Sharpening Becker's or otherwise

im so lost when it comes to convexing

does anyone know a good knife-smith in the Atlanta area that could work on my knife and also show me how to keep it sharp afterward?
 
I suck at free hand! I like the Lansky even though the purist bad mouth it. It works very well for me. I finish up with stroping on cardboard or a leather strope. If I put enough time into it, I can get a mirror finish and an edge that will split atoms. I'm usually not that patient and stop just short of the mirror finish. But the edge will still split larger atoms!
Cheers
Balding
 
Or do you have to go up to a crazy high grit to get that hair popping sharpness?
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I used the polish/shine side of the soft-core nail buffer to keep my edges sharp (lower left of my pic).

The convex-maintained edge on a non-flat-ground blade will require a slightly higher angle of attack for the same bevel width (as a V-grind) because the shoulder of the edge is effectively a bit close to the cutting edge itself. You might have to adjust your expectations or technique a bit in that regard, or do a shallower convexing which will move the edge bevel further up towards the spine a bit.

-Daizee
 
daizee said:
I used the polish/shine side of the soft-core nail buffer to keep my edges sharp (lower left of my pic).

The convex-maintained edge on a non-flat-ground blade will require a slightly higher angle of attack for the same bevel width (as a V-grind) because the shoulder of the edge is effectively a bit close to the cutting edge itself. You might have to adjust your expectations or technique a bit in that regard, or do a shallower convexing which will move the edge bevel further up towards the spine a bit.

-Daizee
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Good information.

I used to have this four-sided nail buffer that I used on my nails. It was great, but then my dog ate it......no idea what was in it that seemed like food (never chewed up anything else). Anyways, I'm going to pick some of those suckers up along with the more coarse grits and work on my throwaway. Thanks.
 
I have one of the 4-sided jobbies, but it seems like the grit panels on the sides prevent the foam core from contouring to the blade.
After the last post I polished up my bk11 edge a bit more and am much happier with it now. I think my last buffer was just about all buffed-out.

-Daizee
 
JV3 said:
these videos are really good: http://www.knivesshipfree.com/pages/Sharpening-Videos
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Thank you thank you thank you! That video has saved me a ton of hassle. The marker trick really helped me see where I was going wrong. I guess old habits die hard, I was using way too shallow of an angle to do anything on the knife blade. I am not at hair popping sharp, but at least now it is grabbing and not pushing.

I increased the angle at which I was holding the blade as I dragged it across the nail file and it is a very distinct feeling when it is actually hitting the edge of the knife. Almost like I am taking a sharp knife and holding it perpendicular to a stone and running it across like that, or like when you run the sharp edge of a piece of metal across sandpaper for the first time, that grabby drag feeling. It is hard to believe what a tremendous amount of difference the angle can really make, especially with this type of sharpening.

Thanks again!
 
Derek - thanks for your descriptions on what you were doing wrong and how you adjusted. It has given me a better mental image.

Still need to watch the video, though.

While we are discussing, can you list the setup that you are using? I'm gonna get some nail file sets, but don't know if I need all of them or how high up or down in grit I'll need.

I already have some sandpaper I need to dig up, as well as leather backing and a glass plate to work on.
 
obsessis said:
While we are discussing, can you list the setup that you are using? I'm gonna get some nail file sets, but don't know if I need all of them or how high up or down in grit I'll need.
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Well first up the marker, just run a sharpie up the edge about 2-4mm so it is covered from the very edge up a bit.

Then for the initial convexing I am using a Tropical Shine Fine 400/600 nail file buffer thingy. It is solid pink in color, and the item number on it is 707301 from a Sally Beauty Supply. (Never thought I would be mentioning that place in a post on here.)

I then have a Tropical Shine 3-Way Buffer, it is Charcoal colored on one side, then gray and white on the other, item number 707202. Think I will only be using the white and gray side though, the other seems to be about a 600 grit feel to it. (This one didn't say the grits on it.)

So far that is all I have for the convexing. Probably need to get some leather or something, maybe an old belt. I do have some jewelry polishing compound, and I might try it for the final stage.

The angle I moved from probably 20-25 to around 30-35, maybe even close to 40. And like the guys says, same pressure you would use when shaving. It is a very different feeling than when you are doing it wrong.
 
DerekH said:
It is solid pink in color, and the item number on it is 707301 from a Sally Beauty Supply. (Never thought I would be mentioning that place in a post on here.)
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Taken out of context, it sounds like you are talking about something dirty :eek:

It's okay, I go there to buy the wax I use for waxing my body hair off. I'll pick some of these up along with some new wax, it has been a couple of weeks.

