Fleshing knife angle recommendations

[minz]

Recommendations for a set of fleshing knifes with a single factory bevel of 45 degree. It is a long sloping blade with 2 handles. The high quality Necker knifes seem to have an actual knife edge but on the opposite side of the knife. The flat edge must remain flat for 'pushing'. The knife used to remove fat and gristle from beaver pelts on on a board and is almost completely useless at this time for anything but soft fat. My first thought would be to go to a 30 degree angle to start. I have been fighting this for about 3 years and now have a system so I am going to experiment. Does anybody else have suggestions?
I will see if I can post an image.
Thanks

[tgbto]

Hi!

I don't know how likely your are to encounter hard elements when using this knife, but I think a 30° angle is way too acute. You may want to sharpen at 40° minimum plus a main edge at 45° to make sharpening easier, but I would stay around this value.

There is a video by the late Wootz here on sharpening traditional japanese knives with a Tormek. I recommend avoiding it for japanese knives, but you might find similarities with your current endeavor.

Good luck !

[minz]

Thanks, the video was helpful! With the blade being so thick the grinding took a long time. I was not using anything as high tech as the measuring devices that they had. I went a little tighter than this recommendation just because I thought it would be easier to add the main edge than to reset the entire edge. I was looking as much for a consistent edge (that I did not get from a grinder) than perfection.
This knife is used to remove fat and gristle from beaver pelts and the knife should never hit any hard elements.