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Scandi Edge Care advice needed
- Thread starter RobKevlar
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2006
- Messages
- 1,895
If you don't mind a slight convexed edge, you can strop it (sandpaper/mousepad, compound/leather, cardboard, jeans, etc.)
Otherwise, scandi grind is the easiest to sharpen. Just lay the bevel flat on a stone and sharpen. No need to adjust because the angle is already set.
Otherwise, scandi grind is the easiest to sharpen. Just lay the bevel flat on a stone and sharpen. No need to adjust because the angle is already set.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2013
- Messages
- 852
What kind of sharpening stones do you have access to?
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2012
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- 265
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2013
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- 852
My FAVORITE is japanese waterstones...but they are a pain in the ass to get.
A good Arkansas whet stone set, preferably of a decent size (stone as wide as your blade is long) are readily available and won't kill your wallet. Here's a cheap one online that'll do a decent job: http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-TRI-6-...1364618669&sr=8-1&keywords=arkansas+whetstone
As far as how to sharpen. always keep the stone wet (or oiled). Start with the medium stone if your knife is still pretty sharp. Put your blade flat on the back of the stone. Tilt the knife up until it comes flat on its edge. With medium pressure, push the knife forward smoothly, TAKING CARE to keep the edge flat against the stone the whole time. You'll want to push the edge side of the knife out a bit faster then the handle side when you reach the end of the stone....this will get your knife tip sharpened. Do this in the same direction (same side of the knife) 10 times. Then turn the knife over and do it in the other direction 10 times (to get the other side of the knife). Then alternate each side of the knife for 10 strokes. Then repeat this whole process with the fine grit arkansas stone. With the last pass of 10 on the fine stone, you shouldn't really be pushing down on the knife at all...just letting the weight of the knife run itself across the blade. A light touch, alternating sides at the end will ensure you don't develop a bur on one side of the knife...or roll the edge over.
Always keep your stone wet...re-wet it with either water or oil regularly during the sharpening.
The biggest thing to work on is a repeatable and stable motion for sharpening. You want to push the knife smoothly, always keeping the blade moving and the edge completely flat against the stone.
A good Arkansas whet stone set, preferably of a decent size (stone as wide as your blade is long) are readily available and won't kill your wallet. Here's a cheap one online that'll do a decent job: http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-TRI-6-...1364618669&sr=8-1&keywords=arkansas+whetstone
As far as how to sharpen. always keep the stone wet (or oiled). Start with the medium stone if your knife is still pretty sharp. Put your blade flat on the back of the stone. Tilt the knife up until it comes flat on its edge. With medium pressure, push the knife forward smoothly, TAKING CARE to keep the edge flat against the stone the whole time. You'll want to push the edge side of the knife out a bit faster then the handle side when you reach the end of the stone....this will get your knife tip sharpened. Do this in the same direction (same side of the knife) 10 times. Then turn the knife over and do it in the other direction 10 times (to get the other side of the knife). Then alternate each side of the knife for 10 strokes. Then repeat this whole process with the fine grit arkansas stone. With the last pass of 10 on the fine stone, you shouldn't really be pushing down on the knife at all...just letting the weight of the knife run itself across the blade. A light touch, alternating sides at the end will ensure you don't develop a bur on one side of the knife...or roll the edge over.
Always keep your stone wet...re-wet it with either water or oil regularly during the sharpening.
The biggest thing to work on is a repeatable and stable motion for sharpening. You want to push the knife smoothly, always keeping the blade moving and the edge completely flat against the stone.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2013
- Messages
- 852
Prof. Mears always does a better job explaining it....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm53mCOQTR8
He's using waterstones but you can use an arkansas stone in the exact same manner as he shows you there. The knife will be really sharp after the stone so you may elect to skip the strop or glass treatment he does in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm53mCOQTR8
He's using waterstones but you can use an arkansas stone in the exact same manner as he shows you there. The knife will be really sharp after the stone so you may elect to skip the strop or glass treatment he does in the video.
- Joined
- Jun 29, 1999
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- 10,032
DMT diamond hones last for decades -- at least, mine have.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2007
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- 7,443
I ordered my Waterstones from a woodcraft.com - came right away. They are not cheap - but I love them.
TF
TF
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2005
- Messages
- 186
stropping paddle and some compound works
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2007
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- 7,443
ON the cheap - and what I did for years:
Go to a glass shop - get a cast of peice of Plate Glass - ask them to cut it so that you have one edge that is square.
Put it on a flat table and tape it down. Add a little water to the top and lay down the grit sandpaper you desire to use - then get started.
TF
Go to a glass shop - get a cast of peice of Plate Glass - ask them to cut it so that you have one edge that is square.
Put it on a flat table and tape it down. Add a little water to the top and lay down the grit sandpaper you desire to use - then get started.
TF
- Joined
- May 9, 2002
- Messages
- 12,831
I always strop my knives on a piece of flat 8oz leather loaded with jeweler's rouge. I have routinely buggered up the edge of my Mora Companion and repair it often.
I generally don't let a knife get terribly dull. I usually sharpen when they can still scrape hair. I use a $20 hard Arkansas stone, lay the blade flat on an oiled surface and give it several good series of strokes on both sides. Once it's more than pretty sharp, I strop it on the leather until it pops hair.
The stropped Scandi grind is fastly becoming a favorite edge of mine. Its just so damn easy to maintain and gets so freaking sharp.
That said, its not the kind of edge for those that don't like to maintain the sharpness of their knives.
I generally don't let a knife get terribly dull. I usually sharpen when they can still scrape hair. I use a $20 hard Arkansas stone, lay the blade flat on an oiled surface and give it several good series of strokes on both sides. Once it's more than pretty sharp, I strop it on the leather until it pops hair.
The stropped Scandi grind is fastly becoming a favorite edge of mine. Its just so damn easy to maintain and gets so freaking sharp.
That said, its not the kind of edge for those that don't like to maintain the sharpness of their knives.