Sharpening a convex blade

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beenn

Banned
Nov 16, 2009
1,092
0
South Wales
Just wondering what the best way is to sharpen a convex edge.
I only have a DC4 stone but I have a full tang bark river knife and a joker folding knife which are both convex and dont want the blades all scratched

I only have a DC4 stone

All the best, Ben
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
Some folk suggest using a mouse mat under wet and dry Ben, I found it blunted mine rather than sharpened, the one I used was prolly too thick and too soft. What did find that worked is a strip of 2mm rubber between the wet and dry and a wooden block.

I think the trick is getting that give on a surface but without going so far that it blunts it,
 

beenn

Banned
Nov 16, 2009
1,092
0
South Wales
Some folk suggest using a mouse mat under wet and dry Ben, I found it blunted mine rather than sharpened, the one I used was prolly too thick and too soft. What did find that worked is a strip of 2mm rubber between the wet and dry and a wooden block.

I think the trick is getting that give on a surface but without going so far that it blunts it,

Thanks Rich, I dont have any knives to practice with that's why i asked, i dont want them looking abused to be honest but prefer my knives sharp and used
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,691
710
-------------
I use a diamond hone from B&Q and give it a bit of secondary bevel.

I'm not entirely sure why people have a problem with secondary bevels and see them as the work of the Antichrist.
I put one onto my woodworking planes which put a far finer and longer shaving out than any knife is capable of and it saves time and effort grinding the whole damn thing down and every once in a while I remove it and start again.
 

Dougster

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 13, 2005
5,254
238
The banks of the Deveron.
I would use the DC3 a la Mears (Youtube Ray Mears sharpening in the field) and then strop on a hard backed leather strop to get rid of the scratches and get a lovely shiney edge. I can sort you out with a cheapy if you like.
 

beenn

Banned
Nov 16, 2009
1,092
0
South Wales
I would use the DC3 a la Mears (Youtube Ray Mears sharpening in the field) and then strop on a hard backed leather strop to get rid of the scratches and get a lovely shiney edge. I can sort you out with a cheapy if you like.

That would be great thank you! What would you like in return?
Will send a pm :)
 

BigMonster

Full Member
Sep 6, 2011
1,322
219
Manchester
Leather belt and cutting/polishing paste. Basically you strop your blade but with abrasive compound. Few quid from ebay or screw fix. Work great for my Fallkniven S1.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,354
2,365
Bedfordshire
If you really can't find a charity shop with an old leather hand bag to cut up, you can strop using denim or canvas layed tightly over a bit of wood. Can even use cardboard to hold the paste (pref not the corogated kind). For paste, find a car body shop and get some Autosol metal polish or similar. I have used auto cutting compound with acceptable results too.

Longstrider does a mean convex edge and uses the DMT hones followed by stropping the bejezus out of it. The ceramic side of the DC4 will give a pretty good finish before you strop too.
 

luckylee

On a new Journey
Aug 24, 2010
2,412
0
birmingham
If you really can't find a charity shop with an old leather hand bag to cut up, you can strop using denim or canvas layed tightly over a bit of wood. Can even use cardboard to hold the paste (pref not the corogated kind). For paste, find a car body shop and get some Autosol metal polish or similar. I have used auto cutting compound with acceptable results too.

Longstrider does a mean convex edge and uses the DMT hones followed by stropping the bejezus out of it. The ceramic side of the DC4 will give a pretty good finish before you strop too.
what he said about the jeans, obviously with what i do, i have leather strops all over the place thin leather thick leather different types of leather, but if i'm honest the jeans and autosol, is a great combination, and works very well indeed.
 

BigMonster

Full Member
Sep 6, 2011
1,322
219
Manchester
Can you use without paste? Dont fancy a belt covered in paste to be honest..

Leather itself is only good to finish and polish the blade after sharpening.
Sharpening itself is about removing some metal and for that you need to add some abrasive compound.
To keep convex edge convex you need surface that will mold itself a little to the curve of the blade. Hence all those mouse pads, sand papers and belts.
 

woodgrain

Need to contact Admin...
Dec 24, 2010
89
0
Gone
I use the mousemat plus wet and dry combination to get the shiney convex edge then a loaded flat strop to finish. Thereafter, a little tickle with a flat stone like the smooth side of a DC4 or a Spyderco Doublestuff and/or a stropping are more than enough to maintain a shaving edge. What I've been using just lately for all secondary bevels and touch ups is a piece of Moughton Whetstone the QDanT very kindly traded me. Amazing stuff - better results quicker. Saying that, I ain't no Longstrider.....
 

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