Sharpen your swedge?

[HotSteel]

Does anybody sharpen the swedge that came unsharpened on their knife?

 

[Ajack60]

Have not, both on a fixed and folding blade the swedge has come in handy to use as a scraper.
I'd never want to sharpen a folding knife with a swedge, I've been bitten enough with the primary edge as it is

 

[marcinek]

I'd never want to sharpen a folding knife with a swedge, I've been bitten enough with the primary edge as it is

Yep...those folders with sharpened swedges are tough on pockets.

To me, unless one is circumventing some legal "dagger" concerns, if a swedge is unsharpened, it should stay that way. Useful for choppy/breaky/whacking tasks. On outdoors knives, that is what it is for.

 

[chambelona59]

I sent this to Jason Brous years ago, I asked him to sharpen the swedge.
I have since sold it.

 

[GermanyChris]

I sharpened the swedge on my Insingo 21 it scrapes better that way

 

[kwackster]

Did a few Gerber Applegate Fairbairn folders some time ago, like this one:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...-your-time-is-important-to-you.578787/page-85

 

[zhyla]

It might be fun to sharpen/polish a swedge on a folder but then knock down the edge of it so it won't cut anything. Would look pretty.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Have not, both on a fixed and folding blade the swedge has come in handy to use as a scraper.
I'd never want to sharpen a folding knife with a swedge, I've been bitten enough with the primary edge as it is

Yep great scraper.
Plus this would be double edged which is a no-no in California.

 

[Mr.SATism]

I remember seeing on the Cold Steel warranty that they do not sharpen swedges of knives under warranty, please keep in mind that I saw this first on my recon 1 drop point and that sent shivers down my spine on why someone would carry something that would stab them in the pocket haha

 

[19-3ben]

Hell no. I hate swedges of any kind and generally avoid them. When I do encounter one, the last thing I want is to make it sharp.

 

[knarfeng]

I'd never want to sharpen a folding knife with a swedge, I've been bitten enough with the primary edge as it is

What he said. I want the sharp all on one side, so I can keep my fingers on the non-sharp side and not worry about them so much.

 

[Roguer]

Depends on what direction the latest Tacticool wind is blowing. If the sharpened one is in then I have to sharpen all of mine, but later on in the day if it changes where its cooler to have a more versatile all around knife tactitool then I have to dull them again and make it look like I never sharpened them. It can be a pretty daunting challenge and eventually you run out of metal and need to get some more knives and then...

Oh um never mind that earlier statement I'll edit out later so no one quote this yet...

Really I don't sharpen my swedges on my knives that "have" them. Several of my compromise knives have them but I don't sharpen them so they can be used for other non sharpened edge tasks and for Batactioning them Tyrannical Botanicals! I have a few knives that have sharpened swedges and I find they are not as useful as the non sharpened swedged one.

 

[Gaston444]

I never baton, so more edge at no cost is always good.

The only exception to that would be spear point knives, where the swedge is not straight, or concave, but flared outward in a curve, somewhat like a double edge dagger: The bulge of the upper curve is a very good "lean point" for rocking the point and prying and digging a hole deep into wood (this "rocking digging" into wood being the one big plus of spear points). I have an 18 style Randall 14, and the swedge near the point is left dull for that reason. (But it would be sharpened further back on the spine, if the spine was not here taken up by Randall's mostly useless "saw"...).

Concave or straight clips cannot really use the upper profile curve as a leverage "lean point", so I'd rather just have more edge, if done by a pro. Significant sharpness at such obtuse angles is usually best left to someone with a proper grinder. It definitely gives a more "fighting" feel than a purely utilitarian one, but when well done has no real downsides on a fixed blade. If, like I said, you never baton...


Gaston

 

[Planterz]

Yep...those folders with sharpened swedges are tough on pockets.

It's quite possible to cut yourself with the swedge on a Protech Godfather or Godson (I've done it) even without sharpening it.

 

[marcinek]

It might be fun to sharpen/polish a swedge on a folder but then knock down the edge of it so it won't cut anything. Would look pretty.

Then why sharpen it?

 

[22-rimfire]

My early Randall's had a sharpened swedge (sharpened false edge). Part of the reason I really don't want to carry them regardless of legality. Legal here. But daggers are frequently illegal to carry.

I pretty much wouldn't buy a knife these days with the sharpened swedge regardless of how cool it is.

 

[Jocephus1]

Personally I don’t.

I did a couple knives when I was in the Army, but that was mostly out of boredom. Hurry up and wait.

Now that I’m retired, I personally don’t have a need.

 

[DocT]

Another point to consider is that sharpening the swedge is illegal in many places. It is often looked at as a doubled edged knife. Check your city and state laws to be certain. Don't take someone's word for it.

 

[115Italian]

Makes it illegal in place with double edge bans.

 

[HotSteel]

I wasn't thinking of folders. Funny concept.

Daggers are sold, like the Ek 44 commando knife, so I thought that buyers of those might be sharpening swedges.