Sharp and ready

Sharpened and ready: I used the stone in my right hand and hold the knife in the left. You do not need a fixed device with practice.

03.08.2019

This is going to be an article I was going to use on my other page so here we go………

The Hunter Pro model is pretty crazy sharp from the get go. I really enjoy this large folding knife made by the Victorinox Company. In a way I have become so used to Swiss quality that I well.. I am spoiled a bit….I got several Hunter Pro knives in my collection and also two for use. In many ways you can just forget hard steel on this knife. It is 55-56 HRC , pretty much 55,5 HRC to be 100%, by the Victorinox information I received. The edge durability is high and it is a high quality tool for Hunters. The information I received from professionals is very good. The complete design and edge is ready to go the moment you open the box. The steel is a high quality one and this is why I wanted to write some about maintenance with the sharpening. This large lockback folding knife made in Switzerland can be used for some utility tasks besides the hunting sphere. Because of the incredible ergonomics and comfort I discovered that is a very good safety knife in the outdoors. So how is it to maintain?

Because it is only a one blade folding knife it is easy to clean. If you are used to cleaning SAKs then this is easier. Many times it is nice to just touch the edge up in between use so it will be longer between full sharpening. You can correct the edge with many things………..I have become very used to using a diamond coated device by hand. I have sharpened so many times that I do not need a fixed angle or device. This is an advantage because all you have to do is bring one diamond coated rod/device/stone with two sides. One coarse and one fine will do the trick nicely. Most of the times it is the diamond coated fine side that is used to touch it up, polish and having it prepared.

The steel used on the Hunter Pro is very easy to sharpen and it reacts momentarily to the fine side stones. In the outdoors you could manage with one a fine diamond stone. That is an advantage I would say.

To keep it short you find the angle on the edge and follow it by using circular motion with medium pressure. In between you do it lengthwise and crosswise if I could say so. You finish up by doing the same thing with the light pressure. I like to finish up by using super light pressure like you would shave small flakes off the diamond surface. Not everyone would agree but that works for me always. I managed to get it a hair sharper than the original edge so now it is wicked ready.  You can polish the edge so it will become like a mirror. It is not necessary.

In between I use a toothbrush on the diamond surface. It will need soap and water now because I have used it much for many things.

I have also another page with maintenance on the Hunter Pro to the left in my lineup.

older picture

13:03

Saber grind.

The design on the blade is what many call a saber grind with a secondary edge angle. The steel bites in wood but is not the best performer on such material because of the design. It is not bad by any means, it really bites into it.

In time with sharpening you may have to get it professionally sharpened because as you go up on the blade the edge angle will increase, if you just follow the edge. Many will experience by doing hand sharpening that you get an edge that is more convex in design. It is possible with some experience and practice to get a flat edge.

Back to the increased edge angle and how to avoid that: If you are aware about it you can put on a new edge by moving a bit further up and thereby remove metal and get the same edge angle as the original one or the preferred you want. This steel will probably be able to have a few different edge angles. The secondary edge angle if we can call it so gives much substance behind the edge and makes it sturdy. This is not a steel type that chips easy. Another method is that each time you do a sharpening that starts with the coarse side of the stone you move just a hair upwards and not following the edge completely. It is a bit more time consuming. This I learned from the traditional SAKs. If you do this you will “meet” the edge at one point and there you are, home and free!

original edge

15:05

Since it was mentioned that this is an excellent safety knife

The Hunter Pro polyamide is the workhorse in this category. I got the Silver Alox Edition and it is just incredible. It is not as good with ergonomics as the polyamide, this is obvious. It is into the hand-bliss sphere this knife. The handle got a surface that is rubbery and very slip resistant. The design of the handle and this material is top notch. The blade is very easy to open with one hand and also very sturdy. This is a robust large lockback folder that I consider to be very good for safety. Especially in a pouch placed so it is easy to reach. The alox edition got a lanyard possibility and perhaps it will happen on this too?  I have no impulses saying this, maybe worth wishing for…..

The edge bites into materials like leather, belts and rope like a champ.

15:30

I do not recommend removing the secondary edge. I believe it is best to follow my guide above, this means when the time comes you just move up a bit or just go a hair at the time when each maintenance round is done, that starts with the coarse edge.

If you look on the factory edge on the Hunter Pro models you can see some small variables on the edge line. I follow it and you can if you want the line to be the same all the way also correct this because in time this is unavoidable.

16:10

In my page and text above today I talk about X1/X2 that you see on the picture. At first when sharpening this is no subject. You just follow the edge for many times. At one point or another you must to avoid getting a larger edge angle remove some metal. This means you start at X2. You will meet the edge at one point and then you have a new start that you can follow for many times or you can go just a hair up each time you use the coarse side. Way into the future the second stage begins because or if you do not want the X1 to become shorter and shorter then you must lift this up as well, see T2. Usually knives are never used beyond stage one in its lifetime (use-time). Good luck!

17:24

Last today i would like to continue some about the sharpening, secondary-edge, grind and pressure.

At one point or another you will meet the grind or edge and for me it about having approximately the same angle all the way into the future. Perhaps this is easier on traditional SAKs because I have done it several times and it is not the same design either. To remove some metal goes for the same anyhow. There is much freedom in the Saber Grind used on the Hunter Pro because depending on your philosophy you can adjust T2 or X1/X2. This means you will get a different surface on X1. For me it fun and interesting anyway and another example on how Swiss knives continue my education. I just follow the edge for now. As I see it by adjusting X1/X2 you will meet the saber ground blade to become a zero-ground saber grind. As the edge is now I would not remove the secondary edge because from my research on other knives from the world such a design can give substance and strength to the edge. That said it will become a larger edge angle in time and at one point or another something must be done.

Pressure

My knowledge is that one should never use hard pressure when sharpening. The diamond coated sharpening devices today is a real blessing and the coarse sides will remove metal easy. I noticed when sharpening this knife that it is good steel. It is difficult to describe but it is a feeling I get in the hand.

07.08.2019

Hunter Pro Silver Alox

It is a beautiful knife and Victorinox says it is the same steel and process used on the blade.