Five pound sharpening kit

[British Red]

Making your tools

Now, if you have £30-£40 to invest in a set of water stones, plus £20 for a razor strop and £20 for a great chef steel, you can get a razor edge on your knife. I do mean shaving sharp. But what if you haven’t? Well a friend of mine challenged me to get a beaten up Mora to shave for under five pounds. I do love a challenge ;) !

I openly acknowledge that all the ideas shown here have been robbed from a variety of sources - not least Mors Kochanski, however a personal experience may be interesting (and the techiques do work) so heres how I went about it. Total cost to me? About £4 max.

You will need…..

Three FLAT pieces of wood – around 9” by 4”. Actually anything very flat that you can cut to about that size is great – tiles work well, thick glass is fantastic, sheet metal, whatever)

A pack of mixed grade wet & dry paper from the local DIY store (240, 400 & 600 grit or close)

A pair of scissors

A piece of old inner tube from your firelighting kit (or a bit of old leather or cork or anything non slip)

Some glue

Some double sided tape (carpet laying tape from the same DIY store is great)

http://upload3.postimage.org/79466/parts.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/79466/photo_hosting.html)

Step 1

Cut your boards to size. They need to be the as long as the width of your wet&dry and about 4” wide. You will need 3 of them


Step 2
Cut a piece of your first wet&dry to fit your board

http://upload3.postimage.org/79471/cut2size.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/79471/photo_hosting.html)

Step 3
Cover the flattest side of the board in double-sided tape

http://upload3.postimage.org/79473/tape.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/79473/photo_hosting.html)

Step 4
Stick the wet&dry onto the tape. Turn over and press flat

http://upload3.postimage.org/79476/wetndrystuck.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/79476/photo_hosting.html)

Step 5
Cut up a bit of inner tube to make non slip feet for your board. Glue into place. Using a permanent marker, write the grit size on your board.

http://upload3.postimage.org/79480/feet.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/79480/photo_hosting.html)

Step 6
Repeat for the other grit sizes

You now have a matched set of 3 sharpening boards!

http://upload3.postimage.org/79483/stack.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/79483/photo_hosting.html)

Basic Honing

Now, looking at the knife I’m teaching you to sharpen (A Frost Mora), you will notice that it only has a primary grind, and no secondary bevel. This makes it a great bush knife as sharpening is relatively simple even in the field.

So, lets get a working edge.

Step 1
Examine the cutting edge. Are there any “nicks” or “dings” in the edge? If so, we need to get rid of them. We do this by placing a metal file flat to the bevel and filing the bevel, for the full length of the blade. Use five strokes on one side followed by five on the other. As the ding disappears, reduce the number until you are alternating sides. As soon as you have a nice straight edge, stop.

Step 2
Take your 240 grit sharpening board. You don’t need to wet it. Lay the flat side of the knife flat on the board. Hold the handle of the knife in your right hand and push the hilt up to the board. Using your left hand, spread your fingers and brace the blade evenly across the board.

Here is the angle

http://upload3.postimage.org/83401/Layon.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/83401/photo_hosting.html)

Here is what it looks like

http://upload3.postimage.org/83426/Flathand.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/83426/photo_hosting.html)

Step 3
Rock the knife blade towards the cutting edge so the bevel is flat to the board.

The angle should now be like this

http://upload3.postimage.org/83411/Angletogrind.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/83411/photo_hosting.html)

http://upload3.postimage.org/83429/bevelhand.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/83429/photo_hosting.html)

Step 4
Pushing the bevel flat to the board, push the knife away from you as though trying to shave off the tope atom of the paper.

You will find that the tip of the knife overhangs your board, and if you sharpen in a straight line, the tip gets no attention, so sharpen on a curve so that the tip is sharpened in the same stroke.

http://upload3.postimage.org/83432/Curvedpush.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/83432/photo_hosting.html)

Lift the knife off the board, turn it over and, with the bevel facing towards you, “shave” in the opposite direction. Here’s a picture.

http://upload3.postimage.org/83444/CurvedPush2.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/83444/photo_hosting.html)

Note.
Never pull the knife towards you. In honing a knife, you are pulling the metal around. If you pull the knife, you built a soft burr or wire in front of the cutting edge. Magnified, it would look like this:

http://upload3.postimage.org/83458/DragBurr.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/83458/photo_hosting.html)

Step 5
How many passes (a pass is one “shave” each way)you will need depends on the steel of your knife and its condition. Try 50 passes to start with.

