Community Sharpening Journal, Part 2

[8th_Note]

@Scandi Grind @vivi

Thank you

[vivi]

For most my knives, I pretty much just use an 8" chef knives to go diamond flattening plate and my medium spyderco ceramic bench stone.

That pair is what I use on everything that doesn't get a high polish edge, or convexed edge.

I also really like the medium sharpmaker rods I used silicone carbide grit on. I have three sets of medium rods. Fresh stock set, and two that were older (12 years old, 20 years old).



The older sets left a more polished edge than I wanted from them, so I rubbed them on some loose grit over a glass plate. I think I used 80 grit and 220. The 220 grit rubbed set is what I use for quick touch-ups.



They went from leaving a finish close to fresh fine rods, to leaving one in between my worn diamond rods and fresh medium rods.

I do agree 8" benchstones are more convenient to use, especially for longer blades.

Here's some comparisons between stones I've discussed and the HF stone.

HF vs Spyderco medium



Chef knives to go also sells a 400/1000 grit two sided bench stone that's a great value. Only issue is the included base doesn't have much clearance for folders. Here it is on the right, with their flattening plate on the left:






6" DMT's VS CKTG flattening plate



Sharpening is a lot of fun to nerd out on. Especially when you really start tweaking geometry and seeing just how thin you have to push steel to reach failure during your typical EDC tasks.

It's especially pronounced with large cutting tools. When I reprofiled my 12" kukri machete on my belt sander, the chopping efficiency nearly doubled. Here's a hatchet I did. Same story with some axes I've worked with.

[vivi]

Recently took this ontario bushcraft machete out to the wilderness to test it out during a few nights of camping.

Didn't do so great.

Edge retention was low with how thick the edge was, and it bit poorly on woods. I even brought along a DMT folding sharpener so the apex was keen, it was just too thick to be efficient.

Today I gave it a quick edge off my belt sander. Still need to go back and do a few more swipes to even it out, then hone the edge with non powered equipment until it cleanly shaves.

I already did a few test chops with a huge burr still hanging off and it penetrates through wood so much more easily.






Gonna take it out again next week. Excited to try it with a proper edge.

You know the feeling of taking a pocket knife down to a thinner angle and giving it a really sharp apex and watching it sail through cardboard?

That difference is so much more dramatic with a machete reprofiling. It's so fun testing them out after thinning the edge out.

[Scandi Grind]

That difference is so much more dramatic with a machete reprofiling. It's so fun testing them out after thinning the edge out.

Oh I know what you mean. I took a $7 Harbor Freight machete that was given to me by my parents to take care of the vines invading the yard, but it would not get sharp with how thick the edge was originally. I took a coarse file to it (after unsuccesfully trying to use power tools) and thinned it pretty good. Now it cuts through limp grass no problem instead of just pushing it out of the way, and chops through vines and bush branches like a champ. I did chip the tip grazing the ground, but that bolo tip isn't doing most of the cutting anyway with it's rounded sweep. I just sharpened the chips most of the way out at a more obtuse angle to give it some extra strength, because I do cut near the ground a lot. I don't think I would trust it to stand up to chopping into wood very much. I have heard lots of people say they have chopped down small trees with their machetes, but I don't think this one is suited for it. I'll use an axe for that. With the thin edge though, I haven't had any damage cutting through woody bushes as long as it isn't thicker than practical to cut in one good stroke. And it gets sharp enough to shave hair, so yay!

The handle on this thing though, ugh, I don't think I can make this thing comfortable to hold.

[vivi]

for cutting down anything thicker than my calf, I'd definitely prefer an axe over a machete, but a machete designed with the weight forward sporting a thin, sharp edge can chop down saplings and bust up firewood no problem.

the quick edge I gave my ontario was enough to enable it to cut through 1-1.5" branches in a single chop for reference.

up north i'd rock a tweener axe, folding saw and a fixed blade, but 1,000 miles to the south I've found a machete is a lot more versatile for the areas I camp than axes.

[Scandi Grind]

the quick edge I gave my ontario was enough to enable it to cut through 1-1.5" branches in a single chop for reference.

How thick is the blade stock on that Ontario you're messing with?

[jasonstone20]

I have been using a (C)oarse edge, around #300-#400 JIS or sometimes a (F)ine #600 JIS stone, either a DMT C (Blue), Norton F India, or the Spydero Webfoot or one side or the other on the Spyderco CBN Combination stone. Then I refine the edge with a F, UF Syperder Ceramic Rod/Golden Stone, or either a Dans Surgical Black/Translucent/Blue Black Arkansas stone. I have found this works very well for the less optimally heat treated knives that use 420HC or 440A. Sometimes, if I am having a good sharpening day, I can stop with the C or F stone, and just microbevel to clean up the edge, and then back sharpen to get the original edge angle if I feel I don't need the added durability of the microbevel and instead need the increased cutting performance. In the rare occasion when I use a strop, I have a small chunk of what I think is pine that is 8.5"Lx1.5"Wx0.75W", with Maggards CrO on one side and Maggards FeO on the other. If I have a steel that is more wear-resistant, I will use The Portland Knifehouse 1u Diamond Spray. But I don't strop that often. I got a $50 digital microscope with it's own screen that has a stand, and can take HD pictures and video, which allowed me to see exactly what was going on during sharpening, at least more than the naked eye, along with a 10X Loupe that Sal recommends, and it really helps solve sharpening issues because %99 you can see what the issue is. Before I had one without a stand and needed to hook it up to my computer to use, and it really wasn't durable enough to be plugged in all the time, as well as it caused a USB conflict issue on boot-up that I didn't feel like sorting out. It is amazing how much more I use tools if they are not a hassle to use, I end up being way more productive.

