trouble sharpening a Barkie

F

Foilist

Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
3,863
I sharpen my Bark Rivers with the sandpaper/mousepad method. I have never had any trouble with my Mini Canadian, but recently I've been unable to restore the edge on my Northstar. What's going on here?

I am using 1000 and 2000 grit wet/dry paper backed by stiff foam material on a hard surface. I am following the instructions expalined on that Barkie sharpening link that's been going around. My Mini Canadian gets shaving sharp, but not my Northstar. It has a usable edge, but it doesn't slice paper or shave hair as it once did.

Advice, please?
 
try raising the spine a few degrees. the mini canadian might have a thinner edge angle, and being used to that, you might not be hitting the edge on the northstar.

try the sharpie trick to see if you are actually hitting the edge or just behind it. color the edge area with a sharpie and take a pass or two. look to see where the sharpie has been rubbed off. adjust your angle so that you are hitting the edge.
 
Hey Foilist,
Yes. Do the sharpie marker before raising the spine. On the Northstar, the convex curve is more acute (is that right?). A very low angle is fine for the mini-Canadian, but the Northstar wants a little bit more...not much....just a little more. IF by chance you've already gone and sharpened at too high of an angle (which I've done out of frustration), you'll have to bring it back down. If you don;t, you'll find yourself finishing the edge at well over 45 degrees (22.5/22.5). In my opinion, that's way too steep.

Try starting at about 600 grit or so, and do nice smooth strokes at the lowest angle possible while still feeling and hearing the grit on the edge. No pressure, of course, and lots of strokes. Then work your way up through the grades to your 2000, all the while being careful not to try to hasten it by lifting the spine too high.

Good luck! :thumbup:
 
Thanks - that makes sense. I think I have been using too acute an angle, i.e. with the blade too flat. I'll try starting with coarser grits too.

The knife is usefully sharp, but I'm not satisfied since I know how sharp it once was.
 
Well, what I meant by "too acute" was by rasing the spine too high, increasing the angle too much. Of course, if you've been sharpening with the spine too flat, well that's a good thing. THat means you only have to increase the angle a tad or three at a time until you start getting your edge again :thumbup:
 
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