Freshwater Fishing Test Help

[theangler]

[size 2]Hello All,
We are working with a script for running fishing quizzes and need your help to test it. Please reply to this thread with "General Freshwater Questions and Answers" you think would be a good quiz question.[/size]
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[fish_a_holic]

Q. Is a largemouth bass really in the bass family?

A. No, it's a member of the sunfish family.
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[marcoman]

The coho salmon was introduced from Pacific waters to the great lakes. So you can ask if it is a native species or something to that effect.
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[davetclown]

in my teachings, large mouth, small mouth are part of the black bass family wich is under the pan fish (sunfish)family of which blue gills crappie and rock bass are part of. there is the spotted bass of the eastern central appliation mountains are also part of the black bass family along with a few others.

so the best question to ask if you wanted blue gill to be the answer and black bass being the question of relationship would be.
[ul] [li]What fish is the Large Mouth Bass most closely related to...[/li][/ul]

A) Perch
B) Pike
C) Blue Gill
D) Trout
E) None of the above
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[davetclown]

Coho Salmon of the great lakes is a good one to ask questions about,
[ol] [li]Where is the place of origin of the Coho Salmon?[/li] [li]How long till hatchlings return to thier place of origin to spawn?[/li] [li]What do mature Coho feed upon in the great lakes?[/li] [li]What is the avarage size of a great lakes coho?[/li] [li]What is the avarage lenth of a great lakes coho?[/li] [li]What year was Coho introduces in to the great lakes regeon?[/li] [li]What is the creel limit for coho in the state of michigan?[/li][/ol]
answers... [indent] [ul] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Length:11 to 26 inches [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Weight:2 to 8 pounds [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Coloring: steel-blue to slightly green on back; bright silver on sides; white underside [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Common Names:coho, silver salmon, sea trout, blueback[/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Found in Lakes:Stocked in Michigan, Huron, Ontario, Erie and Superior [/size][/font][/li][/ul][/indent] [font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Initial hopes for a revived Great Lakes sport fishery rode on the sleek muscular back of the coho salmon. Commonly called "silver salmon," this Pacific import has been planted in lakes Michigan and Superior annually since 1966 and is now an integral part of the lake's "put-and-take" sport fishing industry. [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4][/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Mature cohos gorge themselves on alewives, smelt, and other forage fish. In Lake Michigan, cohos attain an average weight of five to six pounds but often top out at 10 pounds or more. In Lake Superior, where forage fish are less abundant, cohos average only two to four pounds. [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4][/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Though smaller, coho salmon are spawning successfully in most Lake Superior tributaries and thus have developed some limited but self-sustaining populations. There is some concern that this aggressive fish might disrupt the spawning of other valued species, such as brook, brown and rainbow trout. [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Coho salmon ordinarily return in their third year to the streams where they were planted to spawn and die. They reproduce naturally in many streams on the eastern side of Lake Michigan, but their general population must be sustained with hatchery-reared fish. Continual stocking has helped to improve the lake's predator-prey balance and given satisfaction to thousands of sport fishermen as well.[/size][/font]
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[davetclown]

Question?

How many cast dose it take to catch a musky?

answer...

10,000 Hence the name, fish of 10,000 cast.[cool]
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[davetclown]

Question?

Alewives
[ol] [li]When were they planted in the great lakes regeon?[/li] [li]Why do Alewives have sudon die offs?[/li] [li]typical lenth of an Alewife?[/li] [li]typical weight of an alewife?[/li] [li]do alewives migrate?[/li] [li]is alwives a sport fish of the great lakes?[/li] [li]what is the life span of an alewife?[/li][/ol]
answers....
[ul] [li]Length: 6 inches [li]Weight: 4 ounces [li]Coloring: silvery with blue or blue-green metallic luster on back [li]Common Names: mulhaden, grey herring, golden shad, seth, skipjack [li]Found in Lakes: Michigan, Huron and Ontario (uncommon in Superior and Erie) [/li][/ul]
The alewife first arrived in Lake Superior in 1954. But tremendous numbers of these small, silvery ocean fish never developed in Lake Superior like they did in Lakes Michigan and Huron. Perhaps Superior's waters are too cold, or perhaps enough predator fish survived the sea lamprey invasion there to keep the alewife population in check.

Nonetheless, scattered populations of alewives still spawn in Lake Superior's bays and nearshore waters during the early summer. By fall, they disappear to the central depths of the lake, where they spend the winter feeding on zooplankton before migrating shoreward again in late spring.
After sea lampreys had eliminated most of Lake Michigan's large predator fish, the population of alewives exploded throughout Lake

Michigan. During the early summer, these small fish spawn in harbors and nearshore waters, disappearing by late fall to feed off the bottom in the central depths of the lake. They migrate shoreward again in mid-March and April, completing the yearly cycle.

Alewives swim in dense schools and have been the major prey of the Lake Michigan's trout and salmon. At the same time alewives have exerted overwhelming pressures on lake herring, whitefish, chubs, and perch -- species that compete with alewives for the plankton and other small aquatic organisms that make up the diet of these fish.

There are several factors involved in the recent alewife die-off and the apparently large numbers that are washing up on the beaches. These factors are origin and life history of the fish, population abundance, and weather.

Origin
The alewife is native to the Atlantic Coast; alewives entered the Great Lakes through the Welland Canal and made their way to Lake Michigan by 1949.

Alewives are not well adapted to the osmotic stress associated with life in fresh water. Freshwater fish must constantly 'pump' water out of their bodies; fish that are well adapted to a freshwater environment have larger kidneys than their saltwater counterparts. Because of this physiological stress, alewives are rather sensitive to disturbances in their Great Lakes environment.

Life History
Alewives spend most of the year in the deeper waters of the open lake, but come into near shore waters in the summer when they are ready to spawn. Alewives begin to spawn when the water temperatures reach about 55-60* F. In their native habitat alewives are anadromous, swimming upstream to spawn in the spring. In the Great Lakes, the fish congregate near the outlets of rivers or streams or near harbors that occur at the outlet of a river. Generally, alewives begin reproducing at about two years of age. Alewives do not necessarily die after they spawn, but when the fish move from the deeper water to near shore areas they are exposed to fluctuating temperatures. A severe change in water temperature, such as can occur with upwelling, can cause the fish to die.
So, we see there are two underlying factors that relate to alewife mortality in the spring: their fragile condition due to poor osmotic balance and being exposed to environmental changes when they enter near shore waters to spawn. This year, two other factors are involved: age and abundance.

Abundance
The spawning run of 1995 produced a strong year class of alewives. In addition to being abundant, these fish were robust, larger than fish produced in other years. These fish are now four years old, getting towards the end of their life. The spawn of 1998 produced a strong year class as well, however, these fish, though numerous, were not as robust. Though these were relatively strong year classes, the population is not considered to be 'over abundant' and the numbers of alewife in the lake are much lower than they were in the 1960's.

Weather
As these two strong year classes, and other smaller year classes moved from the deeper waters to near shore areas this spring, they were exposed to temperature fluctuations. These fluctuations probably contributed to the die off and the large numbers of dead fish that subsequently washed upon the beach. The graphs below (see end of story) illustrate the daily high and low Lake Michigan surface water temperatures from areas near Port Washington and Sturgeon Bay.

Notice that the water temperature generally increased through June, but that on at least two occasions, there was a sharp drop in temperature with a 24-hour period, probably related to upwelling events. The effect of this temperature change on the alewives would likely have been most profound in the latter part of the month, around the 19th or 20th. By this time, the water temperature had reached about 55*F and the fish had probably begun to spawn. As indicated by the mid-lake buoy, wind direction in the two days preceding the temperature drop, was predominantly south, southwest. For about two days after the upwelling event, the wind was from as easterly direction. Fish that became weak or died during the rapid temperature change would have been blown into windrows close to shore or washed onto the beaches.

Thus, in addition to the normal, die-off of alewives, this year we had large two relatively abundant year classes, one of older fish and one with small, weaker fish near shore during an upwelling event. The upwelling of cold water occurring during the spawning season probably weakened or killed many of these fragile, saltwater-adapted fish. East winds following the upwelling event contributed to the large numbers of fish accumulating on the shoreline. The number of fish washing up on the beaches should begin to diminish as water temperatures rise, spawning ends, and the fish move out to deeper water.
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[davetclown]

Definition questions

What is?

