Members Sylvia Posted February 27, 2012 Members Report Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) I bought myself a Barry King swivel knife and I love it's action but I'm not so fond of the hollow ground blade provided with the knife. I have a hard time stropping it. and can't seem to get the dang thing sharp. Picked up my old old craftool knife with a straight blade, thick as all get out but I can get it sharp and I seem to do better with this old knife than my new one and that !@#!!@#$#$@ hollow ground blade. Please, if there is a secret to getting this hollow ground blade sharp and stropped properly... please let me know. I'm about to send this whole knife back out of sheer frustration with the blade. Edited February 27, 2012 by Sylvia Quote A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"
electrathon Posted February 27, 2012 Report Posted February 27, 2012 Sharpening a hollow ground blade is no differant than any other blade. The hollow grinding just makes the leading edge of the knife thinner. When you strop the knife hold it just as you would any other blade. BUT, stropping is not designed to sharpen a blade, only to keep it sharp. A high quality blade is tougher to sharpen though than a soft blade. The steel is harder, so it is both harder to sharpen and stary sharp longer/better. Aaron Quote
Members Sylvia Posted February 27, 2012 Author Members Report Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) Sharpening a hollow ground blade is no differant than any other blade. The hollow grinding just makes the leading edge of the knife thinner. When you strop the knife hold it just as you would any other blade. BUT, stropping is not designed to sharpen a blade, only to keep it sharp. A high quality blade is tougher to sharpen though than a soft blade. The steel is harder, so it is both harder to sharpen and stary sharp longer/better. Aaron That's what I thought... but I'm having problems "finding the angle" I think I'll call Brad tomorrow, express my frustrations and ask to send this thing back, since they don't offer straight blades. Disappointing. Oh and btw Aaron... I am a meat cutters daughter... I know the difference between sharpening and stropping. Thanks though. Edited February 27, 2012 by Sylvia Quote A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"
Moderator bruce johnson Posted February 27, 2012 Moderator Report Posted February 27, 2012 Not to butt in here, but I didn't know Barry King made a hollow ground blade. He has about as many blade options as anyone who makes knives. I have had a few and use one now that is not hollow ground. If you don't mind, please post a picture of the blade because I might be interested in ordering one. Thanks, Quote Bruce Johnson Malachi 4:2 "the windshield's bigger than the mirror, somewhere west of Laramie" - Dave Stamey Vintage Refurbished And Selected New Leather Tools For Sale - www.brucejohnsonleather.com
electrathon Posted February 27, 2012 Report Posted February 27, 2012 That's what I thought... but I'm having problems "finding the angle" I think I'll call Brad tomorrow, express my frustrations and ask to send this thing back, since they don't offer straight blades. Disappointing. Oh and btw Aaron... I am a meat cutters daughter... I know the difference between sharpening and stropping. Thanks though. Ah-ha! That just blew the part in your profile where you are "not tellin" about your gender. It is really amazing how many people do not know the differance. Even more amazing is how many people think that they can cut properly with a dull knife. Quote
Members Sylvia Posted February 27, 2012 Author Members Report Posted February 27, 2012 Not to butt in here, but I didn't know Barry King made a hollow ground blade. He has about as many blade options as anyone who makes knives. I have had a few and use one now that is not hollow ground. If you don't mind, please post a picture of the blade because I might be interested in ordering one. Thanks, Hi Bruce: A few days ago I did call BK and asked Brad is there is a straight blade for these knives. He told me "no, only hollow ground." On the website it even says "All swivel knives are solid brass with a free-spinning bearing design. Each has a hollow ground, heat treated, tool steel blade." Anyway..... Your photo... Quote A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"
Members Sylvia Posted February 27, 2012 Author Members Report Posted February 27, 2012 Ah-ha! That just blew the part in your profile where you are "not tellin" about your gender. It is really amazing how many people do not know the differance. Even more amazing is how many people think that they can cut properly with a dull knife. LOL... I guess Sylvia wasn't your first clue. :D "The most dangerous knife is a dull knife" is what my father said. He made sure I knew how to sharpen, hone and strop. And I grew up with knowing to run when he got out his knives to sharpen them... because after he was done shaving the hair off his forearms he got my sister... and headed for me... ha! I did learn though... and I also know his sage sausage recipe... can skin and gut a deer... and can bone it out, cut it up and wrap it. I think that is the reason why I'm so frustrated with this blade.... I should be able to pull a fine edge and it just ain't happening. Quote A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"
Moderator bruce johnson Posted February 27, 2012 Moderator Report Posted February 27, 2012 Thanks for the picture. I guess I was expecting the blade was hollow ground since that is what seems to be the trouble. That vertical grind is on my BK and the Ol Smoothies too and is kind of a loose use of the term "hollow ground". It shouldn't affect how the blade should sharpen though since the cutting bevel is flat. I use a jig on some of my new blades to make the bevel a little flatter. I know I did it to the BK and two of the Ol Smoothies I use. I have one Ol Smoothie I left original to open a wider ditch and my Leather Wrangler is a slim blade and makes a nice narrow cut as-is. Quote Bruce Johnson Malachi 4:2 "the windshield's bigger than the mirror, somewhere west of Laramie" - Dave Stamey Vintage Refurbished And Selected New Leather Tools For Sale - www.brucejohnsonleather.com
Members steveh Posted February 27, 2012 Members Report Posted February 27, 2012 Sylvia, I use barry king blade blade . It really cuts smooth and holds and edge well.The geomentry of the blade is hollow ground perpendicular to the cutting edge, unlike most tradition knives (hunting or butcher) where the hollow ground is parralel to the blade edge This type of grind allows less metal removal when honing on a stone. When sharpening do not follow the radius of the hollow ground. You sharpen the blade as you would sharpen your standard straight blade.. I sharpen with a roller fixture at 30 degrees on a hard arkansas stone. when both sides of the blade are trued up then Ii strop on a rouge strop to a mirror polish..I hope this will help. steve Quote
Members Sylvia Posted February 27, 2012 Author Members Report Posted February 27, 2012 Sylvia, I use barry king blade blade . It really cuts smooth and holds and edge well.The geomentry of the blade is hollow ground perpendicular to the cutting edge, unlike most tradition knives (hunting or butcher) where the hollow ground is parralel to the blade edge This type of grind allows less metal removal when honing on a stone. When sharpening do not follow the radius of the hollow ground. You sharpen the blade as you would sharpen your standard straight blade.. I sharpen with a roller fixture at 30 degrees on a hard arkansas stone. when both sides of the blade are trued up then Ii strop on a rouge strop to a mirror polish..I hope this will help. steve Uh huh... that's what I have been doing except... BK blades don't fit the "roller fixture" He makes his shafts on the blades larger then a standard or Tandy blade. I got so dang frustrated I nearly used the darned thing as a dart today. LOL I swore so long and hard... even my ex-sailor husband was shocked. (I rarely say "f-words" when I'm mad) I don't know, I'm not sure this blade is worth the PITA it's causing. Quote A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"
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