Trying to sharpen a convex Condor Bushlore...and not succeeding.

T

Timblade

Joined
May 31, 2006
Messages
82
Hi All,

First, I hope I have this post in the correct forum. If not, Mods, please feel free to relocate.
I purchased a Condor Bushlore and set out to sharpen it using the sandpaper/leather stop technique. After seeking some advise on this forum, I began with wet/dry sandpaper in grits beginning with 200, then with 500, then finally with 1,200. I then moved to a leather strop impregnated with black polishing compound and then one with green compound. Using this technique, I was able to get two different carbon steel Moras to hair-shaving sharpness, but I can't seem to get the Bushlore to do anything but pull hair at best. I'm using the same techniques, backing the sandpaper with a mouse pad, and trying to be careful not to push too hard when sharpening so that I don't end up rolling the edge that I just put on. Any suggestions on what I'm doing wrong? I hear that Condor's 1075 steel isn't necessarily the best in world, but I have also heard that some people can get it to amazing sharpness. I'd love to switch to stones, but I want to keep the convex edge...at least for now.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
 
Use your stones to get it sharp as you can, then use the mouse pad trick to add the convex edge to it. The 1075 should sharpen up nicely and easily. Go easy on the strop, especially the black side. Good luck.

Blessings,

Omar
 
Just out of curiosity have you tried the sharpie trick?
Does the edge reflect the light?
Let's cover all the bases first.
 
I have a condor Hudson Bay. Sharp enough to jump hairs after a little work.

Nothing wrong with the steel on mine. It sharpens and holds edge just as I would expect 1075 to.
 
You could try maintaining the convex profile and do it on your stones if you're more comfortable with them, just have to work the curve in sections. I had a mini-bushlore that just would not hold a fine edge under any sort of use, finally sharpened it up fairly coarse and that seemed to suit it. Hate to say, I threw it in the trash when I moved.

I have two Imacasa machetes using 1075 steel and they both take and hold a fine edge very well, which made me very suspicious of the HT on my mini. Have successfully resisted the urge to buy other products from them.
 
Someone gave me a Imacasa (also make knives with Condor label) rambo knife. It sucks so bad after 2 sharpening and it got neglect instead of throw it out, you know I didn't want to be disrespectful with a gift ;) It got a nice rust going. After seeing so many post on how Condor knives (in 1075 steel) are great, so I removed about 1mm off the edge/apex and sharpened it. Now, the edge can hair whittling sharp with decent retention and tough. I think, Imacasa/Condor factory grind ruined/de-tempered the edge. Depth of the ruin layer probably proportional to behind-the-edge thickness. Well for my knife, took 1mm to get to good steel - I could have try taking 0.5mm off first but no point for a knife about to becomes a 1075 steel bar.
 
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