Sharpening Hollow Grind knives

B

Burncycle

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Jan 3, 2005
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I recently acquired a new EDC knife, a Benchmade 555BKHG ( http://images.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/bnchmd/images/555bkhg.jpg ) and it's time to sharpen it.

The only sharpeners I have are those "10 second" type knife sharpeners with carbide edges at a fixed angle, though I hope to eventually get a sharpmaker. Is this ok for this type of application, or do I need to do something special to it since it's a hollow ground blade? I don't want to basically end up re-profiling the whole thing and end up with something duller than I started with!
 
I wouldn't use pull/push through carbide sharpner, it would tear up your edge and not even give you a decent rough 180 grit edge. Buy a decent combo 320/800 grit stone. Hollow/concave edge is really only applicable for the part above the edge shoulder, so I would just grind along the current (new) v edge. Convex edge would require YBing and read up some.
 
Don't use the pull-through carbide sharpener. Especially on a hollow grind, which is designed to be very thin behind the edge. A pull-through carbide will shred it quickly.

I'm sure a Sharpmaker will work fine. Also any other ceramic hone. Can also just 'strop' the edge on some wet/dry sandpaper; this is the ultimate in simplicity and effectiveness. Use a higher grit like 800+ for light maintenance (if stropping on leather and/or compound doesn't quite get it done). Or, if you need to re-bevel, start at ~400 or so. Use a firm backing under the sandpaper, like glass, wood or very thin leather on wood. That'll work well with a thin, hollow ground edge; it's how I maintain most of my knives, many of which are thin hollow grinds (like Case's pocketknives). Makes for great edges.
 
Thanks guys for the advice. I'm new and pretty terrible at getting a keen edge, but on the plus side this is an excuse to invest in the equipment and knowledge to create that skillset
 
Those pull through carbide (Sharpeners?) are terrible.They give the illusion of a sharp edge when they actually just rip steel off the blade.Use anything else.Bottom of a coffee cup,flat rock out of the yard,fine sandpaper,all better choices.You dont need to spend a lot of money to keep a good knife sharp.
 
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