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#11
Knife Sharpening / Re: Knife modification - XL So...
Last post by kwakster - Yesterday at 03:18:14 PMAs the knife seemed to perform just fine chopping wood with an edge of ~ 35 degrees inclusive i decided to grind the blade a bit thinner with a new edge angle of ~ 30 degrees inclusive, according to the motto: as thin as possible, but thick enough.
Most thinning was done on the belt grinder, after which i proceeded on the piece of previously used grit 180 wet & dry SiC paper on top of the glossy magazine.
Due to the waterproof black marker lines on both sides of the blade as well as on the edge apex i could see quite well where the machine removed the steel (up to just before the actual edge area), after which i continued grinding manually on the grit 180 SiC paper to let the sides come together in a new apex (with a slight burr)
Before thinning on the belt sander, still with the black marker stripes on the blade:
After thinning on the belt sander (first with grit 100, then grit 120), with the edge area still black from the marker.
Although the belts have 2 coats of WD40 oil for cooling during grinding, plus i also dunk the blade into a bucket of water for extra cooling in between passes, the blade is getting progressively thinner, so the chances of overheating the newly forming edge area would still increase if i just ground up to a burr with the belt sander.
This method avoids not only the overheating part, but also the forming of a thick burr from the grit 120 belt due to which quality steel would be wasted needlessly.
I also use very little pressure on the belt (about the weight of the knife itself) and let the machine do the work.
After hand grinding on grit 180 SiC paper, where the edge area now has been blended in with the sides of the blade.
The black marker is gone and the new apex fits almost perfectly into the 30 degrees slot of my Tormek WM200 AngleGuide.
While difficult to photograph, the visible burr over the entire length of the edge shows that there is now a complete apex, a tell tale sign that grinding with grit 180 is done.
Soon some further refining steps with grit 240 and grit 400 will follow.
Most thinning was done on the belt grinder, after which i proceeded on the piece of previously used grit 180 wet & dry SiC paper on top of the glossy magazine.
Due to the waterproof black marker lines on both sides of the blade as well as on the edge apex i could see quite well where the machine removed the steel (up to just before the actual edge area), after which i continued grinding manually on the grit 180 SiC paper to let the sides come together in a new apex (with a slight burr)
Before thinning on the belt sander, still with the black marker stripes on the blade:
After thinning on the belt sander (first with grit 100, then grit 120), with the edge area still black from the marker.
Although the belts have 2 coats of WD40 oil for cooling during grinding, plus i also dunk the blade into a bucket of water for extra cooling in between passes, the blade is getting progressively thinner, so the chances of overheating the newly forming edge area would still increase if i just ground up to a burr with the belt sander.
This method avoids not only the overheating part, but also the forming of a thick burr from the grit 120 belt due to which quality steel would be wasted needlessly.
I also use very little pressure on the belt (about the weight of the knife itself) and let the machine do the work.
After hand grinding on grit 180 SiC paper, where the edge area now has been blended in with the sides of the blade.
The black marker is gone and the new apex fits almost perfectly into the 30 degrees slot of my Tormek WM200 AngleGuide.
While difficult to photograph, the visible burr over the entire length of the edge shows that there is now a complete apex, a tell tale sign that grinding with grit 180 is done.
Soon some further refining steps with grit 240 and grit 400 will follow.
#12
Knife Sharpening / Re: Knife modification - XL So...
Last post by kwakster - Yesterday at 03:16:04 PMRefined one step further plus sharpened to a burr with 180 grit SiC wet & dry paper on a glossy magazine, then removed that burr with a Paper Wheel coated with 1.0 micron diamond compound.
The apex of this temporary edge fits almost perfectly in the 35 degrees slot of my Tormek WM200 AngleMaster.
Afterwards went to the forest for some testing, and the steel seems to hold up just fine (with this edge angle) for some chopping through various thick green branches as well as a solid chunk out of a dead tree.
Upon inspection i couldn't see any damage, and the edge also still shaves the hair from my lower leg with ease.
I think the steel can handle a bit thinner edge.
This is how the knife looks at this moment:
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The apex of this temporary edge fits almost perfectly in the 35 degrees slot of my Tormek WM200 AngleMaster.
Afterwards went to the forest for some testing, and the steel seems to hold up just fine (with this edge angle) for some chopping through various thick green branches as well as a solid chunk out of a dead tree.
Upon inspection i couldn't see any damage, and the edge also still shaves the hair from my lower leg with ease.
I think the steel can handle a bit thinner edge.
This is how the knife looks at this moment:
#13
Knife Sharpening / Re: Knife modification - XL So...
Last post by kwakster - Yesterday at 03:14:38 PMAbout 2 montsh ago i bought a cheap but speed controlled Parkside PBS 900B2 belt sander together with 2 sets of equally cheap aluminium oxide belts at the LIDL supermarket for just under 50 Euro, mainly for the straightforward thinning/regrinding of kitchen knives, which it does very well.
I spray the belts with WD40 before use, which helps to cool those thin blades during grinding quite effectively, plus it makes the grit cut noticeably faster.
I've used this machine for the first two rough reshaping steps on the scout knife, and this is how the blade looks atm.
I tried to avoid as much as possible grinding to a burr, and further convex shaping will be done by hand with various wet & dry SiC papers backed by a glossy magazine.
The sheath has also been restitched by hand with strong white nylon thread plus i waxed it twice with Granger's beeswax.
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I spray the belts with WD40 before use, which helps to cool those thin blades during grinding quite effectively, plus it makes the grit cut noticeably faster.
I've used this machine for the first two rough reshaping steps on the scout knife, and this is how the blade looks atm.
I tried to avoid as much as possible grinding to a burr, and further convex shaping will be done by hand with various wet & dry SiC papers backed by a glossy magazine.
