Cant argue with the facts, you made a knife with nearly random items from your shed in very short order and brought it to shaving sharp. Well done Mors. -Mitch
You know! I have read some comments below and it is amazing how 'hung up' on semantics people are nowadays. Lets just look at the facts of the video please, Mr K has just imparted some age old time tested knowledge free of charge. He has made a basic knife and then showed a easy simple way to get it sharp. Please just get over your 'prejudices' and appreciate what this great man has show you all. To Mr K, Thank you for the video and your knowledge I appreciate every video you do Regards
Thanks for keeping up with modern technology and keeping us up to date with your knowledge. I still have my 1988 version of Northern Bushcraft that I read from time to time and try to share the knowledge with my son, his friends and his Beavers colony.
Thanks for the advice . My edges are somewhere between a razor edge and a de boning edge . Sometimes it is hard to get right . Drawing a sharp knife across a stone feels different than drawing a dull edge across .
Clear concise well explains and correct to all the facts from the proper sharpening methods I’ve been taught! I wish I could teach my woman sharp is safer she refuses to believe it even when I explain if it’s blunt it means we need more force and therefor it can slip and cut what we don’t want cut!
Cool trick with using a bathroom tile! I picked up a Viking sharpener from Ragweed Forge (the Vikings, apparently, wore necklaces that were both tool & decoration). You know, a trick I learned for getting the burr off of a knife is to cut against a piece of wood or a roll of leather. Pretty cool, as stropping can be done wrong & you'll probably be around some wood. That was on one of Dave Canterbury's vids- I think it was Jim Kane that mentioned it in one of the Cabin videos.
I made myself a knife like this after seeing it here, now I just have to try it out. However, I didn't use a saw blade, but diverent piece of scrap metal that I had on hand.
Enjoyed the video. If you are going to use sandpaper to sharpen is best to use either glass or a tile to back it. Wood is to soft and will give as you sharpen the blade. Lots of woodworkers use this method. I don't think for knife blades it is really that important that your stone is absolutely flat , a slight dip or wear spot will affect nothing. I've sold sharpening stones for over $500 but I think they are mostly hype. Easy to get a couple natural stones for less then $10 that will serve you well
I built a couple of knives from 18” wide 3mm thick circular saw blades they turned out well but the damn edge is so damn dificult to get because it’s too hard to start with
Sorry but i dont get the math behind the strokes. For every medium stroke i have to do 10 fine strokes and for every fine i have to do 10 hone strokes, says Mors. So 10 medium = 100 fine = 1000 hone strokes. But Mors says later in the vid that for 3 medium he does 30 fine and 30 hone... which makes a total of 100 strokes?? I dont want to come of disrespectfull im just really confused. Can someone explain that to me? Thank you.
No, thats wrong, too much effort, you dont need shaving sharp knife, a more or less sharp knife is good enough. And, scandi grind is actually very hard to sharpen, not easy. Convex drind is easier to sharpen and its more durable. Yakut people (kinda like Inuit) use convex grind.
HAHA. THIS. This is why people think proper knife sharpening is witchcraft. "The goal with stropping is to generate enough heat to remove the burr, and harden the leading edge. At least that's what I've been told." Even industry professionals will basically shrug when pressed to produce actual science. What does this mean, for the individual? It means that 10, 20, or 30 years' experience doing a thing counts for more than what Reddit says. So, nevermind old wives tales and possible science. Practice a thing for years, and then you'll have some idea of how you're fucking it up. Then, make adjustments! Cheers!
I am a bit disappointed in the video. Sure, the method Mors showed will sharpen a knife, however, I am missing his usual systematic approach. The method shown is a bit convoluted and riddled with half-truths and myths. E.g. instead of counting strokes you'd be better off regularly inspecting the edge to see what you have achieved. This will lead to more reliable, consistent results and, among other things, prevent over-sharpening which will wear out the blade and the stone (as well as the person doing the sharpening) prematurely. Also, stropping won't burn off the burr. Burning something off the edge would ruin the temper, thus impairing the edge-holding capability. Stropping just serves to remove microscopic remnants that might be left of the burr and to put on a polished, slightly convex micro edge. Lastly, I wouldn't use babbitt on the strop, as some formulations of babbitt metal are mostly lead which I would avoid on anything that I might cut food or (accidentally) myself with. There are much better stropping compounds out there such as diamond pastes or jeweller's rouge.
I am always in favour of people sharpening their knives/tools regardless of detours taken or results that are not quite perfect. As I have stated above, the reason I am a bit disappointed is that Mors usually does a great job as an educator. There are many people who trust in what he says and might not look elsewhere.So this would have been the opportunity to dispell some of the myths and show people ways to improve their sharpening methods.
Check ot the "Mors Kochanski Suvival Knives & Sharpening Four Dog Stove Company" video. A bit more of a "quick"systematic video but brief. That video, in combination with his "Bushcraft" book provides good sharpening information from the master himself. I really wish his little booklets were more readily available. Take care. -Dave
There are two kinds of people in this world, those who make things work with what they have and those who run to the nearest shop looking for the latest and greatest piece of magic. I know which of these two types you fall under. Mors has a wealth of knowledge that you should respect the fact that he uses babbitt in the demonstration, shows how long he has been in the game, that was the norm many years ago. Counting strokes when honing is good practice until you have gained experience and can just do it like you have used a cut throat for shaving all your life.
You are? I'm sorry to hear that Blind Fredy.. If you are lucky and keep in shape like Mors, you may get stronger than you currently are depending on your genetics and environment.