Tarwar arrived!

[ferguson]

And is it something. Fit & finish normal. Blade is straight & true, excellent. Plenty sharp enough for a sword, but you know me. Just had to dress the edge up a little with my belt grinder. 120 grit, then 220, 400 cork, 15 micron, 600 cork, then green compound on the back of a worn out belt. WOW! This is the only blade I've ever been scared of. I don't think it would even slow down until it hit bone.

I'm no swordsman, but the balance feels great. The handle is big enough for my two smallish hands. The only thing Sher could have done better is the guard. It's pretty rough, and will require some work, but the quality of everything else is very good. I'd buy a truckload of these if I could afford them.

Man this thing is sharp!

 

[ferguson]

Poor pic of the blade edge.

 

[Bill Martino]

Holy Toledo!

 

[Ankerson]

The only thing Sher could have done better is the guard. It's pretty rough, and will require some work, but the quality of everything else is very good.

Mine is the same, the guard is alittle rough too.

But like yours everything else is great.

 

[Ferrous Wheel]

the reflecting light makes it look that way. If it is, thatz reely k001.

Keith

 

[ferguson]

Yes Ferrous it's fullered the entire length. Blade is really done well on this one.

Steve

 

[Bill Martino]

That was a nice run of tarwars. Of course, they didn't look like our standard tarwar but who cares?

 

[Daniel Koster]

Steve,

I just bought a cork belt. I've been teetering for a while because not too many folks use them and there's not enough info floating around.

How has yours been? Is it all it's cracked up to be?

Also, have you ever used a leather belt to sharpen (on a sander/grinder)? I've only ever found one place to get them and they're $20-25 so I want to make sure I know what I'm getting into.

Seems like it would speed up the stropping process...

Dan

 

[Yvsa]

Originally posted by pendentive
Steve,

I just bought a cork belt. I've been teetering for a while because not too many folks use them and there's not enough info floating around.

How has yours been? Is it all it's cracked up to be?

I would like to know more about the cork belts as well.

Also, have you ever used a leather belt to sharpen (on a sander/grinder)?

Dan, I've thought about it and the only thing stopping me is that I don't have a variable speed motor on my Grizz.

I've only ever found one place to get them and they're $20-25 so I want to make sure I know what I'm getting into.

Seems like it would speed up the stropping process...

Dan

Dan it would speed up the stropping process if you can get the belt speed down to a reasonable level.
You can make your own leather belt if you have a resource for belting straps that long. Mine is a 2" X 72" and all I would have to do is cut a long rectangular piece off and skive both ends and glue with contact cement, just not that hard at all.
I'm worried that the belt speed on my Grizz is just way to fast though, although maybe real light passes on the edge might suffice?
And this is one time you have to make sure you've glued your belt up for the correct direction of travel.
There's nothing like getting slapped up alongside your head with a fast moving belt of any kind!!!!!!!
Speaking from experience with a multiple horsepower motor and a 6" by several feet long belt, they were especially made just for us.

 

[ferguson]

Hello Dan and Yvsa! Keep in mind that I'm really a newbie at knifemaking with only 6 under my belt. But I found this thread on Custom Knife Directory forums that was really interesting. Cork Belts
It didn't work for me Exactly like it did for others, but it is pretty amazing how well they work when used as discussed in that thread.
Basically you take a 400 grit cork belt and grind like hell on some scrap for a total of 10 minutes to wear the peaks off of the abrasive coated cork granules. Then you load it with green polishing compound and you can really shine up a blade. I did it with 600 also, to go one step further.

I haven't used plain cork, or leather. But I do use the back of a flexible 220 grit belt, loaded with green compound, to strop with. Works pretty well for me.

If you have more questions, I'll try to answer them, just remember I'm still green.

Steve

 

[wildmanh]

Ferguson, Wow! That is a nice Tarwar. You sure did a great job sharpening her up. Would love to see her at the Convention if possible.