The sheath has also been restitched by hand with strong white nylon thread plus i waxed it twice with Granger's beeswax.
#14
Knife Sharpening / Knife modification - XL Soling...
Last post by kwakster - Yesterday at 03:13:05 PMAn oldie i did in back in 2017, but people seem to like these little projects :-)
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Recently i bought this rather large & sterile Solingen made scout knife from the '50's or '60's as a modifying project.
The plan is to change the blade from a low saber grind with a buffed to death obtuse edge into a full convex grind with a crisp apex in the region of 30 degrees inclusive.
This would remove the current non-matching grinds on both sides of the blade, make the knife a much better overall user & chopper, and it would also help to make the saw/notcher on the back work a bit better.
Next i'm going to exchange the current miniature guard for a larger and more functional version, give the handle a bit of a palm swell for a better grip when chopping, glue all handle parts in place, and finally treat the leather & fiber washers to a few coats of beeswax.
I will also restitch the sheath as the old thread has dryrotted away completely.
The knife as i received it:
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Specs:
Overall length: 34,0 cm
Blade length: 20,8 cm
Blade thickness: 6,5 mm
Steel: hot drop-forged carbon steel
Handle material: brass guard, leather & fiber washers, aluminium pommel
Weight: 384 grams
Sheath: Leather
---------
Recently i bought this rather large & sterile Solingen made scout knife from the '50's or '60's as a modifying project.
The plan is to change the blade from a low saber grind with a buffed to death obtuse edge into a full convex grind with a crisp apex in the region of 30 degrees inclusive.
This would remove the current non-matching grinds on both sides of the blade, make the knife a much better overall user & chopper, and it would also help to make the saw/notcher on the back work a bit better.
Next i'm going to exchange the current miniature guard for a larger and more functional version, give the handle a bit of a palm swell for a better grip when chopping, glue all handle parts in place, and finally treat the leather & fiber washers to a few coats of beeswax.
I will also restitch the sheath as the old thread has dryrotted away completely.
The knife as i received it:
Specs:
Overall length: 34,0 cm
Blade length: 20,8 cm
Blade thickness: 6,5 mm
Steel: hot drop-forged carbon steel
Handle material: brass guard, leather & fiber washers, aluminium pommel
Weight: 384 grams
Sheath: Leather
#15
General Tormek Questions / Re: Questionable chisel jig
Last post by tgbto - Yesterday at 02:31:52 PM #16
General Tormek Questions / Questionable chisel jig
Last post by TomW - Yesterday at 02:09:03 PMI recently purchased an almost new supergrind 2000. It came with the attachment for Grinding chisels in the picture. I don't know if it belongs or if it something that was put in the box. I can't find it in any other pictures or online. Thanks for your help.
#17
Tormek T-1 and T-2 / Re: T1 - problem sharpening to...
Last post by tgbto - Yesterday at 12:07:45 PMSo, any luck with this ?
#18
General Tormek Questions / Re: LA-100 leather honing whee...
Last post by tgbto - October 13, 2026, 08:58:14 AMI agree with Rich. In my experience, the Tormek leather wheel + PA70 compound is the best efficiency / edge retention compromise.
I'm not sure what a high speed honing device would achieve that the leather wheel cannot, plus the risk of overheating or messing up the edge seems not worth the hassle.
I'm not sure what a high speed honing device would achieve that the leather wheel cannot, plus the risk of overheating or messing up the edge seems not worth the hassle.
#19
General Tormek Questions / Re: LA-100 leather honing whee...
Last post by RichColvin - October 13, 2026, 03:55:14 AMIf you want to do high speed honing, use paper wheels. But, I've found that the leather wheel at Tormek speed works better for me.
#20
General Tormek Questions / Re: sharpening japanese carvin...
Last post by RickKrung - October 11, 2026, 06:28:44 PMQuote from: Enricopg on October 10, 2026, 08:32:49 PMhello, I want to sharpen this carving knife:
https://www.dictum.com/en/marking-knife-kogatana-standard-double-bevel-blade-width-18-mm/710201
I read the instructions if I am not wrong the recommend using the SVD.186 R and MB-100 with one diamond stone. To me this is impossible to do. Too expensive. Isn't there another cheaper way to do it? I tried to do one free hand. I am not crazy about it, although there was an improvement compared to my previous method with waterstones.
Thanks Enrico
I believe I have dealt with a similar challenge recently, with sharpening very small, thin blades for woodworking marking knives. My blades are about 1mm (0.029") thick, 10mm wide (0.375") and 50mm (2") long. Bevels are straight, primary at 10º and secondary 20-25º. The secondary bevel is quite narrow.
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I used the standard Tormek knife sharpening jigs, both SVM and KJ, but because the blades are so thin, narrow and short, had to hold them off to the side of the jig in order to get them in close enough to the grinding wheels, particularly to get the 10º primary bevel. Keeping them level and square was also a challenge. I had to be careful about getting the blade aligned square in the jig and the jig collar snug against the USB, all while carefully and slowly bringing the blade up to the grinding wheel.
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It took some practice to get right and I'm not showing what some looked like, just those after I got it figured out better (except on of the six blades shown does show a bit of non-uniformity in the primary bevel). I comment on this partly because it is just what had to be done to get the bevels right, but also because the secondary bevel on the OP's example Kogatana knife is not particularly even.
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In both the SVM and KJ jigs, I had to use shims under the blades to be able to clamp them, because they are so thin.
The primary difficulty with this setup was keeping the blade/jig from rotating, both radially and axially. This is what took practice and it ultimately came down to very controlled movements. Also, I found it worked best when I used magnification (OptiVisor @ 5X) to get in close to view the placement while grinding.