Sharpening

General Sharpening Instructions 

Sharpening a Boye knife is seldom necessary, but when you do need to freshen up your edge, use a medium or soft Arkansas hand stone.  The softer grades will produce a sharper, and therefore better-cutting edge than a hard stone. Electric sharpeners and diamond stones will shorten the life of your blade by removing too much metal.  Be careful that you don't over-sharpen and waste the blade. Boye knives will sharpen with as little as 2 swipes and a backstroke.

 

Folding Knives

PLAIN EDGE (NON-SERRATED PORTION)

Hold the stone in one hand and the knife in the other. Hold the knife at an angle of 18-20 degrees on each side. Two 20 degree bevels equals a 40-degree edge. You may want the edge more or less than 40 degrees depending on the task. The smaller the angle, the sharper the edge, and the larger the angle, the tougher the edge. Move back and forth in a slightly circular pattern across the full length of the stone, at the desired angle. Grind evenly and press fairly hard. The more pressure and movement, the more sharpening. Sharpen until you have a serviceable cutting edge, then make one light, steep pass to remove any burr. If you wish you can then strop on cardboard, leather, or a buffing wheel.

SERRATIONS

Place the beveled side, the "Boye USA" side, on a flat whetstone at an angle of 35-40 degrees, depending on the kind of edge you want. You are cutting into the square edge of the stone at a steeper angle because you are grinding one side only. Move at an angle the full length of the portion of the edge with serrations with each stroke. The stone will ride in and out of the serrations. With good pressure they will sharpen in seconds. Don't sharpen too much!

Basic 3  

The sharpening angle guides on the base of the Basic 3 blade provide a reference. You can sharpen at a greater or lesser angle than the guides suggest depending on the edge you want for an intended use.  A steeper angle will produce a sharper edge.  A flatter angle will produce a tougher edge.