A 'How to' guide to sharpening a knife the traditional way.

[Peter Dunkley]

Thank you Snock for a very informative post. Can I just add that instead of having a leather strop stretched tight to wipe the blade on I use a stropping board. This is a piece of leather glued to a length of wood, mine is about 2" square and 8" long with the leather glued on one face. I hold the knife and wipe the strop along the edge. Same result as a pukka strop but I find it easier with this tool if the blade is a bit long.
Thanks again.

Just got back from Spain and bought myself a little darling of a knife there. A Muelay Colibri. Fixed 2 3/4" blade with a 3 1/4" Bone handle. with brass bolsters. It's worth going on their website and having a look at it.

[christy]

An old cobbler showed me a way to sharpen knives a long time ago. Simply buy some wet n dry paper P600 grade. Glue onto a piece of wood about 7-8 inches long 2inches wide. Use spray adhesive to stick it on.wet the sharpener and use as oil stone. Works a treat, my knives are extreemly sharp. Obviously you need to learn the knack. If your knife is new or been sharpened using another method then it will take time for this method to kick in. Keep everything almost flat. But not that flat it marks the blade above an eighth of an inch from the edge. At first you may give it a jolly good rubbing. That should last for a few sessions. Then you will notice something extreemly sharp emerging. Next it's little and often. Rather like a new willy.

Ah! the most important bit, you must learn about the different concoctions of steel and other things used to make a blade. Some hold an edge-some do not.

[Guest]

I use a spyderco, Tri-angle Sharpmaker - simply superb.

Comes with a video of how to use it, excellent bit of kit.

Dave

[daveuk]

Thank you Snock for a very informative post. Can I just add that instead of having a leather strop stretched tight to wipe the blade on I use a stropping board. This is a piece of leather glued to a length of wood, mine is about 2" square and 8" long with the leather glued on one face. I hold the knife and wipe the strop along the edge. Same result as a pukka strop but I find it easier with this tool if the blade is a bit long.
Thanks again.

Just got back from Spain and bought myself a little darling of a knife there. A Muelay Colibri. Fixed 2 3/4" blade with a 3 1/4" Bone handle. with brass bolsters. It's worth going on their website and having a look at it.

i've just had a mooch online at those knives. lovely looking things arent they.
Seems like you got a nice knife there.

[digitaldwarf]

just anyone is unsure about how to strop a knife here is a video for you

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=liKYctpdjC4

[Big Mafoota]

Here's how ray mears does it http://youtube.com/watch?v=bQN4jcXDjbE

[Cam.]

I have recently learnt how to put a convex edge on my Fallkniven. I then use the fine stones on my Spyderco to finish. The edge is sharp enough to shave with, and can slice through tissue that is held between finger and thum.

Cam

[peakecentral]

A while back, my Dad asked for a Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpener for his birthday. It's initially a bit daunting as it looks quite unconventional, but the performance is awesome. It puts a magnificent edge on a decent blade. My Leatherman is good, but I also have a Benchmade which is now seriously sharp.

So good I just had to get one for myself...

[Guest]

Pete well done for adding the video link to this thread!

Dave