Falkniven Knife Sharpening

[Longstrider]

Falkies are convex ground. There is no definitive 'edge angle' as such. Follow the convex with a hone and let the edges meet at the sharp bit ! I do all mine with hand-held diamond hones and work by eye (and experience).
It has to be said that I'm yet to see a Fallkniven blade that won't take a damned good edge .. and hold it. Take them down to a good fine finish ( 9 micron hone or finer) then strop it HARD on a firm strop with good compound and it'll come up like a razor. It won't have all those horrible scratches all over it either Once they're sharp you should be able to maintain the edge for a good while by stropping hard after every 3 or 4 grallocks. You'll find (with the right strop) that the leather compresses under the edge to form the same curve as the convex thereby maintaining the edge angle well enough until you realise that stropping isn't doing the job properly anymore and it needs a 'proper' hone again.

Funny that for some reason, with the hundreds of knives I work on every year, it always seems to be Falkie F1's that bite me and let the red stuff out. Last good one took 3 trips to a plastic surgeon the fix ! :0 I don't strop blades without my Level 5 cut-proof gloves on these days !

 

[Olaf]

Struggling to get a razor-like edge on my PHK. Any help with confirming the original factory grind angle and/or general tips for this steel would be appreciated.

Ta

K

It sounds like you have an over polished and thus subsequently rounded over bevel. An easily achieved phenomenon when trying to maintain a cutting edge with too fine a stone or polishing/ stropping when it actually needs a fresh edge.
I’ve seen a lot of people with very nice but expensive knives that have this. Understandably, they fear putting their pride and joy to a course sharpening stone and try to maintain an old edge. Without seeing a picture of the edge I’d suggest that this is your problem. Just put a secondary edge on it if it doesn’t have one already, or re shape the whole bevel . if it does have a second bevel then get that nice and flat on a 240 grit water stone or ceramic or diamond stone and then give it a very light burnishing.
Unless you have a very fresh bevel any stone over 240 grit is a time consuming process that will just make you more prone to putting a rounded bevel on the blade.
I’d personally put such a blade on a 80 grit stone to establish a thin edge then clean it up with a 240 grit water stone and then strop it on some leather with a bit of Tormek honing paste .
One of the best edges for Deer and boar is a 120 grit edge polished briefly with a strop. It will give you a razor edge of fine teeth, such an edge will just require a little more maintenance.
Obviously, for cutting wood a bone you need a 240 grit to 320 grit honed edge.
A course wet stone used properly and briefly will give even a novice good results over using too fine a stone or going up through more than 3 stone grits; you will otherwise polish it blunt .

Kindest regards, Olaf

 

[Klenchblaize]

Think I have the longer-term solution:

Cheers!

K

 

[johnnytheboy]

I had the same with a fallkniven, the reality is the convex edge isn’t an angle, if your sharpening it with a method that only sharpens at an angle you will need to grind the convex shoulder down to the desired angle, I have a sharpening system like a lansky and had to use 400g to take the convex off and find an edge. The afore mentioned is shown above in the lansky picture where you can see the flat ground section.

As mentioned above use a marker as you might just be honing the shoulder of the convex rather than actually getting to the edge.

The other way is using a sharpening system that conforms to the convex such as a tormek leather wheel and paste or wet and dry and a soft mouse mat.

 

[Rafter]

Yep.
Just grind away until the convex shape is gone and you have a nice repeatable edge.
The steel isn't magic, so make it into what suits you.

 

[Longstrider]

Yep.
Just grind away until the convex shape is gone and you have a nice repeatable edge.
The steel isn't magic, so make it into what suits you.

If you're going to do that, what's the point of buying a Fallkniven ? They're all (AFAIK) convex ground and are damned good knives. A convex edge is probably the strongest edge you can get. Not by chance are axes done with a convexed edge (when done properly), but it also happens that I make all my secondary bevels on my own knives into a tiny convex too. I do the same on customers knives as well unless they specify different. A convex edge is a doddle to maintain on a good strop. In fact .. a good strop will actually convex an edge over time if you use it properly.

 

[Polar Lynx]

Company Fallkniven do regrinding work of their products. Items returned almost as new. A f.e. F1 is a quality piece and companion for life and worth care. I send my in every so 3 yrs for no money (£10 + postage). They do work also for non-EU clients and shippng instruction is received after mail contact. Worthwhile .. yes.

 

[Tdes]

After using loads of different sharpeners I now just use Lansky Crock Sticks to touch up my Fallknivens before I go stalking.
I have never used anything else now for over 10-years. I sharpen the edge of the knife, matters not how thick the blade is.
They get shaving sharp in less than 5 mins, a quick strop and done.

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I am rubbish at most types of sharpening but it's hard to get it wrong with the sticks and a strop!! All those years spending money on sharpening stones to blunt my knives

Do you have the diamond version or ceramic?

 

[CWY308]

I am rubbish at most types of sharpening but it's hard to get it wrong with the sticks and a strop!! All those years spending money on sharpening stones to blunt my knives

Do you have the diamond version or ceramic?

I just have ceramic ones, white fine and grey course sticks. I just use the fine white sticks, then give them a good clean afterwards to remove any detritus. Best £20 I ever spent.
Diamond sticks are for reprofiling (IMHO) or if you have taken a chunk out of the edge, and if you are too aggressive will do more harm than good.
Not necessary for maintaining the edge.