r8shell
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Most of the time I freehand, trying to keep the angle somewhere under 40 degrees inclusive, so that I can finish with a micro-bevel on the Sharpmaker.
Guardians of The Lambsfoot!
- Thread starter Jack Black
- Start date
gonebad395
Ironworker!
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Hey thanks r8shell I'm using the 40 degree on the Sharpmaker and once I get it sharp I'll put a micro bevel on it. I will just keep at it. Like said above I just might have to get to good steel.
btb01
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I haven't had trouble getting a good edge on my Guardian knife, but I ran into some difficulty with my large A.Wright lambfoot in rosewood. After some frustration with forming stubborn burrs I'd get a reasonably sharp edge, cut one thing with it, and the edge would be gone. I figured the steel was too soft, and I confess I put it away for a while. After reading so many posts and seeing the lovely pictures in this thread, I was inspired to pull it out of the drawer and give it another try. After a few more cycles of use and sharpening, it now takes and holds an edge very well.
I wonder if sometimes when a knife is hand sharpened on a belt or grinding wheel, overheating can affect the tempering of the edge. After some more sharpening, you get down to the "good meat" of the steel. It's just a theory.
r8shell, I think your theory about the edge getting a little overheated from the factory sharpening is a good one, and as you say, it can be remedied with just a little extra sharpening.
Good advice about the marker -- I do that every time I sharpen these days -- and great advice about being relaxed and patient!
I totally agree with you Rachael, Duncan and I have spoken about that very samething. I achieved maximum sharpness on mine the day I rec'd it. Now, my system consists of a Ken Onion worksharp. The visual you get with a worksharp is the shower or sometimes the lack of sparks. Sparks seem to coincide with good carbon in my experience and my spark show was excellent.
I call this picture "Lamb at Sunset"
Thank you again Jack (mrknife)
Paul, your Lambsfoot is looking good!
I'm not going to lie, the idea of the Work Sharp scares me a little. Sparks?!
I sometimes worry about removing too much metal using my coarsest DMT Dia-Sharp stone (which is a "Fine"); I'm not sure I could handle powered sharpening.
gonebad395
, I haven't sharpened my Guardians Lambsfoot yet, but I have sharpened another A. Wright Lambsfoot that took a little more time and work than I was used to. I would definitely try r8shell's suggestion about marking the edge with a Sharpie (if you don't already do that); it really gives you a good idea of what's going on.
paulhilborn
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r8shell, I think your theory about the edge getting a little overheated from the factory sharpening is a good one, and as you say, it can be remedied with just a little extra sharpening.
Good advice about the marker -- I do that every time I sharpen these days -- and great advice about being relaxed and patient!
Paul, your Lambsfoot is looking good!
I'm not going to lie, the idea of the Work Sharp scares me a little. Sparks?!
Barrett, it was a bit of an adjustment for me in the beginning. I grew up on stones so it took sometime before I made the switch and even then it wasn't 100%. It's all I use now. My concerns mirrored yours until I realized it's the way of the manufactures. Also talking with some knife makers and understanding you really don't lose much metal. Once the knife is where I want it, the maintenance from there on is done with low grit/strop like belts.
The "sparks part" was a term I heard from a knife maker referring to "good carbon" and from those conversations I have found a correlation with "high sparks" equating to good high carbon sharpening easier then "low sparks" carbon not sharpening as easy. Sorry for my lengthy reply but it was the best way I could explain it
Campbellclanman
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Jack- What can I say? THANK YOU....I wont get to see my amazing gift from you for a while because the Knife is at my North Dakota Post Masters House- But I am excited and Thrilled- everyone's Knives shown are amazing, and Shiny too Jack- although mine wont be like that for long but I am betting you will keep yours all polished up 'n all?
Its funny because I am slowly getting through my Rendezvous knives that I want to send out - so this is great timing.
I cant pm you- but check your Messages my friend.
Jack mate- Thank you so much for this- you didnt have to do this- that is get Paul one, but Thank you my friend...check your inbox my friend
Duncan
THANK YOU....I wont get to see my amazing gift from you for a while because the Knife is at my North Dakota Post Masters House- But I am excited and Thrilled- everyone's Knives shown are amazing, and Shiny too Jack- although mine wont be like that for long but I am betting you will keep yours all polished up 'n all?Its funny because I am slowly getting through my Rendezvous knives that I want to send out - so this is great timing.
