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Post by septofclansinclair on Sept 17, 2007 20:38:35 GMT
Hey all, Just wanted to know if anyone has heard of the "Accusharp" knife and sword sharpener. Is it of any use? Or will it ruin blade geometry? www.swordsandarmor.com/mall/sharpener.htmAre there any handheld sharpeners that are worth using?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2007 4:12:49 GMT
Have not used this one model but I have a sharpener that is similar. I use it on my kitchen knives and such. Don't know about this one you are questioning but mine takes off some steel from the edge. Its OK for junk knives and kitchen blades but I would never, never, never us it on any high quality sword or knife. When I have time I always use my Lansky diamond hones on my high end knives such ad skinning / hunting knives and the folders I carry for self defense. ;D ;D
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admin
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Post by admin on Sept 20, 2007 11:12:24 GMT
Funny you should ask that Sept...
I recently bought one of these looking for a 'quick 'n easy' cheat way of sharpening Windlass swords... (specifically the new review of the Windlass Viking, with the Reliks sharpening service that really wasn't sharp...)
Anyway, I have to say, they actually work reasonably well!! Sure you get a secondary bevel, and they shave a fair amount of steel from the sword. But you can get them scary sharp.
The trick is to make sure that the blade is as straight as possible. And the little buggers take a fair amount of steel off. But for most Windlass swords you can go from no edge to a rough and ready paper cutting sharp edge in around 5 minutes.
I'll be playing with it more over the next few days. But definitely seems like a rough and ready solution for turning a 1mm edge into something servicable fast... ;D
Cheers,
- Paul
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Post by randomnobody on Sept 20, 2007 11:47:13 GMT
I used something similar to this to hurry up and put an edge on my Windlass Viking Dirk when I bought Kult of Athena's last one after they were discontinued a year ago. Nothing else I had on hand was getting me anywhere so I gave up and took this route. I planned to eventually polish it out to something better, but have never found time.
I've also used similar devices on my lesser knives for years, most of which still hold the same edge after sitting on a shelf untouched for a year or more.
I use a kitchen steel on most of my stuff now, just to keep then up to some degree until I can buy a decent stone or something.
I wouldn't use this on a good sword, though, but it does produce basically the same results as the typical sharpening service on a Windlass.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2007 15:33:43 GMT
You would think that there would be a market for a decent sharpening tool with swords in mind. Something flexible that you could ajust to fit the angle of the blade. Either a flexible abrasive pair of cables held in a clamp of somekind, or one that could change the angle but turining a knob.
I have two whetstones, one a cheap aluminum oxide double stone that is good for getting an edge fast, and an expensive Arkansas Fine whetstone that polishes very nicely, and turns the edge into a razor. I've actually sharpened a butcherknife on it to the point where it lifts hair like a straight razor. But it takes forever...
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Post by septofclansinclair on Sept 20, 2007 18:06:01 GMT
Darkintruder - we should start an email campaign. Who shall we harass this week... ;D
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2007 18:06:56 GMT
One word. Reliks.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2007 18:16:44 GMT
fiskars makes a reasonably good sharpener that handles just about everything from axes to swords they sell it at sears where the axes and large sledge hammers are at iv used it on various things and have now complaints its mainly just a ceramic wheel inside a plastic holder to grip
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Post by YlliwCir on Sept 20, 2007 18:22:25 GMT
Yo, darko, how about a step by step on your sharpening process?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2007 18:51:26 GMT
Actually, it's not anything to brag about. 1.You just align the angle of the blade with the stone, making sure you not moving it at too steep an angle. Making sure you have the stone oiled or wet if it needs to be. 2.Making sure to keep the blade at the same angle, move it up the stone slowly, moving away from you and towards the tip. Then, when you reach the end, stop the blade, and move it back towards you at the same angle, still moving towards the tip. 3. Repeat until you reach the tip, then flip the blade over and continue on the reverse side. It's difficult with longer blades to maintain the alignment without gripping the blade, so make sure you cover your hand with something. The important point is to gooooo slooooow, theres no rush, and you can save allot of blood that way. 4. Every time you finish both sides, test the edge with a piece of paper, and by looking down the blade. Repeat until you reach the sharpness you want. 5.For small blades that you want razor sharp, I move the blade at a very flat angle, doing both sides until I can feel a slight catching of the edge when i move my fingernail across it from spine to the edge. The edge might curl slightly. I then flip the blade over and sharpen once, then test it again. When both sides are even, I use an old leather strop (long piece of leather that old barbers use) to smooth out any roughness, and finish the sharpening. 6. Finish with Paul's method of using a high grit piece of good quality sand paper to blend the sharpening in with the rest of the blade. I use one of these hard ones, except mines about 7 1/2" long by about 2 1/2 " wide. www.ofrei.com/page473.html Got mine on Ebay for about $25, so look around. Works well for just about anything, except putting an edge on something blunt. I just sit on the floor with two wood blocks covered in cloth that are the same height as the surface of the stone, to help support it. Unfortunately, I don't have any experience sharpening blunt things, mine usually at least a partial edge. The main thing to take away is to go very slowly. If you have patience, it works very well.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2007 19:31:13 GMT
I have an accusharp sharpener. (Same one as pictured) I purchased it from trueswords for about $14. Anyways, it performs reasonably well as paul stated it does create a rather rough albiet sharp edge. I've used it on one of my more inexpensive katanas, and after sharpening it I usually just file down the edge so as to take away much of the roughness. Finally I go over it with a little sand paper, and then polish it. The whole process takes about an hour. But it does create a pretty good edge. Especially for someone like myself. (meaning someone whom has difficulty with whetstones.. I always create little cosmetic scratches on the surface of the blade... I HATE THAT!) Anyways I think that it's a good value for it's price. One thing though. On the back of the package it recommends that you apply a very small amount of pressure on the back of the sharpener. (lightly press downwards) I've found that you can create a sharper edge by applying a moderate to heavy amount of pressure. Though it does shave off more steel... eh, fair trade.
