Sharpening Guide

[IntrepidStu]

OK I admit it!!....I cant sharpen my knife to save my life. Today I spent 2hrs sharpening, only to actualy make my knife BLUNTER than when I started. It is now so blunt that I would have to use a batton with it to cut A4 paper.

The bevel goes higher on one side than the other. I have tried to remove the tiny bevel (its a frost's mora), only to find that I now have AT LEAST 3 bevels that are very wavey.

SO does anyone know where I can get a guide?? All the ones ive seen seem to be for Planes.

PLEASE HELP ME. Im so depressed that I want to cut my wrist's except I cant find a sharp knife to do it with!!!!

 

[JonnyP]

This should sort you out...
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11571&highlight=pound+sharpening+kit

 

[pentrekeeper]

I sympathise with you IntrepidStu I struggle, I use wet and dry paper in grits from 800 to 1500. My bigest problem and sounds like you suffer the same is that I struggle to keep the blade flat during moving it along the sandpaper. This results in rounding either front or back or both edges of bevel. I have managed to get a servicable sharpness by holding the blade bevel against the paper and with one finger pressing on the bevel move it slowly along, if I feel resistance I know I don't have the right angle so stop imediately and try to sit the bevel on the paper better. When I get it right the blade glides along with no resistance.
I'm currently down to 1500 grit and give it a small session most evenings just a few strokes to keep it sharp.
Once it is sharp if you want a durable edge it is necessary to burnish or hone it with leather, I'm lucky there I have a Tormek and use the leather burnishing wheel to remove the very very fine weak edge resulting from sharpening as described above.
Persiverance is the key and keep the stroke even.
My Frosts Clipper blade was ever so slightly bent when I bought it which showed up when I sharpened it for the first time.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Stu,
there are many threads on sharpening techniques, but if you want to get some individual tips, it would help to know what system you are using and what points you are confident about and what parts you are doubting. There are virtually foolproof sharpeners out there, but similar results can be achieved at a lot less cost once you know what to expect and a few tricks of the trade.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[IntrepidStu]

Stu,
there are many threads on sharpening techniques, but if you want to get some individual tips, it would help to know what system you are using and what points you are confident about and what parts you are doubting. There are virtually foolproof sharpeners out there, but similar results can be achieved at a lot less cost once you know what to expect and a few tricks of the trade.

ATB

Ogri the trog

Im using a 250/1000 combination whetstone from Axminster. I put my fingers flat on the bevel and the bevel flat on the stone. Of course at first this didnt sharpen the knife because unbeknown to me, the mora is not a scandi grind. I then had to try to figure out what angle to hold the knife to sharpen it, but even then I find it impossible to keep the angle constant. I also have problems when I try to get the same angle on the reverse side.

None of the threads I have seen have explained HOW to keep the angle constant and then make sure you have the same angle on the other side.

Cheers.
Stu.

 

[IntrepidStu]

This should sort you out...
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11571&highlight=pound+sharpening+kit

Doesnt realy help as its the angle, and how to keep it constant that is the problem. Another thing to note is that that method would not actualy sharpen a Mora because of the secondry bevel.

Cheers anyway mate.
Stu

 

[Ogri the trog]

We've all been there Stu,
holding the bevel angle constant over a horizontal stone is very hard - but there are ways to work around it. The Spyderco Tri-angle Sharpmaker and the Lansky sharpening systems use two ceramic rods, mounted at preset angles in a V shape - you just hold your knife straight up/down which is a darned sight easier than trying to maintain some unknown angle. The Spydie system comes with a very informative DVD and book about how to shapen just about anything with a cutting edge. Once you have got a reasonable edge, it can be maintained with a few strokes on a strop or through a pocket sized sharpener again with V mounted ceramic sticks.
If someone in your area can give you a "hands on" of one of the systems mentioned, you might be better placed to select one to buy, or a few of you club together and share the benefits.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[heath]

I've seen a gadget that Global do for sharpening kitchen knives on a whetstone. I don't know if they'd be any good but I think they're only about a fiver. I'll see if I can find a link.

 

[heath]

Even cheaper

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Global-Sharpening-Guide-Rails-Set/dp/B0006A03V0

 

[IntrepidStu]

Even cheaper

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Global-Sharpening-Guide-Rails-Set/dp/B0006A03V0

Cheers Heath. Ill send of for one of them tomorrow and do a product review when ive given it a whirl.

 

[bushcraftbob]

Yo Stu - I was struggling just like you, but made myself a sharpeing kit as found in British Red's "five pund sharpening kit" thread. After some practise you can get it so sharp its frightening!

