sharpening

There's probably a bunch of links that will show people how to properly address a blade they want to sharpen. Briefly:

1. The sharpening tool depends on the blade being addressed, I only use stones on knives, I only use files on axes.

2. Serrated edges and chainsaws...take them to an expert, or with your chainsaw, find a really old buggered up chain somewhere to practice on.

3. For straight edges, follow the edge and angle of the edge with your sharpener. After a short bit of practice you'll get a feel for it.

4. Rick mentioned in another thread that his knives aren't sharp enough to shave with. About time someone admitted it, remember Crocodile Dundee? Most times if someone sharpens a knife that sharp they ruin the edge on the first couple of uses.

5. Axes can definitely be over-sharpened. Splitting axes anyway. If you get a splitting axe really really really sharp, good for you, it's going to stick in the first bit of sap that it meets in the log.

Just a few basics, as you were, smoke 'em if you got 'em.

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Originally Posted by trax

4. Rick mentioned in another thread that his knives aren't sharp enough to shave with. About time someone admitted it, remember Crocodile Dundee? Most times if someone sharpens a knife that sharp they ruin the edge on the first couple of uses.

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I have never had that problem...

I use a stone puck on my axe and only use a file if I need to really remove metal and rework a bevel and the cutting edge. If you slide your finger across my axe your finger will stick and you will get cut, same with my knifes. If I can drop the edge onto a round and it doesn't bite then I either strop or grab my puck because the blade is dull.

I like to use 1500 or 2000 grit sandpaper to sharpen my knifes and it works very well. If I wanted to sharpen a knife to shave sharp I would bump up to 8000 grit and hone it like it was a straight razor.


-JRJ

When I worked as a drill helper in the bush I kept one axe hidden from the other helpers. I kept it sharp for fine work, the splitting axe never had to be that sharp and I know a lot of guys who've done that kind of work agree, too sharp sticks in the log.

I agree it should be sharp enough to bite on the drop, but that's it.

Axes sharp for curring and dull for spliting

My knives feel sharp to the touch.

Most will not shave hair.

One or two can shave hair and that is what I use them for.

The rest have what my grand dad would call a working edge.

Don

I was always under the belief the sharper the edge, the better the edge durability. For one it cuts better into its medium and the cutting line is focused on a smaller area, thus less edge material abrasion. A dull knife is better for hacking and whacking hard wood, though the shape of the bevel plays a big factor here too.

I suppose it also depends on the knife and application. My SRK isn't going to have a Scandenavian grind on it anytime soon because of the rough work i do with it, but my mora (when I get it) will certainly be kept hair-splitting sharp.

What's the advantage over a working edge? I do pretty much what I want to do with a knive. It's sharp and it cuts or whittles or whatever. What benefit is there in being so sharp you can shave with it?

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Originally Posted by Rick

What's the advantage over a working edge? I do pretty much what I want to do with a knive. It's sharp and it cuts or whittles or whatever. What benefit is there in being so sharp you can shave with it?

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So you can cut yourself ALL the way to the bone when you slip, instead of only partially. It makes getting out of work that much easier. :D

Seriously, if you want to shave, get a effin straight razor with a handle. I may be borderline OCD about some things, but if the knife gets the job done it's sharp enough. If not, I have another one right here. :)

Well, for once I wasn't trying to be a smart azz. I really wanted to know. I know a LOT of guys that keep a shaving edge on the knives and I've never understood the benefit. I do what they do and don't do what they don't do. So I don't understand.

I keep my knife sharp but not enough to shave hair, I have the Spyderco sharpening system, Makes life that much easier, I think i have an old arcensaw stone around somewhere but i havent used it in awhile

From my understanding, the term 'shaving sharp' doesn't imply the blade needs to be thin like a razor and thus degrades durability. Rather, microscopically the edge has all burrs removed and the metal tuned to a fine edge. So instead of a rounded edge, again microscopically, you have a pointed hone. Taken to an extreme anecdote, it'd be similar to cutting with the rounded back of a spoon verses the flat back of a butter knife.

Yeah, but I've seen so many guys with bare patches on their arms because their knife was literally shaving sharp.

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Originally Posted by Rick

Yeah, but I've seen so many guys with bare patches on their arms because their knife was literally shaving sharp.

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I like to keep a knife that sharp, that's usually where I test them (yep, got the bare patches lol) . It's good to have something that sharp if you're skinning anything. I have one of those diamond embedded stones, but my preference is the soft and hard Arkansas stones with a bit of light oil. I'm not into laying out huge bucks for a knife. If you tell me your $250 knife is better than my $25 knife I have to wonder if it's ten times better. I can always go buy more, I've never broken a knife blade off in the field and I've used some knives for some very much "not knife" kind of work.

I bought a jig and stone for a Dremel to sharpen a chain saw blade. But I didn't align the angle to the mark on the jig, I simply kept the angle that was already on the tooth, the thing sharpens very well and I'm happy with it.

