Sharpening The Nilakka

[Cliff Stamp]

It doesn't take much of a secondary bevel to stabilize the edge :

[video=youtube;r_EdLXQrq2g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_EdLXQrq2g[/video]

The Nilakka has a 5 dps primary bevel, for reference most of Wilson's blades will have a 2.5 dps primary bevel and thus the Nilakka will stabilize faster at the edge. Wilson can run as low as 0.005" and is often under 0.010" at the secondary bevel and thus the Nilakka is functional under that area. The thickness you are going to need is going to depend on how you are cutting and what, but once you go above 0.005" in thickness you have to be doing some very rough work like cutting through knots and similar.

[eric m.]

It doesn't take much of a secondary bevel to stabilize the edge :

[video=youtube;r_EdLXQrq2g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_EdLXQrq2g[/video]

The Nilakka has a 5 dps primary bevel, for reference most of Wilson's blades will have a 2.5 dps primary bevel and thus the Nilakka will stabilize faster at the edge. Wilson can run as low as 0.005" and is often under 0.010" at the secondary bevel and thus the Nilakka is functional under that area. The thickness you are going to need is going to depend on how you are cutting and what, but once you go above 0.005" in thickness you have to be doing some very rough work like cutting through knots and similar.

Question? These knives seem like they are ground like filet knives! Is that so? How do these edges compare with standard filet knives? Thank you! :confused:

[Cliff Stamp]

The Nilakka?

A standard fillet knife will have :

-much thinner blade stock, 1/16 to 1/8" at max
-primary grind of 1-3 dps
-edge from 0.005"-0.020"
-final bevel from 15-25 dps

In general, very general, the higher end ones will be similar to :

-1/8" spine, full distal taper
-full flat grind, 2.5 dps
-edge thickness of 0.005"
-final bevel of 10 dps
-micro bevel of 15 dps

If you are doing significant bone work then the edge angle may have to be increased, if you are doing really heavy bone work then the edge thickness may have to be increased but that is similar to cutting the heads off of large cod and similar.

[eric m.]

The Nilakka?

A standard fillet knife will have :

-much thinner blade stock, 1/16 to 1/8" at max
-primary grind of 1-3 dps
-edge from 0.005"-0.020"
-final bevel from 15-25 dps

In general, very general, the higher end ones will be similar to :

-1/8" spine, full distal taper
-full flat grind, 2.5 dps
-edge thickness of 0.005"
-final bevel of 10 dps
-micro bevel of 15 dps

If you are doing significant bone work then the edge angle may have to be increased, if you are doing really heavy bone work then the edge thickness may have to be increased but that is similar to cutting the heads off of large cod and similar.

So is it right to assume that higher end filet knives are very similar to the blades shown above! :o

[Bladester]

I have 2 Nilakkas, a user and a safe queen. When I got the first one, I looked at the edge under a bright light and it looked a bit rough to me. I primarily use the Spyderco Sharpmaker for sharpening - have for many years. Have tried stones, but still like the Sharpmaker. Anyway, decided to lightly sharpen the Nilakka using the white triangular ceramic stones. Yikes! Using the normal straight up and down method of holding the knife, the edge was chipping and worse than when I started! So, I freehanded a very steep angle - that is, very close to the angle of the stones, rather than up and down. Edge smoothed out and now very sharp. Don't ask me what angle, just very narrow compared to usual up and down angle to the triangles. I have continued with this approach each time I sharpen the knife. The knife is an excellent slicer and I am very happy with it using the very narrow sharpening angle. I do not consider this a "use for everything" knife, but one for more specialized slicing applications. It is not, nor ever intended to be, a sharpened pry bar. As noted above, every knife company puts out super thick, rugged knives. Nice to see one already ground thin and ready for some sharp cutting!

--Larry

[Bladester]

Should mention that the first attempt was on the corners of the white stones. Now using the flats. --Larry

[Cliff Stamp]

Yes, similar but they will have a thinner spine, more narrow blade.

[eric m.]

Yes, similar but they will have a thinner spine, more narrow blade.

Thanks Cliff! :)

[_centurio_]

@ cliff:

you said in your vid. that the edge was crispy after the 8000 stone. may it be that the 5° edge angle can not hold the carbides on the very edge so they break out? that could cause the crispy edge?

[Cliff Stamp]

Yes, 5 dps is fairly low for S30V due to the carbide volume/size.

The other consideration, aside from the stability is the grindability. Single bevel grinds are normally made with very low carbide steels to allow them to be easily sharpened. A low grindability steel has a fairly severe impact on how long it takes to grind when you have to plane down large bevels.

[rodloos]

Almost took the plunge on this, anyone test out the microbeveled fix?

I think it was Yablanowitz who posted some whittling he had done with his after microbevel, and it did well. I'm going back-and-forth on purchasing it myself, Howe's has had a pretty good price on them, but I wonder whether my uses would tend to damage the edge. Maybe I'll just have to go ahead and purchase one, to find out :) .

[J D Wijbenga]

When I asked Pekka, the designer, how he sharpens these types of knifes, he told me he puts on a micro bevel with diamonds hones. In a way like Spyderco is doing with the later runs.