Purgatory IronWorks: Sharpening a Knife Part 2

The sessions continues

Category:

Education

Tags:

• blacksmith
• forge
• purgatory
• ironworks
• sharpen
• sharp
• knife
• knives

[ncomplex1]

Hello man....been watching your videos about sharpening- generally i use a coarse stone then a 1000 grit and a 3000 grit ( naniwa waterstones )....after that i strop the blade on leather ( i also use some green polish compound on it ) but i never get the blade to cut paper like you cut in your video ( ive even been sharpening it for 2-3 hours on stones then 10 min stroppin)- what do you think im doin wrong?

[purgatoryironworks]

@ncomplex1

Define "coarse" stone. what grit? But Im pretty sure that your bevels are off. It doesnt matter how long you sharpen, its all in the technique in cutting the bevels and maintaining them.

[DarkGallahad]

The main thing I get asked when I sharpen knives and get paid to do it at ren fests and faires is " Why do knives I buy in the store not get sharp when I buy the store sharpener?" And I tell people. Do not use a carbide fishermans tool. That iconic yellow or black knuckle guard handle sharpener. If you look at the edge it leaves these lines as it skips along the edge and leaves a large wire flax on the edge and does not create the true edge either. From one sharpener to another,awesome vid.

[purgatoryironworks]

@DarkGallahad

Thanks!



[martinjlopez87]

the was no audio

[purgatoryironworks]

@martinjlopez87

Not sure why, works for everybody else.

[chitsisgreat]

damn that bit of the end looks cool! good job!

[ArtistBlade1972]

@ncomplex1 Try using 2 paper towels to back your sandpaper instead of foam rubber. it's ok to use pressure on the coarse grits, but start lightening the pressure as you move to finer grits and finish with almost no pressure at all.

[ncomplex1]

@ArtistBlade1972 Tryed that alreay....think im not working enough on sandpaper again- im afraid if i push too much ill dull the blade; tryed 200 , 400 and then 1000 grit; been experimenting for a hour or so but still the edge was crap....switch to scandi sharpening than got instant razor edge :DDD.....i have the feeling that when im using sandpaper it just doesnt "bite" the blade enough - or too much pushing > rounding the blade

[ArtistBlade1972]

@ncomplex1 The best way to sharpen a convex edge by hand is to use wet or dry sandpaper on a surface that has give to it such as foam rubber...etc Sharpen using an edge trailing stroke. Work your way up to 2000 grit paper, then strop.

[ncomplex1]

@ArtistBlade1972 Thanks for the reply......you`re actually right , i had to insist more on coarse stones- since then i managed to get all my knifes razor sharp ( cant wait for the new Glock survival knife to arrive , hes next !!! ).....just on minor proble- i think :D - i got them razor sharp using a scandi bevel, cant get convex edges to be razor sharp.....yet

[ArtistBlade1972]

@ncomplex1 You're likely not doing enough work on the coarse stones before moving to the fine. You should be able to easily shave arm hair at the 1000 grit level.

[ncomplex1]

@purgatoryironworks Well coarse is around 600-800 gritt i think ( it looks pretty much like your combo stone in your vid )......so you think im not having bevels on the edge? ( maybe the angle is too narrow?- hope i wrote it ok ).......its frustrating because i managed -sometimes and on small parts of the blade - to get it to shave hair on my arms but still it didnt cut paper clean like you show ( it tears more than cuts....).....