Helped an old friend move and he gave me this. It's a good

Use a ten inch bastard cut mill file to set the initial edge. Use an axe puck to take off the burr and keep it sharp.

>>959271
https://www.machetespecialists.com/buying-guide/sharpening-your-machete/

>>959276
This. Once you get the initial edge, take the puck and work in small circles up and down the blade.

Don't do that long stroke down the edge like the bad ass guy in that one movie did, even thought it makes a cool "shhhhhhhiiiiiiiiinnk" sound.

Some 3-in-1 oil will help the sharpening and keep the edge from rusting, too.

File: Cold Steel Cutlass Machete.jpg (335KB, 2048x1536px) Image search: [Google]

335KB, 2048x1536px

>>959271
I sharpen all my machetes on a belt sander, I use 220 grit, then 600, then 1000, and then a leather stropping belt with green compound... This gives it a good polished convex.

If you want to strive for a really good convex, and don't have a belt sander, get some pads of sandpaper (240ish, 600-800ish, highest you can find like 1000-1500), put it on a big mouse pad, wet the sand paper, and sharpen on that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqYfDnEHpTQ

>>959527
Note in this video he does not wet the paper... I highly suggest doing that.

>>959271
as someone who's actually received a wound from a machete, garbage the thing. You will end up either hurting yourself or someone else bad.

>>959979
uhh as someone who was given a cheap machete at 14yo with no parental supervision- it's now 15 years later and i've literally never hurt myself with the thing. i've used it for every damn thing, even as a froe on softwoods when making blanks for spoon carving. it's still in great condition with literally no effort put into keeping it that way.

>>959271
tldr op, machetes are awesome and take a lot of abuse. i literally learned to sharpen on mine, and it's still a workhorse

>>959979
No, you're just a spaz.

>>959979
>I was hurt by a shit machete so all machetes are shit.

Is it possible to use a regular grinder on the blade, or what that be too damaging? Holding it in a vice, of course.

>>960194
The RPM of the grinder may be too fast and would likely heat up the metal of the blade and ruin the temper. It's very important not to heat up the blade at all while sharpening if you want to have an edge that lasts. That's why >>959527 recommends wetting the sandpaper, to make the sandpaper flexible and to reduce heat on the edge.

Even if the blade is in a vise it will be very difficult to maintain a consistent angle with the grinder unless you have some sort of jig.

>>959276
That.
I need to have a sharp brush blade/machete accessible in my work and this is how it's done.

>>960194
Don't do this.
It will ruin the blade.
Use a file.

Your friend gave you a 10$ walmart machete for helping him move?

What a shitty friend.

>>960465

>That's why >>959527 recommends wetting the sandpaper, to make the sandpaper flexible and to reduce heat on the edge.

The only reason you wet anything while sharpening is so the file/sandpaper grit doesn't get filled with debris.

Only way water is going to help with temperature is if you have it constantly running onto the surface.

File: IMG_20170302_151417415~01.jpg (180KB, 768x1024px) Image search: [Google]

180KB, 768x1024px

>>960578
Me again.
Change the bevel. Halve the angle. Those blades are made blunt so spazz doesn't hurt himself. The factory bevel makes you use it like an axe. See image related. This fucker is sharp enough to slice the ear off the son of a shipping magnate. All it takes is a mill bastard and a vise.

>>960920
All you used was a mill file and it was sharp enough? I started the edge with the bastard, but was considering getting an axe puck to sharpen it up.

File: tmp_27930-mill bastard 64761624.gif (4MB, 512x910px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 512x910px

>>960951
Mill bastard.
It takes a while to acquire the touch. Use a vise. Wear leather gloves. A free machete is the best machete to learn on.

>>961017
Different anon.
Damn son, that's pretty sharp.

>>960465
>>960878
Yeah I only said wet sand paper because it helps remove debris and the slurry debatably polishes a bit better.

Heat is really only a problem with motorized sharpening. When I'm using my belt sander, I have to be very careful to do fast passes and not let the edge get hotter than is comfortable to touch. And even then with really course belts with big regrinding projects, you do/can ruin the temper around the direct edge, but you can remove the affected material on higher grit belts. Either way, I only use the belt sander on cheaper more utilitarian blades like machetes.

>>959979
Dominus meus. You're a child.

>>959979
is this bait? I think this must be bait....can you direct me to the bait shop you use anon? cause there really biting.

>>959271
>whetstone
>coarse grit strop
>fine grit right near handle for fine work

just put in some effort

>>960876
The scales seem to be attached with actual screws rather than molded into the plastic for looks. Doesn't appear to be lowest tier. Prolly ok for a starter.

>>960876
Of course he provided beer and pizza too. He just threw in a few outdoor things he cant use anymore since he's moving to the city