in a hurry at home I use a warthog sharpener for the kitchen knives and it does an adequite job. So basicly what I am saying is that I FEEL YOUR PAIN !! A scarty sharp edge can be very elusive sometimes but you have to keep up the hunt to find an answer! David
Click to expand...

When you applied for other jobs did you list your previous job title as boner? Just curious.
 
The biggest advantage of convex really has nothing to do with the edge itself, but the shoulders of the bevel behind the edge. The easiest way I've found to 'convex' is to use a guided sharpener, like an Aligner or Lansky/Gatco/etc., to put a nice clean V-bevel on it first. Then, use the sandpaper or whatever method to carefully smooth & round off the shoulders of the bevel, without actually changing the edge itself. This is done by keeping the sharpening angle conservatively LOW. After all, if the 'edge' was actually convex itself, it wouldn't be very sharp. The edge is still just an edge. The closer the bevel gets to the edge on a convexed blade, the more the edge looks indistinguishable from any other 'V'-edged blade. That is how it should be.
 
Hello Goodeyesniper! Yes I did. I went from the packing houses directly into the USDA. It helped me to get in. On a side note I enjoyed telling new people that I met that I worked as a boner then waited for their reaction to tell me how to proceed next! Generaly it would either offer them a beer or duck! David
 
I've been very happy with a spyderco sharpmaker for simple, nothing fancy, sharpening. I picked up a DMT Diafold Magna-Guide Kit for quick reprofiling with diamond stones. Not pretty but does the job.

The top knife is the factory edge. The bottom knife had a lot of use and was sharpened only with the 40degree sharpmaker.


This one is the bottom knife above with the back bevel redone with the DMT Diafolds.
 
Last edited:
fortytwoblades said:
honestly i think one of the biggest things that people like about convex edges (without knowing it) is the blending and thinning of the edge shoulder. That just ends up making the knife slice a little (sometimes a lot) easier. You don't need to keep it a perfect true convex to achieve the same effect, and i field sharpen my convexed knives like a regular "v" edge.
Click to expand...

this just above.
 
STM said:
Well today I did it, some may think I'm going to hell for this, but I sharpened two of my Bark River knives (Fox River and Aurora) with a stone and got them shaving sharp. :eek: This after purchasing a lot of wet/dry sandpaper, overpriced strops and compounds in various grits attempting to get a wicked sharp convex edge. I had also watched countless clips on YouTube on the subject with all of them ending with something stupid like “and that’s all it takes to get a great convex edge”. Well I couldn’t do it. :grumpy:
This feeling of failure I'm an experiencing is overshadowed by the satisfaction one feels when his favorite knives are shaving sharp. Don’t judge me. :)

Scott
Click to expand...

Just convex on your stone - its faster and more forgiving in some respects than maintaining a V bevel with the same equipment. The only thing I use sandpaper for anymore are my machetes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top