How To Sharpen Convex Edged Knives

This video is the result of a viewers request. There Are many reasons that convex edges are popular among the knife community. One of the main reasons is that they seem to displace the cutting media better than other grinds, which results in a very smooth experience when working with wood especially. They are also very easy to maintain. You can keep a great edge simply by stropping your blade once in a while. When it is finally time to sharpen it, you have several option. I have found a machine by the name of the Work Sharp (knife and tool sharpener) that makes short work out of the most stubborn convex problems as the belts it uses naturally conforms to the blade resulting in a perfect convex edge every time. If you are a purist, You can use the old mouse pad and sand paper method that can work equally well but requires a little more time and skill to successfully execute. As long as you are using a base with a little "give", it should be enough to bow to the shape of the blade. Short of that, it is pretty much like sharpening any other knife. Use lower grits for super dull knives. Once you get a decent edge, advance to the next grit and repeat until you are satisfied and finish by stopping. It is pretty straightforward. As a matter of fact, I find it to be more forgiving than other grinds as you do not have a precise bevel that you must match perfectly. If you are unsure if you are removing material at the edge, simple mark the edge with a marker as shown in the video. With the tips given you should be on your way to razor sharp convex edges. If you have any questions please let me know. Thank you for watching!

[@serpento4408]

After watching 100 videos about sharpening a convex and didnt really get it how to do it, this video was perfectly explained! glad i found this! thanks 😊

[@chasepalagi7675]

Wow, this video wasn't very well received by most viewers. I am glad it helped! Thank you for watching!

[@sharpwhits0167]

This is one of the most simplistic, easy to understand videos on this method/topic. Thank you, sir!

[@chasepalagi7675]

Thank you for saying so as well as taking the time to watch the video!

[@diegobenzi]

Simple and effective, thank you sir, i learned a lot!

[@chasepalagi7675]

Excellent! I'm glad you did! Thanks for watching!

[@DevinAkin]

Fantastic. Really helpful. Thanks Chase!

[@chasepalagi7675]

@@DevinAkin that's great to hear! Thank you for watching!

[@paulneumann7739]

Thanks. I’m buying a used Fällkniven A1 This will help me sharpen!

[@chasepalagi7675]

Very Nice blade! Thank you for watching!

[@xDahosx]

If I mess with edge with a bad quality water stone can I fix my convex edge with the sand paper

[@davewebster5120]

very cool, ive never seen this method. that fallkniven and bk2 sure show up bicely on camera!

[@chasepalagi7675]

Thanks a lot Dave! I really appreciate your comment as well as you taking the time to watch the video!

[@davewebster5120]

+Chase Palagi the method my bladesmith neighbor showed me was getting a cloth wheel on a bench grinder, charging it with jeweler's rouge and power stropping it but that requires a lot more gear than a mousepad, clips, sand paper and an old belt.

[@chasepalagi7675]

+Dave Webster You bet! I have seen that method with professional knife sharpeners and it seems to work very well on any grind /edge however, it would also seem ideally suited for hollow ground knives as the wheel naturally falls in line with that grind.

[@Tomato1224]

Going to give this a shot with an antique marbles bush craft knife I just got

[@chasepalagi7675]

Very Nice! Good luck. Thank you for watching!

[@normski32]

Thank you for the great video, this has really helped me

[@chasepalagi7675]

Awesome! I'm really glad it did! Thank you for watching!

[@boneheaded9751]

Good stuff, mkay.

[@chasepalagi7675]

Ha ha, One of my few off the cuff videos and my pause-filler filter goes to hell in a handbasket, mkay. Thank you for watching!

[@ToughJourneyman]

Great job on the video. I learned a lot from it. I still have two questions for you if you don't mind: 1- How would you go about reprofiling a knife edge that was messed up by bad sharpening? 2- How do you convex a knife edge that is currently V shaped, such as the BK2 or Esee 5? Thanks in advance for answering.

[@chasepalagi7675]

Well, Anytime you are re-profiling a blade, it will take a lot of work! The Silver lining is it gives you the opportunity to change your angles/approaches. It will take a lot of time, Lower grit sandpaper, and a steady hand to re-profile, or even turn a flat grind into a convex. If you can get whatever knife you want done to me, I'd gladly do it for you.

[@chasepalagi7675]

Just wanted to let you know that shapening video is up. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d16xiKOBoq54mcU

[@ToughJourneyman]

+Chase Palagi Thanks man.

