SURVIVOR! Try stick

It just depends. You have to inspect the blade. But to touch up I strop a few times on and inspect. My strop has 4 sides with black - coarse, green - med, white - fine and leather with no compound so I start with back and work my way to leather with equal numbers of passes and inspect. One thing I learned from Guy is to really inspect the blade for folds and nicks. This is pretty obvious but I didn't realize what I was missing. Anyway, from there I test all my blades with my thumbnail to make sure it glides without any catches. Then move to paper to see how easily it cuts and to see if there any nicks. Nicks will catch on paper and/or paper will collect in a nick. I then look for folds. With my 01 and 10x5 blades I simply keep stroping until there are no folds. With 3v it just depends on how bad it is. For example I was recently using my 5.1 on some oak and after a while I had two pretty long folds. I tried to strop it a few times but the folds were not budging. I went to my diamond stones, extra coarse, coarse, med, fine and extra fine and finished with a strop and I was able to get it to "Guy sharp" or at least very close.

Sorry to tell you how to build the clock when you asked what time it is but the main thing is to inspect to determine what to use to sharpen and how much sharpening you need. I've found that you can maintain 3v, 20 cv, and or anything over 60 rockwell with a strop but it'll be REALLY hard to polish out a nick or a fold with a strop.
 
I'm with rxavage, I have a long ways to go with freehand sharpening skills, so posts like this are helpful!

OBX, it sounds like your system works really well for you and I'm sure you get an impressive edge, but as far as "Guy sharp" I'm not sure any of us can achieve that at home... it is rumored the finishing step before blades leave the SURVIVE! shop is a quick strop right on Guy's own beard!
 
OBX351 said:
It just depends. You have to inspect the blade. But to touch up I strop a few times on and inspect. My strop has 4 sides with black - coarse, green - med, white - fine and leather with no compound so I start with back and work my way to leather with equal numbers of passes and inspect. One thing I learned from Guy is to really inspect the blade for folds and nicks. This is pretty obvious but I didn't realize what I was missing. Anyway, from there I test all my blades with my thumbnail to make sure it glides without any catches. Then move to paper to see how easily it cuts and to see if there any nicks. Nicks will catch on paper and/or paper will collect in a nick. I then look for folds. With my 01 and 10x5 blades I simply keep stroping until there are no folds. With 3v it just depends on how bad it is. For example I was recently using my 5.1 on some oak and after a while I had two pretty long folds. I tried to strop it a few times but the folds were not budging. I went to my diamond stones, extra coarse, coarse, med, fine and extra fine and finished with a strop and I was able to get it to "Guy sharp" or at least very close.

Sorry to tell you how to build the clock when you asked what time it is but the main thing is to inspect to determine what to use to sharpen and how much sharpening you need. I've found that you can maintain 3v, 20 cv, and or anything over 60 rockwell with a strop but it'll be REALLY hard to polish out a nick or a fold with a strop.
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No need to feel bad. I enjoyed what you have shared. I don't have a 3V yet and the only CPM-20CV I have is the Benchmade Griptilian with G-10 handles. What you have said will be great info for me. Never hurts to learn more, even if it's info which I already knew because there just might be something which I missed out. Once again, thank you so much!
 
Silver Needle said:
I'm with rxavage, I have a long ways to go with freehand sharpening skills, so posts like this are helpful!

OBX, it sounds like your system works really well for you and I'm sure you get an impressive edge, but as far as "Guy sharp" I'm not sure any of us can achieve that at home... it is rumored the finishing step before blades leave the SURVIVE! shop is a quick strop right on Guy's own beard!
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Since beard do grow and needs trimming, he should keep them and sell them out as Guy strop.
 
rxavage said:
This is really shameful to admit, I don't know how to sharpen a knife well. Like I can get an ok working edge, not shaving sharp or anything. I should probably watch some videos and get a strop and such.
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Same here. I can get a decent edge but it's nowhere near to factory sharp plus my sharpening job looks pretty fugly until I strop the crap out of it. Some people make it look simple.
 
Just finished it up.
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Looking at all the try stick which you've made, I can't help but wonder if making one has become something of a natural instinct during your free time and when you are feeling bored? Lol! It happens to me whenever I am alone and bored, I will just pick up a twig and start slicing or feathering it.
 
Some of it is boredom!
I really haven't done much with the 3.5 and 6 that I have so it was time. They both did great but the 3.5 was easier because of it's size. I can't wait to see how the 4.7 works on one of these!
 
I always thought a smaller knife like the 3.5 would be easier to work with since it is much more controllable. Don't think you need the 4.5 bushcraft for that. You are already doing a fantastic job with what you have. Just love what you have done with your GSOs.
 
Thanks bud! I've been thinking about the 4.5 but I want to wait to try out my friends first. He's way more into bushcrafting than I am so he nearly wet his pants when he heard the news about them!
 
Standard78 said:
Thanks bud! I've been thinking about the 4.5 but I want to wait to try out my friends first. He's way more into bushcrafting than I am so he nearly wet his pants when he heard the news about them!
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Bushcrafting is the way to spend the most time with your knives. I don't do combat, don't do law enforcements, and I don't train in martial arts with a knife so tactical knives doesn't speak much at all to me although they look cool. Most of my friends are into folders and some into tactical knives, but I personally prefer bushcraft related knives. Bought a couple LT Wright knives and a couple Mora for that. My coming GSOs will greatly complement all the other bushcraft knives for more heavy duty work like light chopping and so on. I have a Silky Gomboy coming in and I think these items more or less should provide a complete survival cum bushcraft setup. When my 5.1 is here, it will be fun time! Sorry I was going a little off tangent. Would love to try out some try stick soon but I am having issues finding the right wood for it. The trees growing around me has got knots every inch or two from each other and it is hell to work with.
 
I saw this on the facebook page too and wanted to comment here, that "try stick" looks more like a "do stick" the curved notches are the most impressive! What did you make it out of again?
 
pjandyho said:
Bushcrafting is the way to spend the most time with your knives. I don't do combat, don't do law enforcements, and I don't train in martial arts with a knife so tactical knives doesn't speak much at all to me although they look cool. Most of my friends are into folders and some into tactical knives, but I personally prefer bushcraft related knives. Bought a couple LT Wright knives and a couple Mora for that. My coming GSOs will greatly complement all the other bushcraft knives for more heavy duty work like light chopping and so on. I have a Silky Gomboy coming in and I think these items more or less should provide a complete survival cum bushcraft setup. When my 5.1 is here, it will be fun time! Sorry I was going a little off tangent. Would love to try out some try stick soon but I am having issues finding the right wood for it. The trees growing around me has got knots every inch or two from each other and it is hell to work with.
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I feel the same way! I have absolutely no need for tactical stuff so that's why I only have the 3.5, 6, a Mora and a bunch of Swiss Army's.
This dowel material I great because it's knot free unlike everything available in my yard. Are there any hardware stores out in Singapore?
 
redwood22 said:
I saw this on the facebook page too and wanted to comment here, that "try stick" looks more like a "do stick" the curved notches are the most impressive! What did you make it out of again?
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Thank you bud! It takes a lot of finessing to get them prettied up because this stuff likes crack and flex. I've been using pine dowel material from Home Depot because it's knot free and I think it's kiln dried.
 
Silver Needle said:
When are you going to do a video, so I can see you in action and stop failing at the spoon???
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I still need to pick up some sort of recorder but this would be a really long and boring video! I probably have 2 hours in each one. I usually get a few notches done then I take a break and play with the dog until she crashes out then I start messing with it again.
 
You gotta tell me again how you get the bowl of the spoon! That is one technique I still completely lack.
 
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