Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

How to Sharpen a Ka-Bar TDI

The TDI line from Ka-Bar knives is specially designed to be carried by law enforcement as a backup to main weaponry. It has a relatively small blade affixed at an angle in a pistol-style grip, designed for easy carriage on a duty belt and quick deployment. The TDI models are made from types of steel conducive to regular sharpening methods, as opposed to Ka-Bar's specialized D2 steel that requires particular sharpening tools.

Things You'll Need

Hard sharpening stone
Soft sharpening stone
Knife clamp or sharpening guide

Instructions

- 1
  Place the dull edge of the blade into a knife clamp or sharpening guide. Because of the angled grip of a TDI, sharpening the blade while holding the knife grip can create awkward angles. Clamps and guides allow you to attain the correct sharpening angle easier.
- 2
  Use a hard or coarse sharpening stone if the knife is particularly dull. Draw your strokes in toward the blade using the correct angle. Most TDI models have a 15-degree angle; however, the Tanto TDI models have a 20-degree angle. Sharpen on both sides of the blade.
- 3
  Use a fine or soft stone for touch-up sharpening or after using the coarse stone on a dull knife. Draw your strokes in toward the knife using the correct 15- or 20-degree angle. Sharpen on both sides of the blade.
- 4
  Hold a sheet of paper vertically and lightly stroke downward on it with the knife to test the blade's sharpness. A sharp blade should cut the paper easily without crumpling it.

Other Hobbies