 

[Alchemist]

Tricky question. I dont want to bombard you with more info than you can use but I think the following tips should help.
Do you have a problem with a secondary bevel. A lot of people (including me) like that secondary bevel. It is only small and doesnt exactly make the edge that much thicker.
I currently use a set of diamond stones for daily use. Then I strop on an old leather belt, sometimes with a compound. You can buy 4 diamond stones mounted on the same block that come with a non slip case. This will cost you a tenner from axminster. http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-Four-Sided-Diamond-Stone-642316.htm

I personally find that sharpening a full flat scandi is really hard. However, sharpening and maintaining a scandi with a small secondary bevel is really easy anywhere anytime and the moras I have like this never let me down for the general use I give them.

Put the knife on the stone, primary bevel flat. Lift the knife spine by a smidgen (this is a technical term). Touch your thumb or finger to the knife and block to hold that angle. Use your own hand as the guide. 6 strokes one way, six the other, 6 alternating. Strop alternating the direction for 50 strokes.

Now, dont test the knife on bits of paper and arm hair. Go and have some fun and cut some wood or tonights dinner. Now have a look at the blade. What do you notice.

My real point is that sharpening a knife does take some skill. I have real trouble putting on a convex edge. In my personal opinion, forget those knife guides, teach your hand to keep a steady angle. Be confident when you stroke the knife along the stone. Finish your little routine before you even think about looking at the blade or testing it.

 

[Taiga]

To keep to a true Skandi grind is a real pain and if you do not do it properly you endup with a beveld edge.One way that can help is to cover the grind with a felt marker pen then make a light pass over the stone and you will see where are making contact with stone and where you are not.

 

[andy_pevy]

Tricky question. I dont want to bombard you with more info than you can use but I think the following tips should help.
Do you have a problem with a secondary bevel. A lot of people (including me) like that secondary bevel. It is only small and doesnt exactly make the edge that much thicker.
I currently use a set of diamond stones for daily use. Then I strop on an old leather belt, sometimes with a compound. You can buy 4 diamond stones mounted on the same block that come with a non slip case. This will cost you a tenner from axminster. http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-Four-Sided-Diamond-Stone-642316.htm

I personally find that sharpening a full flat scandi is really hard. However, sharpening and maintaining a scandi with a small secondary bevel is really easy anywhere anytime and the moras I have like this never let me down for the general use I give them.

Put the knife on the stone, primary bevel flat. Lift the knife spine by a smidgen (this is a technical term). Touch your thumb or finger to the knife and block to hold that angle. Use your own hand as the guide. 6 strokes one way, six the other, 6 alternating. Strop alternating the direction for 50 strokes.

Now, dont test the knife on bits of paper and arm hair. Go and have some fun and cut some wood or tonights dinner. Now have a look at the blade. What do you notice.

My real point is that sharpening a knife does take some skill. I have real trouble putting on a convex edge. In my personal opinion, forget those knife guides, teach your hand to keep a steady angle. Be confident when you stroke the knife along the stone. Finish your little routine before you even think about looking at the blade or testing it.

B&Q Sell the same thing for about £7.80 or so.

Andy

 

[Andy]

I wouldn't get any sharpening jig for the main part of sharpening a mora knife

start with very fine wet&dry paper on a flat surface. Use it dry to start with. put some marker on the bevels of the knife. assuming your wanting to remove the tiny bevel to start with you should be removeing metal/marker from the start and finish of the main bevel. You wont remove it from the center as this is slightly concave (hollow ground). By using the really fine paper to start with you wont do so much damage when you get it wrong. Once you've got the hang of keeping the angle you can then go back to something a bit more course. This could be a lower grit wet&dry paper or a stone of some sort. I find wet&dry paper works best with WD40 on it, this wont allow you to use marker for this stage though.
Once you've got the bevel going right to the edge do the same on the other side. You may form a burr when doing this, don't worry if you do you know it's timne to switch to the other side. Go through the the grits until you have a fairly high grits (I go to 2500 for this normally) Since the Mora has a very acute edge if you do this you might want to try putting a very very tiny micro bevel at a slightly higher angle (30degree angle on the sharpmaker will do this) Either way you will then want to strop the edge. I've found leather with pink/green polishing compound works very well for this.

Hope this helps
Andy

 

[fishy1]

Stropping is vital, you'd think it just makes a little difference, but it's huge. Strop for ages.

I can reasonably sharpen my frosts, and I'm away to sharpen my sfa for the first time, I've been putting it off as I really don't want to wreck an expensive piece of kit.