Sorry, how sharp Qstn.

[Yorkshire Boy]

How sharp is an outdoor knife supposed to be.

I bought an F1.
Razor sharp when I got it.

I mucked about not knowing what to do exactly.
Trying to remove the 2nd bevel? What is that.

Anyway, I got some wet'n'dry, sandpaper and some sharpening stones.

The thing is sharp enough to cut tomatoes and veg, OK.
And the wooden furniture in my flat, very easy, don't tell Leo Palace

It won't cut hairs like it did when I got it.

Does this matter?

How sharp should a knife be?
Should it be surgically sharp?, does it matter?

Sorry to bore everyone,
I know I should have it as sharp as possible,
but how sharp is sharp?

Should I also have a Stannley Knife in my bag?

 

[British Red]

If the word is "s.orry" theres a bug in the site - worry not.

If the knife isn't as sharp as you like it, its a problem. If its sharp enough, its not.

And the award for stating the belling obvious......

Your wet and dry to sharpen an F1 needs to be backed off on something soft ideally (e.g. a mouse mat, theck leather or felt)

Is that how you did it?

Red

 

[Yorkshire Boy]

Yep on a mouse mat.

I used wet'n'dry in the UK.

I can't seem to find it over here though.

I've been using soft white sharpening stones.

So soft that I've actually cut chunks off it!

I know the knife is sharp for hard stuff, ie wood, my bed and chair

But it won't pop the hair off my arm.
It's only just grown back normal!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do you reckon?
Should a knife like my crowbar be like a Stannley Knife.
I know you can't thrash a carpet knife.
But I could thrash the F1.

Thanks for the reply Red.

JC

 

[markheolddu]

John What do you use your knife for? if it does what you want then its OK, Sharpening takes practice. Shaving sharp can be difficult on some steels, I find carbon steel easier then stainless. Do you need it that sharp for a perticuliar task or cos its cool
Please remember that sharpening is easy and the more you do it the better you will get. you could try something like the Sharpmaker or similar.

Mark

 

[mace242]

I also find carbon easier than stainless. I can get my clipper so shat It'll shave hairs off my arm. I judge how sharp it is by how well it'll slice a bit of newspaper though. Just moved to a set of waterstones and need practice though - not 100% yet but getting there.

 

[Yorkshire Boy]

To be really honest my knife is just because I want something like it.

I don't "need" anything more than my SAK Waiter.
I have the Climber model because it's "better".

Infact the only difference for me is the corckscrew!
The bigger handle of the Climber makes it much easier to pull the cork!

But nearly every bottle of wine in Japan has a screw top!!!
So I don't use it.

I use the Waiter for sharpening the kids pencil crayons at work!

I bought the F1 to be a bruiser.
When I couldn't use a SAK or filleting knife.

For 99.99999% of the year I don't require a bruiser.

Boys and their toys, so to speak.

Sorry.

 

[British Red]

John,

I suggest the stone could be the problem if its flat. Wet and dry and a mouse mat (up to about 1,500 grit or more) followed by green buffing compound on leather is the way to go. You can do it on a flat stone but its harder.

I'd seek Jon Pickets advice - his feathersticks are finer than human hair

Red

 

[JonnyP]

John,

I suggest the stone could be the problem if its flat. Wet and dry and a mouse mat (up to about 1,500 grit or more) followed by green buffing compound on leather is the way to go. You can do it on a flat stone but its harder.

I'd seek Jon Pickets advice - his feathersticks are finer than human hair

Red

I use the British Red £5 sharpening kit.....Well sort of...I have a block of wood with some leather glued on it. I place wet and dry onto it and strop my F1 on that..I start with course and end with fine, then out with the leather strop, bit of autosol and strop away....I rock the blade as I strop to keep the blade shape the same, last thing you want on your F1 is a scandi grind....

 

[Yorkshire Boy]

Thanks guys!

Have any of you tried I'm sorry, yet?

I guess the F1 will keep me occupied for a good while.
It's a good job there's plenty of metal on it for me!!

£60 seems a lot for a knife to learn on.

I know I could spend a lot more, have many more knives and still not not have a clue.

The F1 is good enough for me.

It's starting to feel like a friend, ignorant, hard work, won't do as it's told,
yet I could rely on it when I "most" need it.

I'll keep trying and have patience.

I'm sorry to bother you guys with all this.

Thankyou.

 

[British Red]

nothing to be s'orry for mate - forums are here to help and advise! I too learn form Obi one kaPickett

Red

 

[Shinken]

I am soooow sorry .

 

[C_Claycomb]

Enough with all the apologising !

I sharpen almost everything I have with a convex edge and just can't get on with a sharpening surface that gives, like a mouse mat. I much prefer a firm backing for wet and dry (silicon carbide paper) or to use stones. If you work a Japanese water stone long enough, it will dish out and make doing the convex even easier.

To sharpen a convex edge on a hard stone you need to rock the blade through the length of the sharpening stroke. It helps if you don't move the blade in only one direction, the way you are normally told to. Scrub it back and forth on the stone without lifting, but maintain that rocking motion - imagine that the stone is dished already and your stroke is following that curvature.

You should be able to find suitable fine past for stropping in an automotive store, the pastes used for rubbing back paintwork are a good substitute.