Recommendation? Re-profile a Glock Field Knife. What should be done?

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Feb 2, 2013
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I bought a Glock Field Knife very recently. I know little about knives. It is a thick knife but the part of the blade that is sharp is small. I guess that is called the bevel. I read these knives need the blade to be re-profiled to be good for all around use. I guess the way it is set up now is more for bayonet use (it attaches to some European rifle) and prying things where longevity is most important.

I want the edge to be re-profiled so that it is good for all around use including tasks within survival knife use and bushcraft knife use. I will have it re-profiled and sharpened by a professional sharpener. I don't know what to tell the sharpener how to reprofile. Maybe I should just say what I want to use it for and go with his recommendation. I don't know, hence my request for advice.

Thanks.
 
I picked one of ebay last year for a great price with free shipping.When I got it the edge was not too bad.I was using a diamond sharpener using the existing 25 degree bevel.The resulting edge was razor sharp.YMMV
 
I bought a Glock Field Knife ...I will have it re-profiled and sharpened by a professional... I don't know what to tell the sharpener how to reprofile. Maybe I should just say what I want to use it for and go with his recommendation....
yup. your explanation describing what you
want done is clear enough an explanation ...
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/what-does-it-mean-to-reprofile-a-blade.387665/
just don't expect every sharpening guy
to do a flawlesssly neat rebeveling job.
it does take skill and proper equipment
to get it all looking perfect without marring
it in any way.
but if you're not one to care about appearences, but game on gaining
a paper slicing edge, you could get it done
with diamond bench stones (which probably
cost more than most knives) as suggested :)
 
I picked one of ebay last year for a great price with free shipping.When I got it the edge was not too bad.I was using a diamond sharpener using the existing 25 degree bevel.The resulting edge was razor sharp.YMMV

I read of people having a hard time getting a sharp edge without reprofiling. I don't know how well a sharpened edge holds it's edge with the existing bevel the Glock knife uses. Maybe its moot and I need to have it reprofiled to be best for survival and bushcraft use.
 
If the original grind is 25 DPS (50 degrees inclusive) as mentioned above, I would suggest 15 DPS (30 degrees inclusive). when you have it reprofiled.
Many years ago, I was taught that 30 degrees and higher inclusive was good for an axe/hatchet/tomahawk; not a knife.
30 degrees inclusive was "border line" for a knife back then.
Most knives were closer to 20 degrees inclusive back in the day.
The lower the inclusive angle, the better it will cut. Too low a number, you may roll the edge or worse though.
For that knife I believe 30 degrees inclusive would be a good compromise, as in be unlikely to roll the edge or chip, yet sharp enough to actually be able to cut, and strong enough for light/medium chopping, if you must.
I would not recommend prying with any knife.
Get a pocket prybar, or an old fashioned chrome plated paint can opener (has a bottle opener on one end) from Home Depot or Lowes. (they may still have them for free without purchase of paint)
 
I have a knife just like yours because while I live in Spain, my sister lived for a few years in Wells (Austria), and she got me one for Christmas. She knows I like knives and I guess this particular item was priced well there (I don't know if they make them in Austria or outsource them).

So far it has not seen any use, but I have read as much as I could find about it.

... I read these knives need the blade to be re-profiled to be good for all around use. I guess the way it is set up now is more for bayonet use (it attaches to some European rifle) and prying things where longevity is most important.
This saber ground knife is meant for stabbing and some prying, forget about chopping (too light) and forget about wood carving (you would need to reprofile not only the very edge, but the whole bevel to turn it into a full flat grind). The steel and heat threatment is not focused on edge retention. If you make the edge acuter to make it a better cutter, do not expect the edge to last long.
This knife is not meant to be (and will never be) a good all around use knife. You would be much better served with a Cold Steel Bushman (if we are talking budget knives) for example.


I want the edge to be re-profiled so that it is good for all around use including tasks within survival knife use and bushcraft knife use. I will have it re-profiled and sharpened by a professional sharpener.
DON'T SEND IT OUT!, yes, purposely written in capital letters.
If you are set on reprofiling the knife to whichever angle you desire, log into Aliexpress and get yourself a RUIXIN PRO RX-008 sharpener with a set of additional diamong stones (6 stones from 8 to 2000 grit). Whatch a few videos on Youtube and go to town. You have to purposely do it wrong to screw up with this guided system. It is THAT good. The price of the set I am telling you about will surprise you too (cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeap). For this particular steel I wouldn't go higher than 400-600 grit, it is not worth it. I like to sharpen freehand, but for reprofiling jobs, nothing beats a guided system.

You get two benefits out of this: The sharpener will serve you well in the long run PLUS you will get practice on a cheap knife so you don't hesitate to sharpen more expensive knives you may happen tu purchase later on.

Paraphrasing GIRLYman, do not expect sharpeners to be good at this. I have two experiences with pro sharpeners. The first time I sent my first fixed blade knife (MUELA Cazorla) to be polished and sharpened. This is a stag handled knife with brass guard and leather sheath. The laser etching came back mostly erased (to be expected from the buffing), the grind lines are mostly gone and they ATE part of the guard while on the buffing wheel... totally amateurish job. I was young and stupid at that time, don't blame me.

And welcome to Bladeforums!

