Useless Conversation

[Oban]

I have some shit that a weed wacker isn't going to deal with and I'm not in the mood to go a-renting.

Hydrogen peroxide is great for removing blood stains.

[Yegolev]

Speaking of hand tools... best method for sharpening a machete?  I have some shit that a weed wacker isn't going to deal with and I'm not in the mood to go a-renting.

The same thing that you use for smaller knives - a whetstone.

Yeah, almost lost the end of my thumb that way.  Guess I just need to find one with a handle.  Or one of those fancy chainmail gloves.

Hydrogen peroxide is great for removing blood stains.

Yes.  Yes it is.  It's like a miracle cleaner.

[bhodi]

Yeah, almost lost the end of my thumb that way.  Guess I just need to find one with a handle.  Or one of those fancy chainmail gloves.

What? How? If you're right handed, hold the blade with the edge on the right side in your left hand, on your right knee (if it's big enough).

Wet the stone using either oil or water and drag it down the blade from handle to tip.

While doing so, you move the stone to the right, not the left. To put it another way, if you have a square stone, the contact point should start in the lower right corner of the stone and move to the upper left as you move along the blade. Then, you can de-burr the blade with leather or a softer material if you have it.

Doing it this way, there's no chance of taking a thumb off except on the reset since you are never sharpening towards the edge from the front of the blade.

Do not start at the tip, do not 'cut' towards the stone. Not only is it unsafe, but it's also the wrong technique unless you also use a backstroke to remove the burrs at the same time (like this advanced technique.

WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG

The best way is on a grinder, but you probably don't have one of those. You can see which way the wheel is spinning, though. Sharpening knives edge first ends up wearing the knife and can cause pits and an uneven edge unless you're very good.

You CAN use edge first on a honing steel, but again, this is just to remove the burrs that were created previously.

[Sky]

I wouldn't hone in the direction she does, either  It might be an accepted technique, but I've had 'blade away' ingrained into me forever.

I need a new stone, mine is ancient and cheap (small). Works great, but I want something that's not so small so I can use it more efficiently.

[Oban]

In Toronto there are these guys that drive around ringing a bell offering to sharpen blades.

I have never seen this anywhere else in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7DKHlxU2j4

[Yegolev]

Good information, bhodi.  What I should have posted was:

DERP DERP I NEEDZ 2 SHARPIN ME BIG NIFE AND NOT LUZE ME FINGERZ DERP DERP

I had considered a grinder, but $$$, so it's a stone for me.

[bhodi]

I am very sure if you walk up to a knife store like chesapeake knife and tool, or any sort of metal shop, or any hunting store, or even google for knife sharpener, you can find someone with a grinder who will sharpen your blade for $10 or $20.

You might also search for a place that sharpens lawn mower blades; those are quite a bit more common than a machete but have to be sharpened the exact same way.

Or, taking a cue from Oban, craigslist. I'm sure you won't meet anyone creepy.

[Yegolev]

No, that's all stupid shit.  I'm going to get me a stone and give it a whirl.

Unless I get bored with this and take it to someone with a grinder.

[Cyrrex]

I saw a store in our local mall yesterday that has samurai swords on the cheap (since we are talking about machetes and sharpening them).  I really love those things.  I would have bought one, but my wife would shit her pants in rage.

[Sky]

You get what you pay for. I was at one of those traveling tool sales on saturday, they had 'samurai swords', 3 for $30, in a rack! I got a good chuckle out of imagining the sorry-ass samurai who would use such crap.

[Cyrrex]

Heh, well, they weren't quite that cheap, but yeah.  Mostly I just love to look at the things, it's not like I'm planning on going out and getting all stabby.  Generally.

[bhodi]

Of course it's silly because our computer-controlled precision mixing process and the last 10 years of metallurgy technology lets us now get steel that is incredibly lightweight, flexible, and strong. We can now cast steel that's stronger than the katanas ever were, if we ever wanted to. Mixing it precisely with trace compounds like tungsten and other exotic elements nets us a blade that samurai could only dream about.

