Sharpening a Bowie knife is much the same as sharpening any other knife. However, you will need to know how to go about the process in order to achieve optimal results. What process should you follow? Actually, you will have some choices to make before you even get started with the sharpening process. What is your first decision? First, you will need to determine what sort of sharpening system you want to use. Do you want to use a system that offers you edge guides? On the other hand, you might prefer to use a simple whetstone and control the angle of the edge yourself. This is an important consideration and should not be rushed.
Generally, novice knife owners opt for the all-in-one type of system, as this allows them to control the angle of the blade, without having to do so by hand. However, those more familiar with the sharpening process often choose to use a series of whetstones or a whetstone and a strop. This results in a much better edge, though it takes considerable practice before you can call yourself an expert. As a note, if you choose to go it alone, practice with some inexpensive blades before you attempt to sharpen your Bowie knife, or any other knife that might represent a considerable investment.
The process of sharpening a knife is all about removing metal from the blade, but doing so in a controlled pattern. The angle at which you hold your knife will determine some of how much metal is removed, as will the duration of the sharpening process. If you choose to use a sharpening system, make sure that it offers several different angles in the guide, so that you can achieve the sharpness and blade shape that’s right for your knife.
Holding one side of the blade against the stone, draw the knife either heel to tip, or you can grind it in circles over the stone (some knife owners prefer to use two stones, a coarse one and a fine one). Once you have raised a burr on the blade’s edge, you should flip the blade over and repeat the process until there is a burr along the entire edge of the knife blade.
Once you have ground down one side of the blade and raised a burr, you will need to flip the knife over and grind the other side. This will raise a burr all the way down the blade (including the tip of the blade). Once the burr has been raised, you should use a fine whetstone or a strop to remove the burr and reveal the true edge of the blade. Further stropping or honing will polish the edges, as well.
Dylan Sabot is the owner of an online bowie knife store featuring sog bowie knives. Additionally, Dylan is also the President of a specialty butane lighters store.
Related Posts -
Fast Online Bachelor Degrees - Why Four Years Is Now Way Too Long To Spend Getting A Degree One of the reasons why students are looking to accelerate their college education through quick online degrees is to use their new degree to boost their paycheck, but you have to ask the question whether or not this is actually something that will benefit you in the long run....... - Grab Yourself A New Skateboard And Make The World Your Skate Park! by Jim Samposzi When it comes to hobbies, there can be few things that are less expensive and more fun than skateboarding. In reality, all you really require is a good skateboard. There are all kinds of accessories in the shops too, but these are not really necessary. If you......
- Use Caution With Lye When Making Soap Soap making probably sounds like a simple, harmless process, perhaps even something you can do with the kids while making Christmas or birthday gifts. But remember that all through history, whenever people have made soap either from animal fats they'd conserved or, later, from vegetable oils, lye has always......
- Popularity Of Snowboarding And Skiing Whether you are an adventure lover or a fan of white snow fields, you must be a great fan of snowboarding or skiing. Whether you are a learner or a proficient player, you need to get yourself both mentally and physically prepared so that you can experience the ultimate......
- Forget The Basics At Your Peril When Flying Your First Radio Controlled Aeroplanes by Sophie June Hayes Thank goodness now radio controlled aeroplanes are designed for every skill level from the beginner to the advanced flyer. So, youve done your research, worked out the cost (hopefully including the running costs for power and replacement parts), chosen a power source and then the model......
Related Websites -
Caulking a Bathtub in 5 Easy Steps Water can penetrate into your bathroom walls, causing expensive damage unless you take precautions to keep your bathtub properly caulked at all times. Here are the steps involved in the process: 1 - Examine the entire joint between the wall and the bathtub. Mold, mildew, caulk and soap scum should...... -
Frugal Lawn Care: Sharpening Mower Blades This is a guest post from Kevin, who writes about how to get out of debt, stay out of debt, and build wealth at No Debt Plan. When my wife and I purchased our first home a few years ago we needed a lawn mower for our small yard. I...... -
Buying your Postage Stamps Online With the wide availability of different stamps from all over the world, there is an enormous selection from you to take from when it comes to buying postage stamps online. The following tips should help you when it comes to expanding your stamp hobby by purchasing and even selling your......
Tags: bowie hunting knives, Bowie Knife, bowie knives, camping, fishing, Hobbies, hunting, hunting knife, hunting knives, outdoors, recreation, survival