I have some polishing compound, leather, diamond paste to use as well as some powdered chemicals used as strop compounds (can't recall the name ATM).

You converted this from a V grind, that makes me feel good. Did the bevel depth increase that much? I can't visualize the finished product....I imagine I'll make the blade height a bit shorter to accommodate the curve that you put on it.
 
JV3 said:
these videos are really good: http://www.knivesshipfree.com/pages/Sharpening-Videos
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okay those videos were very informative like DH said

one question, do just start with step 1 of those videos?

from what I saw he was starting with a convexed blade already. What are the steps to get my blade to be convexed if any, or do i just dive right in? lots of labor and following the steps and I have a tough as nails knife and its sharp as hell?
 
Quarter Tank said:
okay those videos were very informative like DH said

one question, do just start with step 1 of those videos?

from what I saw he was starting with a convexed blade already. What are the steps to get my blade to be convexed if any, or do i just dive right in? lots of labor and following the steps and I have a tough as nails knife and its sharp as hell?
Click to expand...

As far as I can tell, dive right in. I used the 400 grit side to get everything kinda where I wanted it. I didn't want to take the bevel too high, but I would say it is at 3-4mm from the edge, whereas before it was like 1-2mm or so. I worked the heck out of it on the 400 for awhile without really being too worried about the edge, just trying to knock the shoulders down. Took awhile, and a ton of dark gray dust later I was much closer to where I wanted to be.
 
DerekH said:
As far as I can tell, dive right in. I used the 400 grit side to get everything kinda where I wanted it. I didn't want to take the bevel too high, but I would say it is at 3-4mm from the edge, whereas before it was like 1-2mm or so. I worked the heck out of it on the 400 for awhile without really being too worried about the edge, just trying to knock the shoulders down. Took awhile, and a ton of dark gray dust later I was much closer to where I wanted to be.
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have you stripped your blade yet?

if not could you take a pic of the blade so I could see how much of the black coating has been removed so I might know what to look for while convexing?

in the meantime I'm putting together a couple of 2x6 strops instead of the 2x4 the videos used so i can get the whole blade on at once

I should have these made by the weekend and will post pics when completed
 
it's hard to get the whole blade at once anyway if there's a curve in it.

-Daizee
 
No, I haven't stripped the blade yet. I will get a pic up here in a second. I have some people in and out of my office that wouldn't like the idea of me having Winona out, so I need to wait until they disappear for a bit. Gimme a little while.
 
Okay, it is really hard to tell in this picture (cameraphone, sorry) but it goes to right under 2.5~3mm from the edge.

5352200916_cd52f9ae43_b.jpg


I think I am going to try to get it back to 4mm, then see how sharp she will get there. If not shaving, then I will take it back to 5mm, etc... until it is shaving sharp.

It will take a bit of work, but getting that smoothed down to a nice smooth contour should help at the end of it all. I think after I get a drill press I am going to look at a belt sander. Seems to be all the rage in convexing.

And it probably goes without saying, but as I move the edge further and further back, the angle I hold it at while "stropping" is going to lessen and lessen. I think that since it is not that far back, that is why I am not getting it good and shaving sharp yet.
 
Derek, I'm sure you've got enough reprofiling already. In fact I think you're ahead of me already. I just made a bare patch on my arm to confirm before posting.

Get your finest polishing surface with some give to it, and go as shallow as you can - you want to just polish the bevel towards the edge. BTW, it didn't even occur to me - I'm always dragging the knife spine first across the "strop" so the cutting edge is the trailing surface. It shouldn't take much. You should be able to use a convex technique on a V-grind too, without a complete reprofiling (but come on, you know you want the whole business!).

-Daizee
 
Quarter Tank said:
im so lost when it comes to convexing

does anyone know a good knife-smith in the Atlanta area that could work on my knife and also show me how to keep it sharp afterward?
Click to expand...

Andy Roy, of Fiddleback Forge. He's truly gifted and has a subforum here in the Maker's section. Stop in and check out his work, I own one and soon to be a couple more. Fantastic customs.

Moose
 
moosez45 said:
Andy Roy, of Fiddleback Forge. He's truly gifted and has a subforum here in the Maker's section. Stop in and check out his work, I own one and soon to be a couple more. Fantastic customs.

Moose
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awesome

his knives are very 'clean' they almost look too good to use.

I shot Andy and email. His shop is about 25-30 miles from where I am so I hope he can be my go to guy.
 
so far this is what my blade looks lilke
about an hour using 180 grit wet/dry

thoughts?

101_0142.jpg


101_0143.jpg


very Neanderthal strop, should be receiving some homemade strops from a guy next week to finish up the knife
101_0134.jpg
 
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