Blade sharpening

[Overlay]

Most struggle when they dont just follow the single bevel each side on a scandi and instead try and create another small bevel, it rarely works out . Scandi are really for green wood and splitting / battoning firewood etc .
Take heads n slots off with a cheap larder knife , no need to take them off with your stalking knife you use for the bleed and gralloch etc .

I use another blade for gralloching and a heavier blade the EKA for the atlas, legs or rib cage back at the larder in conjunction with a victorianox 5” blade

 

[Deermanagement]

Bit surprised by this, I have a Buck 105 fixed and can easily get an really keen edge after using the Ruixin Pro sharpener to set the bevel at 17°.
Okay, the edge dulls fairly quickly, but a steel and a strop gets it back on song.

Aye, the buck is a good solid knife but I've had no problem sharpening every other knife, filleting knives, kitchen knives and the couple of hunting knives, all except this one. Just can't get a good sharp edge on this knife so it'll go back into the "spare" box.

 

[Deermanagement]

Out yesterday evening and 2 sika calves from a froup of 4 inside woodland with 30 mins light left. New EKA used for the first time and a pleasure to use, quick enough to jump into a high seat for the last 10 mins and manage a 3rd calf. Would have been hacking away at the first calf until it was dark so gained a beast. Not anticipating any issues sharpening at a later date

Knife feels solid and worth the price. As I'm butchering calf No.3 for a colleague, a stag calf around 45 lbs, knife has paid for itself

 

[Deermanagement]

Update on the EKA should anyone look to buy one....... after gralloching 7 sika last week, I felt the factory sharpening had started to loose it edge slightly so went to give it a sharpen. Found that the edge from the curve towards the tip had been ground off centre by a discernable amount, so I worked on it to get it even. It's better than it was and I'll finish the correction on the next sharpening but from the sharpening point of view, it was relatively easy to get a good edge

 

[ferretmanabu]

I sharpen my Eka swingblade at 20 degrees and you can shave with it, same the Emberleaf.

How long does the blade stay sharp for? I managed to get similar levels of sharpness on a swingblade with a Lanksky kit but it would only last for a couple of deer. I changed to sharpening with wet/dry sandpaper and the blade is much more durable now.

 

[Shootgun]

How long does the blade stay sharp for? I managed to get similar levels of sharpness on a swingblade with a Lanksky kit but it would only last for a couple of deer. I changed to sharpening with wet/dry sandpaper and the blade is much more durable now.

I doubt the sharpening method has anything to do with how durable the blade is

 

[Yukonmountainhunter]

I've got a couple of knives that are a bastard to sharpen, one being a semi custom Finnish blade I bought about 40 years ago (surprised I haven't lost it yet!) A bunch of work mates bought me a "Worksharp" sharpener last year and and does that ever work well! I thought I could get a decent edge on blades and then I started using this thing. Like some one mentioned, you need the rolled edge to really get a true razor edge.

Short of that, the havalon's are an outstanding replaceable blade knife. I have a friend who uses them exclusively when guide for moose. I keep one in my "bino bivy"

 

[Rory]

But hell, someone explain why I can't get a decent edge on the Buck with an included edge angle of around 25 degrees, somewhere around the recommended angle for 420HC? Go any finer and my edge starts to break down, so unless someone can give me a little hope, I either buy a new blade or continue to hack my way into the Sika and Muntjac.

I think this might be the problem - an inclusive angle of 25deg would be 12.5deg per side, which is very steep. If you were to sharpen the Buck 110 at 40-50deg inclusive, you would definitely have a more durable edge.

 

[Overlay]

So to sharpen an EKA is 20 degree the probable/best angle per side and a grit 600/800 followed by a strop up about right to get a dull blade back to sharp

 

[Rory]

So to sharpen an EKA is 20 degree the probable/best angle per side and a grit 600/800 followed by a strop up about right to get a dull blade back to sharp

I would say 20deg per side is going to give you a good, strong edge with an EKA.

 

[Tazz]

Eka swingblade with 12c27 steel arrived yesterday. Feels good in the hand, should be a more simple and hence more reliable knife than the outdoor edge folder that I liked until part of the lock for the blade broke off. The knife feels solid and well made so thanks to guys who made the suggestion. Bought from Gearfreak £63.60 delivered so a good saving on some other stockists at over £80 with delivery.

