Sharpening Black Ka-Bar Knives

I

ivan_yulaev

Joined
Oct 20, 2003
Messages
284
Well, I'm considering buying a black Ka-Bar, and the question I have is such...

Seeing as the blade is black, if I shapen it, will I have to scrape off a significant portion of blackened steel to sharpen it? Is the blade ground such that the angle of the edge extends far from the very point, or is the knife just ground to look that way?

My concern is that I don't want to completely ruin the finish of the knife if I decide to sharpen it.
 
Not sure about all Ka-Bars, but I believe the one I have is black except for the edge which shows bare metal. I don't think you can put a black coating over the edge and have it be sharp. They probably coat the blade and then put a factory edge on it. If you need it to be all black you could always put a little marker on the edge after you sharpen it. :)
 
I assume we are talking about Ka-Bars like the USMC model. If sharpened properly it will look the same as is does out of the box for years. What will likely wear the black finish of is the friction from using the blade to cut and scrape things and even this will take a long time as long as you are not using it to dig trenchs or foxholes every day.
 
The "black" is a magnesium phosphate "parkerized" finish like what is used on military arms (the steel parts). It's not really that durable for items that are "used" extensively. Modern paints are more durable. I wouldn't get too attached to it, or think that it's going to look like it did originally. The scratches and bare spots will give it character, and make it look like a real military item, which is what it is (or was).
 
If you are careful about the angle you use you can restrict the bevel to under .2 inches. If you use some type of angle guide it is easiest.
 
If you use a blacken blade, its bound to develop surface scratches.
But that's not the worst of it.
The sharpening process is abrasive, so if you haven't as yet develop the skill, you're bound to make mistakes.
For non-stainless steels (as in plain carbon steels), you could always turn to cold 'gun blue' solutions or paste/gels. It won't be charcoal black but at least its not bare metal.
But seriously, a can of matt black aerosol paint would make all the difference if you want to "hide" it all.


Krizzard, out

"...Whoever kills with the sword must be killed by the sword... "
- The New Testament, Revelation 13:10
 
The USMC Kabar is a good knife. Don't worry about scratching it...it only looks better the more you use it.

Keep a clean and lightly coated with oil and it will last forever.

It's one of my favorite knives!

Collecter
 
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