Recreational Holidays

Keeping Bowie Knives Sharp

Bowie knives are among the most versatile cutting tools ever conceived. That versatility means that they’re put to many different tasks and, quite often, that the blade takes a beating. Even the highest quality steel can only hold an edge for so long. Learning how to sharpen a Bowie knife is a basic part of owning them.

One starts by determining the angle of the blade. There are various commercial sharpening kits that have angle guides included. If one has never sharpened Bowie knives and other quality blades before, these are a good idea. The sharpening process will scour metal away from the blade at the proper angle, creating a razor-sharp edge.

Some devices allow users to hold their Bowie knife in a vertical position while they sharpen it. These devices usually have slots that hold the blade in the correct position. Some of the devices use a mechanical apparatus to grind away the metal instead of the user drawing the blade against a stone. These devices sometimes produce good results, sometimes not. There is enough variation in Bowie knife design that a device may work splendidly for one particular knife and not at all for another.

Many owners prefer to sharpen their knife by hand. This requires coordination and patience. Done improperly, it can ruin the edge on a Bowie knife as quickly as can a bad automatic sharpener. Done properly, many users argue that this manual method produces the best of all results. Some individuals simply like sharpening the blade manually as it more closely resembles the reality of how the original pioneers and fighters who used these weapons would have maintained their own blades.

Remember to always use oil when sharpening Bowie knives on a whetstone. Without this lubrication, the blade can be completely ruined. If one has no experience sharpening knives, it’s best to practice on an expendable blade before setting to work on a high-quality knife. On some Bowie knives, there’s a notch at the hilt of the blade. This is called a “Spanish notch”. Many knife owners use this as the indicator of where to begin sharpening the blade. The easiest way to keep the bevel of the blade even is to draw the knife along the stone on one side and then repeat the process on the opposite side. Alternating in exact proportion ensures an even edge on the blade.

Dylan Sabot is the owner of an online bowie knives store featuring SOG bowie knives as well as humidors for storage.