Yes.. 1 more sharpening question

B

bladefrienzy

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Nov 6, 2004
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OK, all you edge gurus, I need some help, I am pretty effecient at sharpening anthing with an edge, but I have come across a toughie. I have an emerson mini commander that I have sharpened on both sides (mini commander comes with both sides of the blade ground, but a single edge) since it is such a small blade and also a recurve I don't have many options at my diposal for sharpening. My DMT's are all too wide, so I cut the new edge on my belt grinder (kept cool of course) and all I have to sharpen it with is my sharpmaker, I need to thin the edge down some more, but don't want to risk any more time on the grinder as the knife is new and was a gift. These blades are thick for their size and have very short bevels so the edge is thick, any cheap and easy ideas. I have done this to one other Emerson, with great results, although it was not a recurve. I was hoping to realy add to the utility factor of this knife as well, but I am at a standstill on it.
 
Use a dowel wrapped with coarse grit sand paper or the edge of a coarse stone. Use progressively finer grits until you get the edge you want. Works great on recurve edges.
 
You can use the corners of a benchstone for sharp curves, if you go with sandpaper, get the most coarse grade you can for shaping.

-Cliff
 
I would second the dowel+Sandpaper idea. Make sure you get decent sandpaper. Not the sandpaper for sanding wood dry. Best something from a automotive supply. Don't use to rough a grit, it doesn't roll up very well when you roll it around the dowel. 220 or 320 should work well.

Cliffs suggestion with the corners of the benchstones works well, too, but you might have to radius the corner a bit. Its very difficult to work with if the corner is too sharp.
 
HoB said:
Don't use to rough a grit, it doesn't roll up very well when you roll it around the dowel.
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I never liked dowels, all the pressure goes on one thin line, for recurves I prefer thin flat strips of hardwood, if you take a 0.5 x 1 cm strip and wrap the paper all around it you have now three different surfaces to attack curves with. Clark was the first one I saw note to use the corners of Benchstones.

-Cliff
 
Yes that is a good idea as well. At home I use "popsical sticks" that you can buy in the arts and crafts store onto which I have glued some sandpaper. The advantage with the dowel is, that you can match the radius of the dowel to the radius of the recurve. This way you get very smooth transitions very easily and you avoid concentrating the pressure on one line.

Well, for once I am not quite willing to give Jeff Clark the credit for the corners of the benchstones. The japanese have always been using both the long thin side as well as the long wide side for their knives. They also use the corners and even split their stones to give them the right shape for the task. and finally there are the water-slip stones which are essentially waterstones which are intended to be used mostly with a corner. Like these:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=33015&cat=1,43072,43071&ap=1
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=33013&cat=1,43072,43071&ap=1
 
HoB said:
Well, for once I am not quite willing to give Jeff Clark the credit for the corners of the benchstones.
Click to expand...

In general he doesn't claim to have invented a lot of the techniques he describes, the rocking Sharpmaker 10/30 is obviously his, but he did bring a lot of into light on the forums. Goddard and him both have the same approach to burr removal angle wise, which is opposite to the standard doctrine of leave the burr for the strop that Lee describes, I would assume lots of other people who also came to the same conclusion independently, but who generally makes it known publically first tends to get the most credit.

...even split their stones to give them the right shape for the task.
Click to expand...

I cut mine into small pieces, that way I get four sides to use before I need to lap them, plus I find it easier for shaping that way.

-Cliff
 
Please don't misunderstand me, I have great respect for Jeff, and am the first to admit his contribution to this field. Hey, I am using his technique of burr removal, too. So I for one am very thankful for his presence on this forum.

I bought separate slipstones for that, I agree, they are really handy. I can not bear the though of cutting up my benchstones though :eek:.
 
Mine are cheap, one of my friends just suggested I break them on a rock as that is what they do to sharpen parangs. You don't carry a 3x8" stone in the woods, but a little chunk is very portable. I only cut up waterstones, you can do that easily with a saw, I don't imagine it would work as well on a piece of black arkansas.

-Cliff
 
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