Alaskan ulu knife

[sghoghunter]

I bought an Alaskan ulu knife a couple weeks ago and I’ve never had a knife that was ground down on only one side. It’s very sharp now but thinking ahead on how do you sharpen one like this?I've got a sharpening system that has stones that mounts on rods and keeps it at certain angles but there’s no way to put this one in the jig with the handle made like it is.

 

[kmckinnie]

Have u asked the maker. Maybe they have something.

 

[sghoghunter]

Have u asked the maker. Maybe they have something.

Haven’t done that but have done a pile of YouTube and google but nothing much yet

 

[WOODIE13]

My buddy made me one, but it wasn't just one side bevel.

Try this.

https://www.lehmans.com/product/ulu-knife-sharpener/#

 

[JustUs4All]

I stone the bevel until it raises a burr on the flat side then stone the burr off flat.

 

[Wire Nut]

The knives I use to strip wire have one side sharpened. I do the same as above. Sharpen the bevel until you get a burr on the other side then knock the burr off

 

[huntfish]

I've been using an Ulu since we lived in Alaska in 74. It's a great style.

 

[Mars]

The knives I use to strip wire have one side sharpened. I do the same as above. Sharpen the bevel until you get a burr on the other side then knock the burr off

The same for chisels and plane Irons in the woodshed.

 

[Anvil Head]

Great kitchen knife as well. A variation of the half-moon blade is used a lot in leather work called a Head Knife or round knife.
Sharpening the single bevel blade, as described above, is best done on a good flat stone. Be especially careful with the non-beveled side to keep it flat on the stone. Light stropping on an old leather belt should remove the bur and polish/hone the edge as a final step.

 

[Milkman]

We bought one with a wooden bowl that fits it while in Alaska. Perfect for chopping up almost anything

 

[treemanjohn]

I have a mezzaluna knife. It's also a similar design but with 2 handles. It really gets the job done when chopping. I use a 1in belt sander with certain fine grit first and then a leather strop belt

 

[mark-7mag]

We bought one with a wooden bowl that fits it while in Alaska. Perfect for chopping up almost anything

Same here. The bowl is a must. Did you buy it at the Ulu place by the Alaskan Railroad depot?

 

[jrickman]

I've got the one with the bowl. It doesn't hold an edge much at all, so I've been thinking about taking it out to the shop and seeing if I can put a scandi grind on it without eating away too much of the blade. Now that I have had one for a few years (after spotting it on the Life Below Zero show) I've decided that when I do eventually replace it, I'm going to either make one myself, or order a larger more traditional version in carbon steel instead of cheap stainless.

 

[fishfryer]

I've got the one with the bowl. It doesn't hold an edge much at all, so I've been thinking about taking it out to the shop and seeing if I can put a scandi grind on it without eating away too much of the blade. Now that I have had one for a few years (after spotting it on the Life Below Zero show) I've decided that when I do eventually replace it, I'm going to either make one myself, or order a larger more traditional version in carbon steel instead of cheap stainless.

There’s a lot of good information in your last sentence.

 

[oldfella1962]

I have a mezzaluna knife. It's also a similar design but with 2 handles. It really gets the job done when chopping. I use a 1in belt sander with certain fine grit first and then a leather strop belt

Mezza Luna means "half moon" in Italian so I assume the knife is shaped like that?

 

[GeorgiaGlockMan]

The knives I use to strip wire have one side sharpened. I do the same as above. Sharpen the bevel until you get a burr on the other side then knock the burr off

I'd guess this.

Same way to sharpen a chisel shaving sharp.

 

[treemanjohn]

Mezza Luna means "half moon" in Italian so I assume the knife is shaped like that?

Yes sir. You can also get a single handle or double blade version

 

[Milkman]

Mezza Luna means "half moon" in Italian so I assume the knife is shaped like that?

Picture in the OP

 

[oldfella1962]

Picture in the OP

Yes there is a picture of the Ulu knife in the OP, but not the mezza luna first mentioned in post #11.

 

[ryanh487]

I bought an Alaskan ulu knife a couple weeks ago and I’ve never had a knife that was ground down on only one side. It’s very sharp now but thinking ahead on how do you sharpen one like this?I've got a sharpening system that has stones that mounts on rods and keeps it at certain angles but there’s no way to put this one in the jig with the handle made like it is.

Just watched the episode of forged in fire where they made these the other day. Based on the info they provided, to sharpen one your work up a bur on the edged side that rolls towards the flat side then sharpen it flat on the flat side.