The "Aurora" by Bark River Knife and Tool has a full height convex grind. My question relates to sharpening which is a skill that does not come easily to me. Is a full height convex grind easier to sharpen than a flat grind? I know that's a subjective question. Reason I'm asking is because I want to know if I can sharpen this knife on my Spyderco Sharpmaker which is easy for me to use. If not, then what would you use for sharpening the Aurora instead?
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Sharpening the convex grind (BRKT)...need help.
- Thread starter big no-no
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johnwaynesandw
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Best thing to do with the barkies are to strop them on a good peice of leather. That keepd the edge sharp. If you are using the blade hard and need something a little more abrasive, then get some 600 or grater grit sand paper. Place the sand paper over a mouse pad and strop it like you would on leather.
Best of luck,
John
Best of luck,
John
Check out Bark River's website. They have a section on how to convex sharpen with a mouse pad, abrasive paper, and stropping compound.
Generally, the quickie sharpeners are designed to sharpen at a pre-set angle. That won't work too well on a convexed edge.
Generally, the quickie sharpeners are designed to sharpen at a pre-set angle. That won't work too well on a convexed edge.
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I know it's heresy, but I just use a big steel, then a ceramic rod on mine. Now and then I just strop them on my pants leg.
They sharpen this way just fine and take a fine edge.
Andy
They sharpen this way just fine and take a fine edge.
Andy
Cliff Stamp
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Yes, the 15 degree angle on the Sharpmaker will be likely close to the BRKT edge. If you want you can freehand grind the curvature by using the stones in the slots as a benchstone either.
-Cliff
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I suggest that you learn to sharpen the edge so that it remains convex using a mouse pad a sandpaper. As someone else said, there's instructions on the BRKT site as well as the "other" knife forum. It's very simple to do and works beautifully on Bark River knives.
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No offense to other posters but IMHO, a mouse pad does not work very well (too soft). Glue or tack (shiney side up) a 1/8" piece of split cowhide to a piece of wood (i.e. 2X4). I even sharpen several of my "non-BR" knives this way.
URL of BR Collectors Association.
Sharpening link on right hand side.
I use different grits of wet/dry sand paper (from auto part stores) instead of the compound. Going to give it a try in the near future.
http://brkca.com/
Regards
URL of BR Collectors Association.
Sharpening link on right hand side.
I use different grits of wet/dry sand paper (from auto part stores) instead of the compound. Going to give it a try in the near future.
http://brkca.com/
Regards
Cougar Allen
Buccaneer (ret.)
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It isn't the Bark River knife site that has the "convex edge sharpening" tutorial, it's the BRKT Society site: http://www.barkriverknives.com/home.html (probably owned and operated by BRKT). Look in the right-hand pane, down near the bottom, under "Convex Sharpening the BRKT Way".
While wet/dry on the mousdepad works well, I'm with BladePrince... use a block of wood with 8-9 oz leather glued to it as a substrate. I use this on my final sharpening passes, with 2000 grit.
600 grit wet/dry may work ok, but I would save such a coarse grit only for reshaping a damaged edge (actually, I use 800). For sharpening if the knife is getting dull, I use 1000, 1500, and finally, 2000 grit. Then follow up with stropping on a board/leather strop, smooth side up, coated with green rouge.
While wet/dry on the mousdepad works well, I'm with BladePrince... use a block of wood with 8-9 oz leather glued to it as a substrate. I use this on my final sharpening passes, with 2000 grit.
600 grit wet/dry may work ok, but I would save such a coarse grit only for reshaping a damaged edge (actually, I use 800). For sharpening if the knife is getting dull, I use 1000, 1500, and finally, 2000 grit. Then follow up with stropping on a board/leather strop, smooth side up, coated with green rouge.
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I use the mousepad and green chromium-loaded leather glued to a flat piece of wood.
I've used the mousepad method with success on Bark River knives. I've also successfully used the mousepad with other convex knives, such as Opinels, as well as flat and hollow ground knives, such as a Spyderco Calypso, Jr. and a Buck 110. All of these knives were hair-popping, newsprint push-cutting sharp after sharpening with wet and dry on a mousepad, followed by stropping on chromium-loaded leather. So the mousepad works well for me, at least.
Just this weekend I touched up my Mini-Canadian on 2000 grit wet and dry on a mouseopad followed by stropping after I had used it to whittle Basswood.
I think one possible difference between the mousepad and a firmer surface would be that with the mousepad, you're actually grinding the side of the blade all the way to the spine. I don't know whether a firmer surface gives would give the same wrap-around effect as the mousepad.
I'm sure using leather works fine too -- I've convexed an edge with wet and dry on bare wood. I'll have to try wet and dry over leather to see if I get even better results.
I've used the mousepad method with success on Bark River knives. I've also successfully used the mousepad with other convex knives, such as Opinels, as well as flat and hollow ground knives, such as a Spyderco Calypso, Jr. and a Buck 110. All of these knives were hair-popping, newsprint push-cutting sharp after sharpening with wet and dry on a mousepad, followed by stropping on chromium-loaded leather. So the mousepad works well for me, at least.
Just this weekend I touched up my Mini-Canadian on 2000 grit wet and dry on a mouseopad followed by stropping after I had used it to whittle Basswood.
I think one possible difference between the mousepad and a firmer surface would be that with the mousepad, you're actually grinding the side of the blade all the way to the spine. I don't know whether a firmer surface gives would give the same wrap-around effect as the mousepad.
I'm sure using leather works fine too -- I've convexed an edge with wet and dry on bare wood. I'll have to try wet and dry over leather to see if I get even better results.