Valkie wrote on Mar 12
th, 2018 at 4:18am:
Sprintcyclist wrote on Mar 11
th, 2018 at 4:46pm:
Valkie wrote on Mar 11
th, 2018 at 1:27pm:
I trained in hand to hand and knife fighting.
Ideally, I prefer two blades, very sharp Karambit blades to be exact
For close quarters, these are ideal for several reasons.
The Katana is more for show, long blades tend to scare people more, but as you point out, not much good in close quarters.
As for sharpening my blades
I start on a new blade with 320 grit and gradually work down to an Arkansas stone
Then I strip them to remove the microscopic burr that forms on the edge.
To get a nice shiny edge I use 6 diamond paste. On the strop.
The angle is also critical
Too much makes the blade too fragile
Too little and it isn't sharp enough
Sometimes it takes hours and hours
But the end result is a beautifully sharp blade
To preserve the blade, as only carbon steel holds a good edge, I liberally use olive oil
For sharpening and lubricating the stones, baby oil.
They have to be cleaned at least fortnightly, it's a labour of love.
never heard of a 'Karambit blade' or 'strip them to remove the microscopic burr'.
Feel free to educate me
I use a 240, 1000, 3000 and 8000 grit Kasumi whetstones.
Use a diamond plate to flatten the whetstones.
Also a Nagura stone to condition the whetstones.
have calculated the thickness of perspex blocks to give me 15 degrees for various width blades
Strip, should be strop
Bloody spell check
The technique using diamond plate is quite good
But for me, overly expensive
I have never gone to 8000 grit stones
2000, 3000 yes, but never 8000
You be more patient than I
The Arkansas stone is probably very close, though.
The diamond paste does little if any sharpening, it's to polish the edge.
15 Deg, a little sharp for some blades, even my sharpest stay at 20
The stropping removes the near microscopic burr from sharpening
Try it, you will be surprised at the end result.
yes, stroppping is very good.
Saw a few good youtubes on it.
I use the whetstones about every month, the strop weekly or more often.
My knives have a RHC of 60 or 61.
An angle of 15 degrees is what the factory set them too.
I have done them on less, beautiful to use.
Can't feel where they touch the tomato/apple/carrot.
steels with a lower RHC I do to 20 degrees.
My whetstones are not ceramic, they need flattening quite often.
Mainly use the 1000 and 3000 grit stones.
240 is for removing chips or reshaping.
8000 is for when I am very good at the 3000 stone.
Have used it - is for giving a mirror shine.