I must admit I have the bald patches too. Not all my knives are kept that sharp, I agree a skinning knife razor sharp is nice, a chpper not so much. The small fixed blade I carried for years would not hold the razor edge very long but it didn't need to, my folder is always sharp enought to shave with and my little Case stckman is also shaveing sharp. I also carry to many knives. :D

I keep mine as sharp as I need them for the job. I have several methods that I use. Various coarse and fine oil stones and pucks, files, carbide sharpeners, lasky kit. I always carry a little carbide sharpener that fits on my keyring (Sterling) - does a nice job and weighs next to nothing. I must confess that sometimes I too end up with bald patches on my forearm.

I have an $8 Gerber diamond sharpener that I use on my next to nothing knife. I gotta be doin' something wrong. Shouldn't I have spent like $40 on the sharpener and at least $300 on the knife? (snicker)

All of my sharpeners (except the lasky kit ($20 at a gun show)) are under $10. Bought a small Smith's at Wally World - carbide on one end, ceramic on the other for under $3.

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Originally Posted by crashdive123

All of my sharpeners (except the lasky kit ($20 at a gun show)) are under $10. Bought a small Smith's at Wally World - carbide on one end, ceramic on the other for under $3.

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I have a few of those, keep thim in my BOBs paid $5 at Gander Mountain Dooooh,,,,,head slaps self

I love sharpening, don't know why, anyways the only knife I keep razor sharp is my fillet knife. The rest are just sharp.

Out on the coast here we use mauls that u don't sharpen for wood cutting.douglas fir,pine,spruce & alder

Wow you must have some big dudes up there I have onlt used mauls for spliting.

I use a 20 tonne hydralic splitter......;)

Mauls are cheaper :D

Yeah but malls get so crowded. Ya know, with all the kids running around.

How in the world do you swing a 20 ton hydraulic splitter? But I'll bet it splits the wood first time, every time if its that heavy.

I can't beat a 20 ton maul, maybe a 30 ton but that's just overkill. I have always carried very sharp tools. I learned when I was very young how to get a great edge on whatever. Some people don't know sharp. I was working in an airport and the nice lady wouldn't let me thru because I drove their metal detector crazy. She checked my tools and pulled out a cable knife. Before I could warn her she ran her thumb down the little blade. Needless to say I didn't get in. We also sharpened snips the same way, just takes lots of practice.

Oh, man. That hurt to just read it. My gaffs were always on the money and my snips were always sharp as spit but that's about the only thing I kept honed that fine.

How to sharpen a knife:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Knif...pening-Tricks/

The sharper a knife is the easier it cuts though it's intended medium. Less effort and really a bit more control, cause you're not fighting it.
I use a convex edge on most all of my real "working" knives, and hatchets and machetes , you can easily shave with my hatchet and and splitting or chopping don't hurt it.

I have the bald patches on my arms too, that's how I know when my knives are sharp. My best knives are made out of 1095 steel, when sharpened correctly you can (and I have) shave with them. The 1095 steel also holds the edge extremely well. I don't mind the extra care that you need to do with 1095.

This is another almost like the best knife. Well I kinda like a double bit ax , one edge almost flat, razor sharp with a stone. The other convex with the first edge extra sharp with a secondary edge for splitting. Hatchet, stone just like the splitting edge of the ax. Now to knives, all shaving sharp and the edge depends on the use. I like a thin carbon flat grind for slicing, use a hard stone. SAK blades will shave but doesn't get hard work I just hit it often with a steel. Belt knife K-Bar is a 7" razor with a sharpened false edge that will also shave. Heavy use so it's a rolled edge that will stay. All my cutting gear will shave and I touch up often and seldom use a file, and never on a knife. Chain saws I also make sure I have the correct size file, touch up every other tank following the chain's angle. I don't file just touch up and never use a grinder of any kind. If the saw cuts at an angle you either filed one side too much or you're putting pressure on your strong side. Scandi grind is easy to sharpen with a hard stone and don't change the angle since it's laminated. Slicing, skinning hollow grind is best but be careful with the thin edge. The K-Bar needs a very sharp yet strong edge and I like the sharp false edge for a back cut but not needed. I kinda depend on what I plan to use the tool for.:)

knifes should be outlawed i dont cary one when i need one i just take it off somewon else

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Originally Posted by Jason_Montana

knifes should be outlawed i dont cary one when i need one i just take it off somewon else

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Good trick. Nobody carries just one and you may leave with a hole or two leaking red stuff.

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Originally Posted by Jason_Montana

knifes should be outlawed i dont cary one when i need one i just take it off somewon else

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Stony?......Is that you Stony?

Jason - Too funny.:D

I use a small belt sander with a 200 grit belt on most of mine or a norton 8 inch stone.
I started with a lansky kit then moved to the stone. I have found that any thing can be gotten razor sharp with a little patience and work. My machetes and hatchets are kept just under razor sharp while maintaining the proper angle for that edge.
I must be doing something right i sharpen a good many of them at work. lol

dragonjimm, I know what ya mean, everybody around here has me do theirs. Sometimes it can be too much. I did one for a work buddy and the next day he brought a box full of knives from home and asked for me to sharpen all of them.

Hand him back nubs.

"Dang man. Those were hard to sharpen. Had take quite a bit off to get down to good metal."