I think you're right Randy. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I think FF has a point there. The factory sharpening is done with quite wide angle. My 411 came with a sharp edge (thanks Mike) but I haven´t used it yet.

One thing is the blade profile. If the profile is a wide V or convex, after losing the best of the cutting edge the blade becomes dull fast. Both sharpening angles (wide V and convex) are made for something else than cutting, they will stay "sharp enough" when chopping etc. If you think only the basic forms behind to wide V or convex thay are very close to flat and round. Flat and round aren´t good for cutting.

A shallow V grind is made for cutting. I ended up reprofiling my WarDog for quite shallow V. Now the knife is a cutter. If you baton with the knife know you will twist it´s edge. A shallow V grind is in my opinion best for cutting, after all a straight razor has a shallow V grind. When you add a cutting motion for a blade like that it should cut very well.

Other thing is the thickness of the blade. It´s very easy to make a shaving edge to a thin blade (razors aren´t 0.25" thick) so when having a thick blade you´ll lose quite much mterial when doing a shallow V or you compromise with wider angle.

If you choose to grind a shallow V on your knife you can´t hurry. It took me four (4)! hours to make a V grind by hand to my WarDog. (I used the Lansky sets and I can tell you a good grind with slow turning stone is something that every man dealing with knives should have!). So take your time. Watch the shape and take care keeping the agle the same all the time. Aim for perfect symmetry. The closer you get the sharp edge the less power and finer stone you need.

Training makes perfect. Train with easy sharpening carbon blade on a cheap knife and then move on to your users.

Maintain the sharpness by "wiping" the edge with ceramic or other fine rod or stone after every use. By doing this you don´t need to sharpen your knife very often.

This is my way of taking care of my knives. I´m sure it´s not the only way or maybe not the best way either. I do hope there are some useful advices to someone.

One more thing: there are no miracle sharpners! You sould try different ways of sharpning the blades. Some ways are more suitable for thin blade shallow V grinds and some are better for thick bladed knifes and convex grinds. Every shape of the cutting edge has it´s strongest ways of use.

GREAT observations and instructions Timo. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

My favorite skinning blade has a convex edge. I came from sharpening it over the years. It wasn't intentional. I lasts for three whitetails before it neeeds touched up again.

I hand sharpen every one of my blades. I haven't had to skin a bunh with any of them yet. I have a Muk and the 4-11 tasked for that next season though.

Is there a link between the fact that a leather strop can be used to sharpen the blade? And a deer hide therefore dulls the blade when the edge runs through it at a 90 degree angle?

Rasmus, the rapid dulling of the blade is due to the toughness of the hair and the fact that it is very dirty. Just imagine cutting through wet hemp ropes like they use to tie ships up with and you will begin to get an idea of how that will rapidly dull a knife.

The leather strops that you use to sharpen with are loaded with some kind of lapping compound. There are several "Grits", and are in different colors. Black, green, white and I think even pink(?).

No, not shaving sharp. Depending on the amount of abuse, the blade will cut the hairs, but pulling them at the same time...

Yes, I know, but plain leather can take an edge to the last part of a hair popping edge, as I understand it..?
Just a thought...

Yes you can strop on plain leather without any compound. BUT I personally think that level of stropping wouldn't be useful on anything but a straight razor. It would quite possibly leave a quite fragile edge. Just my opinion, and not actually based on fact. I DO use untreated leather as a strop, but only to get the wire "Burr" off.

Lots of great knowledge here, I slept not so well last night, thinking about my 411 and what I need to do to make this a great hunting knife. When you see these blades advertised you get the impression that they can do it all. I have seen some Bussekin blades put through the torture test of cutting large diameter hemp rope and then chopping wood and back to the hemp rope. After all that its back to the paper and cutting paper like it’s a hot knife slicing through butter. One would think that slicing meet and skinning a deer would be child’s play for a Bussekin blade.
I hate the idea of profiling this blade just so it can process deer out in the field. I also want to keep it as a camp knife and all round utility blade. What are the diehard hunters doing with their Wardogs, Rodent Solutions, and 411’s? One might say pick a knife and stick with it but these three blades scream camping, hunting, and all round use them for anything.
I would like to know what the Busse folks use out in the field and what type of profile they have on their blades?

sf45, I don't hunt or camp any more. But I STILL reprofile every blade I have (except for a couple that had the edge angle (no I DO NOT know what that angle is) but would guess it around 20 degrees, maybe. Anyway, this is just something that I am used to doing cause I have I guess developed "The angle" after sharpening my knives by hand for close to 50 years.

I only know what works for me. Your actual experience may vary. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

If you have an "Angle" that you like on your knives, HAVE AT IT! It is YOUR knife and each one is different even though they were all made the same at the factory. Heck, I had even reprofiled my DF!