- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
- Messages
- 34,096
That which was lost has been found and here it is for all guys who can't find it -- like me!
There is very good information in Howard's Khukuri FAQ's and the links there to get a
khukuri or any knife as sharp as it could possibley be and to maintain the edge bevels
that came on the knife. However this question keeps getting asked again and again so I
will try
to make it simpler for the sharpening impaired.
It doesn't take much in obtaining the tools I use in sharpening all of my knives.
These items are what I use in varying stages and depending upon the condition of the
edge that's needing sharpened. And I can cheat by using my Grizzly belt sander, but that
is seldom needed after a good edge is established unless you badly impact it on a hard
surface. And even then the tools described below will do the job needing done.
You already have a steel in the form of the chakma or the hard back of a good knife. I
am fortunate to have a solid piece of smooth round carbide that was used to make metal
cutting tools from and mounted it in a brass handle. A good smooth steel is optional since
you can _make do_ with the items above.
Get yourself two or three _good files_like the Nicholson Black Diamond brand in lengths of
6"-8" and 10 inches. If you only get two then get the 6" and 8" as they are the handiest
to use.
Get yourself a good _file card_ to maintain your files properly. The best ones have a
brush on the opposite side of the wire cleaner which looks something like a wool or other
textile carder. A file with a piece of metal embedded in it will cause gougeing and
eventually ruin your file by picking up even more pieces of metal.
Take care of your files as you would any other fine cutting instument by keeping them
free of rust and insure that their cutting edges are protected when put up.
A _good file_ is invaluable in maintaining the softer areas of a khukuri's edge.
I like the DMT duofold diamond hones as recommended by Cliff Stamp.
They come in several combinations, but one only needs two, the Black and Blue and the
Red and Green. The Black is the coarsest and the Green the finest.
Now for the strops..... You can get some nice leather and make these yourself or you
can buy them from sources on the www.
I have found for khukuris that the best size is about 1" to 1/18" wide as this will let the
strop get into the recurves nicely.
I like mine glued onto a piece of wood as I think it makes them easier to use.
Now to the sharpening technique.....
First work out all the dings and impacted areas you can by using the steel or other hard
surface like the chakma or the hard back edge on a knife.
You will be surprised at what a good steeling will do to bring back an impacted edge. I
brought back the edge on the HI AK Bowie after cutting a soft 3/8" carriage bolt in two
with a vise to scary sharp with no other work needed.
If you still have areas that you couldn't steel out then take your file to the edge trying
to maintain the original convex edge. Anyone can do this with a bit of practice. Use the
file the same way you do a hone and produce a burr on one side and then the other to
insure that you indeed have a true edge to work with while removeing all the dings.
You may not get all of them out in the "sweet spot" with the file so that will be
accomplished with the hones.
The final burr is to be honed off.
With the khukuri restored to its original shape and edge and with all the dings and other
mishaps worked out you are now ready to proceed with the hones.
Depending upon the edge you have managed to produce with the file will determine the
correct hone to use.
The Black DMT hone is _very_ aggresive and a light touch is all that's needed to reform
and produce an edge that's ready to be properly sharpened with the finer hones.
The same technique that's recommended in all the FAQ's is used to produce a finer and
finer burr from one side to the other.
I find the Green hone to not be needed for most work on a khukuri, however I do use it
to produce very fine edges on thiner blades.
After you have proceeded this far and have established a proper sharp edge you are now
ready to strop off any remaining wire edge.
I have for a long time now used two strops, one charged with Tripoli and the other
charged with Jewelers Rouge.
These are adequate and will produce a very sharp edge, however I have discovered like
many others before me that a Green Chrome strop will produce the finest edge that I am
able to make on any knife.
Starting with the Tripoli strop drag your khukuri with the edge trailing, so as to not cut
the strop, back and forth several times until you strop off the wire edge.
This is done with the khukuri held low as Cliff states in Howard's Khukuri FAQ's.
When you have removed the wire edge proceed with the Jewelers Rouge further polishing
the edge of the khukuri.
When you are satisfied with that polish proceed to the last and final strop charged with
the Green Chrome and put the most incredble edge you have ever made on you favorite
khukuri or other knife.
Cliff has stated the proper ways of maintaining the convex edge or putting a flat beveled
edge on you knives in the khukuri FAQ's so I haven't and won't get into that.
With practice anyone can maintain a proper convex edge with the tools described here.
And with even more practice you can maintain a flat beveled secondary edge on any
knife.
In Ed Fowler's book he has a picture of a smooth Wyoming river rock that he picked up to
sharpen one of his knive's on in the field and that shows that nothing spectacular is
needed to maintain the edge on any knife. Ed likes the convex or "Moran" edge as do I.
All of my using knive's have been converted to this style edge as I personally feel it is
the best edge that can be put on any knife and it will serve you well for a longer period
of time than any other method.
If you are unsure of yourself and your abilities the trick is to practice, practice,
practice!!!! Get yourself some cheap knives at a flea market or other source and use
them to practice on before moving on to more expensive blades.
You will get better and better as time progresses and if I can learn to do it by hand
anyone can.
------------------
>>>>---¥vsa---->®
"I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."
........unknown, to me anyway........
Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
[This message has been edited by Yvsa (edited 11-04-2000).]
