Hi everyone, I have recently got my hands on a F1, but I have been told I can't sharpen it using a my water stones or a Faulkniven ceramic sharpener is this right, and how should I sharpen it?
Many thanks
Shaun
Many thanks
Shaun
Fallkniven F1 sharpening
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no reason whatsoever why you can't sharpen it with either of those things
as to how you should sharpen it; gently, slowly, and carefully - it's one of those things that i can show you how to do but couldn't explain in a million years
stuart
as to how you should sharpen it; gently, slowly, and carefully - it's one of those things that i can show you how to do but couldn't explain in a million years
stuart
Shaun- it has a convex edge, so wheras you can sharpen then with those items, you will need to take a lot of care, and there is a bit of a danger in you reducing the convex edge if you mess up. I have gone over to wet and dry paper and a mousemat with my fallkniven S1 for that purpose- plenty of advice around on how to use this type of sharpener (and some good videos on you tube). I found ebay a good place to get extremely fine grit wet and dry paper.
Good luck.
Good luck.
They probably told you that because the F1 is a convex grind rather than a flat grind. It is possible to sharpen convex grinds on a flat stone but it is harder.
Put a bit of wet n dry on a mousemat and strop (spine leading) and that will sharpen it up
Put a bit of wet n dry on a mousemat and strop (spine leading) and that will sharpen it up
Who the hell seriously thinks that because something has a convex grind that its impossible to sharpen them with ceramic or waterstones?
Come on, hands up you spanners.
Come on, hands up you spanners.
I think you can, but it takes some time to master the skills. I don't even attempt, glad enough I can get a scandi (V-shaped grind) nice and sharp. I use a Hoodoo hone for my F1, which works great, costs next to nothing and is easy in use.
Have a look here: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11571
Just swap the wooden board for a piece of computer mouse (foam) pad.
To say that you cannot sharpen a full convex with flat sharpening hones (because the bevels are curved and the hone is flat) is as correct as saying you cannot draw a curved line with a straight pencil 
Try this for size, it might not be waterstones or DC4 that I use, (I'm a fan of DMT hones) but the principal is exactly the same for all flat hones .....
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?110303-Sharpening-Convexes-with-Flat-Hones
Try this for size, it might not be waterstones or DC4 that I use, (I'm a fan of DMT hones) but the principal is exactly the same for all flat hones .....
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?110303-Sharpening-Convexes-with-Flat-Hones
To say that you cannot sharpen a full convex with flat sharpening hones (because the bevels are curved and the hone is flat) is as correct as saying you cannot draw a curved line with a straight pencil
Try this for size, it might not be waterstones or DC4 that I use, (I'm a fan of DMT hones) but the principal is exactly the same for all flat hones .....
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?110303-Sharpening-Convexes-with-Flat-Hones
What Ian said!!
My best.
Chris.
I have an F1 and it took me a few attempts with the old mousemat/paper method.
Initially I did more blunting than sharpening of the F1 and was getting pretty frustrated. Then I realised that the pressure applied to the blade on the paper was the most important factor, and you have to get a feel for it.
Now my F1 is always like a razor
Initially I did more blunting than sharpening of the F1 and was getting pretty frustrated. Then I realised that the pressure applied to the blade on the paper was the most important factor, and you have to get a feel for it.
Now my F1 is always like a razor
Not me, but I will now.
Its a lot harder to sharpen with flat stones, as the knife is convex. A sandpaper and mousemat method is very cheap to make, and once made, it takes you 60 seconds to sharpen your F1 to razor sharp. Also, as a newcomer to the sharpening world, this method is easier to keep your bevel true and straight as each stroke contacts the whole bevel.
Dont confuse newcomers with complex methods when its clear the mosuemat and sandpapre method is easier. Yes its possible to sharpen it on a river rock, but its not as easy.
I start off lightly pressing down on the blade so that the pressure applied is just ever so slightly more than the weight of the blade itself. It sometimes takes a while, but it stops the paper from raising up at the point of the blade when dragged - essentially blunting the edge, requiring you to start over again.
This was the first tutorial I came across after I bought my F1, and the technique works for me: http://knol.google.com/k/sharpening-convex-edged-knives
I'm amazed! I have been sharpening my F1 for a couple of years using my wetstones, but always felt like it could have been sharper. Now, from reading this thread, I understand why...the convex grind!
I went and got some 400 and 600 grit wetanddry paper and stuck it to an old mousemat and VOILA, the best edge I have got yet!
Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
Chris
I went and got some 400 and 600 grit wetanddry paper and stuck it to an old mousemat and VOILA, the best edge I have got yet!
Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
Chris
