Always be Alert and never attempt to sharpen
if you are not in full command of
your mental and physical faculties.
If you maintain your knife blade after it has been
sharpened you will not have to sharpen it. To maintain the blade
give it a couple of strokes as suggested below, with the 1,000 grit or 2,000 grit wet/dry sand paper
or stone. Then strop it with the 10,000 grit paste.
Straight
Single Edge Blade
If the knife is very dull
start with a 600 or 800 grit wet/dry
sand paper. Lay the knife flat on the
edge of the paper. Lift the back of the knife slightly about 5 to 10 degrees so
as the edge that is to be sharpened is resting on the sandpaper. Slide the
knife away from the cutting edge. See diagram on the bottom. Do this two time
on one side then turn the blade on the other side and repeat the same process
on the opposite side of the blade. You have removed metal about 1/16” from the
cutting edge, which is normal. The key is to keep it almost flat on the paper
and rotate from side to side. The pressure you put on the paper should be light
but firm. After you have a good edge with the 600 or 800 grit paper you will
want to repeat this process with the 1000 grit paper and the same with the
2,000 grit paper . You may want to go to a higher grit, for a finer edge. You
may also want to strop the blade, on leather with the white compound , to clean
off the burrs at the end of your sharpening. To strop put compound on the strop
and raise the back up 5 to 10 degrees and use the
sharpening motion. You can go back and forth so long as you keep the knife
fairly flat so you don’t cut the strop. When the compound gets black and shiny
it is used up so scrape it off and recharge it and let it dry.
Caution: Do not raise the back of the blade too high
you will remove the cutting edge with a couple of strokes or put shoulders on
the or cutting edge side of the blade.
Double Edge
Curved Blade
If the knife is very dull
starting with the 600 to 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Rip the paper sheet into
¼’s. Wrap one of the ¼’s around a dowel
that will fit on the inside of the curve or hook on the blade. Lay the paper
& dowel flat on the blade. Lift the paper & dowel up 5 degrees toward
the cutting edge then stroke away from the edge. Do the same amount of strokes
on each side until you have the desired edge. Remember to do the same amount of
strokes on each side for even wear. Repeat this same process with
1,000 and 2,000 grit wet/dry sandpaper or sharpening stone. You may want to go to
higher grit, for a finer edge. You may
also want to strop the blade on leather to clean off any burrs at the end of your sharpening.
Spread some white lightning stropping compound onto the leather strop. When the
compound dries on the strop use the sharpen method on the compound. When your
compound gets black and shiny gently scrape it off and recharge it with clean
compound. It is about a 10,000 grit and
brings the tool up to a super fine edge.
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