Adipose Fin[/url]
Rayless fin on the midline of the fish's back, between the dorsal and caudal fins.

Anadromous[/url]
Ascending rivers from the sea for breeding.

Anal Fin[/url]
The fin on the underside of a fish, nearest to the tail.

Annulus[/url]
Ringlike markings on the scales (or spines and vertebrae) of a fish that are used to determine age.

Anterior[/url]
Placed on or near the head or front of an animal, the opposite of posterior.

Barbel[/url]
A slender, flexible projection near the mouth of certain fish. It is used for smell and taste.

Body Depth[/url]
The measurement of a fish from top to bottom (backbone to belly).

Branchiostegal Rays[/url]
The bones that support the gill membranes.

Carnivorous[/url]
Feeding on animal tissue.

Caudal Fin[/url]
The tail fin.

Caudal Peduncle[/url]
The part of a fish's body located between the anal fin and the beginning of the caudal fin.

Cleithrum[/url]
The large bone that extends from the base of the pectoral fin and forms the posterior edge of the gill chamber. This bone is used to determine the age of some fish (for example, muskies and northern pike) because each year the fish's body adds a new layer of bone.

Crustaceans[/url]
A group of mostly aquatic animals that have an exterior skeleton and antennae; some
examples of crustaceans include shrimps, lobsters, crabs, and water fleas.

Dorsal[/url]
Placed on or near the back of an animal, especially on the backbone. It is the opposite
of ventral.


Dorsal Fin [/url]
The fin or fins on the top (dorsal) side of a fish. Some fish (like trout) have only one
dorsal fin. Others (like sculpin) have two dorsal fins.

Food Chain [/url]
An arrangement of organisms in an ecosystem whereby the “bottom” level of
organisms are eaten by the next higher level, which themselves are eaten by the next
higher level, and so on.

Fry[/url]
Newly-hatched young fish.

Gill Cover[/url]
The bones of the fish's head that cover the gills.


Gill Filaments[/url]
The threadlike structures connected to the gill arches, used for respiration.


Gill Rakers[/url]
Comblike projections that extend from the gill arches.


Hypural Notch [/url]
The place on a fish's body between where its backbone ends and its tail begins.

Lateral Line [/url]
A row of pores on the side of a fish's body that open into tubes containing organs that
are sensitive to low vibrations.

Lateral Line Canal System[/url]
A pressure- and sound-sensitive tubular system found in most fish. It consists of the pored openings on the head and lateral line.

Length, Standard [/url]
The total length of a fish from head to tail, not including the tail.

Length, Total [/url]
The total length of a fish from head to tail, including the tail. Measurements are usually
given in total length, unless stated otherwise.

Mandible[/url]
The lower jaw.

Mandibular Pores[/url]
Small sensory openings on the underside of the lower jaw (mandible).

Maxillary[/url]
The upper jaw (especially the lateral bones).

Opercle (or Operculum[/url])
The large bone that serves as the covering of the gills of a fish.

Opercular Membrane[/url]
The thin membrane along the posterior edge of the gill cover.

Origin[/url]
The point at which the part of the fin nearest the head meets the fish's body.

Otolith[/url]
An ear stone (or calcareous concretion) in the inner ear of a bony fish. Each year, a new concretion (layer of bone) is added, which can be used to measure age.

Pectoral Fins[/url]
Fins located directly behind the head of the fish. They come in pairs.

Pelvic Fin[/url]
A set of fins on the underside (belly) of a fish that are usually placed between the
pectoral fins and anal fin.

Posterior[/url]
Placed near or on the tail or end of an animal, opposite of anterior.

Rays[/url]
Flexible supports for a fin.

Scales[/url]
Small, flat plates that fit together to form the external body covering of a fish.

Sensory Pores[/url]
The tubular openings found in the lateral line canal system.

Spawn[/url]
To produce or deposit eggs; as a noun, spawn refers to the eggs of aquatic animals like
fish or amphibians.

Stocking[/url]
Adding fish to a body of water, such as a lake, pond, or stream.

Sucking Disk[/url]
The extended mough region (usually armed with rasping teeth) of an adult lamprey.

Swim Bladder[/url]
A sac containing gas and air, present in the upper part of the body cavity, that aids in creating buoyancy and in the respiration of some fishes. (Also called an "air bladder.")

Tributary[/url]
A stream or river that flows into a larger stream or river or into a lake.

Upwelling[/url]
The process by which colder, deeper water is brought to the surface.

Ventral[/url]
Placed near or on the belly or lower surface of an animal, opposite of dorsal.

Vermiculations[/url]
Wormlike irregular or wavy lines
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[davetclown]

is this enough questions and answers or do you need more? I can keep going...

and yes my neices and nephews hated when I helped with thier homework.[shocked] they say, unkle you give way to much information....[sly]

my reply was that may be, but your average studant will go the extra mile just incase, I expect better than that from you...
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[marcoman]

Just don't make any spelling errors when asking about sucking disk!
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[duke-i]

Dave, The more info you give the smarter I get. Keep it coming.

I tryed to get something like this going on the wisconsin board, I found out the more teckinal you get the less anyone wants to partisapate. Simpil at first, then get fancy.
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[theangler]

AWESOME GUYS! Keep'em coming if you can!
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[marcoman]

The most popular sportfish in America is _____ ? (Largemouth Bass)
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[marcoman]

Where would you find the Suwannee Bass? Suwannee and Ochlockonee River drainages in Florida

What is the Suwanee Bass world record? 3 pounds, 14 ounces (Source - IGFA)

What is the world record for the Red Eye Bass? 8 pounds, 12 ounces (Source - IGFA)

What is the world record for the Large Mouth Bass? 22 pounds, 4 ounces (Source - IGFA)

What is the world record for the Smallmouth Bass? 10 pounds, 14 ounces (Source - IGFA)

What is the world record for the Kentucky Bass? 10 pounds, 4 ounces (Source - IGFA)

(I guess you could put any fish in here. I stuck to Bass since they are my favs!)

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[tubeN2]

What is the difference between Anadromous and Tetradromous???
Which one of the 2 spends more time in the Saltwater?

Just some food for thought. [cool]
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[davetclown]

[ol][li]When was Atlantic Salmon introduced to the great lakes?[/li] [li]What is the avarage lenth of a great lakes atlantic salmon?[/li] [li]what is the average weight of a Great lake atlantic salmon?[/li] [li]What Great lake dose the atlantic salmon found?[/li] [li]What age dose the Great lake atlantic salmon return to spawn?[/li] [li]How long dose a Great lake atlantic salmon live?[/li] [li]What age dose a Great lake atlantic salmon leave the river and move in to the lake?[/li] [li]what it the habitat of the Great lake atlantic salmon?[/li] [li]What dose the atlantic salmon eat?[/li] [li]what lures do Great lake atlantic salmon hit on?[/li] [li]do any of the great lake samon spawn more than once?[/li][/ol]
Answers
[ul] [li][size 4]Length: 26 inches [/size] [li][size 4]Weight: 4 pounds [/size] [li][size 4]Coloring: brown, green or blue on top; silvery on sides, and silvery white below [/size] [li][size 4]Common Names: Kennebec salmon, sebago, sebago salmon, grilse, kelt[/size] [li][size 4]Found in Lakes: Stocked in Ontario[/size] [/li][/ul]
The Atlantic salmon has been honored throughout history. The Gauls and Romans prized its many qualities, and Britain's Magna Carta even granted it rights of protection.

Despite its venerable past, this valuable sport and commercial fish has not readily adapted to the upper Great Lakes, though they were once native to Lake Ontario. After more than 100 years of trying, Canada and the U.S. have yet to establish these ocean-going salmon in the fresh waters of any of the Great Lakes.

In recent years, Michigan has planted a new freshwater strain of Atlantic salmon in Lakes Michigan and Huron. These "Gullspang" Atlantic salmon come from the freshwater lakes of Sweden, where they have been landlocked since the Ice Ages. Michigan and Wisconsin have at times experimented with a strain of Atlantic salmon that spawns in the rivers of Quebec province, and Minnesota continues to stock this species.

From these stocking programs, Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes now have small populations of Atlantic salmon. However, the success in reintroducing the fish has not been noteworthy, and Michigan is the only state that continues to stock it.
Though most Atlantic salmon spawn in fresh water and then spend most of their life in the ocean, some also lived their entire lives in Lake Ontario up until the 1900s. For over 100 years, Canada and the United States tried to establish self-sustaining populations of Atlantic salmon in the upper Great Lakes, but with only minimal success.

After the parasitic sea lamprey was brought under control, Michigan planted a new freshwater strain of Atlantic salmon in Lakes Michigan and Superior. These "Gullspang" Atlantic salmon came from Sweden, where they have been landlocked since the Ice Ages. For a few years in the 1970s, Michigan and Wisconsin also planted a strain of oceangoing Atlantic salmon in Lake Superior from stocks that spawned in the rivers of the province of Quebec. In the 1980s, Minnesota alone continued to plant Atlantic salmon in the headwater Great Lake, while Michigan today plants these fish only in Lake Michigan.

Though Atlantic salmon may spawn two or three times during their lives, self-propagating stocks have not yet developed. But fisheries scientists still hope that some experimental strain of Atlantic salmon will be found that has the genetic makeup to survive and reproduce in the Great Lakes.

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Identifying characteristics: (Non-Native Fish)

Two dorsal fins including one adipose fin, narrow pointed with four to six small teeth, dark pectoral fins, forked tail, nine rays in anal fin.
Atlantic salmon are known throughout the world to be an exciting sport fish. This native of the North Atlantic Ocean was introduced to the Great Lakes in 1972 when Michigan planted some 20,000 young Atlantic salmon in the Boyne and AuSable Rivers. Two strains have been planted to date, including a strain from Sweden that has been landlocked for thousands of years.

Lake-run adults enter their parent streams to spawn, and each river or stream has a characteristic time when this happens. The female chooses a gravel-bottomed riffle above or below a pool, and there she digs a nest, or redd. As she lays her eggs in this depression the male simultaneously releases sperm. Then the female pushes gravel back over the eggs. When spawning is finished the adults may rest in the river for a time and then return to the lake, or the male may remain in the river all winter. Some Atlantic salmon live to spawn more than once.

Eggs hatch the following spring, usually in April, but the newly hatched young don’t emerge from their gravel nest until May or June. At that stage of their development, they stay in the stream’s fast water, eating and growing for two or three years until they are about six inches long. Then they move downriver to the lake, where they grow rapidly, often to a weight of three to six pounds in one year. Some return to their spawning grounds after this first year: others wait an extra year, growing to a weight of 6-15 pounds. The average adult lake-run Atlantic salmon weighs 8-10 pounds.

In the spring, Atlantics prefer the upper, warmer layers of the lake near shore, but in summer they retreat to deeper, cooler water. Then as fall approaches they again come shoreward as they head toward their spawning stream and the cycle repeats.
Salmon in the lake eat crustaceans, but especially seek out smelt, alewives, and any other available fish meal. While on their spawning run they do not feed, but will often strike aggressively at artificial flies. Young Atlantic salmon are prime food for eels, northern pike, other trout, and birds such as mergansers and kingfishers.

Atlantic salmon in the Great Lakes are caught using the trolling methods for chinook and coho fishing.
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[davetclown]

[size 1]how do you properly sharpen a fishing knife? [/size]
[size 1]how important is it to have a sharp knife?[/size]
[size 1]what is the proper angle of the blade?[/size]
[size 1]what to look for when selecting a blade?[/size]
[size 1]how to set up a bench grinder for blade shaprening?[/size]
[size 1]how to test the blade to see if it is sharp?[/size]
[size 1]how to stroke a honing steel or ceramic hone?[/size]
[size 1]how to sharpen serrated edge?[/size]
[size 1]what about gimic knife sharpeners, are they any good? [/size]
[size 1]
[size 2]If you find you cannot keep an edge on your knife check to make sure you have selected the proper blade transition angle for the job you are asking the cutting edge to do. If you still can’t keep it sharp … promote it to a tail knife, fish head and gully knife, box knife, or give it to someone you don't like. Don’t fight it … get rid of it. [/size]

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answer.
[ul] [li]selecting a sharpening system[/li] [li][font "Arial"]Blade Shapes and Angles of a sharp cutting edge[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]Diagram: Angles of a cutting edge[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]Diagram: TA for different uses[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]Keeping the Angles Constant[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]Diagram: Controlling the angles (Letting your finger/thumb be the guides)[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]Sharpening Special Edges[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]Determining when the edge is sharp[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]FINISHING AND TESTING THE EDGE:[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]Diagram: Testing the edge[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]"THE STEEL"[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]Have enough tools[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]Safety[/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"]SUMMARY[/font][font "Arial"]
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A sharp knife is a wonderful tool and a point of pride. However,sharpening a knife can be a tough skill for many to learn. Inthis article I will share with you keys to having a sharp necropsy knife.



KEY POINT: SELECTING A SHARPENING SYSTEM.
[/li][/ul][/size] [left]SHARPENING ABRASIVES: [/left] [left]While aluminum oxide is the most common sharpening abrasive available and come in course (~100 grit), medium (~ “300” grit), fine (~ “600” grit), and extra-fine (~ “1200” grit). Most knives can be sharpened nicely with any abrasive finer than “300” grit (medium or fine). Some grits and texture (coarseness) labels listed on stones/hones will seem to contradict each other. I have seen stones labeled 180-fine that seemed to me to be very smooth, much smoother than I would expect from a “180” grit. If in doubt, buy the hone with the texture label (not the grit) that matches your needs. [/left] [left][/left] [left]Arkansas (hard - black) and Ceramic hones usually fall in the Fine and Ex-fine categories. Diamond embedded abrasives are excellent (expensive and worth every penny) and come in all grits (Available from EZE-LAP, 800-843-4815 or Diamond Machining Technology (DMT) from Marlborough, MA). [/left] [left][/left] [left]The best manual abrasives are flat, wide (>2”) and long (>8”). These combined with an angle guide (see below) will give you a great edge. The divantage is the time it takes to manually sharpen a knife. I think it makes little difference whether you use a straight forward stroke, straight pulling stroke or circular motion against the abrasive. The surface area of the abrasive in relationship to the blade will influence this more than whether one motion is better than the other. Angle consistency (achieved when using an angle guide) is much more important.[/left] [left][/left] [left]There are a number of round rod sharpeners available. The Ultimate Edge is the best and Gerber's Pocket Sharpener is the worst round rod sharpeners I have found. Three problems exist with round rod sharpeners: 1st, the grit is typically too course; 2nd, the angle used tends to be inconsistent between and within strokes; 3rd, obtuse stroke angles. Course grit and obtuse, inconsistent stroke angles will wreck your blade. I love ceramic rods (Alumina in a ceramic bonding agent kilned to 3,000 degrees F for 72 hours) for fine tuning a good edge. These really are not sharpeners, they are more like steels. Most are very fine textured. Even though veterinarians don't have the time to devote to properly using a manual abrasive for sharpening their necropsy knives, they should always have a ceramic rod close by for keeping an edge tuned up. [/left] [left][/left] [left]There are a few excellent manual knife sharpening systems (system equals abrasive plus angle guide). These include DMT, LS Lansky, Gatco Edgemate and Blademaster Sharpening Systems. All of these systems have a clamp to hold your knife and a series of abrasive grits. The blade clamps on both units have a series of guide holes on either side of the clamp. The guide holes serve as angle guides (10 to 30 degrees) for a rod attached to the abrasive. Most systems are available with diamond abrasive. The cost will vary from $25 (stone) to $65 (diamond) and are available at most sporting good stores. The DMT system sells for about $40 and comes with a medium and fine abrasive. If you already have an excellent whetstone, you can purchase an angle guide, such as the “Edge Guide", from Razor Edge Systems or the “Roledge” from Benchmark (Cabela’s# HF61260-900). A 1/4” spring paper clip attached to the back side of the blade also works. More about using a paper clip that later.[/left]




[font "Arial Narrow"]My favorite is to use my thumb and or finger resting against the back of the knife blade and the hone. More details later . . . [/font][font "Arial Narrow"][/font]

Most abrasives don't need lubrication. If you use one, I think water is best. I avoid using oil; it adds nothing to sharpening and may speed edge deterioration. Oil on a stone will prevent “slick spots” from developing. Slick spots are caused by grit building up on the stone. Modern abrasives don't need oil. Abrasives need to be cleaned after each use. Water is the best cleaner I have found.

Avoid “magic” sharpening devices. Most of these will give the illusion of sharpness by breaking out microscopic pieces in the blade edge. These nicks in the knife blade's cutting edge give the edge a serrated pattern … the knife seem sharper for a few cutting stokes, but repeated use will wreck a blade. Maybe An Exception: Tungsten “V” metal cutting blades are almost magic ... literally cutting an edge onto the knife blade. These are either two tungsten blades mounted in a “V” or tungsten wheels aligned so that a “V” is formed between the two blades. Most of these will put a reasonable edge on a soft to medium hard (Rockwell < 65) metal blade fast and they do not require much work or skill. Smith’s Jiff Sharp and Edge Craft Diamond Manual Sharpener are good inexpensive (~$10 to $20) models, but the best of these devices is the “Meyer Sharpen-It”, Meyerco Mft., Dallas, TX that sells for about $30. It has three tungsten wheels for shaping the edge and three ceramic wheels for honing the edge.

ALL MANUAL SYSTEMS ARE SLOW: This is especially true if the reflection (relief) angle is thick [font "Arial"][size 2](see:[#000000] Sharpening Angles[/#000000] below)[/size][/font]. Unless sharpening a knife is a hobby, find an abrasive with a motor.[/url]

MY FAVORITE ABRASIVES: I love a mechanical (low RPM, half speed motorized) means of sharpening knives. THEY SAVE TIME AND MOST HAVE ANGLE GUIDES. I have been asked about how fast a mechanical system will “use up” a blade, grinding it down to nothing… I don't believe you will "USE UP" a blade any faster than a manual system unless you are over grinding the blade.

The best inexpensive motorized sharpeners I have found are the $40 wet stone sharpeners available from a number of hardware stores. These units have a real wet-stone, that turns just over 1,000 RPMs. All have a variable angle guide (see below) that will let you work all three angles of a blade's cutting edge. The $80 “Chef Choice” (model 110), diamond three wheel sharpener are also good (use a soft touch). The Reliant Wet/Dry Sharpener (#dd68) @ $100, Woodtek Water Cooled Sharpener @ $90, Makita Blade Sharpener @ $90, Firestone 1902-W @ $70 and Delta’s 23-700 or 23-710 @ ~ $150 to $160 are all exceptional sharpeners for the money. Tormek’s Super Grinder 2000 is the finest in this category, but sells for about $400. For the money, the Chef Choice 110 is the fastest and the Delta 23-710 is the most versatile.
The $40 WEN Sportsman's Edge (#2910), 110 or 12 volt sharpening unit is almost “magic". It will put a sharp cutting edge on a blade quicker than any unit I have tested. It will only put one angle on the edge (the principle Cutting Angle), and that angle is not very smooth, but your knife will cut. The biggest problem is the loss of the reflection (relief) angle (see: Sharpening Angles below). As the blade is worn off the cutting edge gets thicker, and a thicker cutting edge is harder to sharpen, plus it requires more force to be applied to the cutting target.

The wet-stone sharpeners work well. It they take practice and more time to put an edge on a knife. But they work great if you follow the Sharpening Angles discussed below. One note: The angle guide for this unit is not as steep as I believe it should be (lowest setting is 15 degrees). I tape a 1/8 inch metal strip on the angle guide for the Reflection (Relief) Angle (RA) and a 1/16 inch metal strip on the angle guide for the Transition Angle (TA). I use the lowest setting (15 degrees) for the Cutting Angle (CA) … (the first 1/16” of the edge).

Another option is “Abrasive (Silicon Carbide) Coated Cardboard Sharpening Wheels” (ACCSW) attached to a small housing (Black & Decker #9704) bench grinder. They work well on small blades, but are not very durable. You will need to resurface the course wheel after sharpening about 10 knives … this can be annoying … you spend as much time resurfacing the wheel as you do sharpening knife blades. Because the ACCSW are attached to a high RPM bench grinder the knife blade can over heat and loose temper loss … not a real problem unless you work the edge too fast. A bench grinder spins from top forward to the bottom that is awkward for sharpening knives. I remove the wheel covers and work from the back or turn the base 180 degrees allowing me to work against an upward spin. These systems only cost about $25, but may not be worth that.

As an interlude (sharpening trivia); A pinch of Silicon Carbide or Aluminum Oxide also works great as a loose dressing for a rigid (glued to a piece of wood) oiled heavy (9 to 12 oz) leather strop. Strops provide more fine-tuning than most people want for their kitchen knives but a great for the sharpening hobbyist.
Don't forget the value of a file. Files don’t work on harden metal, but on the soft metal of an ax, they work great. A “NEW” flat bastard or mill file will make most axes work ready. A cross cut design will last longer but does not create as smooth an edge. Keep your files clean and dry. I oil my files after each use with WD40. Quick tip for edges that take a pounding ... a short thick reflection will make the edge more durable.
[font "Arial"]Building a Knife Sharpener: [/font][font "Arial"][/font]

[font "Arial"][size 2]I have seen a Black and Decker (#9704) bench grinder fitted with a 6x1 inch flap sanding wheel (Superior Abrasives 513-278-9123) and a 6x1 inch buffing compound coated felt wheel (Yerges Mft 419-332-9905) It works great as a knife sharpener, but has two problems. Its 3600 RPMs will heat the blade rapidly and the direction of the spin requires working the blade from the back side of the bench grinder or reversing the base of the grinder. Building this conversion is described at the end of this article. [/size][/font][font "Arial"][/font][font "Arial"][size 2]

[/size][/font][#000000]Adapting a Bench Grinder for Knives[/#000000]




KEY POINT: BLADE SHAPES AND ANGLES OF A SHARP CUTTING EDGE.

Blade and Edge Shapes:

Basic blade shapes: Most boning knives have “FLAT” ground blades. Some “Flat” ground blades are advertised as “High Relief", meaning the blade has been ground thinner from the cutting edge to the top of the blade. A few have Hollow ground/Concave blades.
Hollow/Concave blades are easy to sharpen, but the cutting edge is fragile. Double Angle/Modified “V” provides very durable blade support and are great for tough cutting. This typically the kind of edge produced by motorized sharpeners. Convex edges seem as durable as a double angle, and if not abused seems to hold a fine cutting edge longer than double angle. A flap sander sharpener produces a convex cutting edge. The single sharp edge is the best edge for hard coated blades (titanium carbonitride). Hard coating blades will increase the hardness by 30 to 50 (50-100 claimed) percent. To take advantage of the coating hardness only one edge should be sharpened and the coating must extend to the cutting edge. Serrated edges are typically only sharpened on one edge (more later)

Quick note on sharpening a [u]serrated edge:[/u] Sharpening only one edge can also be used on serrated edges. You can use a flap sander ONLY on one edge and a felt hone on both edges. Eventually you will loose the serrations ... so what. DMT also make a "fine", cone shaped diamond file for serrated edges ... "use it (their file) or loose it". It costs about $20. Like all manual systems ... it takes too long PLUS I haven't figured out how to rig up an angle guide ... BIG PROBLEM. Presently I use my thumb resting against the knife blade back and slide it up or down the coned file.

ANGLES OF A SHARP CUTTING EDGE: The “Double Angle” Cutting Edge: This is the cutting edge produced by systems which use edge guides. There are three important angles. The Reflection (Relief) Angle (RA), begins at the junction between the blade and the first part of the sharpened portion, generally it is considered the thickness of the first 1/4” to 1/2” of the blade. The RA thickness at the blade junction is about 10 t0 20% the length of the remaining sharpened surface (SS). This is a the RA:SS ratio, (1:5 to 1:10).

The Transition Angle (TA) (the transition between the reflection and the cutting edge, about 1/16” from cutting edge) and the Cutting Angle (CA) (the cutting edge). Hollow Ground blades have the RA curved inward.



Diagram: Angles of a cutting edge.


Work the following angles in order: 1st the Reflection (Relief) Angle (RA) is about 10 to 15 degrees from the perpendicular (if the RA is correct the next two angles are much easier to work), 2nd the Transition Angle (TA) is about 15 to 20 degrees from the perpendicular, and last the Cutting Angle (CA) is about 20 to 25 degrees (CA usually 5 degrees greater than TA) from the perpendicular. These angle values are only guidelines.

Which Edge Shape Do You Need? A very fine, smooth as silk, cutting edge can be produced if you decrease the angles by an additional 5 to 10 degrees, (hollow ground blades often have very acute angles) but durability is lost. Convex edges blend the junction between all three angles in a smooth curved surface. Lots of my work requires the blade to be exposed to tough cutting. The “Double Angle” edge described above is the most durable of the three blade shapes. When an edge is damaged (bent) it can often be fixed, but only with a light touch on a smooth-steel. Severely damaged edges require reworking on an abrasive.
There is not a perfect angle for a cutting edge … only knives with a cutting edge angle not suitable for the job you want to do.

Remember, always work the TA to the angle you want and set the CA about 5 degrees greater (improves durability) than TA. The steeper the angles the easier it is for the edge to be damaged. Ultra fine cutting may require a thinner (steep) TA (10 to 15 degrees). Hollow ground blades seem fragile, but they are easy to sharpen. A general purpose TA for meat would be 15 to 20 degrees. Tough use knives need a TA of 25 to 30 degrees. I like my ax set with a thick TA (35 to 40 degrees). The TA on my ax is very short (the opposite of hollow ground). I think (not sure, just think) this improves the durability of the cutting edge … It needs to be tough, I cut a lot of bone with my ax. These thicker angles do not affect the sharpness. My ax will shave … in fact I love my 40 oz, 17 inch “boys” ax. I replace the wooden handle with a fiberglass handle. The Eswing Camper’s ax is great, a little light but will last forever.

Diagram: TA for different uses.


It is very important that each of the sharpening angles (RA, TA and CA) be kept constant while working on the edge associated with the angle (RA, TA, or CA). To accomplish this, an angle guide is a great aid. Most mechanical sharpeners have angle guides built into their design. USE THEM. It is very difficult to achieve the proper angles on blades longer than 4 inches without using an angle guide.

For blades shorter than 4 inches, your finger and thumb can serve as angle guides. Depending on the side of the blade you are working, place the finger or thumb on the back of the blade and KEEP IT THERE. Let the finger or thumb rest on the abrasive. This will form the “Angle Guide”. Just replace the knife in the imprint formed on the finger print side of your finger or thumb. It works better if you count strokes or motions and use the same stroke count on each side of the blade. You will have to adjust the direction of your motion to work the entire length of the blade. I usually will work each side 100 strokes before turning the blade over. I assure you if you keep your finger or thumb in a knife blade back for 100 strokes you will be able to see and feel where the blade back was located.


Diagram: Letting your finger/thumb be the guides.








SHARPENING SPECIAL EDGES:


Single angle cutting edges such as those found on hard coated (titanium carbonitride) blades found on some Buck knives and all serrated edged present a special problem. In both situations only one edge should be sharpened. The angle for single edge sharpened blades should be the same as for the combined angles of blades honed on both sides of the blade … for example; a "fine" or "slicing" edge TA for a single angle cutting edge should be 30 to 40 degrees (see "Transition Angle" diagram).

HARD COATED BLADES: On a hard coated, straight edge knife work the cutting edge on the abrasive as you would other straight edge blades … BUT JUST SHARPEN ONE EDGE. This will leave the hard coating from the non-honed side as the cutting edge. The toughness of the hard coating should allow the cutting edge to last longer.



SERRATED EDGES (A note about the physics of how a serrated blade cuts): Serrations do two things. First, they increase the cutting or slicing angle of the portion of the cutting edge in contact with the cutting target as the blade is drawn across a surface. Second, fewer cutting edges is in contact with the cutting target for the pressure applied. Combined these two physical changes in the cutting motion are similar to creating lots of "stabbing" cuts applied uniformly across a cutting target.

Serrated edges should be sharpened with a fine to extra fine grit (600 to 1200) abrasive file. DMT makes a slightly cone shaped honing file for serrated edges that cost approximately $20. Maintaining the desired angle may seem tough … BUT is no different than any other blade. I have found the easiest technique to place your thumb on the backside of the blade and rest the edge of your thumb on the file. Next evaluate the section of the file that fits the serration to be sharpened. Rest your thumb and the blade on the file so that the deepest part of the serration touches the file. Pulling the blade back up the file toward the handle will produce a consistent convex edge on the individual scalloped cutting surface. This technique is repeated on each major scallop. Many serrated edges have "V" shaped serrations between the major scalloped serrations … I generally ignore these or reshape them into rounded scallops.





A second, less desired technique for sharpening a serrated edge is to hone the single sharpened edge on a flat abrasive just like the hard coated blades described above. Only a small part of the cutting edge will contact the abrasive … changes will occur rapidly so check the edge often. This technique will cause the loss of the two physical advantages of serrations. The loss will be slight at first, but you will eventually lose the serrations … if you are like me and don't like serrated edges, it is no big deal. But if you like your serrated edge buy a fine grit file made for sharpening them … use it or lose it. By the way, the biggest reason I dislike a serrated edge is they take too much time to keep sharp … I have not found a way to sharpen them on a motorized sharpener.

The thinning metal burr that develops on the non-honed side of the edge should be removed with light strokes on a ceramic rod or medium to fine cut steel. These strokes should be pulling strokes … pulling the cutting edge across the rod instead of slicing or pushing the edge across the rod. The scallops on serrated edges dictate the steeling angle for removing the thinning metal burr or normal steeling be very acute (shallow) … approximately 5 to 10 degrees. Steeling on one side of an edge will not completely remove the thinning metal burr, therefore the edge will remain slightly rough (grab the end of a BIC pen as it is pulled down the edge).

KEY POINT: DETERMINING WHEN THE EDGE IS SHARP.


Look for the "Thinning Metal Burr" ("Feather" or "Wire")on the sharpening edge:
Look for the “Thinning Metal Burr” (“Feather” or Wire”) on the sharpening edge: When the edge metal becomes very thin as it is being ground on an abrasive, it will turn up away from the abrasive. This “turned up” edge is called a “thinning metal burr” (TMB). The burr is the final key to knowing you have approached a sharp edge. It is easier to feel the TMB than to see it. The safest way to feel for the TMB is to use a “steel". I use the palm side of my fingers or thumb nail to feel for the TMB. I pull down across the blade (across the edge, not down the edge … if you pull down the edge you can cut yourself). The edge will feel rough.
If you use a flap sanding wheel (>100 grit) you can see, if you look closely, the TMB turns up as the knife is passed by the spinning abrasive wheel.

NOTE: ALWAYS HOLD THE EDGE OF KNIFE AWAY FROM THE DIRECTION OF THE SPIN IF USING A WHEEL GRINDER or FLAP SANDER.

REMEMBER TO WEAR SAFETY GLASSES WHEN WORKING WITH A GRINDER.


Finishing and Testing the Edge:


The Final Step[font "Times New Roman"] ... [/font]Remove the Thinning Metal Burr:
Using a very light touch, stroke the burr on a very fine (greater than 600 grit) abrasive. For this step, I personally like to use a light touch on a ceramic hone or backstroke a smooth soft brass (brazing) rod. On a flap sander motorized sharpener, a hard sewn cloth buffing (2 sandwiched 6”x1” Dico #40) or a 6“x1” felt wheel impregnated with pumice or buffing compound (Dico’s E5 or SCR) works great to remove the thinning metal burr. Polishing the edge with a pumice-coated felt wheel attached to bench a grinder will give you a GREAT edge … and a polished blade always cuts better. Many of our disinfectants will stick to the blade and these deposits will cause additional cutting resistance. A perfect edge will not reflect light (“candle”.

A "STROPPING" Fine Finish:
Strops provide more fine-tuning than most people want for their knives. But if you are interested in a little strop trivia, read on. As mentioned earlier, a pinch of Silicon Carbide, Aluminum Oxide or a dry buffing compound works great as a loose dressing for strops. If you have trouble finding silicon carbide or aluminum oxide, ask for “rubbing compounds”. It is a good chance your hardware store has what your looking for but doesn’t recognize the chemical ingredient.

They are not as easy to use as it would seem. I have stropped many knives with thick TA’s that were duller when I finished than when I started. It takes a practiced touch. When using a strop never let the blade “bite” into the leather. Biting occurs when the back of the blade is lifted too high and the cutting edge of the blade scrapes along the strop. Keep the blade almost flat against the strop. As the edge passes, the soft surface of the strop will curl up against the edge producing a convex edge. If you allow the edge to bite the strop, the strop surface will actually curl up over the edge and cause dulling of the cutting edge. It is easier to use a strop if it is attached to a rigid surface. I glue thick leather (10 to 12 oz), slick side up, to a piece of wood. A thick woven cotton strap also works well, but holds more abrasive compound and does not produce the fine edge produced by heavy leather. Strop leather should be oiled before used the first time, there after no more oil is needed. Strops should be at least two inches wide and twice the length of the knife blade you need to work. I mentioned cleaning abrasives with water … DO NOT CLEAN A STROP WITH WATER.

Testing the Edge:
Shaving your arm is impressive. The preferred way is to rest the blades cutting edge (at a 45 degree angle) on something smooth, like your finger nail or BIC pen. If the knife does not slip down the smooth surface, it is sharp. Sharp blades should be smooth. Smoothness can be tested by lightly sliding your finger nail or a BIC pen across and down the blade. A perfect edge will not reflect light (candle).
Look for reflections from the edge.



Diagram: Testing the edge





KEY POINT: "THE STEEL".

Using a "Steel": As many blade edges are damaged by steels as are improved. USE A SMOOTH STEEL, WITH A CAREFULLY DIRECTED LIGHT TOUCH.

A “steel” has aligning grooves designed to straighten an edge. I think it is better to lightly pull the defects back into proper alignment than to push them into alignment. This is accomplished by using a pulling stroke (pulling up from the handle away from the cutting edge). After the edge has been realigned, a light down stroke (pushing the edge into the steel) will firm the cutting edge. Be gentle, a hard whipping stroke can wreck an edge as fast as anything I know.
Steel come in four cutting types: Course Cut, Regular Cut, Fine Cut and Polished - No Cut. Course and Regular Cut Steels seem to be everyone's favorite … everyone except those who make a living with a knife. Packing house workers use a very smooth (polished - no cut) steel for most of their knife blade’s cutting edge maintenance. You will notice them polishing their steel frequently with an emery cloth (“180” to “400” grit). The emery cloth helps keep the steel smooth and the small grooves in the steel aligned. A course-steel has very distinct aligning grooves. When a blade’s cutting edge is used harshly against the deep grooves in a course steel it can cause the cutting edge to chip. The little nicks left in the edge will make the blade seem sharper for a few cutting strokes. The nicks soon wear down and repeated attempts to “steel the knife sharp will be futile.

THE CERAMIC ROD AS A STEEL: I love ceramic rods to touch up cutting edges. I use them like a steal using a soft light touch. Note: Ceramic rods are very fine (>”1200” grit) abrasives therefore do more than straighten edges.

THE GRIP: Hold the steel as if it were an extension of your arm (stiff but don’t over grip). If held to tightly, the reflex action of the opposite stroking hand if often too firm against the steel. This will cause blade damage.

THE STROKE: When stroking a “steel”, avoid twisting your wrist or elbow … keep them stiff. Learn to use the motion of your upper arm and shoulder, rotating your knife hand as you stroke each side of the blade. Keep Your Eye On Your Thumb! Watching the thumb nail of the stroking hand will allow you to develop a consistent angle on each side of the blade as you rotate your wrist.

The angle of the steeling stroke is just slightly greater than the CA you set on the knife (approximately 30 degrees for a 25 degree CA).



Learn to “feel” for defects in the blade’s cutting edge.
You can feel the small bent or damaged areas in a blade edge. A “pulling stroke” or “back stroke” against the steel is the gentlest approach to a “steel”. Use the steel to straighten the small bent areas in the blade, not break them. A “course-steel” will straighten severely bent areas on an edge. If you abuse these areas with the course steel, the blade will require reworking.

Care of a steel:
Most “Steels” have no chromium, therefore they will rust. I clean, dry and oil my “steels” after use. NaOCl (bleach) will pit low or no chromium metals such as steels and some knives.




KEY POINT: HAVE ENOUGH TOOLS.

Buy lots of knives:
If you make part of your living with a knife, get plenty. The sources of knives I use are KOCH (800-456-5624 to request a catalog … their [url "http://www.kochsupplies.com/"][#000000]www.kochsupplies.com[/#000000][/url] Internet site is hopeless) and Hantover (800-776-6048 [url "http://www.hantover.com/fs.htm"][#000000]… www.hantover.com/fs.htm[/#000000][/url]), I buy knives by the “6 pack”. A great knife costs less than $12 per knife when purchased in a six-knife order. The knives I use cost from $7 to $10 each. I like a “stiff” (thick backed) sheep skinner or boning knife for most of my work. I only buy knives with stainless steel blades and synthetic handles. I never leave home without at least three sharp knives in my case. I would pick knives based on the metal in their blades. INOX is a great European stainless (INOX=stainless), 440C is another good metal. I have used lots of brands of knives and my favorite are (in order): Eicker, Forschner, or F-Dick “INOX” stainless steel knives. Swibo, Kai-cut and Chicago Cutlery (in order) knives are not bad. Henckel’ are said to be good ... If you can afford them. I would not buy most of the other brands I have tried again. My all-time favorite knife is the Russell Green River (“Don’t Tread On Me”) “Sheep Skinner” … it is affordable (~ $7/knife) easy to sharpen and holds a great edge. The knife has two problems; its wonderful high (greater than 1.2%) carbon blade is not stainless steel (no chromium) and it has a wooden handle. The blade will rust, so keep it dry (a light coating of oil will also help). The wooden handle can be a problem working around pathogens (salmonella from cutting up chickens). The F. Dick knife # 1348-15 ([url "http://www.fdick.com/"][#000000]www.fdick.com/[/#000000][/url] or 800-554-3425 is the BEST necropsy knife I have ever used but they are hard to find and expensive (~$25/knife).

There are several good and not so good over the counter knife brands. Case, Buck, and Kershaw are the best I have used in this class of knife.

IT IS ALL ABOUT METAL:
Hard metal, Rockwell C scale (RC) greater than 58, will generally be harder to sharpen but will hold an edge. Titanium coatings are becoming popular blade hardeners. Hard coatings will increase the hardness 30 to 50% (70RC to 83RC) but are only effective if a single side edge sharpening technique is used. The hardest blade is zircon oxide, “ceramic". It holds an edge, but the manufacturer asks for the knife to be sent back to them for re-sharpening. The knives are very expensive and the few I have examined have not had fine (hair splitting) cutting edges. Many of the really great knives have 60 to 62 RC blades. Buck uses metal that seems very hard and often maligned by owners as being difficult to sharpen. They do require more strokes on an abrasive. When troubleshooting sharpening problems with very hard metals, most often the problem is caused by not maintaining a constant edge angle until a thinning metal burr is achieved. Very hard metals require more patients while sharpening but are worth the effort, patience, and attention to details while sharpening (maintaining a constant sharpening angle).

HOLDING AN EDGE:
If you find you cannot keep an edge on your knife check to make sure you have selected the proper blade transition angle for the job you are asking the cutting edge to do. Soft blade metal and/or poor tempering are the other causes of poor cutting edge durability. If the metal is soft (RC <56) it will seem easy to sharpen, it just won’t hold an edge. Most axes fall into this category. A few strokes of a flat bastard file or course grit (100 to 200) abrasive will have it shaving again. Poor tempering (crystallization) will cause the metal’s grain to be course. Course grained metal will flake or chip easier than fine-grained metal. If the metal has a high RC score (RC>59) as is the case with most stainless steel blades, seems hard to sharpen and will not hold an edge suspect course grain. It is also difficult to get a smooth edge with course grained metal blades. Once sharp, these blades it will lose the cutting edge after just a few cutting strokes.

Unless it is a keepsake such as your grandfather's tobacco knife, get rid of it … lose it … break it … give it to someone you don't like, but don't fight it … it will make you crazy. I have repeatedly tried to win the sharpening war with several of these and have never won. [b][b]


KEY POINT: SAFETY.

Final Note: Safety First !!! There is an old saying about a “dull” knife being more dangerous than a “sharp” knife. I am not sure that is true, but a dull knife often does require more force to be applied to the cutting surface. Slips under pressure are hard to control, therefore could be more dangerous. It is important to control the direction of the cut, and to use a slicing motion (not a straight push or pull against the blade). I love safety gloves such as "Knifehandler-II" and "KutGuard". Don’t forget the safety glasses if you are using a mechanical sharpener.






