Mora Companion MG Heavy Duty- Sharpening?

[HW95J]

To start off- I'll introduce myself. I live in Scotland (East Coast) and I've been into bushcrafting for as long as I can remember. I use bushcrafting skills and techniques mainly when maintaining gardens etc but also for the simple fun of enjoying the outdoors.
My question is this- How in the name of all that is holy do you sharpen a Mora MG Heavy Duty? I've had this knife in my collection for a year or so now and I have had absolutely no luck in getting a good edge on it. I give it a shot, fail, then forget about it for a while before trying again. I've tried various whetstones, those pocket sharpeners with ceramic and carbide and in sheer desperation metal files (which have given the best results, if rugged). I have no issues with any of my other knives and I have a good few of them, all with respectable edges that do the job. This one knife, for all I appreciate its convenience in terms of carrying and not worrying about it getting knocked about, is cursed not to take an edge. Can someone please help me out here, it's driving me up the wall
Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[crosslandkelly]

Try this.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138801 About 11mins in.
or this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbyhqs3ZPkQ

 

[Robson Valley]

Just looked at the Mora page for that knife. They specify a total included bevel angle for this blade of 27 degrees (they add that the usual is 23 degrees.)
27 degrees means half angles of 13.5 degrees in a perfect world.

1. Using some sort of card that you can stand up, say 5 x 7", draw a horizontal then 2 criss-cross lines which are 13.5 degrees elevation. This thing will stand beside youor sharpening set-up.
2. Paint the bevel near the edge with black felt marker. Then you can see immediately what is happening.
3. Place your sharpening material parallel to the edge of the bench. Stand the card up parallel to that so you can see it.
4. I suggest a start on 800 grit. I use long strips of 3M automotive finishing sandpapers.
5. Stand up. Hold your forearms tight to your sides.
6. Elevate the knife to match the angle on the card.
7. Pull stroke only. Move your whole body. At the end, stop and lift the blade straight up, back to the start, straight down for another pull stroke.
Do 5 each side then examine the edge.
8. The thing to learn is to sharpen with your legs, not your arms.
9. I then switch to 1,000 grit then 1500 grit. That's enough for anything in my kitchen.
10. I'll hone on a card strop scribbled with CrOx/AlOx for all of my wood carving tools.

If you move your arms in any way, you run the risk of rounding off the edge at the end of each pull stroke = useless.
Don't expect perfection the first time. This is a freehand process to be learned. I've done it for so long, I can sharpen
and hone a PacNW native-style crooked carving knife over my knee and make it look easy.

All I have learned is that if it looks easy, it isn't.

 

[HW95J]

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll give the vid a watch over and pick up some of the sandpaper you recommend then follow your guide. Might be a few days before I can get onto it but I'll let you know how I get on. It'll be a great feeling if I can get it sharp! Ideal knife in every other way for clipping onto the belt and knowing it's there if you need it. I never thought I'd be a fan of polymer handle/sheath but it's a good set-up. Not a blade I'd take further than the garden though, It's wood handles and leather sheaths all the way for expeditions!

 

[Robson Valley]

The sandpapers grew out of what was promoted as the "Scary Sharp" method, as opposed to what you might do with any sorts of stones.
Instead of gluing the papers down, a couple of tabs of masking tape at the ends is entirely good enough.
Instead of a surface +/- 2 nanometers from being perfectly flat as the base support, use a granite countertop cutoff or flooring cut off.

It looks like a very good knife, would be a shame to know it's out of service.
Just don't expect magic. Takes a time to really learn to hold the blade steady at a known angle.
Consistency from time to time from one year to the next, it can be done.

 

[Paulm]

You mentioned you had also used a carbide and ceramic sharpener, which I guess is a pull through type. This will put a secondary bevel on the scandi grind bevel on the knife and is going to mean a lot more work to get the original scandi grind bevels flat and the proper edge back. Best avoid the pull through types of sharpener on these kind of blades unless you particularly want a significant secondary bevel, which then kind of defeats the purpose of that kind of blade to some extent.

Cheers, Paul

 

[Hoodoo]

Just looked at the Mora page for that knife. They specify a total included bevel angle for this blade of 27 degrees (they add that the usual is 23 degrees.)
27 degrees means half angles of 13.5 degrees in a perfect world.

1. Using some sort of card that you can stand up, say 5 x 7", draw a horizontal then 2 criss-cross lines which are 13.5 degrees elevation. This thing will stand beside youor sharpening set-up.
2. Paint the bevel near the edge with black felt marker. Then you can see immediately what is happening.
3. Place your sharpening material parallel to the edge of the bench. Stand the card up parallel to that so you can see it.
4. I suggest a start on 800 grit. I use long strips of 3M automotive finishing sandpapers.
5. Stand up. Hold your forearms tight to your sides.
6. Elevate the knife to match the angle on the card.
7. Pull stroke only. Move your whole body. At the end, stop and lift the blade straight up, back to the start, straight down for another pull stroke.
Do 5 each side then examine the edge.
8. The thing to learn is to sharpen with your legs, not your arms.
9. I then switch to 1,000 grit then 1500 grit. That's enough for anything in my kitchen.
10. I'll hone on a card strop scribbled with CrOx/AlOx for all of my wood carving tools.