[@ToughJourneyman]

I am having a hard time justifying the price of the Fallkniven A1, since I already have the BK2, Esee5,6, 2 mora knives, Condor Bushlure & the Ontario Blackbird SK5. I am becoming a knife addict and it is worrying me, because its putting a dent in my pocket. I am under the notion that the convex edge is the best for heavy work knives. I want to try using a convexed knife so bad to see if its really that good or is it just a hype. I have admired Blackjack knives, Barkriver and Fallkniven knives for so long because the convex edge on them looks so wicked, but they are very pricey. In conclusion, Do you advice me to acquire the Fallkniven A1 knife or not? Will I be happy if I did or am I in for a major disappointment. I would truly appreciate an in depth reply. Thanks.

[@chasepalagi7675]

You honestly have some wonderful knives there! From a practical standpoint, There is nothing that The Fallkniven A1 Can do that the others can't. However, since I too have "the sickness" : ), I completely understand where you are at. Fallkniven's are fantastic knives, there is no getting around that, but do is every single one of the knives you listed. The only things different would be the convex edge, (obviously) which are nice but I could honestly take of leave. The clip point blade, which, judging by your line-up there, is not that big of deal to you. Laminated VG10 stainless steel. Although 154 cm is not laminated steel, it's characteristics are very similar to vg10 as far as I'm concerned. They both take a very keen edge, are relatively easy to sharpen, and hold their edges pretty well. The difference is, the full flat grind of the Black - bird will inherently come across as "sharper" just because its a grind conducive to slicing. I assumed the steel in the Ontario BB was 154cm, I could be wrong on that. Anyway as a knife guy, I always want more knives. As a pragmatist, I know there is not a huge difference from what knives I already have, to the knives I want. I hope that makes sense.

[@ToughJourneyman]

+Chase Palagi It does make sense. I guess I will try to ignore that urge of getting a convex knife or maybe try to hand convex my Bk2 and see if the convex blades are really worth the extra time and work. Thanks for your reply and back and fourth conversation.

[@chasepalagi7675]

+Tough Journeyman No problem, I'm happy to help.

[@chasepalagi7675]

Tough Journeyman I was able to shoot another quick sharpening video. I'm uploading it now. Like the last one, it is crude and I'm using a jig in it for time sake but the information transfers. I'll let you know when it is up.

[@JohnSmith-rm7xk]

Fallkniven knives are great. Try and read about the different steels used for their A1 line. (Steel used differs in price) That includes: VG-10 / 3G / lam CoS Majority (not all) knives can be fine tuned to your preference. We all have to start somewhere to expand our knowledge. When looking at knives. A great thing to look at first is the steel used. Is it a laminated steel, carbon steel, stainless steel. Next: How was the heat treatment? Edge type (Scandi/ convex/ flat/ saber/ chisel grind/ etc.)? What's the purpose of buying that knife? Do you need a razor edge with less durability? More rust resistance? Robust? A great resource is watching a guy on KZbin called "Virtuovice" To me, Dr. Wako is a wealth of knowledge and best yet, it's free. You've picked a fine hobby; it'll be frustrating at first, but read forums online (knifeforums / bladeforums/ multitoolforum) and learn. You'll become well versed and much more educated. You won't find yourself interested in "tacti-cool" and "mall-ninja" knives due to poor QC and poor steel choice (most of the time). You'll have the ability to distinguish a $200 POS knife from a $60 quality knife. Keep reading Keep learning You'll become a knife nut in no time! … like me! 😁

[@woodswalker64]

Hi Chase, thanks for the great video. I have 2 bushcraft knives(Convex, and Scandivex) as I am new to the knife game. I'm having so much trouble getting one of these knives as sharp as it once was. I think I may have over sharpened it. Out of frustration, I tried to "start over" by taking it onto the rough diamond plate of a work sharp field sharpener. I think I may have screwed something up because I cannot get it to hair popping sharpness no matter how much I strop it, including 1500 sand paper. So if you were sharpening this knife where would you start? I'm thinking of getting a Work Sharp power sharpener. Do they do okay with Convex edges? Thanks!

