Sharpening Axis

J

JohnMike

Joined
Dec 29, 1998
Messages
14
I bought a BM Axis last weekend and really love it, but am a little afraid to use it. I have always stayed away from recurve (I think that is what you call it) blades because they are a nightmare to sharpen. If anyone has any advice on sharpening this type of blade, it would be Greatly Appreciated! Thanks - John
 
If you use the search feature on "Axis" with my name as author, you'll eventually get to a few long posts of mine where I describe how I sharpen the Axis. It made me feel like a complete beginner again, but having practiced a month or so, I now find it not so difficult anymore. It'll frustrate you for a little while but don't let it get to you!

Joe
jat@cup.hp.com
 
I have an Axis that BM replaced the blade in after I recieved and the blade grinds were off. I also didn't do the knife any good whe I tried sharpening it on my Lanksy. I think that had more to do with the edge grinds(read that as bevels being off). Recieved the repaired knife and thought to myself after investing all this money in as fine a knife as the Axis is, why should I have to invest a particular sharpening system. So got my diamond Lansky hone set out and used Joe T's advice as for sharpening. He uses the spyderco system, I didn't but did follow his advice as close as possible. What I ended up doing is using the coasrse hone and light to medium pressure on the blade. The edge cantels matched up to a perfect 25 deg. on each side so that helped alot. I aint' gonna say it was easy, it did take it seemed an inordinate amount of time, but the bottom line is now, that this blade is so sharp it literally flings hair off my arm. After I progressed to where the blade edge kind of started to have a bite and grab to it, not necessarily hair shaving yet, I stopped with the coarse stone, and went right to a super fine stone, which isn't a diamond hone, it is a pink polishing stone Lansky sells. I then went up to 30 deg which is 5 above the 25deg.
I then polished the edge to a hair line precision polish. Talk about awesome sharp!
I used the knife all this week at work opening paper boxes, alot of them. Came home yesterday and touched up the edge with the coarse stone and now it is even sharper! It is not a fine edge either meaning that it will roll over. I looked at it with a power magnifyer with a light in it and the the edge actually has little serrated teeth along it cantle. Cutting power is awesome to say the least. I am just glad I figured it out with my Lansky system. The thing or secret to the Lasky is that you can't really put alot of pressure on it. Let thestone/diamond hone do the cutting, use a coarser grit than you normally wood, keep it very well oiled, and have patience. After the edge starts to grab but not necessarily fling hair, at this point the recurved blade will cut very well actually, use the finest hone you have at a higher angle of attack to just put a hair line polish on the edge. Watch out cause now it will bite deeply and shave hair like there is no tomorrow. Keep'em sharp.
PS I am now a confirmed Axis addict! The BEST production folder made as far as I am concerned.
 
Thanks for the advice. I have not as of yet been able to obtain the old posts on sharpening the Axis, as my system times out before the search finishes, I will keep trying.
I have a Lansky system, and am looking into a Spyderco.
Thanks again for the advice!
-John
 
John --

okay, maybe you should just do it manually. go to the knife reviews forum, change the settings to "Show topics for last 45 days", and just scan for Axis threads. You'll find a few in there...

Joe
jat@cup.hp.com
 
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