Best order of stones for elk hunting knife.
- This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 10/04/2017 at 7:29 pm by
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Hello all,
I’m new to this forum and will be receiving a wicked edge GO soon, I hope. Me and a few friends and coworkers drew elk tags this year and I was wondering what everyone likes for their edge. I know each person will be different but I want a few things to try when it gets here. I am a beginner but can deal with information overload, so please don’t hold back.
Thanks in advance,
Mark
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Welcome to the forum, Mark.
— Mark 🙂
Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge
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Thanks for welcoming me to the forum. Right now, I’m thinking of diving in and supplumenting the wicked edge GO with the 800/1000, 1500/glass platen on which will be 6 micron diamond lapping film, and 4/2 diamond emulsion strops. In addition to what I asked earlier, could you also give input on the best strop medium. I see they are all priced the same if bought with the compound as if they are bought without.
Thanks
Mark
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Just a get-started tip, from another relatively new user. Your stones will be significantly different after they’re broken in, and I guess that takes like 10 or 15 sharpenings. So, get a cheap knife to break them in on, before you start going for your super sharp final product on your skinning knife.
I have broken-in stones for 100/200 and 400/600, and brand new 800/1000. It’s crazy how the stones usually sound smoother and smoother as I progress, and then when I hit my new 800 it sounds like I’m back at 200.
Welcome Mark,
Elk may have a little tougher hide than White Tail deer, where my experience lies. I find some like 600 diamond grit finish, some like 800, and some like 1000. I have not refined any past 1000 because I like to leave a little teeth in the blade for these knives and 1000 is my preference for this type of knife. Then like Clay states, strop. I don’t overdue the stropping with the knives I do for this purpose, 15 or so passes per grit, and have found that 14/10 or 5/3.5 work very well. My favorite strops for almost any knife though is the 4/2 and 1/.5 emulsions on leather and kangaroo leather respectively. I own all the pastes on both balsa and leather, also all the emulsions and sprays from 4 mic. to .025 on kangaroo leather. The 4/2 emulsion is on cow hide and is my favorite set of strops. If I could only have one set of strops it would be the 4/2 emulsion on leather.
Also what kind of edge did you find works the best? Just a regular edge down to 3 micron strops, or did a micro bevel help?
Hey Mark, A micro bevel can be helpful for a number of reasons but doesn’t necessarily make a knife sharper. It can make some knives feel sharper because of the narrower underlying bevel. For me the best reason to use a micro bevel is the ease of maintenance when sharpening others knifes. These are more forgiving when steeling or stropping. One other reason is to put teeth on an edge that is highly polished, something that I hadn’t thought of until I saw a video of Clay’s when he polished an edge and then micro beveled it with a 200 stone I believe, just a couple light passes. I’m sure there are a number of reasons as to why some use a micro bevel in a given circumstance.
Usually for a hunting knife I don’t use lapping films. I stop between 600 and 1000 grit and then strop, not overdoing the stropping. Some teeth in the edge help the edge saw or slice if you will and for me work better for this type of knife. I also think it helps the durability as well by not over refining. Most of the hunting knives I do are 17 to 18 degrees with a few at 20 deg. if it’s a thick blade.
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