------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.
Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Archives (18,000+ posts)
There is very good information in Howard's Khukuri FAQ's and the links there to get a
khukuri or any knife as sharp as it could possibley be and to maintain the edge bevels
that came on the knife. However this question keeps getting asked again and again so I
will try
to make it simpler for the sharpening impaired.
It doesn't take much in obtaining the tools I use in sharpening all of my knives.
These items are what I use in varying stages and depending upon the condition of the
edge that's needing sharpened. And I can cheat by using my Grizzly belt sander, but that
is seldom needed after a good edge is established unless you badly impact it on a hard
surface. And even then the tools described below will do the job needing done.
You already have a steel in the form of the chakma or the hard back of a good knife. I
am fortunate to have a solid piece of smooth round carbide that was used to make metal
cutting tools from and mounted it in a brass handle. A good smooth steel is optional since
you can _make do_ with the items above.
Get yourself two or three _good files_like the Nicholson Black Diamond brand in lengths of
6"-8" and 10 inches. If you only get two then get the 6" and 8" as they are the handiest
to use.
Get yourself a good _file card_ to maintain your files properly. The best ones have a
brush on the opposite side of the wire cleaner which looks something like a wool or other
textile carder. A file with a piece of metal embedded in it will cause gougeing and
eventually ruin your file by picking up even more pieces of metal.
Take care of your files as you would any other fine cutting instument by keeping them
free of rust and insure that their cutting edges are protected when put up.
A _good file_ is invaluable in maintaining the softer areas of a khukuri's edge.
I like the DMT duofold diamond hones as recommended by Cliff Stamp.
They come in several combinations, but one only needs two, the Black and Blue and the
Red and Green. The Black is the coarsest and the Green the finest.
Now for the strops..... You can get some nice leather and make these yourself or you
can buy them from sources on the www.
I have found for khukuris that the best size is about 1" to 1/18" wide as this will let the
strop get into the recurves nicely.
I like mine glued onto a piece of wood as I think it makes them easier to use.
Now to the sharpening technique.....
First work out all the dings and impacted areas you can by using the steel or other hard
surface like the chakma or the hard back edge on a knife.
You will be surprised at what a good steeling will do to bring back an impacted edge. I
brought back the edge on the HI AK Bowie after cutting a soft 3/8" carriage bolt in two
with a vise to scary sharp with no other work needed.
If you still have areas that you couldn't steel out then take your file to the edge trying
to maintain the original convex edge. Anyone can do this with a bit of practice. Use the
file the same way you do a hone and produce a burr on one side and then the other to
insure that you indeed have a true edge to work with while removeing all the dings.
You may not get all of them out in the "sweet spot" with the file so that will be
accomplished with the hones.
The final burr is to be honed off.
With the khukuri restored to its original shape and edge and with all the dings and other
mishaps worked out you are now ready to proceed with the hones.
Depending upon the edge you have managed to produce with the file will determine the
correct hone to use.
The Black DMT hone is _very_ aggresive and a light touch is all that's needed to reform
and produce an edge that's ready to be properly sharpened with the finer hones.
The same technique that's recommended in all the FAQ's is used to produce a finer and
finer burr from one side to the other.
I find the Green hone to not be needed for most work on a khukuri, however I do use it
to produce very fine edges on thiner blades.
After you have proceeded this far and have established a proper sharp edge you are now
ready to strop off any remaining wire edge.
I have for a long time now used two strops, one charged with Tripoli and the other
charged with Jewelers Rouge.
These are adequate and will produce a very sharp edge, however I have discovered like
many others before me that a Green Chrome strop will produce the finest edge that I am
able to make on any knife.
Starting with the Tripoli strop drag your khukuri with the edge trailing, so as to not cut
the strop, back and forth several times until you strop off the wire edge.
This is done with the khukuri held low as Cliff states in Howard's Khukuri FAQ's.
When you have removed the wire edge proceed with the Jewelers Rouge further polishing
the edge of the khukuri.
When you are satisfied with that polish proceed to the last and final strop charged with
the Green Chrome and put the most incredble edge you have ever made on you favorite
khukuri or other knife.
Cliff has stated the proper ways of maintaining the convex edge or putting a flat beveled
edge on you knives in the khukuri FAQ's so I haven't and won't get into that.
With practice anyone can maintain a proper convex edge with the tools described here.
And with even more practice you can maintain a flat beveled secondary edge on any
knife.
In Ed Fowler's book he has a picture of a smooth Wyoming river rock that he picked up to
sharpen one of his knive's on in the field and that shows that nothing spectacular is
needed to maintain the edge on any knife. Ed likes the convex or "Moran" edge as do I.
All of my using knive's have been converted to this style edge as I personally feel it is
the best edge that can be put on any knife and it will serve you well for a longer period
of time than any other method.
If you are unsure of yourself and your abilities the trick is to practice, practice,
practice!!!! Get yourself some cheap knives at a flea market or other source and use
them to practice on before moving on to more expensive blades.
You will get better and better as time progresses and if I can learn to do it by hand
anyone can.
------------------
>>>>---¥vsa---->®
"I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."
........unknown, to me anyway........
Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
[This message has been edited by Yvsa (edited 11-04-2000).]
------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.
Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Archives (18,000+ posts)