LAST EDITED ON Mar-29-12 AT 12:35PM (MST)[p]You guys with hard to sharpen knives. If you have a powered belt sander it is easy if you follow some simple rules. You will need several new sanding belts. 100 grit, 220 grit, 400, 600-800 grit.
Start with 100 grit to establish a 20 degree angle on both side until you get a burr edge. Use light pressure to prevent overheating and becareful at the tip that you do not remove too much metal due to heavy pressure.
Work you way up to the 600 or 800 grit and sand both sides until you get that burr edge. You should be able to see and feel the burr edge. On my knives I use 6 different belts all the way to a 1200 grit before I polish the burr off with a well used crotus belt loaded with Jackson white polish compound for a edge that is as sharp as a straight razor, but stronger due to the convex edge I get from a slack belt on the grinder.
Use a strip of leather with polishing compound to remove the burr edge and you should be able to shave with it. I believe there is several videos on using a belt sander to sharpen on Youtube that you can watch. Just be careful and watch one that the guy appears to know what he is doing. using fresh belts and light pressure should not produce excessive heat on the blade.
Your big problem will be keeping a consistant angle while free hand grinding. So go slow and remove equal amounts of metal from both sides of the blade.
If you are scared to risk your knife, send it to Eel and he will fix you up for a fee that I will get a kickback on.
RELH
P.S. If your knife has a semi-sharp edge to it, start with the 220 grit belt instead of the 100 grit. I start with 100 grit due to it being a new knife without any angle and 30 thousand thick.
After you get it sharp and it starts to dull down the line, you should be able to touch it up by starting with a 400 or 600 grit and this way you are not removing too much metal everytime you resharpen.