[jasonstone20]

Yeah, I liked my machetes a lot more once I lowered the angle on the 1x30 belt grinder. For some reason the old Ontario 18" D-Guard GI Issue machete only liked getting shaving sharp on the belt grinder, by hand it would get almost there but never get there. The new one I got as I gifted the old one to a friend, gets very sharp very easily, same with the spear point machete I have, the Gavilan Incolma one. I did get two short 12" and 13" Cold Steel machetes, a Bowie shaped one and a Kuhkri shape one, both work almost as well as their more expensive versions or type of knife, just not as pretty and the sheaths are very utilitarian. And I rather use those for yard work then a more expensive knife. Those were a lot easier to sharpen, I used the Norton Axe Puck style sharpener, and I really like those for big knives/machetes, axes/hachetes, as well as tomahawks.

[Scandi Grind]

Those were a lot easier to sharpen, I used the Norton Axe Puck style sharpener, and I really like those for big knives/machetes, axes/hachetes, as well as tomahawks.

I use a Work Sharp field sharpener for sharpening my machetes and axes. It is thick enough that you can hold and use it like a puck. Works pretty good.

By the way, if you are an axe fan like me, there is a cool topic for sharing axe related stuff here: viewtopic.php?t=91398

[vivi]

the quick edge I gave my ontario was enough to enable it to cut through 1-1.5" branches in a single chop for reference.

How thick is the blade stock on that Ontario you're messing with?

2mm

[dullmaker]

I am a user of Gunny Juice. None around. I ran out of the 1Micron gunny juice. what do I replace it with until gunny juice comes back? Can I use the same strop with different emulsions? I still have all of the other grits. I’ve seen Jemde, or bark River. Any suggestions?
Thanks Bruce

[jasonstone20]

Those were a lot easier to sharpen, I used the Norton Axe Puck style sharpener, and I really like those for big knives/machetes, axes/hachetes, as well as tomahawks.

I use a Work Sharp field sharpener for sharpening my machetes and axes. It is thick enough that you can hold and use it like a puck. Works pretty good.

By the way, if you are an axe fan like me, there is a cool topic for sharing axe related stuff here: viewtopic.php?t=91398

I have one of those WorkSharp Field Sharpeners, that is a good idea to use it for a machete, I never thought of that. I did try the DMT DiaFolds, but the WorkSharp Fieldsharpen is definitely a lot more to hold on to and is a lot sturdier!

[jasonstone20]

I am a user of Gunny Juice. None around. I ran out of the 1Micron gunny juice. what do I replace it with until gunny juice comes back? Can I use the same strop with different emulsions? I still have all of the other grits. I’ve seen Jemde, or bark River. Any suggestions?
Thanks Bruce

I like the Portland Knife House 1u Diamond spray, but I live about 15 blocks west of their shop so it is easy for me to get. I have been told from some friends that buying it on line was hard, either hard to find or the shipping was through the roof. I think the Dutch Bushcraft guys on YouTube were selling it, but all this info is a few years old so things might have changed hopefully.

[dullmaker]

I am a user of Gunny Juice. None around. I ran out of the 1Micron gunny juice. what do I replace it with until gunny juice comes back? Can I use the same strop with different emulsions? I still have all of the other grits. I’ve seen Jemde, or bark River. Any suggestions?
Thanks Bruce

I like the Portland Knife House 1u Diamond spray, but I live about 15 blocks west of their shop so it is easy for me to get. I have been told from some friends that buying it on line was hard, either hard to find or the shipping was through the roof. I think the Dutch Bushcraft guys on YouTube were selling it, but all this info is a few years old so things might have changed hopefully.

Thanks, I’ll check it out.

[Brock O Lee]

Eventually I got around to reprofile the Shaman.

I must say, one of the standout features of CPM-15V is its ease of sharpening and deburring.

[vivi]

touched up my manix xl m4.

2 minutes per side on a diamond coarse diamond plate before switching to alternating strokes to minimize the burr. this removed the old not so micro bevel that had gotten thick after repeated sharpenings.

then two strokes per side on the fine ceramic benchstone so every part of the edge shaves aggressively.

[vivi]

fun times

[u.w.]

LOL!

u.w.

[vivi]

LOL!

u.w.

fun thing to play around with if you want a challenge lol. rotating circular blade. ground a new edge with the 200 grit side, refined on 400 grit, then polished on my medium ceramic bench stone.

Cutting much better now.

[vivi]

my new machete came with a blunt edge I could run my run down. easy fix. took the edge back a bit closer to the handle too, and gave it a tip as it didn't come with one.


before:



reflected light along the whole edge.



uneven, crappy bevel.



tip and the last ~3 inches of edge as blunt as the spine









After:







Also thinned out my trunk machete while I had the sander out: