more toothy thoughts

[grepper]

Mr. Thomas sayeth, "Sharp polished edges work nice in some materials - and bad in other magerials. Tothy edges works good in some materials - and bad in others..."

I agree.  There are times when a sharp polished edge provides a cleaner. smoother cut than a toothy edge.

What about a cleaver?  I have always thought that a polished edge is the way to go for a cleaver.  As far as I can figure, there is no benefit to a toothy edge on a cleaver.

I mention this because in my pile of knives that I got from the Salvation Army for $6.83 is an abused cleaver that I am going to sharpen.

   

So, Mr. Thomas, or anyone else for that matter, what grit would you recommend for sharpening my cleaver?  Normally, I'd go for about 1,000 - 2,000 grit and then polish the edge.  However, there is some evidence out there to suggest that a moderate amount of "tooth", say 400-600 grit may actually hold up better due to the tendency of a perfectly smooth edge to roll in large areas, even with something like a push cutting edge that also suffers impacts like a cleaver.

What do you guys think?  Any suggestions?

[Rupert Lucius]

Mr. Thomas sayeth, "Sharp polished edges work nice in some materials - and bad in other magerials. Tothy edges works good in some materials - and bad in others..."

I agree.  There are times when a sharp polished edge provides a cleaner. smoother cut than a toothy edge.

What about a cleaver?  I have always thought that a polished edge is the way to go for a cleaver.  As far as I can figure, there is no benefit to a toothy edge on a cleaver.

I mention this because in my pile of knives that I got from the Salvation Army for $6.83 is an abused cleaver that I am going to sharpen.



So, Mr. Thomas, or anyone else for that matter, what grit would you recommend for sharpening my cleaver?  Normally, I'd go for about 1,000 - 2,000 grit and then polish the edge.  However, there is some evidence out there to suggest that a moderate amount of "tooth", say 400-600 grit may actually hold up better due to the tendency of a perfectly smooth edge to roll in large areas, even with something like a push cutting edge that also suffers impacts like a cleaver.

What do you guys think?  Any suggestions?

Gepper

My sayeth will be with Thomas - what ever he comes with.

Thomas has lived in the "middle of no where" and survived for months with nothing more than his wits and hand tools.

I, do not know anyone that has more experience  living "off the land" than Thomas Lovfvenmark (EdgePal).

We are fortunate to have Thomas contributing to this Forum.

Rupert

[Edgepal]

Grepper,
I have never own a cleaver...

But what I know a cleaver is what we have named "Kitchen axe", am I correct?

So we talk about a edged tool that shall be used with force in a chopping movement, go thru meat and bone and in the end hit wood below the meat. The wood is there to stop the chop.

So, we talk about an axe that shall be able to go thruu bone - and hit wood.

To decide the edge angle I need to know what type of meat you shall chop and how big the bones are in the meat - and if the meat and bones are fresh - or frozen in some degree... There is some differance between rabbit bones and moose bones...

I also need to know what type of steel there is in your cleaver. It was old I think you wrote, good, something like the old 440 steel would be nice in a cleaver in my opinion (i do not like the modern hard steel that chips for nothing and need 40 degree edges on a knife to hold).

I my self go to my workshop for an axe, clean it - and depart what I need to depart. I also have a bandsaw in my workshop, and a sawblade I only use when I butcher meat with bones inside, it is very effective - and I have never been sick from depart meat this way.

Thomas

---

Rupert,

I need to correct you a little

Yes, I have leved in the middle of nowhere for long times, normally about 6 month at the time, and with the Sami people. Where I lived was totally wilderness in the Swedish mountains (alps). I lived in a national park named Sarek (search pictures on Google on "Sarek national park" and you can se the type of nature and mountains there is in this area.

I did not normally "lived on the land", I eat fish and reindeer meat mostly but sometimes I lived from what I could find if I went out of food. That happens some time - but not often.

One thing I learned "from the land" was to use a sort of "Bush" (not really a Bush but I do not know the word dor it). We crushed the lowest part of this bush, put it in water and let it be there for a week. Then we filter it and use only the water and drink it and it was as alcohole - but it did not give any hangover at all the biggest problem was that we must be four men to drink it. One that drink it, one that put this in to him - and two that hold he that drink it in a drinking position. This becouse it taste terrible.

Thomas