sharpen a round knife

[figthnbullrider]

i am very good with a wet stone and a hunting knife but i wanted to know if you sharpen a round knife the same way. any help would be great

[wolvenstien]

as far as i can say.... yeah, just the same but it is round.... i sharpen mine on my sharpening system that goes on my bench grinder..... and i do it just like any other blade...

[Rawhide]

Here's how I sharpen mine. I use a tri hone with a synthetic stone (about 500 grit), a soft and hard ark stone, and a surgical black ark stone. (in that order). coat the stone with a thin layer of honing oil.

I hold the knife with my right hand, placing all four fingers on the side of the blade, and wrap my thumb under it to hold it. I start in the center of the blade holding it at about a 20 degree angle. I then move the knife in a circular motion. the direction is dependent on which side of the blade you will be sharpening. If you are sharpening the left side first, begin your motion toward the left (clockwise against the edge). It seems like this would damage the edge, but it will not. continue this circular motion for a couple of minutes. then switch it to the right hand side of the blade. When going to the right hand side, change your direction to be a clockwise circular motion. Once a burr develops on the opposite side that you are sharpening, then you flip the blade over and repeat the above.

I do this on all four stones and then strop my knife on a leather strop with white jeweler's rouge. (when stropping only pull away from the edge, don't go in the circular motion as on the stones).

I know this may be hard to visualize, but I can post a picture later in the evening if this explination isn't sufficient.

Marlon

[cjbleather]

Here's how I sharpen mine. I use a tri hone with a synthetic stone (about 500 grit), a soft and hard ark stone, and a surgical black ark stone. (in that order). coat the stone with a thin layer of honing oil.

I hold the knife with my right hand, placing all four fingers on the side of the blade, and wrap my thumb under it to hold it. I start in the center of the blade holding it at about a 20 degree angle. I then move the knife in a circular motion. the direction is dependent on which side of the blade you will be sharpening. If you are sharpening the left side first, begin your motion toward the left (clockwise against the edge). It seems like this would damage the edge, but it will not. continue this circular motion for a couple of minutes. then switch it to the right hand side of the blade. When going to the right hand side, change your direction to be a clockwise circular motion. Once a burr develops on the opposite side that you are sharpening, then you flip the blade over and repeat the above.

I do this on all four stones and then strop my knife on a leather strop with white jeweler's rouge. (when stropping only pull away from the edge, don't go in the circular motion as on the stones).

I know this may be hard to visualize, but I can post a picture later in the evening if this explination isn't sufficient.

Marlon

Marlon, If anyone has the Stohlman book on leather tools, sharpening a round knife is shown in it. I don't think anyone could have given a better description of this than you did. Good job. carlb

[Rawhide]

I thought of mentioning it, but I didn't want to sound like a salesman.

I still forgot to take some pictures and post though.

Marlon

[gtwister09]

One of the things I would add about sharpening a round knife is to put either some drafting or blue painter's tape on the bolster and a portion of the handle. Don't use masking tape or duct tape because they have a lot more adhesive to them....Another trick is to use gauze as a prewrap to these to protect the bolster and handle.

Regards,

Ben

[Rawhide]

here's a picture from the Al Stohlman book "Leathercraft tools" I highly recommend it. It's one of my best books.