Edged Tools, Selection, Care, etc.

[tac]

i love knives

i have too many knives to list but my most recent 1s are cold steel trailmaster,cold steel spartan which is an awsome folder and the cold steel rajah,and my neat little spyderco small fly balisong its not a good flipper but its still fun ,small and light more of a toy for me...ha.i also have some swamprat knives and busse.i could go on and on ,im a knife and firearm collector...lol.also over the years the tomahawk has become part of my gear.i have to say for the money you really cant beat cold steel just dont order from their website,way marked up compared to sites like knifecenter.com they give you a nice warranty and do honor it.ive found the more expensive my knives the more i baby them,but my cold steels i beat the hell out of them,the spartain and rajah i took apart and used gun kote to treat the blade and blue lock tight to secure the screws and they look and preform great.the trailmaster ive put through hell and its still goin strong.as far as maitnence goes i was using a spyderco sharpener but i got all kinds of stones and rods,and im waiting on 1 my gf ordered for me but i forget the name...lol

 

[AFBronco235]

I'm resurrecting this thread because I'm a bit of a blade nut. I generally carry some cheapo knife around when I'm just going out, but I keep several in my Bronco for emergency use.

This bad boy is my personal favorite and the last knife I ever made. That back edge is truly sharp. I've certainly cut myself on it enough times to know. Very affective at both cutting and chopping. It took only three hits to go through a 2x4 and sliced just fine through some hanging manila rope. The back edge is almost as good as the front.

Next up a hunting knife I made for a cousin for Christmas one year. In the 5 years since I gave it to him, he's used it to butcher 11 deer and I believe he's only had to sharpen it once! And people tell me work hardening the edge just doesn't work. HA!

And here is my first successful knife. Made of spring steel and holds an edge remarkably well and is great for showing off my knife throwing skills. I carry it everywhere I go off road. My first work hardened edge with brass pins and hickory handle slabs.

Here is the only knife I was every commissioned to make. The guy who bought it wanted a tough, reliable camp cooking blade. Last I heard, he was still using it. Good for both veggies and meat. Flexible enough to prepare fish and wide enough to do everything else too, including cut tent stakes or cooking spears. Again, brass pins and hickory slaps for the handle.

For shappening, I'm old school and prefer honing stones. I picked up a set of three from a neighbors estate sale. He was an old engineer and hobbyist who kept is tools in tip top condition. I don't know the grit or the manufacturer of the stones, but they're all fine grit and very well cared for. No chips and you can tell they've been used. I keep one for my camping gear and another in my knife making kit. The third stays in the house for general sharpening purposes. I use water and mineral oil to keep the stones clean. I do have a cheap round file, but I only use that to smooth out any chips on my hard use knives.

And just because I want to show off, here is my super cheap (free) forge I made out of junk I had lying around at the time. Cinder block, steel frame from a motorcycle shipping box, sheet metal from a rusted out wheel barrow, blower fan from an old furnace, left over dryer exhaust ducting, leftover push button light dimmer and cut up extension cord, I fuel it with wood scraps and used motor oil. Its amazing how hot that setup could get my steel!

 

[madZJ]

I've spent a lot of time at the local knife shop recently and those knives look pretty good for home made. I especially like your homemade "free" forge.

 

[AFBronco235]

I've spent a lot of time at the local knife shop recently and those knives look pretty good for home made. I especially like your homemade "free" forge.

Thanks. I put a lot of work and effort into each finished blade. I've got a few "fugly" pieces too. lol.

 

[Chili]

For those of us with less ingenuity, and skill / patience in sharpening knives and axes...

My wife bought me one of these for Christmas, and I love it:

http://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-WS...671&sr=8-1&keywords=work+sharp+tool+sharpener

Sharpened every knife in the house the first day, and now I just look for more stuff to use it on!

Works well on hatchets and axes too. I even used it on an old Coleman cheapie that was covered in rust. Cleaned the edge right up!

 

[AFBronco235]

For those of us with less ingenuity, and skill / patience in sharpening knives and axes...

My wife bought me one of these for Christmas, and I love it:

http://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-WS...671&sr=8-1&keywords=work+sharp+tool+sharpener

Sharpened every knife in the house the first day, and now I just look for more stuff to use it on!

Works well on hatchets and axes too. I even used it on an old Coleman cheapie that was covered in rust. Cleaned the edge right up!

The problem with something like that is it doesn't put a proper edge on it. It does put some edge, but the cutting will be rough, more akin to a saw than a cut. Its good for doing a rough sharpening, but you still need a fine stone to give it that edge that will cut cleanly and effortlessly.

There is also the problem of overheating the cutting edge, which can ruin the temper on some blades. Basically, it makes the steel on the cutting edge softer which makes it go dull quicker. Its good for amateurs who don't rely on a good blade, but if you want to take good care of your blades, get a honing stone and files. IMO, that's the only right way to do it.

 

[chromisdesigns]

I just bought one for myself as a xmas present, works a treat on all my blades.

 

[Mr. Snappy]

The problem with something like that is it doesn't put a proper edge on it. It does put some edge, but the cutting will be rough, more akin to a saw than a cut. Its good for doing a rough sharpening, but you still need a fine stone to give it that edge that will cut cleanly and effortlessly.

There is also the problem of overheating the cutting edge, which can ruin the temper on some blades. Basically, it makes the steel on the cutting edge softer which makes it go dull quicker. Its good for amateurs who don't rely on a good blade, but if you want to take good care of your blades, get a honing stone and files. IMO, that's the only right way to do it.

I beg to differ. I have sharpened, carried, and made knives for the last 15-16 years. I also sell knives and sharpening tools, both stone, diamond and the work sharp. I have used the Lansky system for years, both with stone and the diamond hones. I use a work sharp on an almost daily basis for my customers. If you know how to use it, it can produce a scary sharp edge in less the half the time any other system I've tried or seen. If you don't know how to use it, well, chances are, you're gonna need a new knife.
And for the idea that it produces a saw like cutting surface, that is true ONLY if you stop sharpening with the lower grit belts, like the 250 grit. For scissors or a quick edge, sure, you can do that. If you want better, it can do it. When I'm done with a knife, it has a mirror polished edge that is nothing "sawlike".
And files? Good for axes, machetes, and shovels, I guess. Not smart at all for knives.
Oh, and the guy that bought a machete from me on the condition that it had to shave when he got it? Not only did it shave, he also promptly sliced a knuckle open with it taking the label off the blade. Much to the amusement of the other guys in the shop.
Drawbacks to the work sharp tools? Sure, like if you don't have power i.e. Out in the woods, or if you use it wrong it's gonna eat your blade for lunch, or that you can produce a round tip on the blade IF you don't pay attention to what you're doing. And I'd never recommend sharpening a collector knife on it, just cause.
A good knife owner should be able to sharpen his blade in more than one way. The work sharp is one way. Not the only, or always the right way.
Cheers.

 

[Mr. Snappy]

And to comment further on EDC blades, right now I'm using an Emerson mini Bulldog, or a Microtech Ultratech Tanto. Still have several Benchmades, and good German stuff in the kitchen.
Gerber set in the camping gear. Has a funky chef's knife, pairing knife, and a cutting board all in one carry case. Not that easy to use though. Handles are chunky and get in the way, due to a short blade rise.

 

[Beowulf]

Anyone use the Edge Pro system?

 

[BulldoginaJeepwithaColt]

I have had god luck with the Spyderco Sharpmaker for my knives.