[Cyrrex]

We could, but then they wouldn't be sold for 10 bucks each.

[bhodi]

True, but you CAN get ones created that way that are used for practice cutting and such. They cost a bit more than $10, of course.

[Sky]

I shoulda taken a picture. A samurai would've been disgraced even trying to commit seppuku with one of these jobbies. I doubt it could hold enough edge to do the job, anyway.

[Oban]

Is it just me, or are all of the gawker sites down?

...awesome, just turned my vpn on and I have a route to the hosts again.

[schild]

Is it just me, or are all of the gawker sites down?

...awesome, just turned my vpn on and I have a route to the hosts again.

You're not missing anything.

[Lantyssa]

You get what you pay for. I was at one of those traveling tool sales on saturday, they had 'samurai swords', 3 for $30, in a rack! I got a good chuckle out of imagining the sorry-ass samurai who would use such crap.

You only have to distract the other Saturday Samurai long enough to take his good sword.  Just like those MMO swordsmen trade up their blades by wacking foozles.  Gotta start somewhere.

[Yegolev]

I suggest kiting the other samurai.

[FatuousTwat]

Wet the stone using either oil or water and drag it down the blade from handle to tip.

I'd like to mention that it isn't advisable to use oil on a wetstone or water on an oilstone. Read the instructions!

Also, regarding "real" swords, check out coldsteel. I bought a folding knife from them a few years ago, and they sent me a dvd of them testing the swords and other stuff out (they also made things like poleaxes and warhammers), it's pretty crazy.

Don't know why you would want to buy a sword in the first place, but whatever.

[Oban]

Don't know why you would want to buy a sword in the first place, but whatever.

Beats a gun during the coming zombiepocalypse.

[FatuousTwat]

Then I would buy a machete, it seems like it would be more durable.

Maybe a bat with some nails through it... Or would that be too tiring to swing? I'm not really an expert heh.

[Der Helm]

check out coldsteel

[FatuousTwat]

Oh great. Like I said, I bought it a few years ago, I didn't realize the guy was a nut.

[Yegolev]

Then I would buy a machete, it seems like it would be more durable.

Maybe a bat with some nails through it... Or would that be too tiring to swing? I'm not really an expert heh.

There's an instruction manual.

EDIT: Today I learned that Georgians are once again required to have insurance cards in their cars.  Ask me how!

[Oban]

I bet it involves someone calling you sir.

[Engels]

no, its in the event of soviet invasion. Georgia's insurance premiums shot through the roof too, I bet.

[Sky]

If I had disposable income, I'd like to give a lot of it to these guys: http://www.windlass.com/ and also these guys: http://www.museumreplicas.com/museumreplicas/

[Oban]

I just got a call from Citibank, they wanted your contact information so they could thank you for providing me with the link to the museum replicas.

[Sky]

I'm so glad our RenFaire is during the blazing summer, humid and 90s. Otherwise, I'd be broke(r) every summer buying up garb.

The new owners lifted the ban on weapons!

[rattran]

Museum Replicas/Atlanta Cutlery makes some nice things, and a boatload of trash.

As for sharpening knives/machetes/swords a decent grinding wheel is not too expensive. For occasional use, the cheap riyobi 6" and 8" Home Depot carries are just fine. I keep on in each booth for light use each year, and just use the JRM monster I have at home. I think the last riyobi I bought even had a little jig for doing lawnmower blades.

[MrHat]

This thread is about 4 posts from becoming:

http://ask.metafilter.com/7921/

[Oban]

Anyone know where I can rent a Lincoln Town Car with unlimited mileage using cash instead of a credit card?

[Engels]

Anyone know where I can rent a Lincoln Town Car with unlimited mileage using cash instead of a credit card?

the mob?

[Ironwood]

You know, people who aren't your boss yet think they are should be lightly killed.

That's all I'm saying.