Stropping, power tool or what?

Cabra

Cabra

Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Messages
2,566
Hello all.
I need help with one of my Hortons.
This knife is a big chopper, .40 inches thick.
I use it and now it’s a bit dull. I mean, its sharp, but it can’t cut paper like a normal Horton does.

I try with a strop, black compound and nothing.

Should I go back to sand paper and then strop?
Should I keep stropping the knife until its sharp again?
Most important, how the hell do I know that I’m using the strop correctly?


Should I buy a power tool? and if that’s the case, which one?

Any feed back from you guys its well appreciated.
Thanks.
 
Is it S7 steel?grinds? bevel height? It could have been your sharpening angle is incorrect or too much force causing it to dull.

I have a Horton Camp 2 in S7 in convex grind and i sharpen it using sandpaper followed by leather strop without compound.
For the experimental steels i've owned S7 has medium edge retention.Some claimed that they could get S7 to scary sharp but i wonder how long it stays that way.
For now i stick to 5160, convex khukuris and Horton is only used for Undead.

For choppers (0.4" passed gracefully) micro bevel isn't what you want.
 
Thanks Jay, the knife is a Camp 2 in S7 with convex grind.

About Brains video; I know it well. The thing is that as you can see in the video he has a cleaver that cuts paper like a hot knife on butter. That's what I want with this Camp 2.

For the moment I'll keep stropping, hope I don't ruin it.
 
I use power tools. But there is nothing wrong with S7. Its the thickness. And th grind that makes it difficult.
To sharpen. Another reason I like chisel zero grinds. Good luck man. I highly doubt you can ruin something I can't fix..
 
Steel is not the problem here. I like S7 a lot.

Maybe I'm just stupid and cant even strop my own knives.....LOL
Any way, I think its getting better now, its starting to cut paper.

But, its stropping like sand paper but slower. (I have to clear this) 50 times sand paper = 500 times with leather and black compound?

J. I dont think I can ruin this thing man, its though as hell.... just in case, I'm glad you're there to fix it.
 
I found that if you dull any convex knife too far you need to go back to sandpaper with 400 grit then strop. You will have your platinum edge back in no time....
 
I had the same problem w/ my S7 Camp. I used Brian's video and it just took more time to get it back to extremely sharp. Just be patient.
 
Cabra, is there a burr on either side (use the back of your thumb nail to check)? I use 600 grit automotive sand paper to convert an edge to convex, and sometimes/rarely to resharpen a really dull blade. I think the keys are light touch (not much more than the weight of the knife) and angle (the bite test). Have a few sheets of regular typing paper there to see you progress before moving to receipt/coupon paper. The convex edge is like a 5.56 bullet, so my guess is that your holding the knife at too shallow of an angle and are just rubbing the side of the bullet or you have a burr that needs to be knocked off (just strop off the side that "clicks").


I'm not very good at explanations, so ask any questions. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks guys.
Its working, the camp 2 its sharp again, shit, took some time.

Now, to the necker. I think she has a burr on one side. I'll try to take it off now and see what happens.
Thanks Brian.
 
No its not chisel its one of the first horton neckers.
262266_2189437019191_1345061990_32592902_899938_n.jpg


Is it possible that I stropped so bad that the edge is rounded? If this happens what do I do, go back to sand paper?
 
Paulinski said:
If its chisel do 5 or 10 on ground side followed by one time on flat side.
Click to expand...

Once I tried this, it brought the edge of my necker to a whole new level. The strop really transformed my sharpening and I swear by the platinum edge. Before I put my Hortons away they get 20-30 passes on the green compound. This way they are always good to go.
 
So, here is the story:
The camp S7 its done. Sharp as hell again.
The wharnie, sharp as hell.
The necker, I want to trow it in a flaming volcano!!

This necker I bough 2 years ago, when I got it, it did not have the convex edge any more, so I tried with sand paper and then strop and all. It did got pretty sharp but never sharp enough. I'm being caring this knife since I got it.

The thing is; that every day I use it I was like "shit, its not sharp enough" so back to the strop...but nothing.

I'm not a person that gives up easily, took me 2 years to figure out I can't sharp this thing so its going back to the compound first thing tomorrow morning.

Thanks guys for all the help. guess I'm not so patient any more.

I'm getting butt-hurt by my own knife....LOL
 
Just takes some work brother. I know you said you received it dull. But, it's far easier to maintain the edge, sharpen it after use. Then to let it get dull and then try and sharpen it. I got this one back to shaving sharp, it took some work though. :)

DSCI0102.jpg


That being said, I'm thinking of buying a Kalamazoo myself. :eek:
 
Don't know. Ask Brian, he is the King of strop man.
Or J. he makes them....
 
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