Dull Puma Bowie

[ronbow]

Have had a small (6 in. blade) for several years that my brother gave me. The knife is very thick and has a fast taper edge that I absolutely cannot sharpen. It cost over a hundred bucks when purchased about 10 years ago. I use my Lansky sharpening set on all my other blades wit good results but this Puma looks to have near a 45 degree edge and my Lansky only goes to 30. Can the edge be reworked to a 30 degree or less angle (can you say axe like ?). I hate to sell the thing or give it away.

[Joel]

Took me a minute to realize you're in Florida.  I can offer a couple of suggestions, I don't know how practical they'll be in your case:

The coarse stone on your Lansky would eventually change your edge bevel, but that is pretty time intensive.  You'd have to use a lot of pressure.  Be easier if you had a coarse diamond stone for it.  That would bring it down a lot quicker, and then you could switch to your other stones.

Look in the yellow pages for either knife sharpeners or knifemakers who might do it for you.  Check under Cutlery also.  Some of the bigger knife stores, if you happen to have any in your area, offer a knife sharpening service.  Just make sure that if you find someone, they are proficient.  

Last resort is to do a search on knife sharpening service on the internet.  Might get a hit that way.  I did a search, and the first one that came up might be ok.  http://www.accuratesharp.com.  Prices are reasonable enough.  Keep in mind that I'm absolutely not recommending them, since I've no experience with them.

[myronman3]

dont use the lansky on it, or try to rework the edge.   i use a kitchen steel on mine to sharpen it.  i have never let mine get dull; i wonder how yours got dull?  

anyhow, a good kitchen steel works great for sharpening them.  light strokes and be patient.   puma knives are wonderful.

  if you want,  mail it to me with enough to cover return postage, and i will sharpen and send it back to you.    the only thing is,  once it is sharp and you use it,  take a few moments to run it across a steel gently to keep it sharp and you shouldnt have a problem with it in the future.  let me know if you want my address.

[Joel]

Curious what sort of kitchen steel you use?  Never seen one yet(of the standard variety) that would Sharpen a knife.  They're good for honing, i.e. restoring a  "bent" edge.  You use a diamond or coarse ceramic to actually remove some metal?  Do NOT tell me you can restore a very dull edge with what appears to be a very steep edge geometry with an every day steel and light strokes.  If his steel is harder than your steel, then it can't SHARPEN.  I"ve tried it, and the best I can do was get something approximating sharp.  If his edge is as steep as he says, then in order to keep it reasonable sharp, and we may have different definitions of sharp....I mean shaving sharp to begin with....he'd have to constantly keep stoning/steeling it, because those edges by their nature/geometry don't hold an edge long.  Even in good steel.  Unless long in the sense of chopping wood, and it sounds like that's the sort of edge they put on that Bowie.   Not to mention most factory knives(not all) put on an edge more suitable for a collector's knife...nice small bevel.....most of which really don't cut well or long without constant maintenance.

[myronman3]

are you familiar with puma knives?  these are not display knives.  

as for how sharp,  the hair on my arm jumps up a good three inches off my arm when the blade is slide across my skin.   i have never seen a knife sharper than a puma.  they almost scare me.  

as for steels,  i have tried a bunch.  some work,  others do not.  i have two that work.   most i have tried didnt work so well.  you have to have one that is just right.  i aint going to debate it here,  but my knives edge speaks for itself.  

Do NOT tell me you can restore a very dull edge with what appears to be a very steep edge geometry with an every day steel and light strokes.

with enough strokes,  yes.

[Joel]

I owned one Puma, a "white hunter".  I dropped it on the basement floor and the blade shattered into 3 pieces.  Haven't bought one since, but hopefully they've improved their metallurgy since then.  Not arguing that a sharp knife can't stay sharp using a kitchen steel as a hone, just that an extremely dull knife that need a new edge won't get one that way. You apparently kept yours sharp from the get go.  Works that way.

[myronman3]

i had heard that some of their steel made during the 70's was very brittle.  your story of the blade breaking is not hte first i have heard.  

you are right,  i have never let my blade get too dull.  i have had other knives that i have had get dull,  but my diamond steel puts the edge back on them fairly quick.  the biggest mistake i make when sharpening is using too much pressure.  

my borhter and dad are good at using a stone,  i lost the skill somewhere along the way.   steels work great for me though.   and like you said,  not every steel will work good.  it just seems certain ones do, others dont.  

i have to go eat a turkey.... :grin:

[ronbow]

Thanks guys. As for how the knife got dull - it came out of the box not very sharp. I own a Puma General folder and it is the benchmark for sharpening all my other knives (Bucks, Cold Steel, SOG cte.). I may have dulled the Puma Bowie by incorrect sharpening. I did skin a deer once with it so it did have an acceptable edge in the past. I will get a Lansky coarse diamond stone (have med and fine diamonds) and a good cigar and some George Dickel and see what happens in a couple of hours. Thanks again.

[willysjeep134]

I look at the sharpness of the factory grind on a knife sort of like how full the gas tank is on a new car. Even if the tank is empty it won't be a deal breaker for me if I really like the car, well actually I don't buy cars that often but the analogy stands. Likewise, I wouldn't buy a lemmon just because it came with a full tank.

If your puma has bad edge geometry for your tastes, I say change it. If it were me I would take a mill bastard file and thin down the edge a little, then sharpen it exactly how I would any other knife. If the edge is too thick for your lansky to sharpen it, I would say the thing to do is change the bevel on the knife. If you leave a few file marks they could be polished out with some 800 grit wet-o-dry paper on a padded sanding block. If it is a good knife it deserves a sharp edge. Hope you have some luck with it