Sharpen a Bark River Convex Ground Knife

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Since so many people have asked how to sharpen a convex ground knife I made a how to video on it.
Here is the kit I used in the video:
The sharpening device:
www.dlttrading.com/bark-river-...
The Bark River Ultralight Bushcrafter blade:
www.bladehq.com/item--Bark-Riv...
The Helle Temagami:
www.bladehq.com/item--Helle-Le...
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Please watch: "My Journey to Primitive Part I The David Holladay Story"
• My Journey to Primitiv...
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[@aHigherPower]

You may want to consider doing the entire length of the blade in one stroke.

[@TJackSurvival]

That's one way. But if the entire blade doesn't need attention I do just the parts that do.

[@grizzlycountry1030]

@@TJackSurvival 👎

[@TheBootyWrangler]

@@grizzlycountry1030 there’s two kinds of people. Those that sharpen their knives for the fuck of it because they enjoy it and those that actually use their knives for work and sharpen it for functionality

[@mojoe8005]

Should’ve named this vid how to strop convex

[@garyp.7501]

Thanks! I never knew how to use a strop correctly. This is a great demonstration.

[@TJackSurvival]

Awesomeness! Glad it worked for you

[@Mazeingpower]

I use a wicked edge with leather strops and .5 micro diamond emulsion

[@csh6220]

I like the black then green method as well. Some people who do not want to carry a strop in the field will put compound on the inside of their leather belt. Gotta be creative. I love convex grinds. They are so strong and sharp. Thanks for the video.

[@TJackSurvival]

I use compound on my axe shoulder strap all the time. Works great in the field.

[@robertoruscigno7126]

Awesome video TJack! Thanks so much, very helpful. ATB from Italy man! Roberto. PS: Nice intro!

[@TJackSurvival]

Thanks for watching! Check out my bow. It was made by an Italian man named Max! Let me know your thoughts. Ty

[@diegobenzi]

Simple and straight to the point. This video is so good that I saved it on a playlist about convex edges. Thanks a lot and go on like this, bye from Italy!

[@TJackSurvival]

Excellent. I try to make all of my videos straight and to the point. I get this comment a lot so I guess I am a rare in that reguard. Thanks for watching.

[@Taromovies]

Yes a good knife is nothing without the right treatment, thanks for sharing your experience my friend, take care, Taro

[@TJackSurvival]

Thank you sir!

[@stevenlaubach5947]

My Bark River Gunny Hunter is the best knife I ever used deboning and field dressing Alaskan Moose which says allot.

[@TJackSurvival]

That does say a lot

[@ScottishWanderer]

cool mate great video

[@TJackSurvival]

Thanks!

[@TheWeekendHiker]

Awesome video brother. Good tip. Just subbed to your channel. Looking forward to seeing what your channel is all about. -ATB Adam

[@TJackSurvival]

Hey thanks. I have a bunch of jungle stuff going up right now and more survival related things in the works. I'll check out your channel.

[@TheWeekendHiker]

Sounds good brother. I will look out for it. For Christmas I'm getting the bark river ultralight bushcrafter and came across your channel.

[@TJackSurvival]

TheWeekendHiker Ah ya I really like BRK stuff. I use the crap out of them. Especially the bushcrafter.

[@stefan-D]

what is your experience with sharpening CPM 3V and Elmax Bark Rivers? What is harder / easier to sharpen?

[@TJackSurvival]

Stef As a general rule the harder to sharpen the harder dull. If it’s hard to sharpen that’s a good thing. I have CPM3V and Elmax. They kind of polish because they are so hard. Those are both some of the most impressive steels I’ve ever used.

[@frankbutta9344]

I flattened the convex edge on my Bushcrafter, and it works much better now. I did not remove any material from the edge apex while doing this, and only addressed to edge once the scandi had been flattened. I chopped some wicked hard dried oak with the knife, and it remained 100%. I just like true scandi knives, but like the Bushcrafter's handle, steel, and blade length.

[@TJackSurvival]

Whatever works use it!

[@jackchueh1231]

What degree if your primary bevel angle? No micro bevel right?

[@jackchueh1231]

What degree if your primary bevel angle? No micro bevel right?

[@davidwarren719]

Not to split hairs, but a convex Scandi is more of a true scandi than a flat scandi

[@derekhenretta33]

Hi there, can I use a diamond sharpener on the bushcrafter like the fine grind and extra fine grind or does it have to be a leather strap??

[@TJackSurvival]

Diamond is just a little bit more corse is all. I sharpen my convex knives with a diamond stone from Falkniven but finish it off with the strop. The leather strop has grit on it which can have diamond powder in it so you can actually get a situation where the strop uses diamond to sharpen. Be concerned about the grit strength and not whether it is diamond or not. To answer you directly, you can but it's more aggressive and usually, don't need to.

[@worldtraveler6719]

Thanks +TJack Survival I'm confused.. I saw several videos where the knife is pushed against the stone cutting edge first.. your technique is the reverse! Could you elaborate on that? Thanks in advance :)

[@TJackSurvival]

It wasn't a stone. Mine is leather on wood with grit. That way it forms to the convex edge. Convex means that the blade isn't a straight angle.

[@iclmb510]

Is a strop still effective for blades with a significance double bevel?

[@TJackSurvival]

It can be yes. But the angle changes and you want to use it as a finishing tool. Because of that I'd also probably not use anything but leather for that

[@fuzzlenuff]

I got a five gallon paint stir stick from a paint store. The stir stick is 1.5" wide. I cut it to 15" length. I bought a 1.5" wide strip of leather which I cut to fit the stir stick. Then I used contact cement to secure the leather to the stick. Applied green compound to the flesh side and left the hair side with no compound. It fits in my pack and strops my knives in the field perfectly.

