Alternative Methods For Sharpening A Bowie Knife
Bowie knives are essentially built for adventure. Adventure, of course, oftentimes means inconvenience. This sometimes means having a dull knife and no bench stone on which to restore its edge. You can still sharpen your knife, but it will take some technique and the right tools. You have several options for portable sharpeners.
Some old-timers sharpen their Bowie knife on a grinding wheel. Unless you have the sort of precision machining ability that comes with a lifetime of such work, you’ll want to avoid this. What makes grinding stones so useful, however, is that they come in all manner of compositions. Some of the most convenient sharpening tools are made out of the same materials as are the most expensive and precision grinding tools on the market.
Consider the problem with using a standard bench stone. You have to hold the blade at the same angle throughout the grinding process. However, with a rod system, all you have to do is move the stone over the blade of your knife to refresh that edge. However, for some systems, larger blades, such as a Bowie knife, will require that you reposition your rod periodically to get the entire blade.
Bowie knives oftentimes have very large blades. This can make sharpening on a portable stone a bit challenging and, if you’re not careful, a precursor to a new set of stitches. Be sure you don’t’ get carried away with speed when performing this task. It’s worth it to take the time to sharpen your knife correctly. It’s not only safer for your hands, but it’s also much better for the blade.
Bowie knives can sometimes be sharpened with smaller stones by moving the stone along the blade rather than the conventional method, which employs just the opposite technique. This, however, is very difficult to do while maintaining a correct angle. If you do this, it’s best to sharpen the knife only as much as is necessary to restore any obvious damage to the blade, or to smooth over dull spots. If you’re in low-light conditions, you can use a candle or a flashlight to see if your blade has been restored to its edge. If it has, there should be no reflection visible off the edge of the blade. When a blade is sharpened correctly, its edge almost disappears.
Blake is a business consultant for an online bowie knives store featuring combat knives.
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