Sharpest out of the box?

[Bastid]

Prolly one of my kerahaws !! They always come stupid sharp

Did not realize Kershaw made traditional knives of late. .

Please stay on topic.

 

[thawk]

After reading opinions on question I am happy some folks are getting sharp knives.

BUT, to Kris or anyone, I would have to say: Owning a good method to sharpen your knife and learning how to use it is a big part of knife carry. Would you own a car and never put air in a tire or wash the windshield or wipe the dust off the dash. There are tools that are not costly that you can sharpen a knife with easily. A $25 dollar knife deserves a $10 dollar sharpener. The sound of metal gently grinding on abrasive will begin to be sweet to your ear. If I open a box with a new sodbuster (which I never have) and it is dull I will sharpen it and be happy.

300/ch

Good message, and so true, but a knife should be sharp when you buy it in my opinion. New cars come with air in the tires and and a clean windshield. That being said, what $10.00 entry level sharpening kit do you recommend that is easiest to use, and least likely to have a rookie bugger up his new dull knife with? A smart rookie would practice on an older knife of course.

 

[kristopher]

After reading opinions on question I am happy some folks are getting sharp knives.

BUT, to Kris or anyone, I would have to say: Owning a good method to sharpen your knife and learning how to use it is a big part of knife carry. Would you own a car and never put air in a tire or wash the windshield or wipe the dust off the dash. There are tools that are not costly that you can sharpen a knife with easily. A $25 dollar knife deserves a $10 dollar sharpener. The sound of metal gently grinding on abrasive will begin to be sweet to your ear. If I open a box with a new sodbuster (which I never have) and it is dull I will sharpen it and be happy.

300/ch

I used to sharpen all my knives by hand when I was collecting in the past, 300 and I just ordered a sharpening kit last night, as a matter of fact. I have no problem sharpening my knives as they need it, but I do have a problem with companies sending out tools that aren't able to be used out of the box. I don't feel that I should have to spend my time fixing what they should have fixed before they shipped the knives. I'm funny that way....I feel that if I buy a car, it should run and drive, if I buy a computer it should compute and if I buy a knife it should make the hairs on my arm jump off in fear when they see the blade coming...lol. Given the choices, I think that a Boker with carbon steel blades is in my near future, to be followed closely by a Schatt and Morgan and a few others. I tell you what, for someone who got away from knife collecting for a few years, the bug has bitten back and bitten hard...lol.

Kristopher

 

[kristopher]

This Canal Street Stag Jack in D2 came from a popular vendor in AK as sharp as I could hope to receive any knife. I used it to cut dried flowers over Thanksgiving with the shop edge and it is still sharp.

xxx

Mhawg,

That is just a disgustingly pretty knife....lol. This thread is probably spelling bad things for my bank account.

Kristopher

 

[StuntDouble]

I've been pretty happy with the edges I've seen from Case. Sometimes I might have to knock a burr off, but that's about it.

As far as knives coming from the factory without a usable edge, and the key word is usable, there really is no excuse. I can understand that they might not have the time to hand polish every edge, and that is fine. I also understand that some of us are good at sharpening, and like to put our own bevels on a blade, but not everyone is like that. Some like to be able to pull a knife out of the box, and not finish the factory's job.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I've been pretty happy with the edges I've seen from Case. Sometimes I might have to knock a burr off, but that's about it.

This is exactly my experience, at least with post-2000 knives from Case. Prior to then, seems like it was more hit-or-miss. I think Case has gotten much more consistent in recent years, in putting decent (or even very good) edges/bevels on their blades.

One example among several, I've got a 2009 large sodbuster (2138SS) from Case, that I paid $13 for on the 'bay. The edge grind is virtually perfect. The only thing I did to it was knock a bit of burr off, and then strop it. It tree-tops hairs easily.

 

[brownshoe]

I am familiar with Case, Queen, Schatt/Morgan, Buck, and GEC. Case has the sharpest most consistent edge. Once I got a burr...easily taken off. Once I got an edge with a rougher grind than I like, but it was still very sharp.

 

[StuntDouble]

I have to say, the one issue I've had with a Case edge occurred when I sent back my Trapper for a little fluff and buff. When I got it back, they had reground the edge at a rather obtuse angle. Lesson learned, from now on I'll ask that they not mess with the edge if I have to send something else back.

Also, the Buck Stockman I received as a gift last X-mas needed quite a bit of profiling before the edge was usable sharp. I don't think there is much to be done about that though, since the Buck blades are rather thick due to the saber grind they use. The Buck Squire I received had a decent edge though.

 

[black mamba]

I, too, have been very fortunate with Case knives. I only have a half dozen or so, but all have been sharp,
and this Crandall Family large saddlehorn is a virtual vampire. So sharp it tastes my blood almost every time I touch it!

 

[300Bucks]

Well, I guess my previous post was just my collector-of-old-knives coming out. I appreciate a company who sells a blade ground correctly and evenly. Really would expect it to be that way and decently sharp, after all they ARE knife compaines...... But as someone who occasionally buys an old used knife having to sharpen one is just a normal and natural, step one in really OWNing it.