[@TJackSurvival]

Billy Two Knives Super Smart

[@tonydillinger2553]

how to sharpen convex with edge pro?

[@TJackSurvival]

What are you asking?

[@tonydillinger2553]

@@TJackSurvival how to sharpen bark river knives on edge pro apex 4. or is it not possible and needs to be done freehand.

[@TJackSurvival]

@@tonydillinger2553 try not to use a flat stone on a round blade. Unless you’ve chipped it, do it all by hand and 90% of the time a Strop is all you need.

[@crudmuffins2828]

When sharpening that convex do you keep the blade flat as you would a scandi?

[@TJackSurvival]

No you end up rocking it a bit, but do try to keep it level with the cutting surface, then spend a lot of time on the leather strop when you're done.

[@johnhuynh9298]

Cool setup. I use the same setup but with white compound instead of the green. when I am out in the field, I have my leather belt preloaded with compound. The leather belt works great to touch up your knife in the field.

[@TJackSurvival]

Ya I like it. I use the shoulder strap from my axe sling in the field. Check out this vid to see what I mean. Smart idea with the belt too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/maSWnpqPfpeXpqs

[@zacpino3072]

bro I can cut paper super slow ....which means mine are super sharp ....those may be work sharp but deff not super sharp I

[@grizzlycountry1030]

Super sharp means you can seperate layers of paper in one sheet. There are 2 thin ones that form 1 sheet.

[@kitwalker8068]

Having a razor sharp knife is ok if you're wanting to show it off but what he did here was create a practical sharpness that will keep its edge when you take your razor blade out that's exactly what it is it is a razor blade you will chip The Edge very quickly and therefore you will have to remove more material to get your edge back again

[@HansZarkovPhD]

I love my Bravo 1. Good technique to sharpen it.

[@hhyyuu667]

My question, which is purely for the knowledge of it, but if you were in a prolonged situation how would you sharpen a grind like this that seems to rely on man made resources such as the black compound? I'm on the edge on buying a convex.

[@TJackSurvival]

The compound just speeds up the process. You can polish and re-align steel carbides with just the leather but it takes longer. For prolonged heavy use bring a sharpening stone like the DC4. For primitive situations find soft soap stone, grind two together until you have a flat surface, sharpen with the stone you find, finish by stroping with leather.

[@hhyyuu667]

How would one maintain the convex edge? Sorry for all of the questions, just curious.

[@hhyyuu667]

I mean with stones that is. Seems like you would grind it into a "v" with a stone after a while.

[@TJackSurvival]

+hhyyuu667 All blades become convex eventually when sharpened by hand. The only way to maintain flat grind is to use a Japanese water stone or a grinder of some sort.

[@johnhuynh9298]

maintaining a convex on waterstones is surprisingly not difficult. the natural motions of pushing the edge of one side and pulling the other side will naturally convex the grind. a true scandi is difficult on the waterstones because you have to avoid natural wrist movement and keep the angle steady. if you free hand water stone sharpening, your blades will be convex to some degree.

[@zacszuberski]

Isn’t that the regular bushcrafter? It looks thicker than the ultralight. Maybe I’m seeing things.

[@TJackSurvival]

Truthfully I can’t remember. I’ve owned both but this video was from years ago.

[@zacszuberski]

@@TJackSurvival for sure. I’m trying to decide which one to buy at the moment. Regular or ulb. So your videos have helped in the endeavor. Still undecided though. Do you have a preference?

[@TJackSurvival]

@@zacszuberski they’re both great but I’d start with the UL, unless you have really big hands

[@zacszuberski]

@@TJackSurvival thanks tjack! Take care!

[@TJackSurvival]

@@zacszuberski the right answer is both!!!

[@knifesharpeningnorway]

the compunds are black 3000 ish and green 6000 ish by tests ive found

[@TJackSurvival]

That's what I've been told as well.

[@Metalhead-4life]

You should get an eraser and clean up your strops. Oh and btw that is not how you sharpen a knife

[@TJackSurvival]

Ya ok. LOL

[@Metalhead-4life]

@@TJackSurvival ya it's called stropping a knife (ideally to bring a sharpened edge back as close as possible to when it was properly sharpened on a stone or wicked edge or whatever). Leather doesnt sharpen knives, you could call it honing or stropping. If you never have to sharpen your knives using a proper method (other than leather) than you are either not using your knives or u dont care if they are actually sharp.

[@TJackSurvival]

@@Metalhead-4life or I could call it sharpening. ;)

[@nitramza861]

You can go to any leather working shop and any hardware store and buy the materials necessary to make a strop for pretty much free. My local leather has pieces of spare leather in a bin that you can take. Buying pre made strops is a ripoff.

[@Jimlovescock]

Zach Martin you mean somebody forces you to buy pre made strops? If not,it can't possible be a rip off.

[@billystink4611]

Most leather shops are running businesses, not charities.

[@Player_Review]

Bark River knows that convex grinds are the best. No micro bevel on the A2... so nice. The highest compound they use when they give the edge at factory is 3000 grit, but they do sell compounds beyond that for aftermarket like your green 6000 grit block (at the factory, they do a coarse, 320, 600 and then the 3000).

[@TJackSurvival]

+Jeremy Madsen They do like convex. Mike is a fan.

[@tyronejones912]

if you are not careful you will roll your edge trying to make a micro bevel

[@TJackSurvival]

+tyrone “theunfortunatetruth86” jones Yes, that's why you don't try to make a micro bevel.