I cant pm you- but check your Messages my friend.
Jack mate- Thank you so much for this- you didnt have to do this- that is get Paul one, but Thank you my friend...check your inbox my friend
Duncan
Will Power
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You are a top bloke Duncan and well merit this
How about another issue of Guardians Jack? Pretty sure there's plenty of interest, especially for a small Swayback version with 'Ratty' bolster
How about another issue of Guardians Jack?
Pretty sure there's plenty of interest, especially for a small Swayback version with 'Ratty' bolster
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Blimey, I was only away for a day, and this thread has been busy! :eek Sorry for my absence folks, I was in York yesterday
I would love to do a version of that knife at some point Christian
Very nicely put
You're definitely in my friend! Great pics
That sounds idyllic GT Thanks for all the kind words my friend, I share your thoughts on Paul's rehab Superb pics of your Guardian and its companion sheath
When I was a kid, my mother was a terrible cook, and most working-class households followed a fairly strict meals schedule whereby you would have more or less the same meal each consecutive night of the week. A lot of folks had Shepherd's Pie (made with leftover lamb) or Cottage Pie (the same, but made with leftover beef) on Monday, using the remains of their Sunday Roast, but since we never had one of those, we never had Shepherd's Pie either! At first had it at school, but it was rather grim there, but I have certainly enjoyed it more as I've got older - and cooked it myself!
Before I saw the Super Duper Horn, ram's Horn (or sheep's horn) would have been my first choice for covers. Wright's had some qualms about working with it though, based on their past experience. Like all horn it has imperfections in it, and with ram's horn this can apparently lead to a layer flaking off, which can spoil the looks of a near-finished knife. This is not so much a problem with custom knives, since they're priced a lot higher, and the handles on a fixed-blade can be replaced more quickly than on a folder, but with folders, the knife would have to be rebuilt or scrapped. It's something I'd still like to consider though, and would like to maybe get some samples of finished horn scales from the US (since nobody does them here)
I would love to do a version of that knife at some point Christian Very nicely put
Untitled by Blake Blade, on Flickr
Untitled by Blake Blade, on Flickr
Untitled by Blake Blade, on Flickr
You're definitely in my friend!
Great pics Jack, I lucked out and had an hour between classes/meetings/school visits on a sunny morning.
Congrats Paul (and Duncan)!!
(Paul, I hope your knee rehab is fast and effective.
+5K on mrknife's generosity and shenanigans!!
Thanks for your kind words, Jack; I need to do my usual new knife clean-up and conditioning this weekend to make it pocket-ready, but I've been carrying the "gift box" in my backpack all week so I can admire it!
Thanks for your congratulatory comments, Dylan, and thanks especially for crafting those exemplary pocket slips; mine is shown below!!
I share your enjoyment of Shepherd's Pie, going back nearly 50 years to my years as a college student. My classmates had little good to say about it when shepherd's pie showed up in the dorm dining halls, but I always thought it was great, even when prepared with left-over ground beef or some other "mystery meat".
Christian makes good suggestions that I'd support. But I think my favorite cover choice currently would be to have a ram's horn lambsfoot, and keep it all in the family!
Cool lambsfoot senator, Blake!!
Here's a shot of an A. Wright stag senator I won in a GAW several years ago (thanks, R.c.s.):
- GT
That sounds idyllic GT
Thanks for all the kind words my friend, I share your thoughts on Paul's rehab Superb pics of your Guardian and its companion sheath When I was a kid, my mother was a terrible cook, and most working-class households followed a fairly strict meals schedule whereby you would have more or less the same meal each consecutive night of the week. A lot of folks had Shepherd's Pie (made with leftover lamb) or Cottage Pie (the same, but made with leftover beef) on Monday, using the remains of their Sunday Roast, but since we never had one of those, we never had Shepherd's Pie either!
