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#1
Knife Sharpening / Re: Knife restoration - NYKC H...
Last post by kwakster - Today at 07:19:53 PMThe finished knife.
Both blades can now shave armhair above the skin, the joints have had a few drops of 5-weight Nano-Oil, and the knife is fully usable again.
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Both blades can now shave armhair above the skin, the joints have had a few drops of 5-weight Nano-Oil, and the knife is fully usable again.
#2
Knife Sharpening / Re: Knife restoration - NYKC H...
Last post by kwakster - Today at 07:18:24 PMHow the main blade currently looks.
It's surfaces have for now been finished on 1000 grit wet & dry on a semi-hard rubber backing using WD40 oil as a lubricant.
A microbevel has been applied on the white sticks of a Spyderco Sharpmaker at the ~30 degrees inclusive setting, again using some WD40.
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And the smaller blade:
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It's surfaces have for now been finished on 1000 grit wet & dry on a semi-hard rubber backing using WD40 oil as a lubricant.
A microbevel has been applied on the white sticks of a Spyderco Sharpmaker at the ~30 degrees inclusive setting, again using some WD40.
And the smaller blade:
#3
Knife Sharpening / Re: Knife restoration - NYKC H...
Last post by kwakster - Today at 07:17:27 PMAs i intend to carry & use this well made old knife for a while i'm treating it to some TLC.
Already cleaned everything thoroughly using toothpicks, a old toothbrush, an ultrasonic cleaner, and also electrolytically.
Then removed the bladeplay in the pivot and gave the old wood panels a few coats of IKEA mineral oil and a topcoat of Granger's wax.
Currently in the process of reshaping & regrinding both blades, the points of which now don't stick out of the handle in the closed position anymore.
This is the smaller blade after hand regrinding it ever so slightly convex on 400 grit wet & dry SiC paper clamped on a piece of hardened glass using WD40 as a lubricant.
There's a visible burr all along the edge, so it's now ready for one or more refining steps.
The single sided swedge was redone with a small diamond file.
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And the larger blade.
It's double sided swedge was also redone with the small diamond file.
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Already cleaned everything thoroughly using toothpicks, a old toothbrush, an ultrasonic cleaner, and also electrolytically.
Then removed the bladeplay in the pivot and gave the old wood panels a few coats of IKEA mineral oil and a topcoat of Granger's wax.
Currently in the process of reshaping & regrinding both blades, the points of which now don't stick out of the handle in the closed position anymore.
This is the smaller blade after hand regrinding it ever so slightly convex on 400 grit wet & dry SiC paper clamped on a piece of hardened glass using WD40 as a lubricant.
There's a visible burr all along the edge, so it's now ready for one or more refining steps.
The single sided swedge was redone with a small diamond file.
And the larger blade.
It's double sided swedge was also redone with the small diamond file.
#4
Knife Sharpening / Re: Knife restoration - NYKC H...
Last post by kwakster - Today at 07:16:41 PMOn most period Hammer Brand knives the tang stamp shows a shorter upper arm section with a bulging bicep, while on mine the upper arm is more elongated and without that pronound bicep.
Speculating i would think that the bulging bicep could be seen as an improvement from a marketing point of view, making the tang stamp on my knife an older version.
Picture from the tang stamp with the more commonly seen muscular arm:
The stamp on my knife:
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Speculating i would think that the bulging bicep could be seen as an improvement from a marketing point of view, making the tang stamp on my knife an older version.
Picture from the tang stamp with the more commonly seen muscular arm:
The stamp on my knife:
#5
Knife Sharpening / Knife restoration - NYKC Hamme...
Last post by kwakster - Today at 07:15:42 PMRecently i bought this old Hammer Brand 2 bladed jackknife, made by the New York Knife Company in Walden, New York.
The company was operational from 1856 until 1931, when it closed it's doors.
The main blade seems to have an early version of the arm holding a forging hammer, and this is how the knife looked when i got it.
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The blades on these knives were forged from crucible steel:
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Old image of the New York Knife Company situated on the Walkill River.
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The company was operational from 1856 until 1931, when it closed it's doors.
The main blade seems to have an early version of the arm holding a forging hammer, and this is how the knife looked when i got it.
The blades on these knives were forged from crucible steel:
Old image of the New York Knife Company situated on the Walkill River.
