[Scott]

I learned how to sharpen hook or crooked knives from a guy who'd learned how in prison. A lot of great carvers in Canadian prisons. 3% of Canada's population is native and 60% of the Canadian prison population is native. Go figure.

At: http://www.caribooblades.com/crookedknifesharpen.html

,
Scott

[xsailer]

I interested in your post as it opens several thoughts.
1. Learned to sharpen knives in prison?. OK?
2. Carvers in prison with knives in prison. OK?
3. 3% Canada's Native and 60% of them in prison? Reason for that ratio would be interesting.

I don't intend to be judgemental - just curious.

Your link is informative and also interesting as I'veoften wondered how to sharpen these type of knives.

[Kenny_S]

Basicly the same as a straight edge but not rotating the handle upwards.

[kitaye]

I've got a hooked knife with a very sharp angle at the tip, for carving bowls. I'll have to see if I can make this tutorial work to sharpen that blade too.

[squbrigg]

As a former federal Correctional Officer I can attest to the number of knives found in Canadian prisons. I have run across a few carvers, more painters though, one or two engravers (money plates) and a lot of knife makers (inside they were called "shives"). Some wicked blades were found inside in the strangest places. Not what you'd use for carving, unless you were carving on someone, not wood.

As for the number/ratio of Native inmates to other inmates, in my time (1974-1980) it was about the national ratio, 3%:97%. It may be higher in institutions that have a higher local population of First Nations Peoples, like Alberta and B.C., but I would think 60% would be high. They usually keep offenders in institutions closest to their family unless there is a reason to move them away.

Bob

[AlArchie]

Hmmmmm....tried to post this once before, but it got relegated to the netherworld of cyberspace somewhere. Sooooo...here goes again.

Excellent tutorial on sharpening hook knives! I'd add one more tip......get the finest ceramic stones you can find for touch up sharpenings. You can get them in flat and cylidrical styles. They will put that razor's edge on without removing significant material from your blade. No need to go back to the regular stones then unless you wind up with a nick.

Kitaye, you can fins small dimeter diamond hones in the sporting goods section of the department stores. They are made for sharpening fish hooks, and have one flattened side with a groove in it but the majority of the hone is cylindrical. Works great for small inside hooked knives. The ceramic hones also come in small diameters, or there are several available as flat stones, tapered to a knife edge on one side and a small radius onthe other.
Either will work well on those inside curves.

Al