Ultimate Field Edge

First please know I don't presume you folks can't sharpen. I get surprised all the time at how good people are at many things. That said we also have a couple generations now that never had their Dad or Mom show them how to sharpen a knife. I think this is why the serrated edge took off so well, even if one dulls the points some part of that gullet will remain sharp a bit longer. Here is my point that pertains to the non-serrated knife which I happen to prefer for my own use. The ultimate field edge is not the super fine hair splitting edge we might want on a planer blade or a surgical instrument. The best working field edge, as judged by both the ability to cut and edge endurance (how long the edge lasts in any given steel) comes right off of a stone that is around 320 to 400 grit. Once we have done enough sharpening to remove any flat spots or abraded dulling of the previous edge and can perceive a fine burr or wire edge along the length of the blade I am ready for the final step that determines how well the knife will cut. How one removes that burr determines how the knife will cut. For serious field work we want to carefully remove that burr on the same stone that did the final sharpening. Around here that is the Norton Fine India. The technique is to slightly raise the spine of the blade off the stone, just barely changing the sharpening angle so just the last bit of edge is touching. This way we are just abrading the last couple thousands of an inch of the edge. (if this explanation sucks, tell me and I'll change brands of coffee and try again) take a few "light, wispy" strokes on each side of the blade then watch for little pieces of bright metal on the stone. This is the wire edge coming off. This edge will just shave hair and give us the best EDGE ENDURANCE, that is it will last the longest in tough cutting conditions. A stropped or buffed razor edge will be initially much sharper but will not last as long. Yes you can also bend the wire edge back and forth until it breaks off but that also leaves a fine line of flat spots down the middle of the finished edge. Bend a coat hanger back and forth until it breaks and look at the actual broken spot, it's not sharp. The ability to abrade off the wire edge at the stone will depend on the alloy of steel and the heat treat. Yes, some steels sharpen much better or "more naturally" than others. This one reason I like the diamond stones in the field, they don't care what steel you have. These brief comments about sharpening come from many years of testing, with other knifemakers and very experienced users. We have tried to standardize a test, using very abrasive rope, that determines how well a given steel in a given heat treat condition cuts. Before we could test the cutting ability of steels we had to agree what the best possible sharpening was so that each blade could be sharpened for ultimate edge endurance. That part alone took a few years to sort out. The final edge we get right off the stone when viewed under the microscope looks like very fine saw teeth. For rigging or game work this is the edge I want and people far more experienced than myself will say the same. The best thing you can do if you want to practice sharpening is start with your kitchen knives, least favorite first. Look as best you can what the stone is doing to the edge and pretty soon you will learn a feel for what your doing. Keep your sharpening rig handy and use it weekly. this is a learned skill which like shooting can diminish with lack of practice. Sharp is the whole reason I started trying to make a knife, after near 25 years I think I'm getting close. All the best! Bill

Sounds good to me. I've been doing that for years. Well, the burr part atleast. I don't have a 320 to 400 grit stone that I am aware of. (Well, I might have one, but I don't know the grits of any of my stones) <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

The Norton Fine India Stone is a 320 mesh aluminum oxide grit. This is the stone we get the most even and longest lasting results from. Some of the new steels we use have vanadium carbides that are harder than this stone and that makes sharpening a little more difficult. I think other stones could be too coarse and some are way too fine to get any actual steel removal done. If your rig works, don't change it.

For field sharpening I've been using an EZ-Lap diamond stone (270 grit I think) on the wooden block that I sanded the sides of the block down. The sanding I did not only to reduce weight, but since the diamond part was smaller then the block on some knives I couldn't sharpen the base of the blade. I've found this setup work very well for regular use. (I do use a Lansky system when I want that razor polished edge on some knives.)

Oh, I wanted to ask. What is the best way to take chips/dents out of the edge, like before you sharpen. When I do it I pretty much do like i'm cutting the stone in half. I do like 10 or so of these then start to sharpen. Is there a better way or is that how everyone does it?