SUMMARY

[size 4]. . . MOST IMPORTANT TIP: [/size]
[font "Arial"]Delegate ... Have someone else sharpen your necropsy knives. Get a good motorized sharpener and ask someone in you clinic to learn how to use the machine and keep your knives sharp. [/font]


* * * * What You Need * * * *
. . . BUY A MOTORIZED SHARPENER:
My personal favorite for fast sharpening of necropsy knifes is the $250 Hantover Knife Sharpener #47090 with a flap sanding wheel and felt buffing wheel coated with pumice or buffing compound. It produces an excellent durable convex (rounded) edge. A Belt Cutlery Sharpener sells (approximately $400), or the Tru-Hone Triple Wheel Sharpener (approximately $600) will also do a great job of sharpening your knives. The Reliant Wet/Dry Sharpener (#dd68) @ $100, Woodtek’ Water Cooled Sharpener @ $90, Makita Blade Sharpener @ $90, Firestone 1902-W @ $70 and Delta’s 23-700 or 23-710 @ ~ $150 to $160 are all exceptional sharpeners for the money. Tormek’ Super Grinder 2000 is the finest in this category, but sells for ~ $400. For the money, consider the fast Chef Choice 110 or the versatile Delta 23-710. The WEN Sportsman’s Edge (#2910) or the WEN Wet Stone Sharpener (#2908) – are good inexpensive motorized alternatives to a professional system. WEN (www.wenproducts.com/) distributes their $50 sharpeners through hardware and sporting goods stores. Both of units will work on a 12 volt to AC inverter plugged into a cigarette lighter socket. Buy at least a 300 watt unit with dual plugs. You can run your computer and sharpener. ABOVE ALL ELSE...AVOID THE GIMMICKS and MAGIC ROD SHARPENER!!!
. . . IF YOU LOVE TO SHARPEN BY HAND - ([b]"R-R-R"): [/b][/b][/b][b][b]

Buy the largest flat abrasive you can afford. A 2 inch by 10 inch EZE or DMT fine (600 grit) or very fine (1200) grit diamond hone. They are expensive (over $75) but worth every penny. I get along with smaller flat abrasives, but I rest my thumb on the edge of the abrasive and move the abrasive across the edge of the blade.

. . . KEEP A CONSTANT ANGLE:
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS TO KEEP A CONSTANT ANGLE BETWEEN THE BLADE AND THE ABRASIVE. You can use your thumb (short blades), thumb and finger (long blades) or a 1/4” spring paper clip for an edge guide.

[font "Times New Roman"]. . . Buy a single bit “boys” ax, put a fiber glass handle in it, and learn how to use it: [/font][font "Times New Roman"][/font]

Using a ax for making most of your initial skin cuts will save that great sharp cutting edge for actually cutting tissue instead of mud ball and rocks. Axes are the preferred tool for examination of the CNS (use the lateral canthus as a guide). Keep a new flat file (oil it after use to protect from rust) or course (“100” to “200” grit) stone handy for touching up the edge of your ax.

. . . BUY LOTS OF GOOD KNIVES (at least one box of 6):

Eicker, F-Dick, or Forschner, flat bladed, stiff backed six inch boning or sheep skinning knives work great for feedlot necropsies. A box of six good knives sells for approximately $60 ($10 each). I have two “Rubber-Made” boxes, one for “Dull/Used” knives and one for “Sharp” knives. As I run low on sharp knives I have a knife sharpening party as I transfer all the knives from the “Dull” knife box past the motorized sharpener to the “Sharp” knife box. I keep a little diluted Roccal (a phenol derivative disinfectant works better when there is organic matter contamination) in the dull box. This works really great if there is someone in your clinic to take charge of the party. My favorite knife sources are Hantover (www.hantover.com) or Koch (800-456-5624 catalog request … their Internet site is hopeless).

. . . BUY A SMOOTH (polished - no cut) or FINE CUT STEEL,
More cutting edges are wrecked by the harsh use of a “steel” than are improved. If you read nothing else from above please read the part about using a “steel”. Smooth or fine cut steels are available from Hantover or Koch. They will cost approximately $15. Forschner makes a combination steel that includes both a polished and fine cut side. Avoid a “regular” or “course” steel, and avoid diamond steels/sharpeners unless they have extremely fine grit .

. . . BUY A CERAMIC STICK (round) HONE:
Good for finishing or touching up a cutting edge. Hantover and Koch are good sources for a $10 to $15 ceramic stick. Once again, avoid diamond steels/sharpeners unless they have an extremely fine grit. The EZE and Gerber sticks I have used are much too course.

. . . BUY SAFETY "cut resistant" GLOVES:
Available from Hantover, Koch or Packer. A cut resistant glove will cost approximately $12.

. . . A PARTING NOTE:
If you find you cannot keep an edge on your knife check to make sure you have selected the proper blade transition angle for the job you are asking the cutting edge to do. If you still can’t keep it sharp … promote it to a tail knife, box knife, or give it to someone you don't like. Don’t fight it … get rid of it.

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[font "Arial"]Adapting a Bench Grinder for Knifes. [/font]

For the Sharpening fanatic: ADAPT A BENCH GRINDER TO “FLAP SANDER” AND “BUFFING” WHEEL knife sharpener. A Black and Decker small motor housing bench grinder (model # 9407) can be fitted with a 6x1 inch 80 to 180 grit sanding flap wheel (Superior, Condor, or Kendeco Abrasives). You may need an adapter to fit the flap sanding wheel to a ½ inch arbor. A 6x1 inch laminated buffing wheel (2-6”x1/2” Disco spiral sewn hard #40 sandwiched together) or a 6”x1” felt wheel (Yergers Mft) coated with buffing compound (Disco E5 or SCR) or pumice. 3-M Inc makes a number of soft abrasives that work great for sharpening knives. For reference: Superior Abrasives (513-278-9123), Yerges Mft (419-332-9905). Most hardware stores can supply 6x1 abrasive flap sanding wheels and buffing wheels.
ASSEMBLY: Remove the grinding wheel protective covers and stone grinding wheels from the bench grinder. Slip spacers (½ inch to 1 inch arbor bushing) over the arbors of the bench grinder. Mount the flap sanding and felt wheels. Apply a light coat of oil on the buffing wheel then apply the dry buffing compound by spinning the wheel and holding the buffing compound against the felt wheel.
NOTE: The normal direction of the wheel spin on a bench grinder is from the top forward to the bottom. I find it hard to see the thinning metal burr develop on the blade with this direction of spin. I leave the wheel covers off the bench grinder and work from the back side of the grinder. When facing the back side of the grinder the wheels spin from the bottom toward the back and up to the top. I find this upward spin easier to use. Reversing the base of the grinder will also change the direction of the spin. A 3600 RPM bench grinder spins three times faster than is appropriate. The rapid spin will rapidly over heat a blade and cause temper loss. Work in very short time intervals.
Tip for controlling the speed of a 3600 rpm bench grinder motor: get a standard electronic speed controller from your local hardware store, which can be mounted in a plastic wall receptacle box (from the same hardware store!). This type controller is used for ceiling fans, and down here in the desert, home evaporative coolers, a.k.a. "swamp coolers". This is an infinitely variable speed model, not a "5 speed" type.
With this controller, you can literally "dial in" whatever rotational speed/rpm level you want. This is not a resistance controlled piece, but an electronically controlled one, so it tends to maintain motor torque at reduced rpm. Yes, the torque is reduced somewhat, but at the very light pressures you use for blade polishing; there should be absolutely no problem. If your local hardware store does not have them, check with an electrical supply store.
NOTE: WHEN USING A WHEEL GRINDER or FLAP SANDER, ALWAYS HOLD THE EDGE OF KNIFE AWAY FROM THE DIRECTION OF THE SPIN and WEAR SAFETY GLASSES.


