As you know this knife is Ontario's Knife Companies take on the Horace Kephart camp knife. It was introduced in 1920. As I reported in the New Knife thread the sharpening on this knife is really crude out of the box. I was using the Shaptons on it this morning. Compared the Japanese knives I have the metal 1075 carbon steel is relatively soft at about Rockwell 55. This is done on purpose to make the knife easy to sharpen in the field. I remember Grandpa Johnny using his pocket stone constantly while processing a big game carcass in the field. In sharpening this knife I noticed one thing right off. The ease of sharpening, not the 1075 carbon steel but the shape of the blade. The spear point design is real easy to move on the stone at the desired angle while maintaining full contact. I can see Kepharts experience with this design.
There is one thing I need to re-learn is getting a proper edge on a knife with a relatively soft blade. I think I used to much pressure on the GS500. I took it to the #2000 grit stone and that did the trick. Since I had it I next used the #12,000 grit. Holycow that finished it up. Unlike my King #8000 Grit soaking stone I had feedback and I could feel the blade smoothing out. Before I started to sharpen it there is a trick I learned along time ago to check the edge on a knife. I use a bench tool type utility knife and I slide the blade edge on down the blade. You can feel any roughness, and burrs as you slide if down. This OKC camp knife was quite rough. It is mirror smooth now.
There is one thing I need to re-learn is getting a proper edge on a knife with a relatively soft blade. I think I used to much pressure on the GS500. I took it to the #2000 grit stone and that did the trick. Since I had it I next used the #12,000 grit. Holycow that finished it up. Unlike my King #8000 Grit soaking stone I had feedback and I could feel the blade smoothing out. Before I started to sharpen it there is a trick I learned along time ago to check the edge on a knife. I use a bench tool type utility knife and I slide the blade edge on down the blade. You can feel any roughness, and burrs as you slide if down. This OKC camp knife was quite rough. It is mirror smooth now.