Step 6
Repeat steps 2 to 4 with your 400 grit board. This time you need 100 passes

Step 7
Repeat steps 2 to 4 with your 600 grit board. This time 150 passes.

Note
The exact number of passes will vary as stated – a light re-touch can be achieved with just a few passes of your 600 grit.


Conclusion
By now, the bevel of your knife should look clean, unscratched and quite shiny. The purpose of the different grades is to create a smoother and smoother finish to the blade edge. With the coarse stone, you get the right angle, but the cutting edge is almost like a saw blade under a microscope. Each successive stone smoothes out the size of the teeth. We now have a knife that is sharp to a working edge. Holding a piece of paper in one hand, you should be able to slice it cleanly with the knife.

The blade is still not surgically sharp, and we’ll look how to achieve that next.

Strop and steel

Now in the first stage of this process we have sharpened up a working edge. In this step we will polish it to shaving sharpness! This needs a strop and a steel.

Step 1

To strop a blade you need a soft and finely abrasive surface – one of the best is a leather belt (use an old one). The leather belt works well because you can make a loop with the buckle and fasten it round a door handle, your foot, a branch etc. I tend to use rough side then smooth side.

I find that this action is improved by the application of a finely abrasive paste. I have heard of people using scouring cream, but I use….toothpaste! Weird, but it works. You may want to skip this if wearing the belt later!

So, form a loop and secure your strop. Pull tight with your left hand.

http://upload3.postimage.org/84762/belt.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/84762/photo_hosting.html)

Now this time, you want to push the spine away from you with the bevel toward you and resting firmly on the leather (the other direction). It should go like this:

http://upload3.postimage.org/84766/stropping1.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/84766/photo_hosting.html)

Then turn the knife over and drag the other side of the bevel towards you spine first – like this.

http://upload3.postimage.org/84769/stropping2.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/84769/photo_hosting.html)

The purpose of this is to give the bevel the finest of polishes and to mover the burr and possibly break it off – the effect is shown below.

http://upload3.postimage.org/84771/burrbreak.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/84771/photo_hosting.html)

You will need to strop 200 times in each direction (more if you can – this is hardly abrasive at all). You would of course do this with a razor strop if you had one, in the same way as you would use a water stone instead of the honing block.

Step 2

Finally we need to remove any remaining burr. This is achieved by Lightly running the bevel along a slightly rough surface. If you have a chefs steel in your carving set, that’s fine. If not, use the edge of an old ceramic tile or even the lowered window of your car. Do it very lightly, no more than 6 times in each direction.

Now, you should be able to shave with your knife – with a kit that cost a few quid!


http://upload3.postimage.org/84772/edge.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/84772/photo_hosting.html)

Hope thats interesting to someone!

Red

[Big Geordie]

Recently heard of this..

Go to beach. Collect piece of weel worn broken glass.
Use as high grit stone. ( whats it made of but sand etc.)
Even the bottle neck will do. I know we saw Ray Mears use a car window, but we cant always carry one of those with us!

Tell me what you think.
George :)

[British Red]

I see no reason why that wouldn't work. I have used the shiny side of a ceramic tile and Cif cream before instead of a 6,000 grit and Nagura stone- worked well. Its worth finding something like a mildly abrasive paste for the sharpening bit, the car window, knife steel, tile edge part is mainly to snap off the burr.

regards - Red

[OldJimbo]

Super instructions!
A worthwhile step is to save the scrapings from the emery paper, and rub into an old oiled belt or piece of leather. Any sort of oil can be used, even motor oil, but neatsfoot is preferred. I use such a belt flat on a counter top (with newspaper beneath) to have the strop supported. Such a strop will take off the wire edge in a very controlled fashion and speed things up. It'll help with polishing, too, as particles sink into leather with only tips exposed.
A block of green buffing compound could be split between a bunch of people and still leave everyone with a lifetime supply - so it's cheap. Crayoned onto cardboard from a cereal box etc, very little will beat it for speed in putting on a final polished edge, by stropping.

[British Red]

Old Jimbo,

Fantastic advice - I'd never thought of the tip with the emery scrapings!

Anyone know where to buy green buffing compound in the UK?

Red

[Goose]

Old Jimbo,

Fantastic advice - I'd never thought of the tip with the emery scrapings!

Anyone know where to buy green buffing compound in the UK?

Red
I think it is the same stuff you get with a starkie strop, but thats blue, or try valve paste?

[Nemisis]

I've got a brown paste type stuff for polishing iron etc I got from a dremell suppliers its meant to be used with a felt wheel attachment you think that would do on the strop?
Dave.