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[font "Arial"][size 4]Dee Griffin, DVM[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 4]University of Nebraska, Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center[/size][/font]
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[davetclown]

[#ff0000][size 5][font "Verdana"][size 3][black][left] [/left] [ol] [li]Where is the Bloater found? [li]What is the common name of Bloater?[/li] [li]What do fisherman use Bloater for?[/li] [li]What do mature Bloater feed upon in the great lakes? [li]What is the avarage size of a great lakes Bloater? [li]What is the avarage lenth of a great lakes Bloater? [/li][/ol][/black][/size][/font][/size][/#ff0000] [center][#ff0000][size 5][/size][/#ff0000] [/center] [center][#ff0000][size 5]Bloater[/size][/#ff0000]
Coregonus hoyi[/center] [indent] [ul] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Length: 9 inches [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Weight: 8 ounces [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Coloring: silvery with some pink and purple iridescence,with a greenish tinge above lateral line and a silvery white ventral surface [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Common Names: bloater chub, bloat, chub, Hoy's cisco, cisco de fumage (French) [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Found in Lakes: Michigan, Huron, Ontario and Superior [/size][/font][/li][/ul]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]After several species of the larger deepwater chubs in Lake Michigan succumbed to the combined pressures of fishing, sea lamprey attack and alewife competition, the smallest variety -- the bloater -- fell heir to the generic family name of "chub." [/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]These small, soft-fleshed, oily fish will probably never be sought as game fish. They dwell too far from shore and have mouths too small for ordinary bait, since they feed mostly on zooplankton and other organisms near the lake bottom. But as smoked fish they command a good price at the market. [/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]During the 1970s, bloater population in Lake Michigan dropped alarmingly, due apparently to alewife predation and competition. In 1976, the states ringing Lake Michigan issued a two-and-a-half-year ban on chub fishing. This ban and the decline in alewife numbers in the 1980s have allowed the lake's chub population to rebound, and commercial fishermen are once more harvesting chubs. Scientists also take satisfaction in this recovery, because the native bloaters are efficient feeders, growing more on less food than do alewives. [/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Historically, bloaters were disdained as the smallest and least attractive of Lake Superior's five deepwater chubs. Then overfishing and the sea lamprey eliminated the larger chub species, leaving only the bloaters, a few shortjaw and kiyi chubs, and some hybrids of these three species. As the sea lamprey ravaged the top predators in the lake, bloaters grew in size and numbers. [/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]U.S. fishermen have now turned to the slow-growing bloaters to bolster their catches taken at 200 to 350-foot depths. Despite the success of this market, Canadian fishermen rarely go out for them, except for some fishermen on Lake Huron. [/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]As a sport fish, bloaters hold little attraction in either country. They dwell too far from shore, and their mouths are too small for ordinary bait. [/size][/font][/indent]
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[davetclown]

[ul][li][#ff0000][size 5][#000000][size 4][font "Times New Roman"]What are the only stream-dwelling trout native to the Great Lakes?[/font][/size][/#000000][/size][/#ff0000][/li] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]What is the average lenth of Brook trout [/size][/font][/li] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]what is the avarage weight of Brook trout [/size][/font][/li] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]what do Brook trout feed on?[/size][/font][/li][/ul] [center][#ff0000][size 5][#000000][size 4][/size][/#000000][/size][/#ff0000][/center] [center][#ff0000][size 5][#000000][size 4][/size][/#000000][/size][/#ff0000][/center] [center][#ff0000][size 5][#000000][size 4][/size][/#000000][/size][/#ff0000][/center] [center][#ff0000][size 5]Brook Trout[/size][/#ff0000]
Salvelinus fontinalis[/center] [left][size 4][/size] [/left] [indent] [ul] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Length:10 to 16 inches [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Weight:11 ounces to 2 pounds [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Coloring: olive-green to dark brown on back, lighter on sides and silvery white on underside [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Common Names: Eastern brook trout, speckled trout, coaster, aurora trout, square-tail, sea trout[/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Found in Lakes: Michigan, Huron, Ontario, and Superior [/size][/font][/li][/ul]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Brook trout are the only stream-dwelling trout native to the Great Lakes. In search of clear, cool, and well-oxygenated water, they often move out of streams and into the estuaries and bays of the Great Lakes. Those brook trout that move into such areas are called "coasters." [/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]All of these savory trout grow quickly on a smorgasboard of living organisms -- everything from mayflies to salamanders. At its optimum water temperature of 55 degress Farenheit, a coaster will eat half its weight in minnows in one week. [/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Though natural populations of brook trout reside in Lake Superior, Minnesota and Wisconsin are also stocking several thousand of these fish each year to help maintain the "coaster" variety as well as the stream-dwelling native. This benefits not only sport fishermen but predators like kingfishers and mergansers as well. [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4][/size][/font][font "Times New Roman"][size 4][/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Coasters weigh on average 2-3 pounds and are usually heavier than stream-dwelling brook trout. The largest brook trout on record, caught on Ontario's Nipigon River, weighed 14.5 pounds. Whatever the size, the brook is relatively easy to catch and has a sweet and delicate meat rivaling that of whitefish and walleye. [/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]In Lake Michigan, where alewives and other forage fish are readily available, brook trout are spared predation by larger salmon. However, kingfishers, mergansers and sport fishermen catch a good percentage of these valued game fish during their three- to six-year lives. [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Modest stocking programs in northern Lake Michigan are helping to maintain the brook trout as a coaster as well as a stream-dwelling native. In recent years, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has stocked a new strain of brook trout from Lake Nipigon in Ontario, Canada, to see if it will do better in the Great Lakes than its more domesticated cousins. [/size][/font][/indent]
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[davetclown]

[ul][li][#ff0000][size 5][font "Courier New"][#000000][size 4]What is the feeding time of the brown trout?[/size][/#000000][/font][/size][/#ff0000][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]What is the avarage lenth of the brown trout?[/size][/font][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]What is the avarage weight of the brown trout?[/size][/font][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]When to Brown Trout spawn?[/size][/font][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]Where to Brown Trout spawn?[/size][/font][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]What atvantage dose the Brown Trout have over other trout and salmon in regards to habitat?[/size][/font][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]What species is the Brown Trout closest related to?[/size][/font][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]When did the Brown Trout arive in north amearica?[/size][/font][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]Where did the Brown Trout originate?[/size][/font][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]which of the great lakes are the Brown Trout found?[/size][/font][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]Where was the great lakes record brown trout caught?[/size][/font][/li] [li] [font "Courier New"][size 4]what is the weight of the record of the great lakes brown trout?[/size][/font][/li][/ul] [left][#ff0000][size 5][font "Courier New"][#000000][size 4][/size][/#000000][/font][/size][/#ff0000] [/left] [center][#ff0000][size 5][font "Courier New"][#000000][size 4][/size][/#000000][/font][/size][/#ff0000] [/center] [center][#ff0000][size 5][font "Courier New"][#000000][size 4][/size][/#000000][/font][/size][/#ff0000] [/center] [center][#ff0000][size 5]Brown Trout[/size][/#ff0000]
Salmo trutta[/center] [left] [/left] [indent] [ul] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Length: 16 to 24 inches[/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Weight:2 to 8 pounds [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Coloring: light brown or tawny back, becoming silvery on the sides and belly [/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Common Names:brownie, German brown trout, German trout, European brown trout, breac[/size][/font] [li][font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Found in Lakes:Michigan, Huron, Ontario, Erie and Superior[/size][/font] [/li][/ul][/indent] [font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Brown trout, a European relative of the Atlantic salmon, arrived in North America as early as 1883 and were introduced to Wisconsin waters four years later. [/size][/font] [font "Times New Roman"][size 4]These resourceful fish managed well in degraded habitats no longer suitable for brook and other trout. At the same time, the browns proved they could grow faster and live longer than the other kinds of trout. Their reputation as a wary fish that tends to feed at dusk or night may account in part for their durability. [/size][/font] [font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Brown trout have adjusted well to life in Lake Michigan. They spawn in late autumn, sometimes on rocky reefs along shore though they generally prefer the gravelly headwaters of streams. [/size][/font]

[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Wisconsin now stocks about 1.5 million brown trout in the lake each year, with lesser numbers stocked by Michigan and Illinois. This has brought more variety to the lake's ecosystem and to the lives of many anglers. Surfcasting for the fish, for example, is a popular sport along the lake's northern shores. [/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 4]Brown trout are among the wariest of fish, feeding usually at dusk or at night, so fishermen are the adult brown's chief predator. In many localities, surf casting for brown trout is popular. The record brown trout from Lake Superior -- nearly 30 pounds -- was taken in 1971. [/size][/font]
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