Mikel
 
Reprofile to 15 degrees per side, then sharpen to 20 degrees per side on the edge. Spyderco Sharpmaker knife sharpener is made for this task. It is easy.


 
Probably should look for a scandi grind type knife.The glock is an inexpensive...user.....beater.....military.....Knife.Not to say it can't be used but probably not very well.

Here's mine sharpened.The edge is not perfect and it could use another sharpening.

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razorburn razorburn : Looks like you have the 78 without the saw on the back. I haven't seen those around.

Plenty on fleabay coming out of eastern Europe.I think mine was from Poland.Shipping is FREE - so there was not glock packaging.They were under $30 shipped.
 
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Plenty on fleabay coming out of eastern Europe.I think mine was from Poland.Shipping is FREE - so there was not glock packaging.They were under $30 shipped.

I looked on fleabay when I was shopping for mine but didn't see any 78 models for sale other than used, maybe. Perhaps I didn't look good enough.
 
Personally I don’t think you have to do much of anything. I have a couple and use them for all sorts of random stuff. They are thick and the primary bevel is abrupt, but it cuts fine.
 
Personally I don’t think you have to do much of anything. I have a couple and use them for all sorts of random stuff. They are thick and the primary bevel is abrupt, but it cuts fine.

Even if I kept the current bevel, I need to sharpen it. Is abrupt bevel the reason these knives are known to not keep an edge long?
 
Even if I kept the current bevel, I need to sharpen it. Is abrupt bevel the reason these knives are known to not keep an edge long?

Edge retention (as the ability to maintain its sharp apex) is solely related to steel type/hardness and edge angle/thickness. If the steel is too soft, it will not hold an edge too long because it will easily wear out. If the edge is tu acute/thin, then it may easily roll or chip, depending on the hardness and steel.

If with the stock edge people is complaining about poor edge retention (as the ability to maintain its sharp apex on the very edge), then it is because the steel is soft, and there is nothing you can do about it.

BUT the ability for a knife to CUT is not only due to edge retention, but also to the overall geometry profile of the knife. If the blade is tu thick and the grind to abrupt (such as the Glock field knife), the knife will not cut well (even if the edge is hair splitting sharp), because as soon as it starts to cut into the material, it will wedge itself into it. The Glock knife will never be a slicer no matter what you do (short of regrinding it to make it a full flat grind). Apples and potatoes will be split open, it will not carve wood well. Slicing cardboard would be a nightmare, for example. It will probably cut cord and meat fine, but not much else.


Mikel
 
The Glock knife is cool and interesting. Probably usable for bushcraft, but not exactly ideal. The idea that a bushcraft knife needs to be really thick and beefy is a weird concept. Batoning is kind of a weird idea too. If you're camping or similar, won't you have a real axe or hatchet with you? Slamming wood against a small knife to force it through wood to split it seems like something you do for an experiment or in an emergency. For real splitting, use a hatchet or axe.

So if you're not trying to baton with this poor blade, it doesn't need to be crazy thick. ...and crazy thick is the opposite of what you want in a blade that CUTS. Thin is sharp. Sharp is thin. A reasonable thickness blade with a nice sharp edge is going to do all tasks better: Carving, feather sticks, cutting meat and veggies. Even slicing rope.

Again, the Glock is a neat knife. I might own one myself at some point. But something like a Mora or something else that's sturdy, but with a more normal geometry, is probably a better overall choice.

Just my 2 cents.

Brian.
 
I'm not familiar with the Glock Field Knife, but to get the best performance out of it probably the best thing you can do, as others have mentioned, is to thin out the edge, and above the edge, as much as possible without it rolling or chipping.

I'd suggest reading and studying The Razor Edge Book of Sharpening, by John Juranitch, and use those principles to freehand sharpen. This will save you the time and expense of sending the knife out for reprofiling and sharpening. Freehand sharpening is an excellent skill to have and I would say a necessary skill in the wilderness. When I understood the few basic principles, and could get sharp edges myself (I prefer toothy edges to smooth), I was surprised how simple sharpening really is.

There is also a lot of satisfaction in knowing how to put a good, sharp edge on a knife and to have the kind of edge that works best for you.
 
If with the stock edge people is complaining about poor edge retention (as the ability to maintain its sharp apex on the very edge), then it is because the steel is soft, and there is nothing you can do about it.
Hi,
its more because of the angle than the hardness
by the power of knifesteelnerds :)
catra edge retention isnt positive
until angle moves
from cold chisel (hack knife)
into axe/knife range
Code:
1095   55HRC   25dps   TCC(-163.0) = -157 + 15.8*Hardness (55.00 HRc) – 17.8*EdgeAngle(50°) + 11.2*CrC(   0) + 14.6*CrVC(   0) + 26.2*MC(   0) + 9.5*M6C(   0) + 20.9*MN(   0) + 19.4*CrN(   0) + 5*Fe3C(   3)

1095   60HRC   25dps   TCC(-84.0)
1095   62HRC   25dps   TCC(-52.4)
1095   55HRC   20dps   TCC(15.0)
1095   55HRC   15dps   TCC(193.0)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glock_knife says made of SAE 1095 spring steel with a hardness of 55 HRC

See also Apex-Bevel influence on edge retention slicing hemp (VG-10 and S30V)
 
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