If you move your arms in any way, you run the risk of rounding off the edge at the end of each pull stroke = useless.
Don't expect perfection the first time. This is a freehand process to be learned. I've done it for so long, I can sharpen
and hone a PacNW native-style crooked carving knife over my knee and make it look easy.

All I have learned is that if it looks easy, it isn't.

I would not recommend sharpening the knife by holding it at a particular angle. It's a scandi-ground knife and the easiest way to sharpen it is to lay the entire bevel flat on the sharpening surface and sharpen away. By lifting the blade up and holding it at an angle different than the scandi bevel, you will create a very significant secondary bevel, which is generally not desired in this type of design. A very small secondary bevel is sometimes desired but that's another story.

 

[Corso]

I would not recommend sharpening the knife by holding it at a particular angle. It's a scandi-ground knife and the easiest way to sharpen it is to lay the entire bevel flat on the sharpening surface and sharpen away. By lifting the blade up and holding it at an angle different than the scandi bevel, you will create a very significant secondary bevel, which is generally not desired in this type of design. A very small secondary bevel is sometimes desired but that's another story.

indeed - its too easy to convex it if you dont maintain the entire bevel

 

[Robson Valley]

Since Mora provides the bevel angle for that particular blade, that is exactly what I would use.
I never, ever, advocate doing anything else. At the end of the day the bevel could be anything.
It's the consistent freehand technique that works every time.

 

[Janne]

I have been using Mora knives for close to 50 years. And seen lots of folks sharpen them. Granddad, dad, hunting friends, fishing friends.
Nobody has sharpened them by touching the whole bevel, all of us have just created a second bevel on the edge. Using a large water immersed rotating stone, small sharpeners, files. Rocks, car window edges.
In principle - whatever is handy!
After a couple of years of sharpening when the blade becomes to thick to sharpen easily, then we just chuck the knife a buy a new one.
If we nick the edge badly, or break the tip - throw and buy a new one.

We tend not to be as anal as many people on this Forum because Moras and the other, today dead, brands are meant to be good, cheap and disposable.
Think IKEA of knives!

 

[Robson Valley]

I have experience with just 4 different brands of farrier's hook knives (Mora 171/172, 188, Hall, Ukal, Diamond 271/272) that I modify for wood carving. The stock total included bevel angle is in the range of 25 - 30 degrees. Using a chalked chainsaw file, I revise the bevels to 12 degrees. Finishing on 4000 grit and honing with CrOx/AlOx. No big deal, even having done no more than 12 of them.
At the very least with a bush knife, you have a straight edge to work.

 

[stonepark]

The HD is a scandi grind (or flat grind), sharpen 1 side using the entire bevel as a guide until you get a burr on the edge along the entire length at about 300 grit (speeds it up), turn over and repeat.

Change grit to 600 turn over and repeat the above, change to 1000 and repeat, after this do about 10 very light alternate strokes with a steel or edge of toughened glass (edge of car window or chopping board etc).

Should have hair coming off at this stage, you can then polish or strop further if required.

Until you get alternative burrs, you are not removing enough material to restore the edge.

 

[Robson Valley]

Ah. Lucid explanation. I observe my efforts by painting bevels with black felt marker. The burr technique must be better as I find myself often stopping just short of the edge. Dull performance, take a look with a 10X magnifier, more work needed!

 

[threetree]

I've always sworn by the spyderco sharpmaker.

 

[eggchipsand]

I generally use the lansky sharpening system for my knives which I love, however it's no good for a scandi and I would never be able to exactly match the existing angle.
For my Mora HD I have reasonable sucess by gluing 1000 grit wet and dry on to small lollypop sticks. I hold the knife in my non dominant hand and run the lollypop stick up and down the grind. I do not hold the stick, but rather just push it down from the back on to the knife with the tip of my dominant index finger. The width of the scandi grind is enough to set the angle of the light stick.
However, as HW45J has already probably got an inconsistent bevel, possibly with a secondary bevel my method comes too late I fear.

 

[Nice65]

There's a very handy cloth backed abrasive known as Micromesh. It can be cut into strips and wetted. Then it sticks nicely to a mirror, glass strip (old fridge shelf), or a flat tile. If it clogs it can be washed and re-used. Wet and dry is kind of the same, but can't be washed many times, but can be rinsed.

The black marker pen trick is essential on all edges, and if yours is well out after your sharpening then you have a fair bit of work to do. Those scandis can make it a long job. I'm happy to let them have a secondary bevel or very light convex until they need reprofiling or used in the garden for scratching the weeds out of the paving.

Something else that might help is an Edge Pro clone, quite cheap, but far away from the genuine product. I've used one with great success on a very blunt and dinged up Enzo PK70.

Oh, and never, ever use a carbide pull through, it literally rips metal off. Ok on cheapo kitchen knives, but there's no way of changing angles to suit the scandi grind.