At first had it at school, but it was rather grim there, but I have certainly enjoyed it more as I've got older - and cooked it myself! Before I saw the Super Duper Horn, ram's Horn (or sheep's horn) would have been my first choice for covers. Wright's had some qualms about working with it though, based on their past experience. Like all horn it has imperfections in it, and with ram's horn this can apparently lead to a layer flaking off, which can spoil the looks of a near-finished knife. This is not so much a problem with custom knives, since they're priced a lot higher, and the handles on a fixed-blade can be replaced more quickly than on a folder, but with folders, the knife would have to be rebuilt or scrapped. It's something I'd still like to consider though, and would like to maybe get some samples of finished horn scales from the US (since nobody does them here)
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Sorry to hear you're having difficulties getting your knife sharp Keith. Mine arrived sharp, and mainly due to lack of time, I haven't yet sharpened it further. If I can find some time this afternoon, I'll sharpen it on my Sharpmaker and see how it is. I've sometimes had problems getting other knives as sharp as I'd like, but not any of my Wright's Lambsfoot knives. I think Chin (@Cambertree) may have had a problem with one of his though, and he made some good posts about it in this thread. Something I find particularly helpful when sharpening is a good magnifying glass or loupe (mine is 30X magnification), so you can see exactly what the edge is like. I think this is particularly true with a new hand-ground knife, where the edge angles may not be exactly even, and particularly where you're using a 'sharpen by numbers' system, since you can just end up making the edge more uneven
I haven't had trouble getting a good edge on my Guardian knife, but I ran into some difficulty with my large A.Wright lambfoot in rosewood. After some frustration with forming stubborn burrs I'd get a reasonably sharp edge, cut one thing with it, and the edge would be gone. I figured the steel was too soft, and I confess I put it away for a while. After reading so many posts and seeing the lovely pictures in this thread, I was inspired to pull it out of the drawer and give it another try. After a few more cycles of use and sharpening, it now takes and holds an edge very well.
I wonder if sometimes when a knife is hand sharpened on a belt or grinding wheel, overheating can affect the tempering of the edge. After some more sharpening, you get down to the "good meat" of the steel. It's just a theory.
I think that's a very valid theory r8shell, whether or not it applies in this case or not, it's certainly a possibility
I totally agree with you Rachael, Duncan and I have spoken about that very samething. I achieved maximum sharpness on mine the day I rec'd it. Now, my system consists of a Ken Onion worksharp. The visual you get with a worksharp is the shower or sometimes the lack of sparks. Sparks seem to coincide with good carbon in my experience and my spark show was excellent.
I call this picture "Lamb at Sunset"
Thank you again Jack (mrknife)
Beautiful photo Paul, and interesting to read about your experiences with the Ken Onion Worksharp
you are most welcome Paul, Im here to say mine is in the display case!!!
Mine too
I find I have days where I'm just not in the right frame of mind, and am not getting great results, so now I tend to just set things aside and come back to a knife another time.I also try to remember to sharpen when sober!
Hope you get it good Keith, but check your edge if you can, it could save you a lot of work
Jack- What can I say?
Its funny because I am slowly getting through my Rendezvous knives that I want to send out - so this is great timing.
I cant pm you- but check your Messages my friend.
Jack mate- Thank you so much for this- you didnt have to do this- that is get Paul one, but Thank you my friend...check your inbox my friend
Duncan
We need to have a whip-round to get Jack a Gold Membership!
You are a top bloke Duncan and well merit this
How about another issue of Guardians Jack?
I'm a glutton for punishment Will!
(Make sure you're on my email list!
)
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I have been worrying a lot about the issue of horn shrinking over time. I think the climate here (even in my centrally-heated house) must be OK, because all my horn-handled knives, even the ones I've had for some years are OK. I had an old horn-handled walking cane with me yesterday, and noted that the silver ferrule still fits perfectly around the horn, even after more than 120 years! The same is true of another cane I have, which is 30 years older
The same is true of another cane I have, which is 30 years older 
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Jack- What can I say?
Its funny because I am slowly getting through my Rendezvous knives that I want to send out - so this is great timing.
I cant pm you- but check your Messages my friend.
