Sharpening a Hiking Buddy.

[rmdmooch]

I have been having trouble with the convex edge on my HB. I have tried the mouse pad with sandpaper and stropped with chromium oxide. The edge doesn't seem to get as sharp as when Andy sent it to me. Have I missed something? Maybe the pressure I apply is wrong. Any Suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[schmittie]

I tried the mousepad/sandpaper combo and later regretted it. After I got my knife back from Andy for a spa treatment, he called me out on it. Turns out a mousepad is really too soft and spongy. He uses leather for a backer on his sandpaper. It still gives, but just a bit. I found out the hard way that the maker is always right!

If you have it, try using you sandpaper over a strop, then finish up on the strop. You'll do fine!

 

[Fiddleback]

Its easy to use too much pressure with the mousepad IMO. I like using leather. Its stiff. Just enough give for my tastes. Color the edge area with a sharpie before starting. Then check to make sure you are removing metal from the right spot (the edge). If you're not cutting to the edge, change your angle a bit.

Two minutes. Thats all it should take.

 

[Incahiker]

I hated using a mouse and sand paper. This was my first try at convex edges and it was very frustrating to say the least. I got a sears 42" belt sander for $10 on craigs list and it takes me about 7 minutes to reprofile a knife to 15 degree per side convex edge with a 20 degree micro bevel put on with a leather belt and green compound. Mirror polished convex edge that tree tops hair. And it only takes about 30 seconds to buff it up once every week to keep that wicked edge. The mouse pad is too soft and the sand paper will curve around and blunt the edge as you swipe the knife across it. You have to do REALLY light strokes to not do this, and then you will be sitting there forever taking off very little material. Leather glued to wood with sand paper works good as said above, and this is what I take when I go back packing in case I need to hone my knife in the field.