#6
Knife Sharpening / Re: How to achieve less than 1...
Last post by Pietje - Yesterday at 01:43:59 PMQuote from: jimon on May 10, 2024, 09:14:08 AMI agree. I guess it will be difficult to get lower BESS on this set (SG+honing weel)I am wondering why you doesn´t reach with your set bess measurement results between 60 and 90 Bess.
I tried to play with the honing angles (probably on hands, not at fixed angle), but be honest, I didn't see a difference.
How long is your grinded knife sharp. A day, a week or more?
An eyeopener for me was an USB microscope. That showes me the fact, that I didn´t reach the edge with honing.
The black line from the marker I was not able to see with my loupe glasses, but the enlargement from the microscope showed me how much wasn´t touched by the honing wheel.
Reaching the edge correctly with the honing wheel will show you little spirales (or helices?) while the burr is going.
After honing with the Tormek I use an oiled leather belt. The "Ballistol H1" oil doesn´t smell and is certificated for Kitchen use.
#7
General Tormek Questions / Re: Leakey Tormek
Last post by Pietje - Yesterday at 01:17:04 PMQuote from: Riversider on May 30, 2026, 02:37:35 AMDo these machines tend to leak?The T8 doesn´t leak. The water comes from the wet grinding disc safter removal and knives, you are sharpening. Short knives are putting water on the top of the machine. For this there are special drip trays, made by 3D printer. They are useful for saving the expensive cooling water with Tormek ACC.
Long knives around 25cm are putting water all over the place.
I have the T8 in a low plastik box. For the leaking water there is a paper towel on the bottom f the box.
In my opinion, the waterleaking is a problem for safety in the shop. Water on the floor may let you fall down.
The plastik box is also very helpful for holding back the dirt from the leatherwheel. The flakes of honing compound makes cleaning a hard job. A second papertowel on the left of the machine makes cleaning very easy.
I have a second box of wood for keeping my grinding dics. The construction plan for this is avalible here in the forum.
#8
Knife Sharpening / Re: Finetuning 2 Condors
Last post by kwakster - July 05, 2026, 07:44:29 PMFinetuning the Eco Golok machete a bit more ( it's in use practically every week):
Shifting the sweet spot a tiny bit towards the handle & creating a useful point at the same time:
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Lowered the edge angle of the already convexed edge a hair more to just above 25 degrees inclusive on a Foss green silicon carbide stone with WD40 as a lubricant (and so far it holds up):
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Sculpted the handle hook just a little bit more and also took some more material off the handle end, so the machete fits even bit better in my rucksack:
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Overall view:
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Shifting the sweet spot a tiny bit towards the handle & creating a useful point at the same time:
Lowered the edge angle of the already convexed edge a hair more to just above 25 degrees inclusive on a Foss green silicon carbide stone with WD40 as a lubricant (and so far it holds up):
Sculpted the handle hook just a little bit more and also took some more material off the handle end, so the machete fits even bit better in my rucksack:
Overall view:
#9
Knife Sharpening / Re: Finetuning 2 Condors
Last post by kwakster - July 05, 2026, 07:43:28 PMBesides quite a bit of other green growth i used the modified Bushcraft Parang today to cut up a rather large green branch which had fallen from a big beechwood tree, blocking one of the larger woods trails near my home town.
I had already delimbed the branch before i took the pics, but you get the idea.
European beechwood is quite hard & tough, and this main branch had a thickness approaching axe territory, but the parang was what i had in my daypack and it handled the job very well.
Used quite a few maximum force chops to see how the now thinner convex edge with an apex of ~ 30 degrees inclusive would hold up, and the blade took it like a champ; no rippling, denting, rolling or any other damage that i could see or feel.
Afterwards the edge could still shave a bit of hair on the back of my hand, this with an 800 grit finish on wet & dry SiC paper using WD40 as a lubricant.
The blade bites deep on each swing, the new handle shape & surface finish function as intended, and the hooked handle end has also proven to be a very useful addition.
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I had already delimbed the branch before i took the pics, but you get the idea.
European beechwood is quite hard & tough, and this main branch had a thickness approaching axe territory, but the parang was what i had in my daypack and it handled the job very well.
