Colt Skinner

[Gary Reed]

I have a Colt Skinner that I bought a few years ago. It has been a nightmare to get a keen edge on. Was wondering if anyone had any tips. It says CT17 BA Stainless Japan on one side of the blade and on the other First Production Run 1 of 1200 with a horse raring up. Below the horse is 1997 then next to the tang it says Colt. I am using DMT diamond plates to sharpen it. I got it sharp but not sharp compared to my personal skinner. Anyone able to help me identify the steals content etc,

as well as any tips would be great.

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[Eamon Mc Gowan]

What process are you following to sharpen the Colt? It will help us help you if we know what your doing as far as the process goes? :unsure:

[Gary Reed]

I have 3 dmt plates. dia flat (only used on flattening hand plane soles, cleaning up baddly damaged items and removing a lot of material quickly. The course and the fine. I use a stroke with the blade into the plate as aposed to a stropping type of stroke with the edge trailing. I initially use medium pressure and then light prssure to finish. I keep a 25 º bevel. I do not know much about sharpening aside from I have been doing it a long time. I was never taught how to do it and the only sharpening I do is for my wood shop tools and my personal knives. I got this knife as a gift about 7 year ago. When I tried to sharpen it, it seemed like it was made of diamond! It took forever to get it close to sharp. So I was hoping someone had a technique or maybe I just need to put a solid 6 hour into it… ha Here are my plates, they are new, I only been using them for a few months. Thanks for your help Eamon.

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[cbwx34]

Welcome to the forum.

An internet search didn’t reveal much about that particular knife… newer models seem to be a “low end” steel. I’m guessing that since yours is just marked “stainless” it probably is also? If it is, it might also not have a very good edge to start… uneven bevels, etc. so it could take a bit to line everything up. This could be a reason why you’re having problems getting it sharp.

Did you also sharpen the “personal skinner” you mentioned, or are you referencing the factory edge?

Your post is a bit confusing in that you’ve been sharpening a “long time” but then say you don’t know much about it. So, I’ll ask the basics first… do you know if you’re reaching the edge on both sides (creating and checking for a burr is the most common way), and having done that, removing the burr and refining the edge? (Don’t mean to be insulting if you do, I just can’t tell from your post). 🙂

25 deg. (per side I’m assuming) may also be a bit high to get the results you’re seeking… again depending on how you’re defining or testing for sharpness.

Also, are your stones glued down to that wood? That’s a decent setup for chisels and plane blades… but it might cause some problems with a knife… mainly clearing the handle? Just curious about that part.

[Gary Reed]

Well I have been sharpening my tools and knives for the better part of 30 year. I just kept trying to keep the sides even and then, would take the wire edge off my knives on my pant leg. Levi’s work the best. I have skinned out countless deer with my skinner over the last 30 year and yes I was the one who sharpened it. The reason I say I do not know much about it because quite frankly I just go till it’s sharp and useable for my needs. I guess you could say I’m ignorant when it comes to sharpening because I have never used a system, just a set of plates or water stones, some effort and a sense of what the blade needs to be, to do what needs to be done. The oil stone that I had when I was a kid is so bowed I can roll a marble under it. I haven’t used it in a long long time. I guess this knife might be junk but I was figuring that I found something so dang hard once i got an edge on it I might be able to cut through some of the BS Washington keeps sending my way Haha. Anyway, I sure do thank you for your insight.

[Eamon Mc Gowan]

Welcome to the forum.

An internet search didn’t reveal much about that particular knife… newer models seem to be a “low end” steel. I’m guessing that since yours is just marked “stainless” it probably is also? If it is, it might also not have a very good edge to start… uneven bevels, etc. so it could take a bit to line everything up. This could be a reason why you’re having problems getting it sharp.

Did you also sharpen the “personal skinner” you mentioned, or are you referencing the factory edge?

Your post is a bit confusing in that you’ve been sharpening a “long time” but then say you don’t know much about it. So, I’ll ask the basics first… do you know if you’re reaching the edge on both sides (creating and checking for a burr is the most common way), and having done that, removing the burr and refining the edge? (Don’t mean to be insulting if you do, I just can’t tell from your post). 🙂

25 deg. (per side I’m assuming) may also be a bit high to get the results you’re seeking… again depending on how you’re defining or testing for sharpness.

Also, are your stones glued down to that wood? That’s a decent setup for chisels and plane blades… but it might cause some problems with a knife… mainly clearing the handle? Just curious about that part.

+1 Curtis asked what would have been my questions? Making sure it has a burr on both sides and maybe the angle is a little low? It is up for debate as to which is the best angle but I have become kind of fond of closer to 20 degrees?

[Gary Reed]

Anyone know what CT17 BA Stainless is? So far I been told it is probably junk, if so, maybe I will make this my shop knife. Lol. To open cans and such. I still carry my old Buck knife (35 year now). Man that thing gets and stays sharp! Broke the tip off when i was 15… Can’t tell you how many times it doubled as a screwdriver… Keep em sharp. Thanks again.

[cbwx34]

CT17 is the model # of the knife. The only thing I could find on BA stainless is “bright annealed” steel… but no reference to it being used for knives. There is an 8A steel from Japan, could it be that? (Not the same as AUS8A). Sort of a 440A equivalent? (Don’t actually know any of this, just what I found on the net). 🙂

[Leo Barr]

It would appear that it is now made in China the steel is reasonable for the price whether this has changed from the original one here I cannot say.

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[cbwx34]

… whether this has changed from the original one here I cannot say.

Yea, that’s the part I’m not sure of either.

[Gary Reed]

WoW! You guys found more than I did! Thank you for your help. LeoBarr, that is the exact knife. I have been working with this now for about a week. It is considerably sharper but it has taken a long time an some frustration. Once I get the edge the way I want it, (I am taking it down to 20º from 25º) it will be cool to see how well it does this season. Thanks again for everyones help.

[Gary Reed]

Stones are not glued down. The are pressed into the indentation that I routed onto the board. I made that to store my stones in. I remove them and hand hold them. Cheers

[Leo Barr]

In my mind considering the steel is not outstanding & the applications I can imagine you will use it for plus the difficulty sharpening it I would recommend a spilt say 23Ëš each side – two advantages of a steeper angle less metal to remove and its the sort of angle I would use for a boning knife and general knives that I intend to abuse. The sources I used were( http://www2.knifecenter.com and http://zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml) to gather information about your knife.

[Gary Reed]

In my mind considering the steel is not outstanding & the applications I can imagine you will use it for plus the difficulty sharpening it I would recommend a spilt say 23Ëš each side – two advantages of a steeper angle less metal to remove and its the sort of angle I would use for a boning knife and general knives that I intend to abuse. The sources I used were( http://www2.knifecenter.com and http://zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml) to gather information about your knife.

I will give that a shot. I hate owning a dull knife! Hate is a strong word, but I got cut by a dull knife once and it took forever to heal and left a nasty scar… thanks so much for answering my question. I remember how hard it use to be to get information, but with forums like this it sure makes things easier, thanks to all of you who take the time to help. Peace.

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