Sharpened Away to Nothing - TRADITIONALS

Trout Hound

Trout Hound

Joined
Sep 28, 2014
Messages
693
Howdy Y'all,

I'm wondering who has actually sharpened a traditional blade from new down to practically nothing, or at least to the point that you were into much thicker blade stock and retired it to the toolbox. I'd especially like to know of anyone who has done it by manual sharpening only (no power tools). If so, what type of blade was it, what did you use it for, how did you sharpen it, and how long did you carry it?

I always see knives like this at gun shows, flea markets, older folks' kitchens, etc., and I've always wondered how long it really takes to reach that point.

Pictures are welcome. Thanks!
 
Wish I had a pic to show, but I had a Case pen knife that I sharpened until the secondary blade looked like a needle. It eventually got too thin, and I broke it, but that was a heck of a knife.
 
I have a Normark fillet knife that I still use that has been sharpened quite a lot and the "pointy" end doesn't have any of the original "grind" left; it's almost a knitting needle with an edge on it. I don't know how many fish have been fillet'd with it, but I wish I had a dollar for every one. I'll drop a pic in this post tomorrow.

Ed J
 
Here's a recent thread where several knives like you describe have been shared, though I think in most cases they've been acquired in that state:

Old and Tired. Not much left in the tank.

I figure it would take a lot of years carrying only one knife to wear a blade down as much as some of those have been. I'd also think that dubious or overzealous sharpening practices might to blame in a lot of those cases, but I suppose, given long enough, you would eventually wear down a regularly-used blade even with careful, only-when-necessary sharpening by hand. But boy would it take a long time.
 
I don't have a pic since photo bucket stole it but I have a Mercator which, although not sharpened to a needle, is sharpened back well into thicker blade stock. It was done by hand and only took a year or two.

I did use it rough and hard on the job and probably sharpened a couple/few times a day.
 
I used a Case stockman on a tugger route in the early 80's. The main and sheepsfoot were sharpened five days a week. That poor knife only lasted about a year and a half, before being worn down to the point it affected it's slicing ability.
 
My original BSA knife next to a BSA knife I bought to replace it. The original is too loose to use now.
cKqkfJQ.jpg
 
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I've done it, by hand on a Moore Maker trapper. Just to the main blade. Kinda got the ice pick thing going on. I'll try and get some pics later. However its not retired mostly semi retired, it'll occasionally do some consulting on the side.
 
I think a lot of the old timers sharpened their knives daily and kind of as a worry stone/fidget spinner kind of thing. I remember my grandad sitting on the front porch and sharpening his pocket knife what seemed like every evening when I was a kid . We were lucky and lived across the street.--
 
P_20170924_172845.jpg

Found this 1969er in Grandpa's tool shed after he passed. It was completely rusted shut. It took me 3 days soaking it with 3-in-1 oil before I could pry the nail pull up with a flat tip screwdriver, then a lot more oil and cleaning and sanding/polishing, followed by re-sharpening, followed by about 30 coats of tung oil rubbed into the dry and ready-to-split covers, finished off with a new sheath, carried for a month or so, and retired to the knife box.
 
Trout Hound said:
Howdy Y'all,

I'm wondering who has actually sharpened a traditional blade from new down to practically nothing, or at least to the point that you were into much thicker blade stock and retired it to the toolbox. I'd especially like to know of anyone who has done it by manual sharpening only (no power tools). If so, what type of blade was it, what did you use it for, how did you sharpen it, and how long did you carry it?

I always see knives like this at gun shows, flea markets, older folks' kitchens, etc., and I've always wondered how long it really takes to reach that point.

Pictures are welcome. Thanks!
Click to expand...


This isn't quite sharpened to nothing, but it's significantly less tall and into thicker stock like you mentioned. I haven't retired it because it works great still. Cuts like a laser and great action.

I've sharpened it always with a Spyderco Double Stuff, and if it needed reproduced I used diamond stones.

OYrB7uT.jpg
 
kvaughn said:
I think a lot of the old timers sharpened their knives daily and kind of as a worry stone/fidget spinner kind of thing. I remember my grandad sitting on the front porch and sharpening his pocket knife what seemed like every evening when I was a kid . We were lucky and lived across the street.--
Click to expand...
My grandfather did the same thing. If it didn't shave it wasn't sharp enough.

I gave my grandfather this buck when I was 10. After he passed it and his stone were left to me. It isn't retired just waiting on another generation of ownership.
8AE04A31-9944-4F8E-A388-B816D337B670.jpg
 
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L.H.S said:
This isn't quite sharpened to nothing, but it's significantly less tall and into thicker stock like you mentioned. I haven't retired it because it works great still. Cuts like a laser and great action.

I've sharpened it always with a Spyderco Double Stuff, and if it needed reproduced I used diamond stones.

OYrB7uT.jpg
Click to expand...

I think that's the most thoroughly sharpened GEC I've seen yet!
 
Mitt said:
My grandfather did the same thing. If it didn't shave it wasn't sharp enough.

I gave my grandfather this buck old timer when I was 10. After he passed it and his stone were left to me. It isn't retired just waiting on another generation of ownership.
8AE04A31-9944-4F8E-A388-B816D337B670.jpg
Click to expand...

I do miss those 700 series Bucks. I never had one, but I remember coon-fingering them in the stores in my teens.
 
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