Since this was a small job I did it by hand with sandpaper and leather.
First I started by sanding the shoulder between the primary and secondary bevel with 400, I did this using a piece of thick leather as a backing to the sandpaper. The give of the leather behind the sandpaper naturaly creates the convex curve in the edge. Some people use a foam mouse pad instead of leather, but I find that the foam is to soft and the end result is a deep convex, stronger but with inferior cutting performance, good for big choppers and less appropriate to a folding knife.
Then I repeated the process with 600, 800 and 1000 sandpapers.
In the end I stropped in leather with coarser polishing compound then finally with fine polishing compound.
Would it be quicker, and perhaps more precise, to use a sharpening system like a Gatco to file a shallower fixed angle at first, to remove the shoulder, and then go to leather/sandpaper to finish the convex? Or are you counting on the compliance of the leather for the entire process to get the correct curvature? Was just wondering about my ability to accurately free-hand for the entire procedure.
I assume that you could use that system, but I dont think that it would be faster, since each stage with the sandpaper wont take more than 5 minutes, plus as you pointed out I count on the compliance of the leather for the entire process to get the correct curvature.
In my experience leather (3 or 4 mm thick) has the right amount of resistence to give a optimal curvature, without having to be very carefull with the pressure applied in the process. You could achieve the same result using a mousepad, but because it is softer one must take care not to apply much pressure, or the result will be a deeper convex and you can easily round the tip of the edge.
If you never tryed it before and dont want to risk the new knife, train on a old knife even a kitchen knife will do. If you start with 600 or 800 sandpaper the process will be slow enough so that you can observe and correct any mistake.
This process seems to be more complicated when reading it, than it really is in practice.
Watch the video that I embeded earlier in this thread and you will have a very good understanding of the procedure, the guy even uses a small microscope to show macros of the edge.
Thoth, thanks. I'll have a go at it with one of my larger, less coveted blades. One trick I use with my conventional file sharpening system is to paint the edge with a black marker to help establish the correct file angle. This might also be useful as a visual aid for gauging the progress of a convex edge.
Wow. I assumed it was their real site. Ah well, that makes my life simpler. Now I only have to look for one knife*, and not be worried that there are two similar knives :P Thanks, smelly
I can try to write something about the topic, but it will take some time especially because it is not easy to convey in words techniques that consist primarily in hand movements.
It would be much easier if I could link to some already nicely made videos on youtube.
I think it’s primarily for two reasons and those are simplicity and economy. It’s easy since you don’t have to worry about matching a bevel angle and it’s inexpensive since you can get a “scary sharp” blade just using sandpaper.
Regarding the thread topic…this really is an outstanding knife.
I didn’t like the look of this knife (before I got it) initially I think because of the flat spot on the spine of the blade.
Once it came out in rosewood I liked the looks and now that I have it I can really appreciate the attention to detail in the design.
The flat spot serves as a thumb rest, there is jimping just behind that, there is jimping on the liner lock for the forefinger, more jimping toward the back of the liner for the last two fingers and yet more jimping on top near the back where it contacts the heel of the palm.
No thumb stubs to snag a pocket or to make sharpening more difficult since it uses a flipper which in itself also serves as a finger guard both while in use and upon closing.
My blade is perfectly centered and hair cutting sharp.