You can sharpen your tactical knife in a lot of excellent ways but, before you do it, there are some facts about this tool and sharpening equipment that are good to know. This could help you to get the best out of your equipment and with almost no effort at all. Almost every knife that you can buy is factory sharpened. These products usually come with a steep bevel angle that is something around approximately 25 degrees.
The intention is to keep customers happy while providing them with relatively sharp knives. The edge was meant to be acceptably sharp and retain that sharpness. However, there is more than enough room for various improvements. If you can decrease the angle of the bevel edge, you will instantly get a sharper edge. There is only one downside to that, the edge gets blunt more quickly than before, but if you want your tactical knife to be really sharp, this is the right way to do it.
Recommended Angle For Sharpness
The recommended angle for tactical knives is usually around 20 degrees. That way, you get both edge retention and sharpness at the same time. Some razors go down to 15 degrees while axes and machetes have the steepest angle, approximately 35 degrees. The sharper the edge is, the easier it is to use the knife. If you have a really sharp one, you will not have to bother when you cut through something. Instead, you will easily go through the material that you are cutting.
It is not only about the effort, but it is also about the control and precision. The sharper your knife is, the more control and precision are achieved which also helps to avoid any unnecessary cuts. So, it is always good and recommended to keep the edge as sharp as possible.
Sharp knives are always good when it comes to cooking or any kind of work that requires dexterity or skill. If you want to fillet fish, you will need the right tool to do it. It is pretty difficult to measure accurately the angles of sharpness at your home, but you will be able to achieve a great result if you just slightly reduce the factory set bevel. Most of the tutorials for sharpening would recommend just that because it gives the best results.
How To Reduce Factory Set Bevel
The best way to do it is to take the sharping stone and rock the knife edge on it. This way, you will be able to feel the angle of your current bevel. If you slightly lower the edge by locking your wrist at the exact given angle, you will sharpen your knife in the best possible way. The best combination of two different sharpening techniques is the traditional forward and backward motion and circular pattern.
The circular pattern is good for removing steel while the forward and backward motion is perfect for finishing the job. The combination of these two techniques will not only give you a great result, it also can make sure that your equipment lasts a lot longer.
Two Steps Of Sharpening
Grinding and honing are the two sharpening steps that will help you to reduce the steel and level it out. There is one more step but, it is not necessary to do it unless you want your blade to become surgically sharp. It is called the stripping stage. Going up and down a leather belt gives the best results by far, and it can help you to clear the burrs from the edge. The dullness determines the best sharpening method for sure.
The Importance Of Keeping Your Knife Sharp
The aforementioned precision and control are just some of the reasons to keep your knife sharp, but the biggest and most important reason most is safety. You do not want to cut or hurt yourself while holding a knife, so avoiding blunt edges is a smart thing to do.
Besides all that, a sharp knife is time saver because it helps you to get the job done much easier and without putting too much effort into it.