[British Red]

Nemesis,

I've used that before and its fine

Red

[Ketchup]

Great thread, Red!

I recently bought a set of 4 old stones (including 2 white/red Ardennes coticule!) for a mere Euro! So together with my old belt and a nice old steel I picked up at the same sale for 50cent, I'm still below your 5 pound mark, but using real stones. Stones are not valued at all brick a brack shops etc. That's where you find them cheap.

[Andy]

I have delt with these people and the service was quick
http://www.abrasivesplus.com

postage is included in the prices shown. They have the buffing compounds as well as abrsive paper down to 2microns (I think it's about 10,000 grit)

[British Red]

Andy,

Thanks for the link - I'll look em up at home and maybe expand the kit a bit!


Ketchup - you lucky so & so! Would love to see piccs of your under 5 euros kit!

All these extra tips are fantastic! Hopefully this will come in handy for someone starting out or "financially challenged" or just downright tight (like me)

Red

[Ketchup]

Ketchup - you lucky so & so! Would love to see piccs of your under 5 euros kit!
Red

I'll give it a try

The two left ones are (used) water stones, two different grades. To the right, two cotticle stones (white red, one set in wood by former owner) and right is the old steel: all for 1,5 €!
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/3729/dscf00180vx.th.jpg (http://img392.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf00180vx.jpg)

[British Red]

Ketchup,

Looks great - did you have to flatten any of the stones off? I'm amazed how many bowed and bent stones are out there that can so easily berendered true!

Red

[OldJimbo]

Buffing compound comes in all sorts of types, mostly denoted by color. The chromium oxide which is usually green is the best, since it's incredibly fine (0.5 micron) but super abrasive. So it gives about the best polish obtainable in the fastest time. All the other stuff is either coarser, less abrasive, or wears down faster.
When I first found out about it from woodworking forums, I went down to the hardware store and got a fossilized set of buffing sticks. Other than the fact that that the wax base had hardened it worked OK. Later I got a better block from Lee Valley Tools in Canada. Despite giving a bunch away, I still have enough for my lifetime.
There is better stuff, scientific grade diamond lapping compound, which goes even finer. But that's expensive, and probably beyond our needs. Better to stay with something that can be crayoned onto a piece of cardboard or paper, then when the cardboard turns black with removed metal - it's thrown away (without crying over the cost).
You can read the sharpening paper with electron microscope pics, mentioned in the shaving thread, for details on how well it works.

Valve grinding compound is just carburundum - the stuff on emery sheets. I find that by rubbing it into well oiled leather that I can get very fast and good removal of wire edges and some sharpening. A person can also remove wire edges by slicing some newpapers, but that causes edge degradation. Even better than carburundum is the brown slurry from waterstones rubbed into oiled leather.

Given the low cost and little effort with cheap sharpening methods, it's all worth a try. A couple of years ago we did some edge holding tests over at outdoors magazine. I was amazed at how well a properly sharpened Mora did.

[British Red]

Thanks Guys,

Well, between you, you have come up with some fantastic additions to the kit! I've just ordered some microabrasive paper and buffing compound based on OldJimbos advice from Andys link. I reckon to add two more boards to my set to take it down to 10,000 grit and then a leather covered board with some buffing compound.

You know the funniest thing? I have a full set of water stones! However, my mate is going to be delighted with this (and I'll have enough bits left over to make a set for me - I'm thinking wide for my axes!)

Red

[bloodline]

FANTESTICAL just goes to show you dont have to throw money away to keep your blades in good nick :You_Rock_

[OldJimbo]

For axes you need to think expensive - a drywall sander with rubber backing and a handle, that takes half a sheet of emery. Mine was $8 CAN, though I probably got ripped off as it was an impulse buy! Or you could make one for almost nothing. Hoodoo's got lots of pics up of ones he's made.
Just be aware that two sweeps of one of those, and all sorts of imperfections will quickly be seen on what had appeared to be a perfectly ground axe. It's what I use to see how I'm doing when using power tools like grinders on old axes. Not having a lifetime of experience with grinders, I have to finish by hand with the sanding pad...

[Ketchup]

Ketchup,

Looks great - did you have to flatten any of the stones off? I'm amazed how many bowed and bent stones are out there that can so easily berendered true!

