All About Pocket Knives

I just retired and in the summer I'm spending more time outdoors. I've had the opportunity to buy several of the ZT folders, and I just received my ZT0551.

The best feature of this brand is that it's a 'hard-use' quality knife without looking like a standard tactical folder. In fact, it's probably stronger.

Mick Strider has been in collaboration with their line, and the blade shows his influence. In fact, the 'melted' spine on the new ZT0551 feels exactly like the spine on my SnG.

The edge took a nice polish and is extremely sharp.

That's a great looking blade and the edge is just scarry..................


Welcome to the site!

I just noticed this here in this forum I'm going to move it over for ya.

gmusic wrote:That's a great looking blade and the edge is just scarry..................


Welcome to the site!

I just noticed this here in this forum I'm going to move it over for ya.

Thanks for the move. It'll take me a bit to find my way around.

As for the edge, I did that with Japanese waterstones and a polish with 3M polishing papers, paste and antique glass. As for scary, I have to warn clients not to "thumb the edge." The bandages were getting expensive...

Those water stones are great! I think my fine stone is 8000 grit.

I only use waterstones, and have for years. Below is my ESEE H.E.S.T. fixed blade. As you know, it's made from 1095 steel, tantamount to a section of old railroad track.

But it's my "truck knife," and I can polish it any way I wish, and I had the time, and I got carried away...

I love the clean bevels on the edges of both these knives. That's what I aim for when I sharpen one, but don't always get.

trail wrote:I love the clean bevels on the edges of both these knives. That's what I aim for when I sharpen one, but don't always get.

Winters are long and frigid in Wisconsin. We can't ride our bikes, the skies are gloomy and the boys get restless. If you're a tad OCD like I am, a few quality hours with a knife and a wet rock--say until zero dark thirty into the night--can produce some great edges.

Ever see a 100 dollar polishing job on a nine dollar knife? Now you have...

This is another one of my favorite Zero Tolerance folders in my EDC rotation. It's a black/black ZT0300. Big, chunky and mean. Reminds me of my SIL.

Tourist, we had a thread going here last year about sharpening and stones we used. I don't recall the name of it now. Maybe some one like vikingdog will help me out.
I think we could learn alot from your input as to your methods and stones in terms of sharpening.

Well, here it is. I can't believe I did it.

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... =2&t=19411

FRJ wrote:Tourist, we had a thread going here last year about sharpening and stones we used.

Because I am new here I think it's best to be on my best behavior, and the issue of sharpening (or properly "polishing") has been a real deal-breaker for me before.

First, I am very opinionated on this issue, and I have stumbled across many strident 'golden children' and fan-boys with a virulent my-way-or-the-highway attitude. I've even gotten drunken hate mail at 0200.

For example, I sharpen for my doctor's mother, a woman born in pre-war Japan who immigrated here. She had no one to polish her kitchen knives or provide new knives or simple things like nagura. She likes to prepare sushi and no longer owned a yanagiba, which I found for her.

That knife arrived at my home dull as a butterknife with a mis-shapen shinogi line. I wanted it perfect for her.

In describing the repairs to those forum members, I casually mentioned that the bevel was so crooked that I used an Edge Pro for the initial work. The hostile purists came out of the woodwork criticizing me for using a "guided system." In truth, I often use three differing waterstone methods at once, not counting paste and glass.

My fate was sealed when I defended the idea as "I use what works."

Over time I'll make friends here, and probably several critics. For now I would like to showcase a few knives, show members actual examples of where I stand and stress that I am fully retired. Trust me, a seething fan-boy ranting at his lap-top in his mom's basement is a battle I have already fought.

We would love to hear your methods, and it would make a great addition to the thread.

Opinions are great..............selfcontrol is better.

gmusic wrote:Opinions are great..............selfcontrol is better.

LOL. You sound like my wife, my mother, a dozen ex-girl friends, a handful of former bosses and a various LEOs! Herding cats and bikers is a thankless task.

In all honesty, I don't have a "method." I use (mostly usurp) a togishi's tools, but I have no credentials whatsoever. Nothing I say has any value, other than it works for me after trial and error. I do have Japanese history books. My Father was an engineer for a hardware company for over four decades and my BIL is a metallurgist. It helps.

It is quite common for especially newbs to ask "What's the secret?" Their eyes glaze over when I tell them it involves a history book and at least a decade of fumbling.

One togishi on YouTube actually mentions the word "curse" during his interview, and I believe this now. The money is up and down, new problems arise for no reason, modern knives have sloppy bevels and tooling can be expensive. I have about four thousand dollars in stuff right now--but I replace it constantly from wear.

I work better in the still of the night, like a swarf werewolf. I'm getting very prickly with my free time during the summer, and the phone is a problem during deer season.

My advice is that a sharp knife comes from your own demeanor. If you can control yourself amid failure, you might have a chance. If your goal is simply a sharp knife, find a sharpener with a wet rock, toss his a ten dollar bill and give him a lot of space. A sharpener is more craftsman than tradesman, and we don't perform well on cue.

I got a big laugh when I watched "Kung Fu Panda." He found that the secret is that there is no secret.

I don't post here a lot. I got interested in pocketknives about the time my business fell apart, so I'm not much of a collector at this point, but I come here often. I don't go to a lot of forums for the reasons you describe--I really only go to this and two others--those are about things other than pocket knives. The reason I go to them and this one is the demeanor and the behaviour of the folks on the board.