Howdy Paul, Around here I just sharpen the blade at the same angle I want to finish at until the chips and dents come out naturally. If a blade is heavily damaged I do the same thing you do only on the belt grinder. Sometimes on our hard use knives I don't try to get all the chips out, but continue to both use and resharpen the blade until they come out in the natural sequence of work/sharpen. This makes the knife last longer. The hardest thing I do on knife blades around here is to take shavings off the finished barrel of a rifle (discarded by a gun smith) that is held in the vise. I do this for people who might have a question about my ability at some part of knifemaking, like heat treating or sharpening. This demonstration does not help the edge very much but I just resharpen the blade at the same angle I would use to fine tune the edge and it comes back up just fine. Bill

By the way, do you have a website or something that shows off knives you have made? I know you designed the Green Beret knife, but I wanted to see some of your other works. I'm kind of a knife collector, mostly of Benchmades though. I've haven't really gotten into the custom knives yet.

I saw this on a website pocket sharpener It seems an easy way of sharpening my knife in the field. Now is this a quality tool to use or should ETS members steer clear of these things and carry on the old known way?

replies appreciated
reinhardt

the link seems not wanting to go immediatle go to right page so go to accesories then sharpeners, click on pocket sharpener. If you are interested

For the sake of full disclosure, I have designed a fair no. of knives for Gerber including all the A/F folders for the late Col. Rex Applegate as made by Gerber. I have not actually seen or used the Gerber pocket sharpener listed at the website you link. My thought is that for being able to do any type of edge in the field we are better off with the diamond in a survival kit. The small pocket sharpener may be ok for light touch up but I want to be able to restore an edge after hitting rock, steel or bone. Bill

http://www.gerbertools.com/ezac/specials.asp?id=5169

Is that what you mean? I have one of these, It is ok, but you can put a much better edge on with a stone.

Paul, For the last few years all my work has been focused on tactical knives. Try out, "TheSEALstore.com" and look at the Silver Trident among others. This site is run by an ex-SEAL Officer and he has carried my customs in the past and will do so again in the future. Use "google" search engine and punch in "harsey knife".

The pocket sharpener is great for touch-ups on a good edge, I carry one on a daily basis, but just for touch-ups. If you have to bring out an edge or are trying to get rid of a nick in the blade, a stone or (better yet) diamond lap are still the best bet.

Troy

I carried this around for several years until the ceramic rod chipped from knocking around in the fanny pack. I used it extensively one summer when I tried my hand at whittling a hicking staff. It worked well at keeping a sharp edge on the knives whenever I started to notice I was forcing the blade a bit.

Bill,

Thanks for the great info on sharpening! I have a tendency to not sharpen my knives as often as I probably should. I should probably find a ouple of really cheap knives just to make sure I keep practicing, so I don't wear out the good knives in my collection.

Which, by the way, includes a Gerber Harsey Air Ranger and a Gerber Harsey Air Ranger II, my two main, every day carry knives...thanks again!

Amper, Your welcome. I would rather sharpen often and lightly rather than do all out restoration work on a heavily worn blade. I think I learned this during the years I was working wood and found that if the hand planes had sharp enough blades that there was no need to sand the already finished surface and this saved much time and effort. Bill

I just found what could be the perfect field sharpening stone. I was in sears and a Craftsman Course Mini Diamond Sharpener caught my eye. It is made by DMT, it folds up, it is 325 grit, and it can go on your keychain. I love it, I may go back to get the 600 grit too. <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Bill-

Thanks for the great info.

For those of us who are indeed sharpening-impaired (like me), only having used things like the Spyderco V-shaped preset angle stone/ceramic sharpeners, would you mind a remedial tutorial of stone technique when you have a minute? I'd sure appreciate it!

Bill

Bill,
Welcome to the forums. I was up your way this past weekend visiting relatives in Bay Shore. Hope to see on the forums often. Pete

Howdy Bill, I will try my best to do a "sharpening basics" letter to the forums here. I'm trying to get work done for SHOT Show now but please hold my feet to the fire on this topic. I'm supposed to be working on exact same thing for Army Special Forces too. Can someone help me figure out how to post scanned drawings here? All the best! Bill (harsey)

Bill
Have you considered disigning a small knife that could be put into a PSK. Preferably a small fixed blade or strong simple folder that can fit into an Altoids size tin.Maybe even colaborate with Doug Ritter on this.

Check out a Benchmade Benchmite. <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Boatman, Funny you should mention the Altoid tins, in the prototypes section out in the shop is an entire master pattern set for a folder in an Altoids tin. All the knives I've been doing are kind of on the bigger side of things and it may be a while before I "go small" again. Lot's of great knives on the market now because of the competition for business, buyers are the ones who win. Bill

Super, Thanks Bill!!

Your welcome Bill, I'm starting to keep notes on how to do this now. Stay warm out there. Bill