Sharpness questions - single bevel heads

[jerp]

I’m experimenting with single bevel heads –currently trying to figure out how sharp I can get them. I can get most double bevels sharp enough to not just cut arm hair, but shave it slick. Not so with the single bevels. I’m wondering if that is even possible because being beveled on only one side makes for such a less acute edge angle. That bought up another thought – if the single bevel head is not sharp enough to shave, does that necessarily impede penetration? Sliding a blade along your arm laterally, and trying to poke a blade through something are not exactly the same thing. I know a lot of guys swear by the single bevels but I don’t see how you can get them as sharp as double bevels – at least if you measure sharpness by how it cuts hair when you drag it across your arm Your thoughts?

[Ol Man]

I was able to get my Abowyer Whitetails scary sharp! I used a Smith Diamond block - coarse on one side and fine on the other. Light even strokes after you have set the angle. I did the angles by hand - it took a while to get it right but, once I did man they were sharp. After this I ran them on a leather strop... one both side to polish off any burrs still left.

[jerp]

Doug - I assume by "setting the angle" you mean changing the factory bevel? I've got a paper wheel set up - one grit, one smooth. Maybe I can get a sharper angle by using the grit wheel

[huntinpool]

I use the paper wheels on my grinder and I can get the single bevels sharper than any two bevel head.

Sometimes you have to hit the back side on the flat just one good time to get them to shave like a razor.

[Ol Man]

That would work - I could never get a good edge on anything with the paper wheels. Can get them sharp by hand though - to many years of sitting around campfire at end of days' hunt and sharpening each and every broadhead that I owned, i guess!

[jerp]

So whether on the wheel or by hand, just work the bevel side until you feel a burr, then strop the burr off from the flat side?

[rubydog]

So whether on the wheel or by hand, just work the bevel side until you feel a burr, then strop the burr off from the flat side?

Yes sir... That machine I turned you on too will get them scary, scary sharp.

[jerp]

Yes sir... That machine I turned you on too will get them scary, scary sharp.

That's going to be my next tool purchase!

[rubydog]

That's going to be my next tool purchase!

I took some single bevel Abowyer heads that I bought from Ol Man and just buffed them out with the belt and jewlers rouge. They had never been sharpened before and they will eat your lunch now.

I would not trade for that machine...

[TxAg]

Single bevel Grizzlies are the sharpest thing I've ever held. It helps that they come with an awesome factory grind so I don't have to do much "sharpening" except for knocking the burr off and then touching them up later.

[TimH]

where do you find your leather strop?

[TxAg]

where do you find your leather strop?

you could recycle an old leather belt (needs to be smooth, not tooled) or you can get scrap pieces from a Tandy Leather Supply.

[TimH]

you could recycle an old leather belt (needs to be smooth, not tooled) or you can get scrap pieces from a Tandy Leather Supply.

think i just might do that tonight as i started last night trying to get my zwickey's ultra sharp.

[jreyna920]

Check out Texas knife makers for leather wheels, I've always been able to get my single bevels sharper then double