I have EKA Swingblade and EKA Swede 8 quality knives for the money

 

[Bowland blades]

I've got a couple of knives that are a bastard to sharpen, one being a semi custom Finnish blade I bought about 40 years ago (surprised I haven't lost it yet!) A bunch of work mates bought me a "Worksharp" sharpener last year and and does that ever work well! I thought I could get a decent edge on blades and then I started using this thing. Like some one mentioned, you need the rolled edge to really get a true razor edge.

Short of that, the havalon's are an outstanding replaceable blade knife. I have a friend who uses them exclusively when guide for moose. I keep one in my "bino bivy"

Misnomer there you do not want a rolled edge at all ! What you actually mean is " the forming of a burr" The burr is very different to a rolled edge but it does feel blunt until its removed !
IMO replacement blades are for those that simply cannot learn to sharpen or have a habit of buying poor knives that cannot hold an edge very long . Its true that you can slice though paper pretty good with a sharpened credit card - it just wont last !
I know people dont believe this but a knife of many of the better steels by a good knifemaker and a truly competent Hunter can hold out to 100 large deer with no more than a leather strop. To many deer hunters 100 deer is more than they might shoot in their entire career, to other pro cullers its far more in a year .
Cutting the whole deer up into meal size bits will drastically lower these figures due to the about of knife to bone contact . In this latter case , simply buy a box of cheap boning knives and a butchers steel to roll back the edge and polish . Knives like the 5" straight victorinox boner , sorry i dont know if these are common in the uk but there will be a butchers supply company that has similar .

 

[CBH Australia]

I think the Victorinox brand can be found the world over. Their butchers knives and skinning knives are popular in Australia with professionals.

Not everyone masters freehand sharpening of blades or has the patience or the interest to learn all the techniques. I try but I'm sure there are many get sharper than mine.

I'm not against anyone using a Havalin or similar if it works for them

 

[Yukonmountainhunter]

Misnomer there you do not want a rolled edge at all ! What you actually mean is " the forming of a burr"

yes, that's what I meant. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Bowland blades]

I think the Victorinox brand can be found the world over. Their butchers knives and skinning knives are popular in Australia with professionals.

Not everyone masters freehand sharpening of blades or has the patience or the interest to learn all the techniques. I try but I'm sure there are many get sharper than mine.

I'm not against anyone using a Havalin or similar if it works for them

Oh likewise , someone can sharpen up a butter knife and use that for all i care . I However stopped using Stanley type knives in work , the issue was always having enough spare blades when you needed them ( and they are not actually very sharp and tend to snap ) . Instead for work / light utility i use these , The Japanese style of work knife The Kiridashi. Capable of some lot tougher jobs designed to hold an edge and be brought back just with a strop and compound

 

[johnnytheboy]

My problem with 420 was the burr, it seems like chewing gum and the burr is created very easy and is a bugger to get off, I sharpen at 20 degrees with a diafold magnaglide

 

[Bowland blades]

My problem with 420 was the burr, it seems like chewing gum and the burr is created very easy and is a bugger to get off, I sharpen at 20 degrees with a diafold magnaglide

Are you dealing with a burr or might it be the use of your device has an inaccuracy? The bur is really easy to remove with a strop
420 is not a steel i should use but a few production plants like Buck have doctored the process of Heat treat to improve it but i see them chipping when 420 have a higher hardness

 

[johnnytheboy]

Are you dealing with a burr or might it be the use of your device has an inaccuracy? The bur is really easy to remove with a strop
420 is not a steel i should use but a few production plants like Buck have doctored the process of Heat treat to improve it but i see them chipping when 420 have a higher hardness

I just use the back of my leather belt as a strop, not ideal but it saves me buying something else! I just noticed 420 burrs up pretty easy compared to other knifes I have!

 

[Bowland blades]

I just use the back of my leather belt as a strop, not ideal but it saves me buying something else! I just noticed 420 burrs up pretty easy compared to other knifes I have!

If it does its not I suspect the 420 that's good its the heat treatment its given and the edge geometry . You will get better results stropping with a good flat bit of wood under the leather and some compound , i use light grey but it turns black when you use it but plain without compound at all can certainly perform . Your stopping is likely taking the remaining burr off .

 

[johnnytheboy]

If it does its not I suspect the 420 that's good its the heat treatment its given and the edge geometry . You will get better results stropping with a good flat bit of wood under the leather and some compound , i use light grey but it turns black when you use it but plain without compound at all can certainly perform . Your stopping is likely taking the remaining burr off .

I think I need to invest in this after a raised eyebrow conversation with my dad when he was showing me how to sharpen his wood chisels! I’m 46!

I’m sure the stropping is removing the burr but I’d like the polish effect on the strop from the paste as well!

Thanks for your advice