SAK sharpening?

  • Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Aug 12, 2009
190
0
29
Kent, England
I've found that the microbevel on an SAK is way too small to sharpen easily, and the blade's flat ground and very thin, so it would be hard to re-grind.

Any tips for sharpening it?
 
Mors Kochanski describes the angle you need to use in his book. depending on the blade width you probably need it about 2/3 pennies high at the back of the blade...

i dunno if thats what you meant :)
 
With little blades like that, I find they never get really blunt. To touch them up, I wind a car window down and stroke the blade back and forth on both sides to reset the edge. A chefs' steel would do the job, but I don't have one. I have access to a car window, so I use that! At home, in the kitchen, I use the bottom of a mug.
 
With little blades like that, I find they never get really blunt. To touch them up, I wind a car window down and stroke the blade back and forth on both sides to reset the edge. A chefs' steel would do the job, but I don't have one. I have access to a car window, so I use that! At home, in the kitchen, I use the bottom of a mug.

I've seen this on TVbut never actually tried it out.... Now I'm definately going to give it a go :D
 
I hone all my blades on the edge of my glass IKEA kitchen shelf after sharpening on a DC4 and that’s what I do with my SAKs. That’s not to say it’s the right thing to do :)
 
The micro bevel on the SAK is a product of the blade width and the thickness of the steel. As I know the SAK´s have an angle of 16° each side!

It isnt too small because you need this angle for good cutting ability.
try the edding methode for great results.
In this case you have to color the cutting bevel with an edding (waterproof) and then get on the sharpening stone.
You easily see, when you are at the right angle, because the edding get grinded off.

With this method you can sharpen any blades and you ever have the right angle.

hope this helped
cheers
Mike
 
I convex mine;
sandpaper 220 grit or so up to 800 grit or so, then leather hone with black/green compound......fast to re-sharpen, pops hair....
 
The micro bevel on the SAK is a product of the blade width and the thickness of the steel. As I know the SAK´s have an angle of 16° each side!

It isnt too small because you need this angle for good cutting ability.
try the edding methode for great results.
In this case you have to color the cutting bevel with an edding (waterproof) and then get on the sharpening stone.
You easily see, when you are at the right angle, because the edding get grinded off.

With this method you can sharpen any blades and you ever have the right angle.

hope this helped
cheers
Mike

Thanks Mike!
 
I do mine on a mousemat/wet and dry block, it convex's it obviously and shaves hair without effort, the edge is also more durable.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE