Bushcraft - How to REALLY Sharpen a Convex Knife | Self Reliance

[@felixlapointe3297]

This is not a convex sharpening method, you're just creating a secondary V edge on a convex grind...

[@j.t.cooper2963]

I seen that too.

[@1mataleo1]

Exactly. You can see the secondary edge on his knife. Doing this will ruin a convex grind knife

[@panganaranga]

Itˋs not a convex blade. I have the same knive itˋs a flat grind.

[@donaldpriebsch]

This is simply wrong. You should strob convex edges to keep the shape. With that rod you get a secondary micro bevel. Sure, you can hone it in the field with this rod but after a few honings you need to reprofile the blade to a true convex.

[@1mataleo1]

Exactly my thoughts. Putting a secondary bevel on a convex edge ruins the blade geometry. That will literally reprofile the blade into a different grind. You can maintain a convex blade in the field for a very long time with just a strop and some compound. This is terrible advice for convex knives.

[@ambrosewetherbee8301]

As a chef who has come into outdoorsmanship, I've been using my ceramic honing rod on my edged field tools(knives, axes, hatchets, etc.) from first day I stepped into the woods to learn craft. It's great seeing an experienced woodsman go over the use of a honing rod rather than full on sharpening using a whetstone. As you've expressed early in the video, one can certainly over sharpen a blade. A common mistake I've seen in both kitchen blades and field blades is deformation of a blade's profile(ie. a decreased belly or even a concave edge profile) from over sharpening. Many people don't seem to clue into the fact that full sharpening of a blade requires abrading the metal and removing a fair amount of material from the blade to establish a new edge. They also don't realize that blades with a good edge geometry established do not need frequent sharpening on a whetstone. A proper maintenance routine of honing rod use on a blade will bring back an edge to working condition numerous times before the need to bring the blade to a whetstone or benchstone. For example, in the kitchens I operate, a properly sharpened knife can go through hundreds of pounds(at least 1,000 lbs) of acidic vegetables like onions, hard root vegetables like squash, and meat and fat and skin like pork belly, before needing to touch a whetstone...as long as one maintains the edge of the knife with a honing rod/steel. Maybe you've already made a video on this matter but I am curious as to your thoughts on axe/hatchet edge geometry as well as maintenance. I personally prefer a convex edge on all of my axe/hatchet bits, though I definitely understand that depending on the type of axe and its intended use, other edge geometries are more suitable.

[@11saje82]

it's a joke !

[@321varga]

I'm sorry, but this is not how you sharpen a convex blade. You sharpen a convex blade from the beginning of the convex part of the blade until the end of it, so it has no secondary bevel at all. The knife you show in the video is more like a saber convex grind. Why? Because you sharpen it that way. With flat, scandi and convex you sharpen the whole primary bevel of the blade. With a saber you sharpen only the secondary bevel, which you do in the video, not even touching the primary, actual convex bevel. Btw saber is not a bad grind at all. In my opinion (and in lots of knife makers' too) it's the best grind you can get for a general purpose knife since it's strong and holds the edge very well. Is it better for for example fine wood working than a scandi? No. But try hitting a knot with a scandi blade and you'll see that it will roll or even chip to oblivion. And then do the same with a saber and see that it has no problem.

[@vagabond4576]

Yeah I was wondering why all these guys are all nodding to this. He created a secondary bevel the way a honing rod does and is weak.

[@kevinAuman1]

You see now if you were to take that Sabre grind you praised so well and knocked off the very corners of the bevel then you get a better performing convex edge lol less pressure required to pass through material 👍🤷‍♂️

[@321varga]

@@kevinAuman1 "you get a better performing convex edge" Sure, unless you do it the way you can see on the video, when you create a secondary bevel on a convex grind thus making it eventually a rounded sabre. Besides, "better performing" is relative. I love convex edges in certain cases, for example on axes, because they just rip the wood apart, but for fine tasks like cooking or shaving I prefer a flat grind, if I'm in the woods and need my knife to be a little bit more robust, then a sabre grind. And the reason for that is I found that you can make more precise cuts with those two than with a convex edge. A convex edge constantly tries to bite into the material as much as possible. Try shaving one side of you face with a convex edge and the other with a flat or sabre edge and you will see what I'm talking about.

[@1mataleo1]

It’s amazing how many people just accept what someone says simply because they teach bushcraft. This is why you have to go to multiple sources when trying to teach yourself. Sharpening a convex knife in this manner will reprofile it into a knife with a secondary bevel. you can see the prominent secondary bevel on his knife. This isn’t even a matter of opinion, it is objective fact. Simply stropping a convex knife can maintain it in the field for quite some time, especially if you strop frequently and don’t allow the knife to get too dull.

[@Frostyxt]

Thank god someone said it!! This was so wrong it’s not even funny

[@TressaZimmerman]

Great video. I learned more about the different edges. Thanks.

[@Hexal68]

K I don't understand this or maybe I am just over thinking it, but how is this putting a convex edge on the knife, if the knife is at the same angle the whole time? Did I miss something or is there something else going on that I'm just not getting?

[@1mataleo1]

You didn’t miss anything. This will actually ruin a convex knife because it will create a secondary bevel. This method will not maintain the convex geometry. The best way to maintain a convex knife in the field is to use a leather strip with white or green compound.

[@susannschmidt6915]

First you cant get a convex on a honing rod second when you know how to do it a convex is extremely sharp but still very tough and stabil like with a sharpening stone and third a knife can’t be too sharp it can just be at a too less angle but how can that Otter Mercator have a convex grind normely it has a flat grind

[@buddyblankenship4186]

There’s no way it could be convex if you hold the knife at the same angle every time ?

[@KZtheFisherOutdoors]

I came across of your channel Great content great video love it!! NEW FRIEND 👍😉

[@georgerector9252]

I’m confused, if convex is the best, why do you only have one?

[@Roman-lu1xn]

In a pinch I'll even use the shaft of a long screwdriver to hone with, "that" smooth whishing sound is like music to my ears.

[@Frostyxt]

No… just no please see people who know how to sharpen. You are ruining a convex grind this way and making a micro bevel please just stop. Also last I knew that knife has a full flat grind not a convex. Idk I got mine years ago maybe it has changed

[@j.t.cooper2963]

It sure looks like you made it into exactly what you said you didn't like. A saber/convex grind with a secondary bevel.

[@kevinAuman1]

I'm sorry to correct you sir as I do agree with what you are doing here but I'm still waiting for you to sharpen the knife 🤷‍♂️ as a chef I can assure you that what you did here is called "HONING" not sharpening for example if you were to hit a knot while battoning or maybe slip and hit your blade into the ground and get damage on your edge then you will in fact need to sharpen it and then I recommend doing so with sandpaper and a soft squishy mousepad or something similar if you don't have anything else then just put sandpaper over your strop and use it the same way you would with stropping until you have removed the damage and finish off with stropping but honing an edge can only be done so many times before the steel at thee apex become fatigued and weak so eventually you will need to sharpen the knife...

[@sb2261]

Awesome video Mitch, saved for later too. This is one I'll definitely circle back to often.

[@Nativesurvival]

Thanks man, glad to hear it has value to you.

[@BrothersCinco]

Just a note, you seem to conflate sharpness to thinness. It's better to think of sharpness as refinement. Even an obtuse angled tool can have an extremely refined edge. The more refined and pronounced an edge geometry has, the longer it will last. But you are correct in that a super thin (low angle) edge can get damaged faster and easier, no matter how refined it is

[@andrewsteinberg7103]

peeling nail off thumb is wrong to tell sharpness, hold thumb down at 45 deg half way below a straight up 90 and this method is old as the hills, i am a knife hobbyist for only 50 years, gust pace edge to the 45 deg thumb nail or a hard plastic pen, or by a juranich edge tester, if knife bites and does not silde you are good go down everry 1/2 inch and turn knife do same witth other side if it bies at lower than 45 then it is even sharper if it bies very low maybe you sharpened to thin, i am not too crazy on your method, you are removing some metal from where v line was then you are lightly hiting the apex, this is good but it is double edging the edge, it wil dull fast.

[@Naemamnam]

*I think this is a lingering afterglow in real nature.*

[@BlackWolf-bh2dl]

👍🏼👍🏼🎯💯💯💯⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@gmarsh7873]

The money when he said am bent the whole way haha great out of context sorry bro

[@MaNi-cn7to]

Thx for video! wondered what to bring on my long backpacking trip to sharpen my convex blade. Am a total noob at sharpening but hope to learn and your video realy helped. Is that a Otter Mercator Solingen K55K folding? how it perform? Best M

[@tattoomykl]

Rub some strop compound on the inside of your belt. When you need a touch up take it off wrap it around a branch and strop your knife back to life.

[@Airik1111bibles]

Ceramic is my GOTO on my blades and all my knives are convexed in some shape or form. A happy edge is a working edge 😃

[@susannewilliams]

Wow, amazing that sound change. I had to listen to it five or six times to really get it. That was kind of a whoop sound and somehow it sounded like the blade actually had become a whole thing somehow.

[@lukealberti5094]

How is that convex?

[@fbodkin1]

You looking at yourself in the viewfinder is really funny. Look at the camera bro. I feel that you are talking to someone who is off to one side.

[@hanikaram3351]

you gained healthy weight , good sign , take care

[@Nativesurvival]

what?

[@primal.wanderer]

I would argue that if you get your scandy as sharp as it can possibly be, even if use it all day and even several days, you can still have it shaving shape by the end. It's all about how you use your knife, not about the edge. Yes the edge is a factor, but how much you abuse your knife is how much edge damage you will have

[@adrianotero7963]

I have that same knife.....and use the bottom of my coffee mug to do the same job.......my coffee mug goes everywhere like your rod for you......what edge to you find easiest to sharpen ?

[@NateBuker]

Great tips. I got an Opinel folder that I messed up on cardboard. This helps.

[@timbo4374]

I got that same rod. It's a permanent resident of my pack along with a small strop.

[@ibraheemtalash5094]

Nobody told me about that perpendicular thing !! Thanks so much

[@kingfathand]

Sandpaper mousepad or foam sanding block then strop. Why is this complicated for people?

[@konraddieselpower3633]

Thank you for taking the time to make the video Mitch :) I have mastered sharpening my Scandi grind because of your old videos.

[@50StichesSteel]

I find that as well. I have moved to a ceramic rod to touch up my knives. The only problem is that the rod will put a micro bevel on the knife instead of having a zero degree grind. Not really a problem but something to be aware of

[@Nativesurvival]

It will on a scandi bevel knife yes which is another reason a rod is never used on a scandi knife.

[@MaNi-cn7to]

@@Nativesurvival am total noob on this, is micro bevel a bad thing on a tru convex?

[@kevinAuman1]

@@MaNi-cn7to yes it is in my opinion, if you want to touch up a true zero ground convex then use a leather strop with compound not a honing rod

[@survivallessonsv.r.8736]

Hi. Nice video bro and very beautiful place 👍

[@Nature_Wild_And_Free]

Just found your channel. Great content! Just subscribed!

[@prostarmansd]

Just got one those rods from Ben last week. Works very well!

[@quinntheeskimooutdoors6234]

Thanks for sharing Mitch. Take care.

[@misplacedpawn]

It’s not flat wood..... it’s brown butter.

[@fatheremmons85]

Will LT be making anymore of your Native Survival knives anytime soon?

[@Nativesurvival]

No, maybe next year.

[@bobonysko3167]

What grit ceramic honing rod do you recommend?

[@jkup2284]

Where you been Mitch hope all is well looking forward to more videos

[@Nativesurvival]

Releasing a new 1 today ; )

[@keithwarren1507]

Thanks mitch great video 👍

[@garylee8132]

Have you ever used Craytex strips

[@drlangattx3dotnet]

comment. Good job.

[@MimeswithRhymes]

Cool folder!

[@derekstynes9631]

Having Watched and Listened to Many Posts on sharpening I Must say that I Think You May have been the One were it is Starting to Click in My Head , Thanks for That .

[@jackmrozinski337]

What happened to your wrist ?

[@Nativesurvival]

Im a musician.

[@jackmrozinski337]

Wrist rash !

[@Nativesurvival]

@@jackmrozinski337 Carpal Tunnel.

[@tobaccoroadadventures]

Great video brother! I’ve been using ceramic rods for a few years now and I love em!

[@DoubleTapRangerOutdoors]

Great info man thanks. Acquiring all the skills I can for my channel.

[@indyoutsider]

Hey Mitch, good way to sharpen a convex grind. It doesn't really help me because i always use scanty grind blades. Now my pocket knife is a leatherman wave, so it has a secondary bevel. I just use a pull thru sharpener with that one. I very seldom use the knife on it. Also my pull thru sharpener has a saw blade sharpener on it. Sow us how you sharpen your sheath knife. with the scanty grind. You are a good teacher.

[@thebeardedalchemist]

Finally someone who explained it right! I have a Tops Bob 154CM steel on an advanced scandi grind! So it has a very thin convex edge! And I almost got frustrated with the knife

[@musicandcoffee2853]

Excellent work and your points on sharpening are spot on👍🏼

[@craigturton4940]

Very well presented and explained. Great tutorial and sound effects on point!

[@vagabond4576]

He's teaching wrong. He's making a secondary bevel.