[@chasepalagi7675]

The good news is it can be fixed. It is tough to help you correct it without seeing it personally. One of the more common mistakes I see in beginners is not committing to the intial angle they sharpen at (in the case of re-profiling) or not matching the existing angle / grind. what I would do, is make a mark on your edge on both sides and lift the spine as minimally as you can while still taking off the marker, as you sharpen (dry erase are easier). Then do the same thing to the other side. If nothing else it will tell you how to hold the knife when sharpening. The workshop can be a handy tool however, you can easily mess things up with it as well. Ie, Removing too much material, rounding tips, and straightening out your burr, ect. Although I'd still recommend it, I'm just saying if you do, be carful. I'd be happy to help in anyway way I can, so if you need it, let me know l.

[@woodswalker64]

+Chase Palagi thanks for the tip with the marker Chase, I think that will help greatly. I figured the Worksharp would be not be 100% foolproof. I'm going to do my knives, all 2 of them (lol) the way you describe in the video. I want to get this sharpening thing down before I invest in other knives. Thanks for your suggestions and help. I've subscribed to your channel and look forward to your videos - David

[@chasepalagi7675]

+David Fiorini You bet! That's the reason I started this channel. I know knife sharpening can be a daunting task. For this reason, I'll extend you the same offer I did another guy. If you need help getting your edge back, I'll gladly do it for you as long as you can get it to me. I'm sure there are easier ways for you, I just want you to know, I'm happy to help while my channel is still small enough to do so : ). Not that I am some expert but if you have any questions or I can help in anyway, just let me know. Thank you for your subscription!

[@woodswalker64]

+Chase Palagi That would be great Chase! Living in NY 15 min outside of Manhattan, it's hard to find help locally. If I cannot get it, I'll def. let you know. Of course I have no problem reimbursing you. Thanks again and I'll let you know how it goes with this knife. - David

[@chasepalagi7675]

+David Fiorini No problem, If I can help you, just let me know. I don't want compensation, I just remember how frustrating it was when I screwed a decent edge up and couldn't get it back. Once you get it back, I think you'll be in good shape. Honestly playing around with a strop loaded with green compound, helped me learn more than about anything else. once you have a great edge back, you can keep it for a very long time with just a strop. That alone, should be a great deal of help to your skills. They are very forgiving and responsive (sound). Anyway, just let me know.

[@spikechang556]

Alternatively, if I want to keep a V Grind, and I want to strop my knife with just a leather belt, should I be putting it on a piece of flat wood and then stropping the blade? With little pressure.

[@samlevi4744]

Unless you’re using abrasive pastes, the strop shouldn’t meaningfully impact the blade geometry. If using abrasive paste, then it would be ideal to use a wood backed strop or be able to pull a hanging strop taught.

[@krisshh1587]

does the brand of sandpaper matter?

[@chasepalagi7675]

Not really. I just like automotive sandpaper.

[@krisshh1587]

@@chasepalagi7675 okay,is this method like really popular amongst convex knife users?

[@chasepalagi7675]

@@krisshh1587 I'm not sure. I think most people just use wetstones and/or a strop. The worksharp knife and tool sharpener works well too but takes off a lot of material. I think this method gives you ultimate control with a pretty large margin for error.

[@krisshh1587]

@@chasepalagi7675 could the worksharp guided sharpener work? (By hand)

[@chasepalagi7675]

@@krisshh1587 technically you can use anything you want but it is the flex in the belt that will give you the convex shape if that is what you want. The mouse pad does the the same thing.. Anything that has "give" to it will work. like closed cell foam, a yoga mat, or anything like that.

[@brianstuhr6411]

Okay 😉

[@chasepalagi7675]

Brian Stuhr Thank you for watching.

[@andrewsteinberg7103]

i try creating a convex from a v but i muck up the face of knife all the time , yes the performance is better but it is up settting, i am tring grades of asandbaper and go up to 2000 grit to remove scratches of leave a bit oof a satin edge

[@chasepalagi7675]

If you are messing up the finish on the breadth of the blade, I think your edge geometry is too acute. I don't know what sort of knife you have but most knives perform best between 20-25° per side. If you start sharpening at 15° and lower, the edge doesn't have enough meat behind it to retain an edge. Of course there are many factors like the type of steel, grind, knife, etc, but you almost always end up sacrificing edge retention for a negligible bump in precieved sharpness. If you are struggling getting a convex edge and want help getting it where you want let me know if I can help. I have had a couple viewer send me their knives to reprofile them because maintaining a convex edge is the best practice for understanding them. Anyway, if you pay to get it to me, I'll do it for free. Thank you for watching and good luck.

