All About Pocket Knives

I bought this Old Crafty Stockman with a clip blade that looks like
someone took a bench grinder stone to in the middle of the blade.

I was thinking of fixing the blade up before I sharpen it.

Any suggestions on how to do this?

Bob

p.s. I have some files, sharpening stones, a small speed
adjustable grinder from Harbor Freight, and a rotary tool.

Here’s one tutorial viewtopic.php?f=37&t=77138

There are others in the Knife Repair and Restoration subforum. Most recommend using a Sharpie type marker to draw the desired profile on the blade, and get after it. I’d recommend slow and easy with any kind of power tools - getting the blade too hot may ruin the temper.

Ken

I use a bench grinder with a fine (rather than coarse) wheel on it. The grinder has a little metal platform in front of the wheel that I hold the blade on, nice and flat. Like Ken said, mark it with a sharpie and go nice and slow. You might want to practice first with a junk blade. Once you get the hang of it, it's not very difficult.

I’ll throw my 2 cent in the ring and say that I think it looks cool just like it is. If it was mine I’d sharpen it and use it as it is.

Now, none of that matters, cause it’s yours. So, have you considered a belt sander with a fine grit belt. I do all of my re-profile work on one and it works fantastic. Use a very light touch and be mindful which direction you touch the blade to the belt. You don’t want it digging in and closing up on any fingers! Ouch! Also, you can use a pencil and draw on the blade to get an idea how it will look and where to remove material to achieve. Easy to erase and draw a rev2 or rev3.

Good luck with it and be sure to show us your results. Be careful.

Rugmar

Rug

Bob also mentioned grinder or belt sander marks. How do you gentlemen prefer to thin the blades to clean those up?
Thanks in advance,
Froe

rugmar wrote: ↑Sun May 14, 2023 6:31 pm I’ll throw my 2 cent in the ring and say that I think it looks cool just like it is. If it was mine I’d sharpen it and use it as it is.

Now, none of that matters, cause it’s yours. So, have you considered a belt sander with a fine grit belt. I do all of my re-profile work on one and it works fantastic. Use a very light touch and be mindful which direction you touch the blade to the belt. You don’t want it digging in and closing up on any fingers! Ouch! Also, you can use a pencil and draw on the blade to get an idea how it will look and where to remove material to achieve. Easy to erase and draw a rev2 or rev3.


Rugmar

Rug

Would something like this work?[

3 in belt sander
attachment=0]image.jpg[/attachment]

Bob

https://www.harborfreight.com/media/cat ... 7181_I.jpg

The one I use is more like this. The one you pictured could be made to work if you get creative and find a way to invert it and hold it steady.

Looks to me like the master blade tip has already been broken off, re-profiled and is now short. I'd sharpen it up and keep it as is.

btrwtr wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 11:59 am Looks to me like the master blade tip has already been broken off, re-profiled and is now short. I'd sharpen it up and keep it as is.

I concur.

btrwtr wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 11:59 am Looks to me like the master blade tip has already been broken off, re-profiled and is now short. I'd sharpen it up and keep it as is.

quote=jerryd6818 post_id=1079312 time=1684153655 user_id=6094]

btrwtr wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 11:59 am Looks to me like the master blade tip has already been broken off, re-profiled and is now short. I'd sharpen it up and keep it as is.

I concur.
[/quote]



Wayne and Jerry you have good eyes. I took measurements from a new knife from the web
and did a comparison to my real knife measurements. It indeed is shorter and had been re-profiled.

Bob

rugmar wrote: ↑Sun May 14, 2023 6:31 pm I’ll throw my 2 cent in the ring and say that I think it looks cool just like it is. If it was mine I’d sharpen it and use it as it is.

Now, none of that matters, cause it’s yours. So, have you considered a belt sander with a fine grit belt. I do all of my re-profile work on one and it works fantastic. Use a very light touch and be mindful which direction you touch the blade to the belt. You don’t want it digging in and closing up on any fingers! Ouch! Also, you can use a pencil and draw on the blade to get an idea how it will look and where to remove material to achieve. Easy to erase and draw a rev2 or rev3.
Good luck with it and be sure to show us your results. Be careful.

Rugmar

Rug

I spent about 2 hours on that one blade shaping and sharpening. After reading the comments I figured since
it had been broken off, I will just make it a little better, I used a file and some old stones to make it
better. The blade was extremely dull and hard to open. Here is what it looks like now.

I really enjoyed the 2 hours!
Bob

I use whet stones .start out corse , then medium , and finish with fine. Yes it takes a considerably lot of time this way but the knife still has the temper as good as it was first made when finished .plus’s I don’t have to fret about over indulgence or bad grind .lol

Good job. I think you made the right call in not going over board to try to “restore” it. Many times if you go to chasing pits or grinder marks, they just got worse or your blade gets too thin.

Hit the worst with some sandpaper or files, sharpen, and let the patina hide the rest.

This may sound nuts, but here goes.

About twenty (maybe more) years ago I bought a Sears/Craftsman Wet Sharp machine. It sets up on your bench. There is a manufactured very fine grit drum shaped "stone" that rotates through a water bath. And, there is a rather crude mechanism for setting blade/edge angle. While I don't use it on my finest knives for sharpening, it is absolutely fantastic for re-profiling a damaged edge or blade tip. And the water bath keeps the blade from getting too hot. Once I get the profile I want, I break out the tried and true Arkansas Stones and Ceramic Crock Sticks.

The Craftsman Wet Sharp machine usually gets used when a friend asks me to help with their badly used and abused knife. It does a real nice job.

Time well spent! It looks great now.