Red

I don't think you need to flatten a stone. In my father's days, all sharpening stones were oval (elipsoïd.. oblong... whatever), Only when a stone is dented or so you might consider reshaping them. "Keep it simple" is the message

[nitram55]

This is a variation on the Scary Sharp system used for chisels and plane irons, the time to switch grits is when you can no longer see any score marks from the previous one. great way to sharpen. :)


http://www.shavings.net/SCARY.HTM

[laurens ch]

This should be made a sticky. It is possible to put a reasonable edge with natural stones (the stuff you find in the streams etc) i would estimate there about 600 grit, you will probably need to them flatten first. You can use tiles as a hone,they tend to clog quite quickly they do work though. A ceramic fuse can also be used as a very fine burnisher. (be very careful not to cut yourself)

[British Red]

Nitram55,

LMAO at that - I have to say this may well be true (as in that they had the idea first). I confess to nickking the idea from Mors Kochanski. Hey, who cares? It works and its cheap! I'm going to go mad with the finer abrasives though - 2,000 grit ? Pah! I've just ordered some 10,000 grit from the link earlier in the thread!

Looking forward to splitting the atom!

Red

[British Red]

Great tip on the ceramic fuse! I love this stuff - I suggest a basic idea and you guys build on it an make it far better - thanks!

Red

[Andy]

I've matched the test in this thread using the 2micron mesh and the stropping technique this guy uses. I tend to put a slightly less acute bevel on most knives though
http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33387&highlight=burr

[British Red]

I've matched the test in this thread using the 2micron mesh and the stropping technique this guy uses. I tend to put a slightly less acute bevel on most knives though
http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33387&highlight=burr
Well, I've ordered some 2 micron Andy - I'll let you know how I get on!

Red

[British Red]

Well guys,

This is a sincere thank you. I thought I'd designed something good....you know, cheap effective yada yada yada.

Then along come you lot...(you know who you are...Andy....OldJimbo...etc) and suggest some really good ideas and wipe the smug look right off my face :rolleyes: :p

So, I have to completely re-design the whole kit....I want some of Andys fab specialist papers....I want to use some of OldJimbos buffing compund etc.

Then I start to think, "yeah but them blocks are just too big...if I make loads more I'll need a crate to keep em in". So what to mount all this suff on :confused: . I want the boards wider too. I want them lighter and stackable :( . Hmm plywood? Steel (too heavy), hardboard (doesn't like the wet).

So anyway after much thinking I laid hands on some "sample" A3 sheets of foamex (think 2mm thick stiff plastic). Cut 2 pieces down to 8 A5 sized sheets with a panel saw and sanded the edges smooth.

Then cut out an A5 piece of all the grades of paper and a piece of salvaged soft leather.

Part of a can of spray mount later, we have eight board mounted grades. Then clamped the stack down and drilled two holes along the long edge.

Two screw gate shackles through the holes and...tada


http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/3479/book16oe.jpg


http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/7615/book23lg.jpg

We have a book no thicker than a paperback with 8 A5 sheets (each lablelled on the back). The pages are

240 grit
400 grit
600 grit
1500 grit
2500 grit
8000 grit
10000 grit
Soft leather and green buffing compound.

So, what do you reckon guys? :umbrella:

Seriously - any more suggestions greatly welcomed - mark 2 is an real improvement!

Red

[Stew]

So, what do you reckon guys? :umbrella:


Too cool!

That's a surprisingly simple idea that it should have been obvious but it wasn't.

Nice one.

[Nemisis]

Brillant Red you going into production?
Dave.

[British Red]

Dave,

Its funny you should say that.......no :lmao:

Seriously though - do try making one yourself, I have just finished working an old Mora up to 2,500 grit and it is terrifyingly, hair splittingly sharp....still three grades to go :eek:

The other thing is, this kit is so light (but stiff) I don't have to sit at a table to do it - it works fine watching the box in my lap. I owe Andy a big beer for the abrasives link!

Red

[OldJimbo]

Keeping eveything as organized and handy as that has got to be the slickest thing I've seen in a while!

[British Red]

Keeping eveything as organized and handy as that has got to be the slickest thing I've seen in a while!
Jimbo - thanks for all the advice - god a bit of fine leather glued down with the buffing compound rubbed in - the blade is like a mirror now

Red

[OldJimbo]

If only I was doing as well with my project of re-bevelling razor blades. It isn't as easy as a person might think...
If people are wondering what to do with money now that they know how cheaply they can get away with actual sharpening, then I've always found a decent lens of 16X to be invaluable. Handy out in the bush too.
It's certainly not vital to normal sharpening since slicing paper will show edge defects, but in knowing why certain edges work better or looking at tiny bevels on stuff like razor blades, it certainly is.