I've learned a lot here--one of them is that this is a good bunch of guys who get along and sometimes agree to politely disagree.

I'd be interested to see your methods and ideas as well. Those are some serious looking edges!

Cooter Brown wrote:I've learned a lot here--one of them is that this is a good bunch of guys who get along and sometimes agree to politely disagree.

I'd be interested to see your methods and ideas as well. Those are some serious looking edges!

It was the people here that got me interested in joining. I had just about given up on knife forums and discussion groups.

But I am sincere in my beliefs of sharpening. I also believe in the apprentice style of "wax on, wax off" training under a mentor. And I had some great mentors, that being Ben Dale and Dwade Hawley. If you ever speak with them, take detailed notes.

But I also buy stuff from Japan Woodworker and Keith over at Hand-American. I get my pastes and polishes from "Mothers," an automotive supplier who sells things to bikers and gearheads. I think 3M makes some great polishing tapes. I get antique glass from glaziers, mostly from those who have found old railroad signaling lanterns. I did find a local cobbler who had an old sheet of rea-deal horsehide for strops.

But I cannot stress this point too much. The real info is here...

I don't know if craftsman fits.......................artist maybe, with the patience of Job!

gmusic wrote:I don't know if craftsman fits.......................artist maybe, with the patience of Job!

Well, "art" does play a role. Not many blade blanks are even from left side to right. Not only does this effect the distal taper, but the flat grind done during stock removal might remove more metal from one side than the other. Knowing that, many guys--myself included--want the bevel to have the same uniform width and shape on both sides. And be toasty sharp for braggin' rights down at the saloon.

That's why this is "the curse." Most casual hobbyists have never owned a truly sharp knife. But once they do they want a samurai priced edge on the knife they slice on PBJ sandwiches.

Right now I have an 11 dollar Ryan 7 that shines like an Hattori. Completely unnecessary, but kind of cool.

I took a formal woodworking class from Ian Kirby about 7 years ago. What information he had. I hung on every word.

He was very precise about sharpening chisels and plane irons. I gave him a pocket knife that was made in Spain.

Well, if you want to express yourself at some time there are those who will listen. (and ask a ton of questions)
It seems that you have a lot to offer.

Have you heard of Murray Carter? His "scary sharp" edges are just that! He taught us to place three fingers on the edge with your thumb on the spine, control of pressure being the reason. Now with light pressure try to move your three fingers across the edge, if it scares you enough you don't want to move them, its good and sharp!

No wonder he callsl it scary sharp. I would be afraid to do that. As a tradsman I would not jeopardize cutting the pads of my fingers like that.

Light pressure Joe!

Murray was trained/taught in Japan. He's the only Caucasian Yoshimoto Bladesmith. He is also a Mastersmith by US standards. Check out his web site:

http://www.cartercutlery.com/

I took a course in neck knife making from him.................just amazing!

This is the neck knife I made while I was there at Carters shop. I use it often and it will still shave hair from a peach.

I have to say the introduction was impressive, gmusic.
That knife you made is really nice.
For me, I've never liked any thing around my neck like that, but it's a good way to hide a knife.

Thanks FJR. If worn outside the shirt it's real handy, around town though people look at you funny.

The premise with the three finger test is that those pads are very sensitive and as you start to slide them on the edge they will instantly tell you whether you can or can not continue. Granted much has to do with the pressure applied.

We were told to watch your pads and apply just the amount of pressure needed to turn the skin white at the contact point on the edge. It’s a subtle change, but you can see it! Practice with a dull knife! On a sharp knife you won’t move fingers at all. Just as soon as you begin to slide them, you brain will say don’t do that! After you get the hang of it, you’ll find it’s a very effective way to test.

gmusic, I can tell by your description that there is some insight into this.
I'll give it some attention at some time. Thank you.

gmusic wrote:Murray was trained/taught in Japan.

And this is why I stay out of tutorial threads. Obviously, this man has skill and training in depth, I do not.

I just don't want to be "that kind of guy." We have MA forums where "sensei" have been outed by guys who research that stuff. A mod from a V-Twin forum rides out of my dealership--we met on his forum, in fact. He questimates that 30% of the 'bikers' there inflate their experience, or are complete frauds who don't even own a bike.

That's why I take pictures of everything, with dates if need be.

I simply studied the craft, bought the stones, learned as much as I could and then applied my trade. No diplomas, no trips to Japan, no togishi at my side instructing me how to do 800 year old katanas.

I can answer questions, guide folks to honest vendors, suggest stones and provide reading lists. But I don't feel qualified to teach.

Edit: One of the tools I will mention is the Edge Pro made by Ben Dale. I bought my first one about 20 years ago just to do my personal folders. I bought a second to transport to clients and an Apex to pack on my bike. I don't think it's possible to attain the maximum sharpness a knife has unless you make the bevel uniform from front to back and then left to right. In other words, a much needed repair or improvement to the factory edge.

Even on high-end Japanese kitchen knives, the most critical first cuts you might make are to establish a blade road. You can accomplish this easier with the Edge Pro. In fact, I have used nothing but an Edge Pro to do many kitchen knives.

www.edgeproinc.com