~sharpening...
Jesse
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2007 20:09:03 GMT
I recently asked Kult of Athena about their own add-on sharpening, which is similar to that offered by other sites. He sent me this email in return, and I thinks this might be a good place to post it. We do not sharpen these swords in-house. The Windlass swords we offer with the sharpening service are ordered in this way from the distributor. They do the sharpening there. This sharpening is done with a belt grinder, indeed a properly done hand sharpening would cost well over $18 as I'm sure you are aware. Machine sharpening a sword is not the best option, but it is cheap and usable, so many people opt for this feature. This type of sharpening will result in the secondary bevel as mentioned. Hand sharpening a sword with the proper edge geometry provides the best and most accurate edge, but is beyond the skill of many collectors. We've considered the possibility of offering actual hand sharpening, however in some cases the cost of doing this would double the cost of the sword, and frankly a lot of collectors don't understand the difference. So the bottom line is that if you know how to sharpen the sword, you will end up with a better edge. The machine edge is just a quick and dirty solution. Personally I do not recommend it, especially considering what the heat of a grinder can do to a blade's temper. But, we offer it because many customers just want a "sharp" sword, they don't care how it's done or how inaccurate the edge may be, as long as it can cut something.You'll find this to be the same with other retailers as well, if they do it themselves or order them in, "add on" sharpening is almost always machine done. I'm not aware of any dealer offering a hand sharpening option at this time. I hope this helps to clear up the process. Thanks Ryan Whittlinger www.KultOfAthena.comThere's also this excellent article on myarmoury about it by Angus Trim www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?p=18716
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Post by YlliwCir on Sept 20, 2007 20:50:53 GMT
Thanks for the info, Darko, that will definatly give me pause afore I check the sharpening option box. Although, seems to be okay on the blades I've seen reviewed here that used that service.
I have an accusharp type sharpener, after reading Pauls comment I may try it on a windlass pugio and maybe fine tune it with your method, hmm...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2007 17:24:12 GMT
I made paul's worst dream come true. I took one of my SLO katanas and using the Accusharp sharpener gave it a razor edge. I.E. A paper cutting edge. So let's take a look at what we have here. A stiff, brittle 440 stainless steel blade. With a rat-tail tang that is epoxied into the tsuka. Dangerous... I should give this to one of my enemies... and then encourage them to engage in heavy cutting exercises... *laughs maniacally! Nah.. I'm not evil, a little eccentric to be sure, but evil? No..
~thinking of ways to use the SLO
Jesse
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2007 18:06:25 GMT
I use the Lansky system. Not as quick 'n' simple as the one above, but it adds a lot more control over the angle. Also, the surfaces on the edges need to take a little more polish than some quick sharpeners usually offer.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2007 22:32:18 GMT
I use the Lansky system. Not as quick 'n' simple as the one above, but it adds a lot more control over the angle. Also, the surfaces on the edges need to take a little more polish than some quick sharpeners usually offer. How well does this scale for swords? I have a Lansky "knife" sharpening set. One would have to sharpen one 4" section at a time, working up/down the blade. There would be subtle discontinuities where the sections overlap. Are these significant?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2007 12:45:48 GMT
I was afraid to try one of those sharpeners with the ceramic wheel, looks like it would give a pretty rough edge on a blade with any amount of distal profile. I'd use it on my machete in a second though. I used one this www.knivesplus.com/smithsknifesharpener-sm-ccks.htmlon my Shrewsbury after hemmming and hawing for a month, and came out with pretty good results. 10 minutes of work and i have a nice thumb splitting edge. I would only recommend this type for use on a blade with a very thin or pre-existing edge. i think a truly dull blade would just give you tennis elbow trying to use this thing.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2007 15:12:23 GMT
yeh i have one of them too maz not that one exactly but very similiar they work good on knifes but i found it hard to hold on long swords i shaprened my maximus sword my wallace claymore and a last legend katana with the fiskers one and i can shave with them but once again it is all about personal choice and what works for the person using the tool .....
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