[1911srule]

I've had this thing since the mid 80's and never used it as it the only knife I own that will not get razor sharp. Does anyone have one, if so what is the secret to sharpen this? Been using stones of various grades with no real success.

 

[svgheartland]

Maybe like a bar of soap, it hardened over time.......

I had one of those classics back in the day. I can't remember having an issue with getting the right edge other than it took a 6 pack to get there.

 

[Bar99]

OP, could you provide a little more information? What are you sharpening it on? How proficient are you at sharpening, what kind of steel is it? How is the blade ground? Flat? Hollow? Convex? I'm not an expert at sharpening but there are people on this forum who know alot more than I do and they can help with more info....

 

[ghost tracker]

Talk with AzQkr, he's the Mac DADDY of sharpening things (skins squirrels with a beach-ball). IMHO, that Buck has never had the original correct bevel to begin with. And correcting it is noTORIOUSLY difficult. I'd start with the diamond rods in a Spyerco Sharpmaker to set the bevel, then work down thru the stones & ceramic rods until it suits you. Good news? Once it's done (correctly) a quick-lick or two will then easily...keep it there. :yup:

Good Luck & let us know!

 

[wmhawth]

I have had my Buck 110 for about 30 years. I use Arkansas soapstone and a leather strop. You have to work at it but once sharpened the old Buck holds that edge pretty well.

 

[Wasp]

I find that once you lose a factory grind it is hard to sharpen. I can sharpen pretty well, but unless you are really good at putting on a new grind it will probably remain difficult to sharpen. I still have a Spyderco which has a grind that is shot, it's sharp...as long as I don't try to cut anything. Lol

 

[Stetson]

I still have my buck knife and it's about 25 years old .When I sharpen it I start out with the most aggressive stone I have and work my way up and it takes a nice edge.

 

[QKShooter]

I have heard other people say that particular Buck knife is difficult to get a good razor sharp edge on.

Not sure WHY it would be different than other knives but, it gives some folks a really hard time.

 

[ccw9mm]

A discussion over on BladeForums: Why are the old Buck 110/112 blades so hard to sharpen?

 

[forester58]

I have had the same 110 since 1973. First knife I ever bought. I keep it sharp with a diamond paddle. The key is once you get an edge is to keep it sharp. I took another down to the Buck factory just south of me here and they put the factory edge back and it was pretty cheap. They still do that if you send it in.
Buck did some amazing things with 440C stainless due to their superior heat treatment. Somewhere in the 80's the steel was 425M. The newer knives are 420HC stainless.

 

[wsquared]

If you're having issues sharpening a knife, one (or both) of two things is probably true:

#1. Your stone isn't able to cut the steel effectively.

#2. Your stone is removing metal, but from the wrong part of the blade - if the blade has been sharpened quite a bit over the years, you may need to thin the blade in order to put a new secondary bevel on it. This may or may not be something that you want to tackle yourself - and it may be something that you want to practice on a blade that you don't mind causing some damage to, because you may need to learn some of this stuff the hard way.

Start by drawing on the side of the edge of the blade with a sharpie, and then sharpen it for 5-10 strokes. Take a look and see where the sharpie is worn off - that's where your stone is removing metal. If it's removing metal right at the edge, great - you have the right angle. If it's not removing the sharpie right at the edge, you don't have the right angle (or you may need to thin the blade in order to allow you to use the correct angle).

 

[Madcap_Magician]

I have had the same 110 since 1973. First knife I ever bought. I keep it sharp with a diamond paddle. The key is once you get an edge is to keep it sharp. I took another down to the Buck factory just south of me here and they put the factory edge back and it was pretty cheap. They still do that if you send it in.
Buck did some amazing things with 440C stainless due to their superior heat treatment. Somewhere in the 80's the steel was 425M. The newer knives are 420HC stainless.

This is true. If you let it get really bad, it's really hard to correct with just stones, and may be worth sending it back to the factory to have them put the edge back on with a belt grinder. Then just do more preventive care on your stones.

 

[flphotog]

A little more info would be helpful, I don't think steel hardens with age but I'm not a metallurgist. It's more than possible that "in the good ol' days" they actually used better/harder steel than they do today. There are a lot or sharpening methods and not all are good for all purposes or all steels.

 

[michael t]

I gave up on my Buck 110 years ago . Got rid of it and went to Gerber back when they were still American made 1970's. Least I could sharpen it . From that moved to my original Bailsong 154 CM steel Wee Hawk blade made in LA. 1 at a time to order. Long before Pacific then Benchmade were around .

 

[con42]

I CBW but I believe Buck used a different % of angle on their factory sharpened edges and if not on that angle when sharping it becomes a losing project.

 

[1911srule]

OP, could you provide a little more information? What are you sharpening it on? How proficient are you at sharpening, what kind of steel is it? How is the blade ground? Flat? Hollow? Convex? I'm not an expert at sharpening but there are people on this forum who know alot more than I do and they can help with more info....

Hollow ground. Been using various stones with less than mediocre results. I have several good quality blades that never have had any issues. You could shave hair with another Buck I own. Googled the problem and only found others came to the same conclusion. I have not tried a diamond type sharpener. But maybe 6 different stones(new). It was fine from factory which lasted "one deer".From then on...frustration. Anything whether gun or knife that had to go back to the factory and not be fixed by me...I just sell. Yeah I know, but thats how I am..

*I appreciate all feedback THANK YOU guys..

 

[1911srule]

I still have my buck knife and it's about 25 years old .When I sharpen it I start out with the most aggressive stone I have and work my way up and it takes a nice edge.

Done this, and no joy on this knife.

 

[1911srule]

I CBW but I believe Buck used a different % of angle on their factory sharpened edges and if not on that angle when sharping it becomes a losing project.

That might just be the problem! I sharpen all my knifes the same, with calibrated eyeballs..

 

[ghost tracker]

I use my eyes too, yet necessarily augmented by a jeweler's loop and a Spyderco Sharpmaker. :blink:

 

[Sidearm]

Start by drawing on the side of the edge of the blade with a sharpie, and then sharpen it for 5-10 strokes. Take a look and see where the sharpie is worn off - that's where your stone is removing metal. If it's removing metal right at the edge, great - you have the right angle. If it's not removing the sharpie right at the edge, you don't have the right angle (or you may need to thin the blade in order to allow you to use the correct angle).

^This.