Okay, they have been out awhile. I have no experience sharpening this type of Convex edge but with several Busse being made this way, I figure it's time to learn the proper way. I know stropping is the stated technique for doing so and I have the strops to do it. I want to make sure I am doing it right so please explain what your doing, the approximate angle your holding when stropping and any other info you might want to share. With the new Muk that is coming, it will also have to be maintained in the same way I am guessing. I do strop all my edges for the finishing touch however, this edge is different than any I have now and want to be certain before I go any further with my technique. Thanks.
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Your technique for sharpening a CABS
- Thread starter Super X
- Start date
Bigfattyt
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2007
- Messages
- 19,240
Strop, buffing compound, light touch!
Take the knife, lay it on the strop. increase the angle till you just start to feel like it is biting (you don't have to actually cut the leather, just feel the edge stops sliding on the shoulder and wants to slice the leather). That is your angle. Use the weight of the knife. No more. On small knives. With big knives, I actually lift to keep the full weight of the knife off.
The leather is soft, and will wrap back up and actually dull the edge with too much pressure.
The real key to stropping is light touch, and make sure you are actually getting the edge. I do strop the shoulder to keep a nice polish up higher, but only the very edge needs to get hit for sharpening.
Super easy to do once you get the hang of it. Much easier than sharpening with a stone or my lansky system.
I just strop them at the end of the day if I have cut stuff.
If they are pretty sharp, you only need a minute or two to touch up the edge.
Here is a quick down and dirty explanation.
http://www.knivesshipfree.com/pages/Sharpening-Videos
There are about 5 or 6 video's showing the basics. Very handy info. Also covers using sandpaper over a mousepad for when the edge gets dinged or really dull.
Take the knife, lay it on the strop. increase the angle till you just start to feel like it is biting (you don't have to actually cut the leather, just feel the edge stops sliding on the shoulder and wants to slice the leather). That is your angle. Use the weight of the knife. No more. On small knives. With big knives, I actually lift to keep the full weight of the knife off.
The leather is soft, and will wrap back up and actually dull the edge with too much pressure.
The real key to stropping is light touch, and make sure you are actually getting the edge. I do strop the shoulder to keep a nice polish up higher, but only the very edge needs to get hit for sharpening.
Super easy to do once you get the hang of it. Much easier than sharpening with a stone or my lansky system.
I just strop them at the end of the day if I have cut stuff.
If they are pretty sharp, you only need a minute or two to touch up the edge.
Here is a quick down and dirty explanation.
http://www.knivesshipfree.com/pages/Sharpening-Videos
There are about 5 or 6 video's showing the basics. Very handy info. Also covers using sandpaper over a mousepad for when the edge gets dinged or really dull.
Last edited:
Bigfattyt,
Yes, I am familiar with stropping however, most convex edges have a high shoulder or wider edge, where the CABS has no shoulder and a very small convex edge. I have stropped this knife a little when I first got it but it was still a little dull at the tip. My second attempt, I scratched the satin finish a little as I held the angle to low so I knew my technique was not right. To keep from doing this again, I knew the angle would have to be held higher than what I considered normal for a convex edge and why I asked what others were doing and their approximate angle they were holding before I attempt it again. I will try and find the angle based on your technique. Thanks for your reply.
Yes, I am familiar with stropping however, most convex edges have a high shoulder or wider edge, where the CABS has no shoulder and a very small convex edge. I have stropped this knife a little when I first got it but it was still a little dull at the tip. My second attempt, I scratched the satin finish a little as I held the angle to low so I knew my technique was not right. To keep from doing this again, I knew the angle would have to be held higher than what I considered normal for a convex edge and why I asked what others were doing and their approximate angle they were holding before I attempt it again. I will try and find the angle based on your technique. Thanks for your reply.
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- Mar 10, 2002
- Messages
- 19,806
i was told by garth that this why sanford named it's marker a "sharpie"
.
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Thanks for this thread, I hope I can ask some questions here too...
do u guys use compound or diamondpaste to strop your knives????
I wanna know cause I just reprofiled my sar3 with sandpaper and don't exactly know how to
give it a shaving sharp edge know..... it already slices paper pretty good, but I won't be happy until
its a razor!
I once heard that black compound equals about a 600grit sandpaper, is this true?
thanks!
do u guys use compound or diamondpaste to strop your knives????
I wanna know cause I just reprofiled my sar3 with sandpaper and don't exactly know how to
give it a shaving sharp edge know..... it already slices paper pretty good, but I won't be happy until
its a razor!
I once heard that black compound equals about a 600grit sandpaper, is this true?
thanks!
