recurve sharpeneing

[on_the_edge]

Other than with rods or perhaps a very narrow sanding belt, does anyone know of an easy way to sharpen a recurve?

 

[Jeff Clark]

Before there were "sharpening systems" there were simple hones. If I had a modestly recurved blade to sharpen I would move my bench stone near the edge of my workbench and hone along the edge of the stone rather than the flat surface. Before I did that with a new hone I would take my stone out to the sidewalk and round the edges by rubbing on concrete.

For really recurved blades like a sickle there were special garden tool hone sticks. These were about the length and width of a foot ruler, but were about .75 inches thick with sort of an oval cross-section. Those you would use something like a file to hone the inside curve of the sickle.

Nowadays I use an oval diamond "steel". You can get them from Victorinox, Wusthoff, Henckles, Hewlett, Ultimate Edge, etc.
http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00005Q5IH.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

 

[HoB]

I've used slipstones, but it is easier, cheaper and more efficient, to do what Jeff already suggested: Put the benchstone on the edge and round the corners (edges) over. This way you have a nice long but narrow hone.

 

[Buck268]

I've had some luck with mild recurves sharpening along the corners of my benchstones with an edge-trailing stroke. This way, the corners will round themselves with continued sharpening.

 

[on_the_edge]

Thanks for the info, folks! There's no telling how long it would have taken me to get it right trying to figure it out by myself. :thumbup: