I give up, for now. I've tried everything I know and a lot of what you guys have told me, but I can't get these Zwickey Black Diamonds sharp. I always prided myself on being able to put a good edge on my knives, and when I shot Grizzlies, they were shaving sharp. I don't know what else to do with the Zwickeys. I've used files, steels, hard stones, soft stones, leather, cardboard, and every combination of these imagineable. I shouldn't have to go out and buy a $100 sharpener to put an edge on these. Bow season starts in two days, so I guess I'll just shoot some Thunderheads that I've got put back. I'll give it another try on the Zwickeys later, but for now I'm really put out with them.
D.A.
D.A.
I feel your pain, I've been sharpening impaired most of my life. When others could shave hair I could cut butter.
Give Ron at KME a call and he'll talk you through getting them beyond shaving.
He is the sharpening guru. Heck I think he could sharpen a beachball so you could shave with it.
800-561-4339
Mike
Thats a bummer bud. If you would like Send them to me and I will try to sharpen them and send them back ASAP. I have had good luck sharpening my No Mercy Double Bevels and have always done well except with those Single bevel No Mercey's. I am going to try those Grizzlys one day so maybe if I can't get them you could help me. PM me if you are interested bud.
A three stone Lansky will make short work of them, or any two blade for that matter. You have to keep a consistent angle, and the Lansky does that.
I do what Apex does. The Lansky does short work of them and are scary sharp. KME would do the same thing. I got my Lanksy for $20 off a certain online auction site basically new.
That's what I got the Lansky.
Second the advice to talk to Ron at KME; both he and his system are the best.
talk to Ron
No doubt that Ron at KME can help. I've also used True-angle file and hone blocks for Zwikeys for ages. Need to take a little metal off on the triple thickness tip so the bevel there conforms with the bevel on the rest of the blade before you start. The convex blades are a bit more difficult to sharpen than the straight sided heads.I expect your difficulty lies in pressing too hard on the file, i.e.,taking off too much metal, as you near the final sharpening stages. Light stroke on one side. Turn it over, light stroke on the other. Keep doing this until you get one edge very sharp. Then work on the other edge. Good luck.
Orion makes a good point about pressing too hard, I used to have no problems with sharpening knives but broaheads drove me crazy util I learned to lighten up and let the stone or file do the work, broadhead steel is usually softer than knife blade steel. if you push too hard you just roll the edge over.
D.A.,
If you'll give me a call this evening I'll see if I can help you get the Zwickys sharp using the files/stones you have. Should only take a few minutes.
Ron
Thanks Ron. I'll try to call you when I get home, if it's not too late. I'm an hour behind you.
D.A.