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    FAQ: My knife has a V-bevel -- what are my sharpening options?(Post)

    Generally speaking, there are two types of sharpening systems for V-bevel edges: freehand and guided. We'll take a look at each here, with some examples.Freehand sharpeningFreehand sharpening is the t

    FAQ: What are the advantages and disadvantages of a flat grind?(Post)

    What it is: A flat grind is a single, symmetric V-bevel -- the blade tapers from a particular height on the blade and ends at the cutting edge. A flat grind that begins at the blade's spine is call

    FAQ: What are the advantages and disadvantages of a convex grind?(Post)

    What it is: On a convex grind, the sharp edge is produced by symmetric, gently curved surfaces. Where the curvature begins (high or low on the blade) can produce a full convex, a saber convex or

    FAQ: What's the best way to clean a leather sheath?(Post)

    At the end of a hunt or a camping trip, a leather sheath is bound to be in need of cleaning. Sharpshooter Sheath Systems' Reid Hyken has produced high-quality sheaths for the likes of Bark River Knive

    The Barlow(Post)

    There may be no more distinctive slipjoint pattern than the classic Barlow. Its lineage traces back to 17th-century England, first appearing on these shores 30 years before the Revolutionary War.No ma

    FAQ: Is it ok to clean my hunting knife in a dishwasher?(Post)

    NO. Knifemakers cringe when someone asks this question. Think about it -- your home dishwasher uses heat, pressure and semi-caustic chemicals to take the food off of your dishes -- none of that

    FAQ: What's this 'FRN' handle material?(Post)

    "FRN" (fiberglass-reinforced nylon), sometimes called "GFN" (glass-filled nylon), is a high-strength plastic especially well-suited to the handles of folding knives.Specifically, FRN is a nylon pol

    Benchmade 585 Mini-Barrage(Post)

    Each of us chooses our EDC knives for different reasons -- utility, convenience, elegance, ease-of-maintenance, and so on. Usually it's a combination of factors that draws us to favor a particular bla

    FAQ: How do I choose the right sharpening tools?(Post)

    The first step is determining whether your knife's edge is a V-bevel or convex. (See the illustration.)The edge on most knives is a V-bevel (we're including the chisel grind in this category, since it

    FAQ: What knife would you recommend for the Zombie Apocalypse?(Post)

    Exactly how you prepare to meet The Undead is entirely your business. A knife, however, will be essential to your survival. We recommend that you buy the largest knife you possibly can. And t

    This week at Bark River: October 8, 2015(Post)

    In this week's visit to Bark River Knives, production honcho Jim Stewart focuses on one particular knife -- the Essential. This run is being done in CPM 20CV, one of Jim's favorite steels.We get so

    FAQ: What's a 'coffin' handle?(Post)

    A "coffin" handle is a traditional style of knife handle that resembles, in its shape, a burial coffin.Its distinctive pommel has three sides, or faces. A coffin handle tapers toward its forward end,

    How-To: Modifying a coated knife to strike a firesteel(Post)

    Modifying a coated knife to strike a firesteel A firesteel requires a sharp striker. It's possible to use your knife’s blade to make sparks fly, of course, but that can create a dull spot y

    FAQ: What's the purpose of the 'extra' hole on the handle of a Chris Reeve Sebenza?(Post)

    That's a "tooling hole," also known as a "locating hole."Chris Reeve Knives buys titanium in large sheets and cuts it into rectangles about the size of the knife's handle. During manufacturing, all ho

    FAQ: What does 'RC' or 'HRC' mean in a knife's specifications?(Post)

    Those abbreviations indicate the relative hardness of the knife's steel, as measured on the "Rockwell scale." And while we could spend a lot of time drilling into the metallurgical details of Rockwell

    This week at Bark River: September 10, 2015(Post)

    We're pleased to present the premiere of what we expect will be a regular feature here on KnivesShipFree.com -- a behind-the-scenes look at what's happening at Bark River Knives. (After all, sinc

    FAQ: What's the best way to keep my knife from rusting?(Post)

    That's an easy one: Use your knife and stop worrying about it.Seriously.Yes, all steels can rust -- even stainless steel. But if you're actually using your knife, taking it out of your pocket (or shea

    FAQ: "What is the best blade steel?"(Post)

    Question: "What is the best blade steel?" With so many aspects of a steel's performance dependent on subjective and personal preferences, this question is going to be difficult to answer fully. H

    FAQ: Which is better -- a plain edge or a serrated edge?(Post)

    Fortunately, there's an easy answer to this question:  It depends. There are lots of opinions on this subject, so it depends on whom you ask. The answer also varies depending on what a knife is

    FAQ: My sheath has a firesteel loop -- what size firesteel will fit?(Post)

    The loop on sheaths from Bark River Knives, as well as the loops found on KSF Leather sheaths, will accommodate a 3/8" firesteel. These firesteels will fit: KnivesShipFree Custom Firesteels K