Knife Sharpening suggestions

[Hard H2O]

I am six hours away from winning a sharpening set and stand....

What angle do I use for the M9 Lan-Cay Bayonet??

I don't want to jack up a new knife..

I would use the sharpie method and use whatever angle already exists.

A bayonet is not made for slicing anyway. It is made for stabbing. To do what they are designed to do they do not need to be really sharp. They just need a good point.

I would not carry the M9 and expect it to cut well. I would probably get a different knife for slicing and dicing.

What are your expectations for the use of the M9? If you are just going to look at it and not carry it I would not even bother sharpening it.

 

[Kurt V]

All I have ever used is my set of Arkansas stones. They seem to get the job done.

 

[The91Bravo]

I would use the sharpie method and use whatever angle already exists.

Good idea, thanks

A bayonet is not made for slicing anyway. It is made for stabbing. To do what they are designed to do they do not need to be really sharp. They just need a good point.

I don't plan on using it for CQB, but want it to be a good slicing knife.

I would not carry the M9 and expect it to cut well. I would probably get a different knife for slicing and dicing.

I am starting to collect knives now, .. but $$$$ ... eventually I'll get a Randall or something of that caliber

What are your expectations for the use of the M9? If you are just going to look at it and not carry it I would not even bother sharpening it.

I intend on having it become my primary hunting knife.. and I don't want it to be a safe queen...

Thanks for the advice, and questions.. I appreciate it..

Most of my knives had 'China' on the shank.. lol

 

[Hard H2O]

Good idea, thanks



I don't plan on using it for CQB, but want it to be a good slicing knife.



I am starting to collect knives now, .. but $$$$ ... eventually I'll get a Randall or something of that caliber



I intend on having it become my primary hunting knife.. and I don't want it to be a safe queen...

Thanks for the advice, and questions.. I appreciate it..

Most of my knives had 'China' on the shank.. lol

I would start with the angle on it as is. If it is not going to be a "safe queen" then it might be a good one to try some different angles on. Start as is and then go shallower.

If it is going to be a user then a few scratches shouldn't hurt.

Not to rain on your parade but there are a lot better choices for a hunting knife. That knife will not do any of the hunting related tasks that you ask of it. Pretty much any inexpensive hunting knife would be a better choice.

What are you going to be chasing?

I have a custom and a Buck 103 for whitetail hunting.

 

[The91Bravo]

It is for Boar... nothing less .. nothing more....

If they get too close, then I can fix bayonets..

But their hide is some tough shit. Like cutting a wet football.....

Thanks for the info, man I appreciate it....

p.s. those knives look like they will work quite well... and have done so... I love a tool that gets used right...

S

 

[x SF med]

I intend on having it become my primary hunting knife.. and I don't want it to be a safe queen...

Bad idea - wrong type of steel - you'll be sharpening constantly - it's made to not be brittle - it'll dull very easily and chip.

Most of my knives had 'China' on the shank.. lol

Spend the money on a good knife, a really good knife. You will notice the difference in usability and in holding the edge, and ease of sharpening.


You don't even want to know what my knife collection is worth - and I don't have any safe queens - even the signed ones get used.

 

[The91Bravo]

You don't even want to know what my knife collection is worth - and I don't have any safe queens - even the signed ones get used.

I remember the pics in the other thread.... awesome set of steel

 

[Hard H2O]

Bad idea - wrong type of steel - you'll be sharpening constantly - it's made to not be brittle - it'll dull very easily and chip.




Spend the money on a good knife, a really good knife. You will notice the difference in usability and in holding the edge, and ease of sharpening.


You don't even want to know what my knife collection is worth - and I don't have any safe queens - even the signed ones get used.

Very soft from what I understand.

Like most things it is a compromise.

A lot of cheap knives are soft and sharpen very well and quickly but dull fast and do not hold an edge.

Some spendier knives are better steel with a better heat treat and hold an edge but are a pain to sharpen.

I have heard guys say they like a knife they can quickly sharpen in the field. So softer is better for them.

Others like a blade that is a bit harder and holds an edge until they can do a proper sharpening.

I have never had to do a field sharpening on a blade other than my fillet knives.

 

[JBS]

Just got my Lansky system in.

I started with a few kitchen knives. My wife was given a set of Henkels, but we hadn't sharpened them in a while, so I took out the bigass chef knife out of the set- probably the dullest- and got to it.

From what I understand, the thick gauge chef knives have more of a utility design, and as a result the angle is far steeper- for getting through bones, etc. That being said, it was so easy to get a razor's edge on it.

I had about enough energy to sharpen three other knives, including my Victorinox SA fishing knife.

Looking forward to getting an edge on my Timberline SpecWar, but I wanted to practice on a few other knives first.

For anyone looking into this, I definitely give the Lansky my two thumbs up.

Thanks to all the previous posters for the great tips on this kit.

 

[The91Bravo]

Got my Gatco set, and man oh man.. it made life so much easier. takes some time to get the first and perfect edge, but I imagine the re-sharpening will go much more easy.

You all rock, and I again appreciate the sage advice..

Steve

 

[Typhoon]

An Oregon Logger turned knife designer, An Oregon Biker turned knife designer, and a South African knife designer/manufacturer told me...

Those three guys must have a lot of interesting tales to tell, xSF...

