Knife Related Projects and Completion

Over the years I’ve amassed quite the list of knife projects and most have never been finished. In an effort to empty this list, I plan to post them one at a time until I get them done or decide they’re not worth it and wrote them off.

First is a recent one for a new knife. I have a Kershaw Random Leek I got for Father’s Day. It came with a 22 dps or so edge that I matched when sharpening the first time. I started last night with a 250 grit Norton water stone dropping it to 12 dps. It was not done in one session but hopefully I can finish tonight or tomorrow. It grinds easily and takes a high polish edge and hold it for quite a while.

Quote
me2
Over the years I’ve amassed quite the list of knife projects and most have never been finished. In an effort to empty this list, I plan to post them one at a time until I get them done or decide they’re not worth it and wrote them off.

I encourage this and will enjoy reading along.

Chris,
Awesome, that should also help the forum with new content. I myself have a backlog of YouTube videos to make and a some things that need to be mailed out.

I started working out with my son so that has taken 2 of the last 3 days and I haven’t worked on any the last couple days. I think one more long session with the Kershaw will finish it. Putting the 22 degree bevel on and evening things out near the factory bevel was very helpful. Now I’m not dropping the edge and trying to straighten the edge out at the same time. I will probably do it this way now instead of going from the factory bevel. There are all sorts of wobbles and dips in many factory edges. This is why I’ve lobbied Spyderco to offer unsharpened blades and let me do the first edge. Not yet but here’s hoping.

Chris,
The unsharpened blade thing is a good idea. I heard that a long time ago traditional knives came unsharpened from the factory, you were expected to put your own edge on knives. These are knives that were from hardware and general stores.

Quote
me2
Putting the 22 degree bevel on and evening things out near the factory bevel was very helpful. Now I’m not dropping the edge and trying to straighten the edge out at the same time. I will probably do it this way now instead of going from the factory bevel. There are all sorts of wobbles and dips in many factory edges.

If I understand correctly, your procedure was:
1. keep the factory edge bevel angle, but grind the bevels as needed to center the apex everywhere, then
2. lower the edge bevel angle as desired.
Is that correct?

If so...makes a lot of sense.

I am sure that I have at times made things needlessly complicated for myself while setting knives up by trying to do several things at once. (Especially when working on the belly/tip areas of new machetes.)

alkali,

Quote
alkali [
I am sure that I have at times made things needlessly complicated for myself while setting knives up by trying to do several things at once

I used to do this all the time, it makes things very hard for no reason.

Yes that is the procedure now. For a long time I just hogged off the material and a few times it required a LOT of metal to be removed and took a long time. The knives are still useable at 22 dps or so, and when I decide to lower them it isn’t as wasteful. I had a Kudu from Cold Steel that gave me fits with a section that was evidently 25 degrees or more. When I lowered it to 15 I was never able to get rid of that section completely. Had I done it this way I likely would still have it instead of giving it away out of frustration. I’m taking a pretty big jump from 22 to 12 dps, but it seems like it won’t take but one or 2 more sessions. The first session was only 40 passes per side. It’s a pretty thin and very pointy little knife.

I don’t want to get ahead of myself but I’m thinking about the next project a little. I have a old chefs knife I cut down into another Old Gyuto blade but I’ve never finished it. That might be the next project. Here is the original.

It's seems like a 1x30 would be a good investment for you. Typical time to thin a knife would be a few minutes before doing all the tidyup by hand

I have an old Harbor Freight 1x30. That’s what I used to regrind and thin my Delica. I need to do it again though. I thinned it the rebeveled it from 17 dps to 12 so the bevel grew again. Ideally it would be at or less than 0.01” thick at the top of the 12 degree bevel. A lot of my projects will be done in my shop. I don’t use the grinder a lot in there due to dust issues. The weather here is still pretty warm so I need to set up and do some grinding soon.

Now that I actually have my own garage, I’m really looking for a decent 1x30 for major re-shaping of edges as well as putting an edge on machetes.

I still have a machete that’s basically as-boxed from Imacasa, for example, it’s an excellent bolo design but there’s simply not an edge on it. I gave up after not making any real progress with a file for 10 minutes.

A 1x30 would make it a simple task to do this, and would open up the possibilities for getting other inexpensive machetes I’ve been avoiding specifically because I can’t put an edge on them.

Ryan,
Kyley would be the person to ask about getting a 1x30".

This video has a good breakdown of options

I think 22 dps to 12 was too big a jump. I’m going to stop at 17 dps for now. I’ll move it down to 12 next time I sharpen it maybe. It may work fine at 17 but we’ll see.

Hi Chris,

Projects are a good thing. Thanx for sharing. We all get to learn.

Also, thanx for the "prod" on the un-sharpened blade. Is there a particular model that you think would be worth making a short run with un-sharpened edges?

sal

If I had to choose it would be a Delica or Endura. As I understand those are made outside Golden so you may not have as much control once distance gets involved. I’d have to research the Golden made models to see.

The rebeveling is done. I stopped at 17 dps so as to use the 20 dps slots in the Sharpmaker. I doubt I will go lower as the thumb studs get in the way. This has a 220/1000/4000/Fine White edge, with the Fine White triangles used at 20 and the other grits at 17. This knife or the eventual final regrind of my Delica may be what finally pushes me to try the ultra fine triangles.

The next project will either be regrinding my Delica again for the final desired thickness behind the 12/15 dps/microbevel edge or finishing the primary grind on a Cold Steel Kukri Machete. I have a 6 degree primary bevel about 20% done and it’s fire season here in South Carolina. Too bad Noss is gone or I’m sure he’d appreciate the utility of one of his favorites.

I’m probably going to try to regrind the Delica first. I need to see if I have the right belts. I want a 120 grit followed by a 320 grit finish, mostly because that’s what I think I have.