pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 4, 2023 13:03:06 GMT
What kind of mouse pad do you use for backing? When you use paper do you clamp the sword down and run the paper over the sword or do you strap the paper down and run the sword over the paper? I didn’t know mouse pads came in various types. My ignorance. I know there is a slight variation regarding thickness and compressibility. I do either depending on the sword, but by far prefer to have the paper stationary and move the blade. In some cases where I cannot remove the blade I am forced to move the paper on the blade. Nothing that I do is etched in stone although I do have a core of techniques I like and stick with when possible but will sometimes change to meet an issue at hand.
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Post by vlad4th on Mar 10, 2023 3:26:19 GMT
Shadaversity recently did a very good video on how to sharpen swords. Keep the stone you have now and get a second with something like 4,000/8,000 grit. I use the stones and then blend in the scratches left with 800 grit sand paper. Do not touch your actual cutting edge with the sand paper though as this will dull it. Here is Shad's video.
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Post by larason2 on Mar 10, 2023 21:49:23 GMT
Probably you've read these articles pgandy, but I just read some of them and it changed how I looked at sharpening! scienceofsharp.comIt's not just picking the right rock, it's also how you use it! In particular I didn't think ceramic knives were sharpenable, but now I know I'm wrong! I wonder how you knew the rock you chose was the right one, and how did you sharpen it to not damage the knife? My mother in law is always sharpening her knives on concrete, the problem is she breaks big chunks of steel out of the edge!
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 11, 2023 1:19:36 GMT
It's not just picking the right rock, it's also how you use it! In particular I didn't think ceramic knives were sharpenable, but now I know I'm wrong! I wonder how you knew the rock you chose was the right one, and how did you sharpen it to not damage the knife? My mother in law is always sharpening her knives on concrete, the problem is she breaks big chunks of steel out of the edge! I deleted my post that followed Shad’s video because I had a similar one on the previous page. I also want to stress that I do not consider myself as an expert on the subject. I have only been stating what I’ve experienced over the years. I have discovered, to no surprise, that one type of grind and one blade geometry does not fit all. Now to address larason’s questions: I picked up the rock that I did by chance as it was with other similar rocks within reach. I choose that particular one over the others was due to it having the largest flattest area. It is the metal in the machete that made should be focused on. I had a chance to practice what I long knew but had not proven to myself. Blades in third world countries are often made softer for easier maintenance. My antique kukris are softer so that the Gurkha in the field a 100 or so years ago could grab a river stone, or whatever rock, and freshen the edge. I strongly suspect the village kami today produces softer blades than the better known houses sell on the Internet today. Today’s generation wants the best, whatever that is. I see it constantly on the forum especially with a newbie with “Hi all, I’m new with swords and want to buy my first katana. What’s the best metal?” As though there is such a thing. The online Nepalese vendors are beginning to publish the hardness of their blades using the Rockwell C scale. They are usually in the high 50s, I’ve seen them at 60. They are catering to the western market. Generally, my favourite is around 52. My kukris from KHHI are HRC 57 and with my present life style they are working out well. That is, I’m home at nights with a host of devices to touch up the edges if necessary and am not that demanding of them. That hasn’t always been the case and in a SHTF situation I definitely do not want anything that hard. I would go hands down on a blade less prone to chipping and easier to restore. I wouldn’t turn down a HRC 52 blade but would like a 48-50. Of course blade geometry would have an influence. I strongly suspect a large part of your mother’s-in-law chipping issue is that her knives are too hard for that type of sharpening. There are probably others involved but my guess that is number 1.
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Post by larason2 on Mar 11, 2023 14:57:53 GMT
Thanks pgandy, you raise a good point. The truth is, if you have the means to frequently sharpen it, it doesn't need to be that hard! I've read about this with bronze knives, even though bronze is a lot softer than steel, it work hardens, and it's much less likely to chip or break. I love my Japanese carbon steel kitchen knife, but I accidently chipped it when I was cleaning a fish! I chipped it right to the hamon, so I can't polish the chip out. Wouldn't have happened if the steel was softer!
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 11, 2023 17:08:42 GMT
Hardness and toughness are inversely proportional. It’s like a seesaw, when one goes up the other goes down. In a situation where I depended on my knife I’d lean towards a softer blade as it is less likely to chip and easier to sharpen using whatever may be at hand, a file, rock, or some commercial super device that may not work under adverse conditions. How soft/hard would depend on numerous factors, blade geometry, intended use, personal preference, and more. After cutting up tree limbs this morning using a 15" briefly until realizing my mistake and switched to my Condor Engineer Bolo I checked using newspaper and both sliced. I then ran a chakmak over, each and a machete that I used earlier and all three sliced like a razor. I've gotten in the habit of using a chakmak after cutting whether the blade shows a need for it or not assuming there is an undetectable roll. I've noticed that I can go longer between true sharpenings with this method.
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