Used quite a few maximum force chops to see how the now thinner convex edge with an apex of ~ 30 degrees inclusive would hold up, and the blade took it like a champ; no rippling, denting, rolling or any other damage that i could see or feel.
Afterwards the edge could still shave a bit of hair on the back of my hand, this with an 800 grit finish on wet & dry SiC paper using WD40 as a lubricant.
The blade bites deep on each swing, the new handle shape & surface finish function as intended, and the hooked handle end has also proven to be a very useful addition.
#10
Knife Sharpening / Re: Finetuning 2 Condors
Last post by kwakster - July 05, 2026, 07:42:11 PMA week ago we got home from a camping holiday in the Luxembourg forests and the Belgian Ardennes, and the Condor Eco Golok machete did a wonderful job at trail clearing during several long hikes in the area.
The model is somewhat of a wolf in sheeps clothes, in that it isn't overly big or menacing looking, but it sure is a highly effective chopping tool without being unwieldy.
It's a bit less tip heavy compared to my CS kukri machete, giving it a better balance and thus making it less tiresome in the longer run.
I can swing this machete for hours on end, and without gloves.
The Condor Eco Golok machete stuck in a log somewhere in Luxembourg.
The edge is starting to discolour from all the wood sap and other mostly green stuff.
The only modification i made to the handle was a bit of smooth sanding where my index finger sits, as only in that spot the fuzzy finish was starting to create a bit of a hot spot while chopping.
On the rest of the handle the fuzzy finish has proven to greatly enhance grip without being abrasive on my hands, probably due to the fact that the protrusions left by the wood rasp aren't rigid.
The fuzzy finished polypropylene surface also is quite durable and doesn't seem to wear smooth (after several weeks of intermittent use) like the same finish on a PVC handle definitely will.
After resharpening with just the smooth file and cleaning the handle with an old toothbrush and some diluted detergent:
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Strong points for me:
- The Eco Golok machete fits inside my daypack (only just)
- the low weight of only 433 grams (after modding and resharpening)
- the very well hardened 1075 steel.
- Using just two files it takes and holds a good convex edge @ +/- 30 degrees inclusive, even on dried wood it did not fold or dent.
- the negatively angled handle
- the contouring (mod)
- the fuzzy/chewy finish (mod)
- the way this model transfers kinetic energy into the wood without vibrating, which together with the narrow convex edge makes for a deep bite upon impact, thus making it a highly efficiënt chopper in a small package.
What i don't like:
The edge contacts some of the steel rivets when sheating & unsheating, which each time creates a bit of edge damage.
I intend to make another sheath without rivets for it.
The model is somewhat of a wolf in sheeps clothes, in that it isn't overly big or menacing looking, but it sure is a highly effective chopping tool without being unwieldy.
It's a bit less tip heavy compared to my CS kukri machete, giving it a better balance and thus making it less tiresome in the longer run.
I can swing this machete for hours on end, and without gloves.
The Condor Eco Golok machete stuck in a log somewhere in Luxembourg.
The edge is starting to discolour from all the wood sap and other mostly green stuff.
The only modification i made to the handle was a bit of smooth sanding where my index finger sits, as only in that spot the fuzzy finish was starting to create a bit of a hot spot while chopping.
On the rest of the handle the fuzzy finish has proven to greatly enhance grip without being abrasive on my hands, probably due to the fact that the protrusions left by the wood rasp aren't rigid.
The fuzzy finished polypropylene surface also is quite durable and doesn't seem to wear smooth (after several weeks of intermittent use) like the same finish on a PVC handle definitely will.
After resharpening with just the smooth file and cleaning the handle with an old toothbrush and some diluted detergent:
Strong points for me:
- The Eco Golok machete fits inside my daypack (only just)
- the low weight of only 433 grams (after modding and resharpening)
- the very well hardened 1075 steel.
- Using just two files it takes and holds a good convex edge @ +/- 30 degrees inclusive, even on dried wood it did not fold or dent.
- the negatively angled handle
- the contouring (mod)
- the fuzzy/chewy finish (mod)
- the way this model transfers kinetic energy into the wood without vibrating, which together with the narrow convex edge makes for a deep bite upon impact, thus making it a highly efficiënt chopper in a small package.
What i don't like:
The edge contacts some of the steel rivets when sheating & unsheating, which each time creates a bit of edge damage.
I intend to make another sheath without rivets for it.