What would 'I' recommend to a beginner. Well, since many many blades are NOT flat ground I would not start them on a bench stone.....now remember thawk asked for my opinion, I know you bench stone folks are proud of your ability.......I think bench stones need some reading and trying and maybe someone to teach to get that near razor edge. I would start a very beginner on some type of ceramic V rods. All they have to learn is to hold level in two directions as they move the knive. Remember someone asked what I thought was good for beginner, I am not critical of bench stones.

I have had new Bucks come really sharp and some just decently so. The hiccups seemed like they occurred when they were training new employees after the move to ID.
I have had a couple of Cases and they were all sharp. A dozen or so of old TL-29 carbon blade electrican knives and all were dull when I got them. But go figure they were used to strip wire, mostly as military knives.

Bottom line is I don't collect enough kinds to make a list, you get a crappy new Buck, I will be glad to talk about it and help you decide what to do.....300Bucks/ch

 

[midnight flyer]

Well, I guess my previous post was just my collector-of-old-knives coming out. I appreciate a company who sells a blade ground correctly and evenly. Really would expect it to be that way and decently sharp, after all they ARE knife compaines......

Well, you and I seem to be the only ones irritated with the fact that a new $75 knife needs to be sharpened when you get it. They didn't used to. Worse, so many foreign made knives are sharp as heck when you buy them.

I think my feelings are bit scorched because I remember many years ago buying a new CASE knife, a new BUCK or PUMA and wondering how in the world I could ever get that knife that sharp again. They were insanely sharp from the manufacturers. The PUMAs back from the 70s were so sharp the guys from sporting goods store wouldn't let anyone but adults handle them!

To me, I hope that traditional knives will be traditional in every way. Nope. Now I accept that I will be sharpening, and when shopping my favorite dealer I always tell him look at fit and finish, not grinds. I will reprofile or sharpen as needed. It seems to me to be part of the business model now to let them get out the door and let the customer make the tool into a knife.

I know many here champion their favorite company as always supplying a product that is top shelf in every way, but that just hasn't been my experience with the last 6 American made traditionals purchased this year (no company names here to incite the faithful!).

But as someone who occasionally buys an old used knife having to sharpen one is just a normal and natural, step one in really OWNing it.

One expects that in a used knife, no? To me, part of finding an old treasure is getting it up to snuff, leaving enough honest wear on it to keep its character, but getting it back into shape for use. Just a while back I picked up an old Puma Stockman. This old fella has certainly been around the block (possibly around the whole city!), but it has a lot of road miles left in it for me. And I enjoy the sharpening process of bringing the old blades back into a useful tool.

What would 'I' recommend to a beginner. Well, since many many blades are NOT flat ground I would not start them on a bench stone.....now remember thawk asked for my opinion, I know you bench stone folks are proud of your ability.......I think bench stones need some reading and trying and maybe someone to teach to get that near razor edge.

I learned in the 60s on bench stones. The most important thing I learned was to be able to constantly maintain an accurate angle on the stone. That took a long time. A long frustrating time for a kid. While bench stones helped me learn proper technique, I no longer use them, nor would I encourage that. I still have my Dad's old Nortons, and his Washita stones that I sharpened my knives on almost 50 years ago. They are conversation pieces for me now.

I would start a very beginner on some type of ceramic V rods. All they have to learn is to hold level in two directions as they move the knive. Remember someone asked what I thought was good for beginner, I am not critical of bench stones.

FWIW, I personally thought the advice was great. So many people are stymied by sharpening that there are knife sharpeners at every gun show I go to. There are services in every knife store, and now at the Bass Pro Shops, and even in the gun shops. So there seems to be a lack of ability in the sharpening area for some reason or another for the average Joe.

I think most of the sharpening challenged would enjoy their knives more if they could put a really sharp edge on their knives themselves without a lot of hassle. No matter how it was done, regardless of what tool was used to do it.

Robert

 

[jujigatame]

So there seems to be a lack of ability in the sharpening area for some reason or another for the average Joe.

I think most of the sharpening challenged would enjoy their knives more if they could put a really sharp edge on their knives themselves without a lot of hassle. No matter how it was done, regardless of what tool was used to do it.

Robert

The more one cares for and/or depends on their knife the more inclined they are to make an effort at sharpening. If you care enough to want to keep the knife in top condition then you will endeavor to find the patience to deal with sharpening, and it can be an exercise in patience at times. I wish I hadn't needed to spend an hour or so to give my new GEC slim trapper a real, functional edge but such was the case, and I knew it was a legit possibility from the start. If I didn't want to invest the time in sharpening I'd have been left with two options - return it and hope for better luck next time, or stick it in the drawer and not carry it. Since neither of those was very appealing I went with door # 3 and was rewarded with a knife that's a pleasure to look at and cut with.


-- Nate