Spyderco Forums

I've been able to get my knives pretty sharp so far, about as good as average out of the box Spydies. I've kept trying to get them sharper with mixed results for quite some time. Using the SM and later a strop with 2 micron paste. It's been a struggle for me who was completely clueless about sharpening a year and a half ago.

This past weekend something kicked in. The edges on over a half dozen of my Spydies are now insanely sharp using the strop. I don't know what changed in my technique, but I do know the now wonderfully sharp edges are real :D I carried the green chinese lum to work today and let a fellow :spyder: appreciater check out the edge. He cut through his arm hair before the edge hit the skin!! He asked me how I did it.

I know I might be a little over enthusiastic, but for me this is wonderful :D I've worked a long time with the SM and then the strop to get to this level of sharp. I'm just not as gifted as some other folks. From the 40 deg microbevel on the Balance and Large Lum to the 30 deg edge angle on the on the Manix2, Urban, Dragonfly, Green Lum the edges are now incredible :D Super Blue Mule cuts like there's no tomorrow :)

For those who have a hard time sharpening, keep with it, and listen to the advice here. Stick to your goal and admit when you've only developed a sharp burr instead of an edge. Even if you're as challenged as I was/am it will come over time with perseverence. Very sharp makes your knives so much more enjoyable :)

Will leave with a pic of the knives I started with Saturday morning. Haven't tried to touch the Schempp Rock yet :)

Congratulations!

Just have to add a thanks to Spyderco for the knives that inspired me and the materials in them that made it possible :D

Congratulations! It's great to hear success stories and see someone else who's now addicted to light-saber sharp edges.

SQSAR wrote:Congratulations! It's great to hear success stories and see someone else who's now addicted to light-saber sharp edges.

Both Luke's and Vader's wrists were quite ragged when their hands got lopped off, and Ben Kenobi just disappeared entirely. Whatever it is that supposedly makes light sabers awesome, it isn't that they are "sharp" as we understand it.

Congrats, Charlie. Can I send you some knives to sharpen? :)

Learning to sharpen knives to a really nice edge isn't as easy as you might think. Lots of people, including myself had to go through a learning curve that finally ended with great results. Happy sharpening.

Jack

I'm having the same problem. I have the Sharpmaker, including the UF stones, but I can't seem to duplicate the factory edge. While my Tenacious will shave arm hair, it won't push cut newsprint like my other newer knives. It snags and tears unless I hold it at an angle and draw the blade across the paper.. It will cut computer paper ok but won't glide through it like some of my factory edged knives.

Is a strop necessary?

ToneGrail wrote:I'm having the same problem. I have the Sharpmaker, including the UF stones, but I can't seem to duplicate the factory edge. While my Tenacious will shave arm hair, it won't push cut newsprint like my other newer knives. It snags and tears unless I hold it at an angle and draw the blade across the paper.. It will cut computer paper ok but won't glide through it like some of my factory edged knives.

Is a strop necessary?

When you develop a fine touch with the UF stone, a strop is not absolutely necessary. BUT I find stropping to be more forgiving when going for that ultra fine edge. So I use a strop. :D

ToneGrail wrote:I'm having the same problem. I have the Sharpmaker, including the UF stones, but I can't seem to duplicate the factory edge. While my Tenacious will shave arm hair, it won't push cut newsprint like my other newer knives. It snags and tears unless I hold it at an angle and draw the blade across the paper.. It will cut computer paper ok but won't glide through it like some of my factory edged knives.

Is a strop necessary?

It's snagging becasuse there is a burr in some spots along the edge.

A shortcut and the easy way to remove that burr without having to spend anymore money is the following.

Take that blade and increase the angle slightly, instead of the blade being straight up and down. Using the UF STONES increase the angle a few degrees by tilting the knife AWAY from the rod on each side and make a few VERY LIGHT strokes on each side of the blade. Test the edge, and if needed repeat the process.

A strop is easier though.

That's awesome, Charlie. It's a great feeling to have done it yourself - and to use those sharp edges. :)

- best wishes, Jazz.

Thanks guys :) For now the challenge becomes repeatability. Very sharp edges when used need to be redone :) Folks here at the forum have helped me to this first step and thank you for it :)

Cool. Glad to hear you are enjoying your skills!

ToneGrail wrote:I'm having the same problem. I have the Sharpmaker, including the UF stones, but I can't seem to duplicate the factory edge. While my Tenacious will shave arm hair, it won't push cut newsprint like my other newer knives. It snags and tears unless I hold it at an angle and draw the blade across the paper.. It will cut computer paper ok but won't glide through it like some of my factory edged knives.

Is a strop necessary?

Be patient my friend. It's like any other new skill you learn it just takes practice. I tell everyone who gets a Sharpmaker to at least watch the video/DVD at least 3 times before you ever put a top quality knife like a Spyder or a Benchmade or Boker up to get sharpened. It's just like life itself you've got to learn how to crawl before you can master the art of walking. The same is true with sharpening.

When you get the hang of the Sharpmaker you'll be really wanting to learn how to freehand sharpen on Benchstones. That's when it really gets challenging and fun. GODSPEED my friend now go back to the drawingboard and watch that video again. You'll pick up a new trick everytime you watch it. JD :spyder: O

When I first got my sharpmaker, I got get an edge sharp but I could hardly get hair whittling with it when touching up a factory edge. Now, after several systems and a somewhat better understanding, I find that I can easily get a factory edge hair whittling sharp on just the SM.

At the time, when I first got hair whittling edges on the other systems, I thought that it was the tool that made all the difference. I realize now that it's not so much the arrow but the "arrower". :D

So you're really on your way to the edges that you want, just keep on and you will get even sharper edges.

ToneGrail wrote:Is a strop necessary?

For me, yes. A strop is the difference between a sharp, workable edge and a razor sharp hair splitting one.

troutfisher13111 wrote:For me, yes. A strop is the difference between a sharp, workable edge and a razor sharp hair splitting one.

I'm hair whittling off the UF rods.

troutfisher13111 wrote:For me, yes. A strop is the difference between a sharp, workable edge and a razor sharp hair splitting one.

I agree about the strop exactly. I also use strops for touching-up a slightly used knife. Once the hair popping edge is gone a few strokes on a strop will bring it back. This is useful for when you use a knife a few times a day for fairly light duty. If you use the knife more you'll need a fine stone for touch-ups. I've been using Spyderco's fine and ultra-fine stones and they are great. After that strop again. Some people skip stropping because the razor edge is gone fairly quickly leaving a nice working edge that last a long time. But, I like the hair whittling edge enough to use strops.

Jack

chuck_roxas45 wrote:I'm hair whittling off the UF rods.

I only have a fine dmt "duafold", maybe i should try a ultra fine. Thanks

troutfisher13111 wrote:I only have a fine dmt "duafold", maybe i should try a ultra fine. Thanks

Oh yeh. Definitely give the sharpmaker a try.