How to Sharpen a Convex Bushcraft Knife

Convex edges are a favorite among bushcraft enthusiasts for good reason: they’re strong, durable, and well-suited to heavy use in the outdoors. But when it comes time to sharpen them, even experienced sharpeners can feel unsure. Compared to flat bevels, convex edges look and feel different, and that can make the sharpening process seem more mysterious than it really is.

If you're a bushcraft enthusiast, there's a good chance you enjoy learning traditional skills. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how to sharpen a convex bushcraft knife using bench stones, giving you a reliable, repeatable method that works. If you want a quick method to sharpen a convex edge, sharpeners with flexible abrasive belts, like the Work Sharp Ken Onion Mk. 2 Elite, are great. 

What Is a Convex Edge?

A convex edge gradually curves from the spine or high up the knife face toward the edge, forming a smooth, rounded bevel rather than a flat plane or secondary bevel. This geometry offers a balance of strength and slicing ability, making it ideal for tasks like wood carving, batoning, and general camp use.

Unlike a Scandi grind or V-bevel, where the edge angle stays consistent across the bevel, a convex edge subtly blends angles along its surface. That means sharpening requires a slightly different approach, one that allows the blade to “rock” gently through its arc without creating flat spots or secondary edges.

[Image: Side-by-side diagram of V-edge vs. convex edge profiles, showing how the grind curves into the edge.]

What You’ll Need to Sharpen a Convex Knife

• A flat bench stone
  • Start with a coarse stone (approximately 200 - 500 grit) to speed up the process.
  • Use medium (600 - 2000 grit) and fine (3000 - 6000 grit) stones to refine the edge. 
• A stable stone holder or non-slip surface
• A light source to help check for burrs
• A leather strop with honing compound for finishing

Step-by-Step Sharpening a Convex Bushcraft Knife

1. Establish Your Starting Angle

Place the knife flat on the stone with the edge facing toward you and the spine facing away. Slowly raise the spine until the very apex of the edge makes contact with the stone. This is your sharpening angle.

If you're struggling to see when the apex of the edge makes contact with the stone you can pick an angle to start at.  Heavier duty bushcraft tasks are best done with an axe, allowing you to have a sharper, but slightly less durable, edge on your knife. This makes finer tasks like carving or food prep a lot more enjoyable. A good quality convex bushcraft knife should be able to hold a fairly low angle, something between 20 to 30 degrees, which translates to a sharpening angle of 10 -15 degrees per side, is ideal. 

You can find this by holding the knife perpendicular to the stone, as though you're going to slice down through it. This is 90 degrees. Lower the spine halfway down to the stone surface and the sharpening angle is 45 degrees, halfway again is 22.5, halfway again is 11.25, which puts you in the 10-15 degree sharpening angle range. 

If you want to know more about knife sharpening angles read our Detailed Discussion on Knife Sharpening Angles. 

To sharpen the belly and tip of the knife at the correct angle, you will need to gently raise the handle of the knife. 

During the sharpening process, try not to lift beyond your chosen angle, doing so can unintentionally steepen the edge angle which will create a micro-bevel or, if you lift even higher, roll the edge.

2. Begin Sharpening with Gentle Rocking Motions

With the correct angle in mind, begin sharpening with controlled, sweeping passes that allow the blade to rock naturally through its convex shape. Gently lower and raise the spine, focusing on not raising the edge higher than your sharpening angle.

Some people prefer to move the knife back and forth in short, arcing motions. Others prefer a slight oval or elliptical motion that feels more fluid. Either is fine, what matters is consistency and control.

• Avoid excessive pressure. Let the stone do the work.
• Avoid lifting the spine too high during the stroke.
• Check your progress often, especially near the tip and heel.
  

[Image Suggestion: Mid-sharpening photo showing a hand guiding the knife along the stone in a smooth pass.]

3. Maintain Evenness Across the Edge

As with any knife, it’s important to sharpen both sides evenly. Don’t just switch sides once you feel a burr, make sure you’ve removed roughly the same amount of steel from both sides to keep the apex centered.

If you’re comfortable using both hands, switch hands to sharpen the opposite side with the same visibility and control. If not, turn the stone or reposition yourself so you can still maintain a good view of the edge.

4. Check for a Burr

Once you've sharpened one side enough, a burr (a tiny lip of folded metal) will form on the opposite side. Use your fingertip or a light source shining down from the spine to detect the burr along the edge. A small burr is enough, no need to chase a large one.

After forming a burr, sharpen the opposite side until you feel the burr pass back over. Continue until the burr is minimized or has flipped a couple of times. Then it’s time to remove the burr (deburr).

5. Deburr with Light, Edge-Leading Strokes

To clean up the apex, use light edge-leading strokes toward you with very minimal pressure. Maintain a consistent angle throughout, there's no rocking back and forth during this stage. This helps shear off the remaining burr without rounding over the edge.

This final step is where control matters most, you’re refining the edge, not reshaping it. Very light pressure will make sure you're deburring without creating a flat secondary bevel. 

What About the Finish?

One challenge with sharpening convex edges is the finish. Because you’re working across a wide area of the bevel, you’ll likely end up with visible scratches or an uneven polish, especially if you use coarser stones. That’s normal.

You have two choices:

1. Accept the working finish, scratches and all. It’s a bushcraft knife, after all.
2. Polish the entire bevel if aesthetics matter, knowing it’s time-consuming.

How to Strop a Convex Edge

It is easy to assume that stropping a convex edge should following the same rocking motion as sharpening on bench stones. However, this can lead to over-rounding the edge, especially with repeated stropping over time. 

A better method is to strop just like a V-edge: find the angle, and make light, controlled passes on a leather strop loaded with compound. The compressibility of the leather will ensure that you maintain the convex of the bevel, and you’ll preserve sharpness and avoid creating an overly convex tip.

Field Maintenance Options

If you need to maintain your edge in the field, a handheld strop is a great tool. Hold it in your palm or brace it on a surface and use the same stropping technique: controlled, light passes at the correct angle.

If you need to repair a small chip or rolled edge in the field, use a pocket sharpener. With your fingers behind the edge of the knife run the sharpeners along the blade and away from the edge. You can sight down the blade to make sure you are matching the bevel angle.

[Image: sharpening with DMT Diafold outdoors]

Don't worry if you create a slight V-grind, it's better to just get your edge back in working order so you can get back to the task at hand, then use bench stones to re-establish the convex shape once you're back home or at basecamp.  

Sharpening a convex bushcraft knife doesn’t require special tools or complex techniques—just a solid bench stone, a steady hand, and an understanding of how convex edges work. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it’s not only doable, but rewarding.
And if you're already familiar with sharpening V-edges, the transition to convex is often smoother than you'd expect, especially since most people accidentally convex their V-edges anyway.

Ready to Try It?

We carry a wide range of sharpening stones perfect for maintaining and refining convex blades. Whether you’re starting from dull or just touching up the edge, we have the tools you need.