Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2011 22:53:55 GMT
So last Friday, I decided to end my Reading Week by going to Reliks, the closest sword shop to my home. I left with the Hanwei Saxon Sword I'd been glossing over for months, and am totally satisfied with it. Even its much-touted weight is exaggerated. She's a heavy girl, but she carries it perfectly. Doesn't encumber her movements at all, merely adds to her strike. However I'm unsatisfied with the edge, and would like to do some work to improve it. I'm not sure how to do this, as I'm not sure if the method I've been using so far on my other swords (1.5 inch long whetstone and light machine oil combo) would be kind on the pattern-welding. Any input guys? I'd like to get it cutting as well as it did in Luka's YouTube videos: Is my current method safe? Is there a better (hopefully still cheap) way of sharpening her that is prettier and less scratchy?
|
|
Luka
Senior Forumite
Posts: 2,848
|
Post by Luka on Mar 2, 2011 23:39:19 GMT
I'm glad you like it, it's a good sword. I don't know much about sharpening so I can't help you with that. I gave it to my local smith for some additional sharpening but all of my cutting videos were done before that, with an original factory edge.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2011 0:22:25 GMT
Hmmm maybe the cold weather and not being used to the weight of the sword made my out of the box cutting so lame.... I'll have to try again when the weather's warmer...
|
|
ghost
Member
Posts: 1,323
|
Post by ghost on Mar 3, 2011 0:29:39 GMT
Mine came paper cutting sharp. Got mine at a massive discount. You sure you can't go back and replace it at reliks? Maybe you picked up a display piece that got dulled a bit by people running the sword in and out of the scabbard (NASTY hanwei chape as usual)? I also display it out of scabbard to avoid dulling it...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2011 0:36:29 GMT
No, they got mine from the back. They didn't have any Saxons on display. Parts of the blade are nice and sharp and some are outright dull. Reliks is a full hour+'s drive from my house and in another city, and I have no car so going back would be far more issue than it's worth. Besides, I've grown attached to this sword I don't have the option of displaying swords bare. No wall hooks, no open surfaces. They're all sheathed and leaning against bookshelves and walls and whatnot.
|
|
Luka
Senior Forumite
Posts: 2,848
|
Post by Luka on Mar 3, 2011 15:12:04 GMT
Saxon scabbard is fine, it doesn't dull the blade. Your blade might just be duller than mine. My Saxon also wasn't very sharp, but the geometry of the edge was quite good, no steep bevel is present, secondary bevel was gentle and well made and some places were even nice apleseed edge. But it was less than ideally sharp everywhere... And not all of my cuts are as nice as those I put on the youtube, there were some partial cuts and even some flying bottles (ones with very thick and tough plastic though...) Since I got it sharpened I didn't cut anything, pretty bad weather during this winter, and not enough time...
|
|
Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
|
Post by Greg on Mar 3, 2011 15:58:39 GMT
Ok, the ONLY way that you can sharpen it without scratching it is to get some leather, and work that over the edge again and again and again. This isn't ideal by any means. You'll go through several cows worth of leather if you try and strop a blade that isn't already paper cutting sharp. But there is another option. Go down to your local hardware/auto part store and get some wet/dry sandpaper. You'll need 400, 1000, 2000 and maybe even 4000 if they have it, but not many places do. If the edge is REALLY dull, then you might need some 150 grit, but more then likely, if it's only dull in some places, then 400 should be fine. Get a rubber backing block of some sort. I like the kind that hold the paper in for you. As you start to work the edge, hold the sandpaper off the flat of the blade slightly. You'll evetually end up with scratches there anyway, but that is why we got the 2000 grit paper. Then basically follow the tutorial here: www.sword-buyers-guide.com/sharpen-a-sword.htmlHe talks about how you should alternate your lanes of approach. Back before I had a belt sander, I was able to bring my VA Longsword up to an almost mirror finish with the 2000 grit. So don't worry about scratching up the blade. It's pattern welded, that stuff won't rub off.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2011 17:15:05 GMT
Oh so scratching's normal? That's good, I thought I was just doing it wrong! I will look into sandpaper though. Thanks Greg and Luka!
|
|
Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
|
Post by Greg on Mar 3, 2011 17:21:36 GMT
Yep, scratching is really the only way to sharpen a blade. The trick is to cover up the scratches with smaller scratches, and then smaller scratches.
|
|
ghost
Member
Posts: 1,323
|
Post by ghost on Mar 3, 2011 18:44:42 GMT
I love the scabbard...aside from the chape. I pried off the 4 rings for the lockets and am gonna try to add a wooden suspension instead. The rings just give it a nasty plastic-like sound which does not go well with a quality leather/wood core scabbard.
I have a major problem with the chape, so some dremeling may be in order. I just cannot draw the sword/ or sheath it without rubbing metal to metal. There is a small groove cut on one side from a nasty draw.
It may be I just got a bad scabbard, but the sword is paper cutting sharp so I'm fine with the tradeoff.
Hero, there is a link on myarmoury where Dan has drawn out the welded pattern throughout the blade. Only the tip looks to have the weld pattern extending to the cutting edge. I think you'll be safe sharpening it using Greg's method.
|
|