I have a Spyderco system that has three sets of triangle ceramic shaped rods that mount into a resin base. There are two brass rods on the outside of the unit that protect your hands. You can use the flat edges of the ceramic rods or the angled edges, effectively giving you six grades of sharpening surfaces. In addition if you have scalloped blades as I do the angled edges of the ceramic gets right into the concave surfaces for good sharpening. The ceramic rods fit into the base at an angle, so if you keep the knife blades upright they sharpen at just the right angle. You don't need any oil or other liquids, and ceramic clean up is easy with a regular dishpan type scrubbie.

It is an excellent sharpening system for a knife dummy like me...

 

[Hard H2O]

With those systems it is easy to get a knife sharp. I have the GATCO.

I added the extra fine and ultimate finishing hones to the kit. I highly recommend picking up the finer stones for either the GATCO or the Lansky. The two finer hones will gove you a more refined and polished edge.

I also do a stropping step. You can buy leather bench strops and chromium oxide or diamond pastes for stropping. I use leather scrap I bought at Tandy and cut to size. I use white and red polishing compound I got from Sears. I crayon on the compound on the leather and with the strop flat on the bench I use an edge trailing stroke. After stropping I have a very refined and nicely polished edge. It is beyond shaving sharp.

Do not be afraid to take your knives a bit shallower than the factory edge. the thiner the bevel the nicer they will slice. You can always experiment and find the angles that work for particular knives.

Make sure that everyone that might use them understands that they are sharp.

Ensure that you have enough knife friendly cutting boards. No glass and no cutting right on a ceramic plate.

I took my 8" santuko and my 10" Chicago chef's down to 11° with the GATCO. They are incredible slicers now. I took all the paring, the boning, the fillet, and the 5" santuko down to 15°. They cut like lasers.

 

[Hard H2O]

Those three guys must have a lot of interesting tales to tell, xSF...

I have a Spyderco system that has three sets of triangle ceramic shaped rods that mount into a resin base.

From what I understand the Spyderco Sharpmaker is great for knives that just need maintenance or are not too dull. I know a few guys that own one in addition to a rod guided system. I believe that you can flip the base upside sown and insert a couple of rods side by side and use it like a bench stone.

I use the extra fins and ultimate finishing stones plus the strop for maintenance.

Look into adding a stropping routine to your Spyderco kit. You can even refine the edge that comes off one of those.

 

[pardus]

A bayonet is not made for slicing anyway. It is made for stabbing. To do what they are designed to do they do not need to be really sharp. They just need a good point..

Maybe in your Army.
We slashed as well.

The Last really good bayonet blade ive seen was made in 1888.

http://www.arms2armor.com/Bayonets/brit1888.htm

 

[Hard H2O]

A bayonet is not made for slicing anyway. It is made for stabbing. To do what they are designed to do they do not need to be really sharp. They just need a good point..

Maybe in your Army.
We slashed as well.

The Last really good bayonet blade ive seen was made in 1888.

http://www.arms2armor.com/Bayonets/brit1888.htm

You are correct. I have never had to fix a bayonet in advance of actually needing it in combat.

If you will read my post again I wrote slicing not slashing. Slashing is different than the precision slicing required to field dress and butcher game animals.

 

[pardus]

You are correct. I have never had to fix a bayonet in advance of actually needing it in combat.

If you will read my post again I wrote slicing not slashing. Slashing is different than the precision slicing required to field dress and butcher game animals.

Slash, Slice, it all sucks on the recieving end! lol

You are correct, I misinterpreted your wording.

Personally, I want to carry a bayonet that will act as both a bayonet and a good field/utility knife, e.g. a K-Bar bayonet

 

[Hard H2O]

Slash, Slice, it all sucks on the recieving end! lol

You are correct, I misinterpreted your wording.

Personally, I want to carry a bayonet that will act as both a bayonet and a good field/utility knife, e.g. a K-Bar bayonet

You could probably take an existing bayonet and grind the blade into pretty much whatever shape and thickness you desire.

 

[JBS]

Do not be afraid to take your knives a bit shallower than the factory edge. the thiner the bevel the nicer they will slice.

That's what I'm going to have to do with a couple of knives I have.

Could you recommend a good way to actually grind down a very dull blade?

I was thinking of just going ahead and buying a very, very coarse stone, but this seems really labor intensive- especially with numerous, or very long blades.

Any shortcuts, or should I just grab a 6-pack of brew, and make an hour's work of it?

 

[Hard H2O]

That's what I'm going to have to do with a couple of knives I have.

Could you recommend a good way to actually grind down a very dull blade?

I was thinking of just going ahead and buying a very, very coarse stone, but this seems really labor intensive- especially with numerous, or very long blades.

Any shortcuts, or should I just grab a 6-pack of brew, and make an hour's work of it?

Guys on the sharpening forums recommend the DMT extra coarse diamond stones and lots of elbow grease.

I use the extra coarse stone on the GATCO and the same elbow grease. Sometimes I thin an angle out in two or three sessions. I will start grinding away on the shoulder of the bevel but not finish the reprofile but instead finish by sharpening at the original angle. In two or three sharpening sessions it will be at the new shallower angle.

 

[Marauder06]

The only time I've ever used a knife in combat was to open an MRE or slice 550 cord. When deployed, I carry a small folder in my pocket (thanks Rick!) and a small fixed blade on my body armor. The bayonet stays in the armory.