Jack mate- Thank you so much for this- you didnt have to do this- that is get Paul one, but Thank you my friend...check your inbox my friend
Duncan
my pleasure Duncan. mine is likely to stay new and neat as it sits with the other lambsfoots of similar size in the display case. Im sure Paul will send it out on the next go around! Msg received, and email sent.
You guys gotta thank Charlie, he was the first one to email me to find Jack Black
r8shell
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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I find I have days where I'm just not in the right frame of mind, and am not getting great results, so now I tend to just set things aside and come back to a knife another time.
I also try to remember to sharpen when sober!
For any project that requires patience, learning to just set it aside for a bit can be key. I often meet a friend at a local restaurant/bar (you might call it a pub) and we will pull out some stones and sharpen our pocketknives. Sometimes the kitchen staff will comp a meal in exchange for a sharpening, or other patrons will buy us a beer. There's a point of diminishing returns after a few pints.
I'm going to attempt to make a Mulligatawny soup today, and am trying to decide whether to use my lambfoot in the kitchen. On the one hand, it's a great opportunity to take some 'in use' photos. On the other, I'm in danger of losing that 'real lamb foot' etch. What to do...?
A great Sunday to all the Guardians!
Last edited:
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For any project that requires patience, learning to just set it aside for a bit can be key. I often meet a friend at a local restaurant/bar (you might call it a pub) and we will pull out some stones and sharpen our pocketknives. Sometimes the kitchen staff will comp a meal in exchange for a sharpening, or other patrons will buy us a beer. There's a point of diminishing returns after a few pints.
I'm going to attempt to make a Mulligatawny soup today, and am trying to decide whether to use my lambfoot in the kitchen. On the one hand, it's a great opportunity to take some 'in use' photos. On the other, I'm in danger of losing that 'real lamb foot' etch. What to do...?
A great Sunday to all the Guardians!
That's what I find with my writing too r8shell
What a great way to spend an afternoon I once did a sharpening session on my mate's tool stall in the market, but I didn't get any pints I should have chosen the venue better! Mulligatawny soup sounds like a fabulous idea It's been dull and overcast here all week, but inevitably, having decided to do some sharpening in the kitchen, the sun came out so strong that I had to cram myself into a corner to avoid being blinded!
I think I'm going to give this a few more passes on the fine 'stones', and dry strop it a little, but it seems to have done OK on the Sharpmaker 
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I find the Lambsfoot among the easiest blade shape to sharpen Jack (no belly to think about!
) As long as the edge doesn't get nicked or anything, I think they're even easier to sharpen over time, once you get the bevels just the way you like them, it's very easy to maintain a good edge. I've not used Crock Sticks, but don't see why they wouldn't work fine. Stones, ceramics, and strops seem to work OK, as does sandpaper and a mouse-pad apparently, something I keep meaning to give a try. It sounds like Paul is a fan of the KO Worksharp Sometimes, if I'm feeling lazy, and halfway through cooking, I'll just run mine up and down a steel or a fine ceramic rod a few times
r8shell
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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I find the Lambsfoot among the easiest blade shape to sharpen Jack (no belly to think about!
I agree with Jack, Jack.
A straight edge in simple carbon steel is one of the easier things to sharpen, so just use whatever you're comfortable with. The only thing I'd advise watching out for is not to round the tip pulling it off the round crock sticks. One of the biggest advantages to the Sharpmaker rods is having the flat sides to end with.
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It's been dull and overcast here all week, but inevitably, having decided to do some sharpening in the kitchen, the sun came out so strong that I had to cram myself into a corner to avoid being blinded!
And, of course, as soon as I decided to take some pics, the light changed completely!
There might still be a few strays, but think I rounded up most of them
I agree with Jack, Jack.
Good advice r8shell
black mamba
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Ooooh, Jack, quite the stunning display! Who made the 2nd from the bottom on the left column, the butterscotch cream?
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Thanks Jack
That's one of Arthur Wright & Son's larger pattern, in a special grade of buffalo horn 
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And, of course, as soon as I decided to take some pics, the light changed completely!
There might still be a few strays, but think I rounded up most of them
View attachment 788983
View attachment 788984
View attachment 788985
Good advice r8shell
thanks! ill be careful of that. one of mine is a user, the larger buffalo horn
black mamba
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Wow, Jack, just WOW!