[-Switch-]

Roughly how long will these home-made boards last?
And will they work just as good with a knife that has a secondary bevel?

[Andy]

Roughly how long will these home-made boards last?
And will they work just as good with a knife that has a secondary bevel?
depends
good quality wet&dry will last longer, it also lasts langer if you use WD40 on it but it may be more hassel then it's worth.
I've used the stuff from my link dry and have just tried cleaning part of it with vasaline and tissue paper (mostly to see how the paper works with that on it)
If it's glued to a board it may be possible to clean it in the same way people clean ceramic rods
The paper will get less aggressive as it gets older but with a wide range of grits it's not such a problem

It will work fine on knives with a secondary bevel, it will just take more skill to keep the angle constant

[British Red]

Switch,

What Andy said pretty much! If you size the board right, you can get 2 or three sets from a single piece of paper. If you use photomount spray or double sided tape, if a piece wears out or you cut it when sharpening an axe :o you can just rip it off an replace it. If you don't want to use expensive 10,000 grit papers, as Andy says, keep them older wet and drys as they smooth out..

Although I now use my "book" of papers for knife sharpening, I like the boards for tidying up the bevels on my axes. I use a smilar technique to that show, but on large working axes I move the board, not the axe

Red

[Hoodoo]

If you don't glue the paper down, the block can be used over and over again and the paper easily changed.

http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images12/hhones1b.jpg

[British Red]

You see? Everyones a critic :lmao:

Seriously, fantastic tip Hoodoo - that modification will be included in my "Mark III" set I reckon!

I love these threads - take an idea, run with it, improve it etc.

Thanks mate!

[-Switch-]

Well I've made mine (240, 400 and 600) and the knife I'm working on at the moment is a Fury DeSota (you've never heard of one right? :) )
After alot of work I've got the blade to a point where I can shave with it which is a hell of alot sharper than the edge it came with. :D

Red, you're a good man, what with your axe tutorial and the Banko thread too. A big inspiration :You_Rock_

[British Red]

Well I've made mine (240, 400 and 600) and the knife I'm working on at the moment is a Fury DeSota (you've never heard of one right? :) )
After alot of work I've got the blade to a point where I can shave with it which is a hell of alot sharper than the edge it came with. :D

Red, you're a good man, what with your axe tutorial and the Banko thread too. A big inspiration :You_Rock_

Switch,

:o :o

You are very welcome. I think the Banko thread was a real group effort - I didn't start it and I wouldn't have had one if it wasn't for the thead shouting "cheap axe cheap axe" at me :)

As for this thread, I think the ultimate success of the material is down to people like Andy, Hoodoo and OldJimbo improving a basic idea I nicked out of a book!

That said, thanks for the kind words - I'm learning loads from the guys on here and if I can do the odd "show and tell" with the digicam and it helps someone else absorb the knowledge its good payback

Now as for your "Fury DeSota", two things
1. Follow Andy's link to the abrasives site and get some 2,500 grit wet and dry (79p inc postage) - you'll never go back :lmao:
2. Pictures man, we need pictures of your knife! Its sharp, its shiny so we wanna see it ;)

Thanks for the compliment!

Red

[Hoodoo]

Well, this was Mk I for me a few years ago.

http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images/hone1.jpg

http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images/hone4.jpg

Going to wood was so much easier to do. :)

Even easier was to use premade sanding blocks.

http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images8/sander1b.jpg

http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images8/sandingblock1b.jpg

[-Switch-]

I'm afraid I don't have a digital camera so I won't be able to post any pics :(
It's a shame because I'm quite proud of my knife. And the axe I tidied up with your advice. They're both looking good. :cool:

[British Red]

Switch,

No worries mate - its just that I never pass up the opportunity to lust at sharp and shiny!

Hoodoo,

I think I might have gone opver my five pound limit with them, but for myself, if I ever see some like the orange one, I'll grab a few!!!

Red

[Hoodoo]

Switch,
I think I might have gone opver my five pound limit with them, but for myself, if I ever see some like the orange one, I'll grab a few!!!

Red

That's one of my favorites. Unfortunately the company that makes those just started making them out of plastic within the past year. The plastic works but I like the wooden version better. I don't think it would be too hard to fashion a homemade one of similar style.

The nice thing about these is that you can swap in a piece of leather and do your stropping as well. Often this is all you need to do to your edge during a week in the woods.

[OldJimbo]

I love those wooden Hoodoo hones for the times when you have to take the hone to the blade.