Head Knife Reshaping

[azrider]

I have an antique head knife that holds a great edge, but is no longer round. Its more of a triangle shape. I called one sharpening service, but haven't heard back from them. I don't have the grinders and sanders that would be needed to take it back to the correct shape. Any ideas what I can expect this to cost? Would I be better off just buying a new one?

[tonyc1]

I have an antique head knife that holds a great edge, but is no longer round. Its more of a triangle shape. I called one sharpening service, but haven't heard back from them. I don't have the grinders and sanders that would be needed to take it back to the correct shape. Any ideas what I can expect this to cost? Would I be better off just buying a new one?

I wouldn't bother as it is a useful tool as it is when it's sharp. I have 3 or 4 like that and they are great for skiving the ends of strapping and use them every day.

Tony.

[Kevin]

I absolutely agree with Tony, but if you feel you have to change it, all you need is a file, a rough stone and a fine stone.

Kevin

[BAD HIDE]

Yeah, there's not much there to reshape - that's not antique, that's just plain worn out. The steel will still hold a great edge if you sharpen it up, but you can't magically put an inch back onto the radius, and if you did cut it round, it'd be really small.

[azrider]

Thanks for the ideas. Right now, I have a hard time using it because it does not have good tips. Few of my projects need skiving, but I can see how it work work well for that. I will see if I can use it that way, otherwise will try to grind a curved edge, (agree there isn't enough metal there to make it actually round,) and see about sharpening it. It seemed a waste not to try to use this for something. It came as part of a set of tools I purchased, and it holds an edge way better than my tandy round knife.

[RandyScott]

If the blade tips are the real issue, I would suggest that it would be easier to remove the metal from the back side of the blade vs. reshaping the curve of the blade edge.

A half round file used carefully on the back of the blade will permit you to remove only the metal necessary till the tips have been reshaped. Place the blade, handle up, between two pieces of wood or leather in the jaws of a vise, with just a quarter or eighth of an inch of the blade above the jaws and proceed slowly. The blade has been hardened (and tempered) however a new file should cut it. Remove metal only from the last half inch or width of the file toward the tip. It may look a little odd but you really want functionality. And don't forget, the filing will raise a burr, use a very light touch with some automotive grade sandpaper, 400 to 800 grit, to remove the burr, and/or break the sharp edge. Hope this helps.

[bruce johnson]

I see a few things with this knife. The tip is broken off the one side. The blade edge is sharpened at too steep of an angle right now. These are both easily fixed on some sharpening stones and will make this nice old knife a user for several more years. I would not attempt to reprofile this knife to a round shape. You will be taking a lot of metal off with no real gain.

Tony is right about not changing it. These knives when they get this much wear still are pretty handy for skiving in tight spots and will cut a tighter inside curve than a regular round knife. Mine is getting down to the nub. If this knife hasn't been had anything done with it since the picture, I will trade you straight across for a Clyde round knife ready to use.