Sharpening a very old ws type d

[severebrainfailure]

Hi guys,

Diiging about in a box of "gardening tools" given by a friend, I found what looks to be an old type d mod knife. It's currently so blunt it's more use as a hammer, but it's awesome and i'd like to get it back into use.i've done a bit of a search on the site, and most of the sharpening advice is for smaller knives or axes that have just lost their edge, this thing is round!

Any thought on where to start? I've a fairly well equipped workshop, but don't just want to attack it with a bench grinder & potentially ruin the old girl...

I'm up to speed on whetstones & stroping, but this is more than a stage beyond blunt!

cheers

 

[spandit]

Welcome to the forum!

Post up a picture if you can, I'm sure people would be interested to see it. Sounds like you might have to get busy with files first before moving onto stones etc.

 

[Mesquite]

Hello and welcome to the forum

It may sound like heresy to a lot of folks on here but there's no reason why you can't do the initial work on the bench grinder. That advice is based on the assumption that you'll A. take it slowly, B. don't use a lot of pressure and C. you cool the blade regularly by dunking it in cold water.

You normally temper a blade at between 170 deb C and 200 deg C so if the edge of the blade is getting a bit too hot to touch it's time to cool it off.

 

[severebrainfailure]

Thanks guys, I'll get some photos over the weekend. It was quite a surprise find!

 

[Samon]

I'd use a small file, easy and effective with few risks!

Once you've thinned out the rounded edge, start to sharpen it until you're satisfied.

If you fancy parting with it, let me know!

 

[ozzy1977]

I would dearly love to get one of these too

 

[severebrainfailure]

Ok, some photos:
https://plus.google.com/photos/118096140062598177040/albums/5972882221168934545
I've given it a bit of a clean before the photos, and since then i gave it a bit of a go with a file and the whetstone. I'm really pleased with the way it makes short work of everything.

Only complaint is the forward machine screw is too long, sticking out. That's gonna be a source of blisters, may have to cut that down flush.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

If you don't fancy having a go yourself you could send it to one of the guys on here who would do a sympathetic job of it.
I had an MOD knife that had been to Longstrider and the edge was superb.

 

[severebrainfailure]

sounds like an idea, but I think I'll try and find someone local so I can watch & learn. Anyone local to West/nor Yorks border wanna play teacher?

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Where in west yorks are you?

 

[severebrainfailure]

People's republic of Snugpack, sorry Silsden!