Thanks to Jerry Fisk

Guyon

Guyon

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Jerry, everyone I spoke to at the Beckerhead Gathering talked about how much they got out of your sharpening tutorials and the contest you conducted.
It was a pleasure meeting you, talking with you, and learning from you. Thanks also for putting that insane edge on my personal BK-5. Both James and I used it in the contest, and it is still crazy sharp.
My wife and I own a place down in Alabama, and with that tangy apple butter, you've convinced me I need to to make better use of our crab apple tree there.
 
Hell I wasn't even there and I wanna thank him for the sharpening tutorials. I've watched the videos of his instructions and my blades have never been sharper. Even with a belt sander with a bunch of different grits and a strop still couldnt be as sharp as they are with his technique. Thank you Mr. Fisk.
 
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Clich are the videos available on YouTube or is it a purchase thing? I'm always looking to learn more. I have a Murray Carter video but he uses a wet stone and if Mr. Fisk uses a belt sander that would expand my capability I am sure. Thanks.
 
DeAdEyE956 said:
Clich are the videos available on YouTube or is it a purchase thing? I'm always looking to learn more. I have a Murray Carter video but he uses a wet stone and if Mr. Fisk uses a belt sander that would expand my capability I am sure. Thanks.
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Jerry uses a stone and a piece of leather and when I use his technique i got my blades sharper then when I used a belt sander. Check out the beckerhead gathering moosezview thread for the videos.
 
When you watch Mr. Fisk up close using the belt grinder, it's like watching a violin player. You can see the subtle pressure changes as he moves it across the belt. He is really in tune with that blade. Incredible. What a treat that was.
 
that was such a good time...

and getting personal attention as well, in how to was great

later, i tried a couple blades myself on the belt, and dang, if they are not sharp as anything :) wow.

my sandwiches will always be "pre cut" because they are in fear of those edges, i'll never actually have to take a knife to them
 
Thanks folks, Bob and I had a great time. Food and company were both excellent. It was fun watching yall cut and it looks like most everyone did learn something. Thats always good. The BK 5 is a good design. The design is for medium duty usage and as yall saw it does well in that catagory. The Tweener Mag should cut the rope as well with the same technique, just a bit faster in the swing.
Most everyone knew how to cut well when they got there but it is always good to learn little tips of cutting if it applies to something similar out in the bush. As much fun as the cuts were, they all had real applications. I am still learning little tips and tricks of it too.
When I sharpen, I try to sharpen with what the average person may have handy, a stone and a piece of leather of some type. We had to use the belt to prepare the blades so they cut down resistance in the cuts and so they would take a proper edge. Just a stone is all that will be required for a long time now since the BK5 does hold a good edge. When you get through sharping your BK5 the only thing that should be sharper than the 5 is a Mother in laws tongue.
Once again, thanks to all of you for making us welcome and adding to the fun.
 
A sincere, and HUGE heartfelt thanks to you, Mr. Fisk. I know what you had to go through just a few days before arriving at the Gathering, and I am grateful.

All the knowledge I gained from you while I was there, will last longer than my lifetime, as I plan to pass it along.

Thank you and Bob again, it was an honor, and a priviledge. Plus, a helluva lotta fun. :D

Moose
 
Glad you made it, and glad we all got a chance to learn from you. The contests were a heck of a good time, and I will be honest, there may be a rope gallows setup in my future. The missus especially was keen to try whacking at that thing.
 
I don't know what I can possibly to a thread like this except for my own sincerest thanks and an echo of what these other fine folks have said. Thanks!
 
Thanks to Jerry Fisk for sharing his knowledge, and thanks to Moose for recording it, so those of us who couldn't afford the time or the travel to learn, too. I have a quick question for Mr. Fisk. Actually, as a neophyte designer I have a lot of questions, but I'll only ask one here. In the 2nd or 3rd Moose video, you start to talk about why the spine of the Magnum Camp blade is beveled, but then go on to something else. Can you please elaborate? Thanks again.
 
Mara, when you cut a deep cut, that is one that is wider than the blade or puts resistance in the cut near the spine, you have material flow of whatever you are cutting. Just like water flow around the front of a boat. The less resistance you put on the blade the better the flow around the blade. Sorta like the Japanese sword blades but this one meets even less resistance. It takes the weight off of the blade at its max thickness as well so it is lighter or faster in the swing. With the blade length of the BK5 if you had not put on the bevel then you still would not cut as well due to the length so to improve all you can get out of that blade length then you reduce the drag of the material flow to get the most out of it.
I do the same on my hunters because they just cut better. Not as wide due to the blade is simply smaller.
Hope that helps some. I am not real smart so it is hard to describe some things. If I was real smart then I would have been able to hold a job that time I had one instead of being self employed.
 
Jerry -- Thanks for the explanation. In simplest terms, the blade cross section is streamlined for the cut. And you've cleverly optimized blade length, width, edge shape, and cross section to provide great balance and speed in the hand. Designs like this, and what I'll bet is a large order backlog, proves you to be plenty smart. In science terms, you would be a great experimentalist, rather than theorist. In other words, you're field smart, rather than just book smart. And tools cut in the field, not in theory. I'd rather have a hunter design and refine a knife than a fluid dynamicist. Thanks again for the explanation, and the great design.
 
It's been said, but can't be said enough, thank you Mr. Fisk! I went into the cutting competitions Saturday with a little nervousness, but that was quickly subsided by your explanation of the BK5 and a lot of tips. Your guidance that day helped us all!
 
Jerry, I also want to say thanks for the work you did on my factory edged BK2. I really learned a lot and it really makes a difference. Thanks again!
 
and again, i have to say, thank you for the personal time and the sense of humor :) great to see you again. and again :> and Bob too, she's a legend!

and now i have 2 knives personaly sharpened by a national treasure. how cool is that? aside from owning 3 generations of the same model. woo! i'm humbled and honored.

btw, anything you can say about these? http://fisk-knives.com/FiskCo_Knives.html

damn, if this is not HOT HOT HOT

Fiskco-07_prototypes.jpg


sweet!

want want want!

though, honestly, i have a tweener magnum camp proto. i am beyond amazed at it, and humbled and en-joyed. it's lovely.
 
I read that the sharpening was finished on a fine India but aren't they orange?

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1320182484.213125.jpg
This is a screen cap from the video and the stone is black or dark grey.

B
 
Brian_T said:
I read that the sharpening was finished on a fine India but aren't they orange?

View attachment 239249
This is a screen cap from the video and the stone is black or dark grey.

B
Click to expand...

Um, that one has been used, but I assure you, it started out as orange. :D Jerry said that he had been using that stone for a while, on everything from swords to knives. Its seen some steel deposits. :D

Moose
 
Brian_T said:
I read that the sharpening was finished on a fine India but aren't they orange?

View attachment 239249
This is a screen cap from the video and the stone is black or dark grey.

B
Click to expand...


Hi Brian,
I was standing two feet away from Mr. Fisk and he was using a Norton two sided stone (that he'd been using for 25 years) with the red India on one side. It might be the oil on it makes it look darker, but that's what it was. Hope that helps.

Moose got ya while I was typing.
 
Hey guys. It is a fine India, yes, the whole thing did start out orange in 1986.
Glad yall like the sharpening technique. It works well for field use. I was not thinking really well for some reason, I guess excitement when I was there. I meant to let yall cut my personal Bowie knife but just slipped and did not get it said.

One of yall mentioned in a post lately that you needed another test. I got one for you if you want to try how fine and edge you can get on a #5 with the same sharpening method. If you want to try it let me know and I will post it up or let yall repost it to where you want it to go. I have a sack full of things you can try.
 
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