Sharpening USAF knife

A

alephlex

Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
151
Hello all,

I've read in some of the previous posts that the USAF survival knives (Ontario and Camillus) can be pretty decent entry-level knives _IF_ we learn to sharpen them correctly.

I'm trying to help a friend get some gear as he is likely to go camping with me. And the USAF looks like a good deal.

Anyone knows what's the right way to sharpen these?

Thanks

P.S. I think I posted this in the wrong forum earlier (general blade discussion) but don't know how to remove it. So apologies all for posting wrongly.
 
For sharpening any knife, you need two basic tools; (1) something to shape the edge and (2) something to hone it. The shaping can be power equipment, a file, or a really coarse stone. The honing can be done with the same tool which did the shaping if you want a very aggressive slicing edge, otherwise get a finer stone. As a general sharpening setup I would recommend something like :

1) a large bastard file
2) an x-coarse silicon carbide waterstone
3) a fine/x-fine waterstone (1000/4000) grit
4) 0.5 micron chromium/aluminum oxide paste

The file is used for shaping on machetes, axes and will work ok on some production blades but takes a lot of force and usually needs the blade viced. The x-coarse waterstone handles the harder cutlery steels well and will easily adjust the angles as necessary and remove major damage. Alternatives are x-x-coarse DMT which Thom praises highly or just the cheap x-coarse axe/garden hones you can find in a hardware store.

The edge on that knife is likely far too obtuse to do anything aside from serve as a gardening tool. So the first thing you do is use the file and/or x-coarse hone to reduce the angle to about 15 degrees per side. If you want to use it mainly as a slicing tool then you are basically done once you remove the burr and micro-bevel. If you want to have more push cutting, which is generally a good idea on a knife of that size/class then you use the waterstone to refine the edge and then finish with the micron paste on newsprint of leather.

On knives of that class I usually prefer a multi-grit finish as first proposed by Talmadge. I usually leave the first inch or so really coarse, at the shaping grit for aggressive slicing or ropes and such. The last couple of inches of the tip are at a medium grit to cut through vegetation well, and the bit in the middle is highly polished for chopping thick woods. This assumes I have a small knife for precision carving/shaping.

-Cliff
 
Cliff,

Thank you very much for your detailed instructions. I understand what the posters are speaking of now when they talk of learning to sharpen it. Judging from your post, this is a once-off activity of bring the bevels down to an acceptable level and then honing whenever blunt after that?

Thanks once again
 
Yes, the first time you sharpen the knife it may take awhile, but after that it is only a minute or so.

-Cliff
 
alephlex said:
Judging from your post, this is a once-off activity of bring the bevels down to an acceptable level and then honing whenever blunt after that?
Click to expand...

It takes time and the wide bevel it creates might not look pretty, but once you trimmed out the blade you will appreciate the difference it makes!
 
Thanks very much for all your advice. I have a USAF arriving in a few days and it will get the full treatment as you all described. Much obliged for your detailed instructions!
 
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