Crook knife sharpening

[tommy the cat]

Well I know I have seen something but cant find it! I know they are meant to be a pig but I just bought a frosts c knife and its about as sharp as a spoon. Tips hints tricks to sharpen it.
Ta Dave
I have searched but cant see anything.D:o

[British Red]

Wet and dry wrapped around a cylinder just narrower than the knife Dave - even a thick bit of broom handle or the like

Red

[robin wood]

Wet and dry wrapped around a cylinder just narrower than the knife Dave - even a thick bit of broom handle or the like

Red

That's the trick for the inside, but then the inside is not normally the problem on a new frost, depending on which model it is there can be quite a bit of metal to remove to get them working sweetly. Basically outside is treated same as a normal knife, I like to remove the secondary bevel and round the back edge of the blade too so it sweeps smoothly out of the wood rather than the back edge digging in. This can be done with whatever method you use on your knives...I would start with coarse diamond stone or coarse(60 grit) wet and dry stuck to something flat eg a bit of planed softwood. I rest the bevel on the stone abrasive or whatever then rotate the hook as I drag it towards me, this is sharpening along the blade rather then across it if you follow me. Then work down through the grits 120,240,320, 600, 1000 then rub some autosol on a piece of planed softwood and use this to get the final polish.

The inside will probably be pretty well finished and I would not touch it till I got to say 320 grit on the outside then use 320 wrapped round dowel, broom handle etc. as you go down the grits on the outside do the inside too, when you have done both with autosol it will be well sharp.

[brancho]

thanks for the info Rodin off the sharpen my frosts crook tomorrow or when ever it will be

[mr dazzler]

I found the same with the mora hook's, on the outside I changed it to a continous curve rather than the 2 flat bevvel's it came with, I use the hook left to right and right to left so both edges need to be sharp. I used a dremmel and also emory paper and then solvol autosol polish on leather. I have used the 2 hooks and the 2 straight knives more than any other tool the last couple months, and allI needed to keep them sharp and sweet was a few passes over the strop. I tried waterstoine dust on wood also, that work's real well (almost TOO fast cutting on the coarse grades) I got a broom handle after Robin's sudgestion and cut it into 12 inch sectins, its just small enough to do the small radius hook with autosol paste, I can strop the inside of the hooks without snagging if I'm careful, it works fine on the big radius hook just as well. PS T cut works well also
Can I ask Robin, I remember you said before about modifying the mora hook by puttng the tip to a thin fine point, what is the reason for that, is it so the corner's dont dig in?

[cariboo]

How to sharpen a crooked knife (http://www.caribooblades.com/crookedknifesharpen.html)

Scott.:)

[tommy the cat]

Thanks for all the replies,gonna have a go now. Was a bit suprised at how blunt it is compared to the Mora Clipper I bought. Anyway ta Dave

[tommy the cat]

Well had a go but found it quite tricky! Doesn't seem that I have a long enough stone to get all the way to the point (if you know what I mean!) The knife is better but not v.sharp.
Struggling to grind the first 1/2" of the blade....seems that however that I hold the blade the stone doesn't touch the blade?!?
Its all a big fat learning curve Dave:rolleyes:

[robin wood]

Well had a go but found it quite tricky! Doesn't seem that I have a long enough stone to get all the way to the point (if you know what I mean!) The knife is better but not v.sharp.
Struggling to grind the first 1/2" of the blade....seems that however that I hold the blade the stone doesn't touch the blade?!?
Its all a big fat learning curve Dave:rolleyes:

Shouldn't matter if it takes two strokes to get to the point, go halfway round with the first then back to the top of the stone feel the bevel where you left off and do the other half round to the point. I liked Cariboo's pics did you look at them...pretty much the way I do it but easier to follow pictures than words.

The first 1/2" is not the most useful bit of a hook so it may not be a problem but if you want to get to it try just resting it across the stone, that is stone running away from you, hook to your left handle to your right with the handle low down and the edge of the hook just on the corner of the stone, feel the bevel then push it away from you. Not sure if that will make sense. If you are still struggling let me know and I'll try to get round to doing some photos.

[Bogman10]

I us this: EZE-LAP ROUND DIAMOND SHARPENER
3.75" round sharpener with brass case/handle - comes with leather sheath.
works great! also good for the other blades too.

[Stryker]

Hi Folks, I could really do with some help here.

I've tried all the above, but just can't seem to get a decent edge on my Frosts 164. I'm saving the pennies to attend a spoon carving course as soon as I can, but wanted to have a go first myself.

Any help much appreciated.

Stryker.

[mr dazzler]

Persevere. It takes time and practise to improve! Cariboos pics make sense. I was working on my turning hooks today (very similar to spoon knives but smaller and used with a pole lathe) I tidied the internal bevels with the wee dremel (fantastic little tool) Dont forget to look closely at what your doing (I'm not being sarcastic) One of those jewellers eye pieces is very very useful to see exactly where your going. Theres a whole micro world there which the naked eye misses LOL :lmao: Sometimes its just a wire edge that hasnt broken completely off that can cause a less than smooth cut......The stuff I use mostly is dremel, rolled up emory/wet and dry paper, round pencil shaped carborundum stones, round and tapered and flat leather hones with solvol polish. I use that on the spoon knives too (mora ones) and feel no need to get more expensive ones such as orford's, Djarv, stubbs etc. I get good results (which I am happy with :)) eg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m85/beaudolls_2006/wood%20working/sales405.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m85/beaudolls_2006/wood%20working/sales407.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m85/beaudolls_2006/wood%20working/sales124.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m85/beaudolls_2006/wood%20working/sales122.jpg

[FGYT]

if you can the easyest way is to clamp the spoon knife in a vice and use wet and dry wraped round a flat bit of wood or even a file and file it off you can move it in the vice to cover the whole curve

down to 400 or 600 gt then use a bit of wood flat again wit ha piece of leather glued on and some solvol autosol metal polish paste (or similer)
and file again till its polished the inside just needs a wipe wit heach grit to removeth burr

once sharp you should be able to strop the edge with the leather and polish free hand do this often to maintain the edge and only back to 400gt again by free hand on occasion to restore the edge

ATB

Duncan

[xavierdoc]

Hi Folks, I could really do with some help here.

I've tried all the above, but just can't seem to get a decent edge on my Frosts 164. I'm saving the pennies to attend a spoon carving course as soon as I can, but wanted to have a go first myself.

Any help much appreciated.

Stryker.

Don't lose heart -it'll come! I find a useful alternative to a broom handle is simply to bend a strip of veg-tanned leather (thick stuff mind) and clip it to itself to create a teardrop shape:

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i10/xavierdoc/IMG_0135.jpg

This works well for stropping but you can put micromesh (or wet'n'dry, I suppose, haven't tried though) over and clip that.

This creates a slightly deformable tube which fits into the curve of the knife.

Beware, however, if you press too hard or use thin or soft leather, you will create a convex edge :eek:

Another useful tool is the Spyderco ceramic file. I posted a heads up in the last week or so as they were going at less than half price from "mind your fingers". The link will be in "Resources".)

Enjoy.