[@timhallas4275]

Reminds me of the M*A*S*H* episode where Henry is calling out instructions to B.J. on how to disarm a bomb... He says.." Unscrew the detonator from the housing......." as B.J. is unscrewing the detonator, Henry continues.... "but first...... "

[@chasepalagi7675]

Unhelpful video? This video was made specifically for one person in a comment thread in one of my other videos. I usually put a fair amount of thought into my videos but not this one. Obviously it shows. Thank you for watching anyway.

[@timhallas4275]

@@chasepalagi7675: Slow down. Make a script. Rehearse it. Learn how to edit. Your content is useful, just need to bone up on your acting skills.

[@chasepalagi7675]

@@timhallas4275 as I was saying, that is what I normally do. This video was made made specifically for a guy I was talking to in the comments. He was sharpening and I made and uploaded this in real time for him.

[@timhallas4275]

@@chasepalagi7675: OK. I get it. Excuse accepted.

[@chasepalagi7675]

@@timhallas4275 ha ha ha, I don't need an excuse. This is merely an explanation as to why this video is so different than most of my others. Ironically, there is no shortage of content watchers telling actual content creators how to do things. Those who can, do. Those who can't, criticize those who can.

[@marksainz5498]

your sweep should always end with. the tip on the grit, you keep dropping the tip off the end, this is the best way to kill the tip always STOP your movement before the tip falls off

[@vanessaa1685]

Hi this is Vanessa your old neighbor I just wanted to say hi.ps tell you wife I said hi

[@chasepalagi7675]

Hi Vanessa! It's nice to hear from you! She was right here to read your message and sends her regards. We hope you guys are doing well! Thanks for reaching out.

[@vanessaa1685]

+Chase Palagi okay thank for the message

[@rinnsbebelindegrombe]

Kay

[@cyleeldred3591]

Skip to the 5:15 minute mark where he finally shows how to sharpen

[@chasepalagi7675]

Unfortunately the devil is in the details when it comes to sharpening. Thanks for watching!

[@danamez2034]

Didn't work for me. Knife is still dull. Not because of your instructions or methods but because of the poor heat treatment this sog seal xr has. Just a last ditch effort to see if I could get anything out of this pos. SOG customer service told me shit happens so it's my problem. Thanks for the detailed instructions. Works great on my Busses.

[@chasepalagi7675]

If you send me your knife, I'll send it back to you hair popping sharp. Free of course. If you're interested, just let me know, and I'll give you an email.

[@Metalhead-4life]

Okay. 47 times you said okay lol

[@chasepalagi7675]

JAY LEE Well I'm glad you found something to take away from the video! : )

[@draganpastrovic2157]

Waterstones

[@chadswood]

K, we need to work on your flair, k?

[@chasepalagi7675]

Venson lol Nice! Making fun of the creator while incorporating Office space references! Extra points! I tip my hat! : ) Thanks for watching!

[@chadswood]

Chase Palagi im just trollin man. I actually liked the video a lot!

[@chasepalagi7675]

Venson Well done! I got a pretty good charge out of your comment. I'm really glad you liked it, thanks again!

[@eidgenossenarkebuse]

Drinking Game, take a shot evey time he says "K"

[@chasepalagi7675]

Plot twist, I made this video as a drinking game for my knife loving brethren that are reluctant to show their wives their latest credit card statement!

[@user-dm1gw2hd1q]

最後までイマイチな切れ味でﾜﾗﾀ。ファルクニーベンＦ１はもっと切れるぞ。第一ポイントの研ぎができていない。言いたいことは分るが手癖が多すぎ。

[@chasepalagi7675]

Hello, I really wish I could read your comment. Thank you for watching the video and taking the time to comment!

[@johnmutton799]

Doing that to a cold steel knife voids the warranty! Beware.

[@gagelink2457]

Takes over half the video to show what to actually do. Jesus man it's not rocket science just get to the point *wink* *wink*

[@chasepalagi7675]

This video was made specifically for one person and I was responding to a conversation we had privately. As a matter of fact it should be private so pardon me if I dont implement your very constructive criticism. Looks like you're so pressed for time you spend what little you have to express your sentiment in the comments! All very logical behavior! Wink wink!

[@TinyIslandMaine]

Some people prefer background and detailed information to better understand the total process. Out of the 30k views, I think a majority would agree but hey I’ll check out your video on sharpening too.