Afraid to get the Chaparral...

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vlawson
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Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#1

Post by vlawson »

I want the Chaparral. A lot.

BUT

I am hesitant to get the Chap, even after all of my fawning over it, because of the XHP steel. I have a fixed blade D2 knife from Knives of Alaska (the Alpha Wolf) that is really hard for me to sharpen. I've read Sal saying that XHP is like a stainless D2...which actually turns me off! Currently, I care much less about edge retention, than I do about ease of sharpening. If I mess up a sharpening job, or drop the knife and damage the tip, or just plain wear the edge, I'd like to be able to always feel confident that I can quickly bring it back. Should I be afraid of XHP? I have no experience with S30V, but kinda wish the Chap was still sold with that steel.

Full disclosure: I am really new to sharpening, but have a Persistence and some other gerbers and SAKs and whatnot to practice on, and I am very detail oriented and patient (I do all of my own minor gunsmithing.) I own a 2 sided waterstone from Zwilling ja Henckels (250/1000grits), the Sharpmaker with stock rods, and a Knivesplus strop block.

Convince me I'll be fine...or to buy the Sage 1 instead!

Quick...I have a coupon code that expires TONIGHT (10-31)!
"Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull
and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul"
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Surfingringo
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#2

Post by Surfingringo »

Hey vlawson, I am happy to offer you my 2 cents.

-Step one, go ahead and get yourself a Chaparral because it is a great little knife.
-Step two buy yourself a sharpmaker with the additional diamond rods.
-Step three enjoy your new acquisitions as your enjoyment of this hobby grows exponentially with your sharpening ability.

Seriously, that is exactly what I would do. XHP can be a little difficult to sharpen if you don't have the right equipment but it is a breeze with the sharpmaker. Watch the video when you get the sharpmaker and it will help you a lot. The new knife will come with around a 30 degree inclusive bevel so if all you are cutting is string and paper and what not, you can likely go for years doing nothing more than light touchups with either the medium or fine rods. As long as you don't let the knife get too dull you should be able to bring the edge back to hair popping sharp in less than a minute. Don't worry, you aren't going to mess anything up and if you take the time to watch a few videos, ask a few questions and practice on some dull kitchen knives then you will be a great sharpener in no time and it will really enrich your knife hobby.

I recommend getting the diamond rods for practicing on those very dull kitchen knives, and also for eventually reprofiling your Chaparral. Don't worry, by the time you actually need to do that you will know what you are doing. ;)
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#3

Post by ABX2011 »

There's nothing to be intimidated about with XHP or D2 or S30V. If you have a coarse enough stone that is removing steel quickly and a couple finer stones to refine that edge, there's no steel you can't sharpen.
It's possible that you're having trouble with your Knives of Alaska because the bevel is thick. It will always be easier to learn on knife that's ground thin. And of course a basic carbon steel will help even more. I'd recommend that you practice forming an apex on a paring knife or an Opinel or a SAK. I know you said you have a SAK.
Anyway, make sure your coarse stone is removing steel. I use DMT Diasharp diamond stones.
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#4

Post by SG89 »

Do it. Especially with a coupon. Cts xhp is great
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3 Nats, 1 Chap, 1 Sham, 1 Urb
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this_is_nascar
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#5

Post by this_is_nascar »

I can't speak from the sharpening aspect, but I can tell you both the Chaparral and the Sage-1 are great knives. I've owned both and still have the Chaparral. The Sage-1 was great and I like a liner lock, however it was larger than what I wanted to EDC. I sold it, so someone else could enjoy it.
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vlawson
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#6

Post by vlawson »

Thanks everyone! So hungry for the Chap, I can taste it. Mmmm, Carbon fiber. Tastes like chicken.
Still nervous though...
Surfingringo wrote:-Step two buy yourself a sharpmaker with the additional diamond rods.
Have the SM, but not the diamond rods. I worked on that D2 knife of mine after wrapping the rods with 180grit and then 250grit sandpaper. Diamond rods WOULD be better...but I bought the flat waterstones instead. The 250 side is pretty coarse...right? It's a Zwilling ja Henckels so it's legit. This is the one I own> http://www.zwillingonline.com/32505100.html
ABX2011 wrote:It's possible that you're having trouble with your Knives of Alaska because the bevel is thick.
Well...long story short, the KOA came with a convex edge from factory. I decided I wanted to make it compatable with my sharpmaker angles (maybe i should, maybe I shouldn't.) so I tried to straighten out the convexiness. At 30 and even 40 degrees inclusive, using the SM rods wrapped in sandpaper, I still am only hitting shoulder. I need to take it to the 250 stone here someday...
ABX2011 wrote:I'd recommend that you practice forming an apex on a paring knife or an Opinel or a SAK.
I have an Opinel #8! It's so crazy flat/thin, I am sort of intimidated! I put a 40 degree microbevel on it via the SM...but incidentally, can't seem to get the last 1/4" of the tip to sharpen. Again, maybe my stone holds the key...
ABX2011 wrote:Anyway, make sure your coarse stone is removing steel.
Would my 250 grit Zwillings waterstone count as a coarse stone? I guess, for 8cr13mov it would, but what about XHP or D2? The Chaparral is already spendy enough, and I've already invested in two stones, a SM and a strop...would like to hope that I have the basics covered at least for sharpening these steels. Would you XHP users say I could get by on the medium and fine SM rods and strop for touch-ups if I never let the Chaparral get very dull? Or...are diamond rods, or freehand skills on a coarse stone, a must for this steel?

Thanks again! I'll check back before midnight CST, my deadline for the coupon!!
"Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull
and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul"
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paladin
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#7

Post by paladin »

sharpening is as simple as packing it in a box & mailing it to Golden, Colo. with a $5 check ;) ...

Get the Chap..... and if you can't swallow your sharpening pride & pack it off to Golden-- well, the blade stock of the Chap. is so thin it will be very easy to hit the apex on the sharpmaker. If you don't let it get very dull to begin with or roll the edge, it's a piece of cake to maintain the Chap. When you do touch up, just keep your angle consistent, don't apply undue pressure to minimize/avoid burr formation, & don't drag the tip off the hones...see, easy ;)
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#8

Post by SpyderNut »

Hi vlawson,

I heartily agree with the above recommendations to purchase the CF Chap. I doubt you'll have anything to worry about with CTS-XHP and resharpening either. (Now if it were ZDP-189 or CPM-110V, that may be different. ;)) I know CTS-XHP has been often compared to D2, but they are still two different steels with different compositions. Besides, Spyderco's heat-treats are consistently excellent.

Buy with confidence, my friend. I think you will love it.
:spyder: -Michael

"...as I said before, 'the edge is a wondrous thing', [but] in all of it's qualities, it is still a ghost." - sal
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Surfingringo
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#9

Post by Surfingringo »

vlawson wrote:Thanks everyone! So hungry for the Chap, I can taste it. Mmmm, Carbon fiber. Tastes like chicken.
Still nervous though...
Surfingringo wrote:-Step two buy yourself a sharpmaker with the additional diamond rods.
Have the SM, but not the diamond rods. I worked on that D2 knife of mine after wrapping the rods with 180grit and then 250grit sandpaper. Diamond rods WOULD be better...but I bought the flat waterstones instead. The 250 side is pretty coarse...right? It's a Zwilling ja Henckels so it's legit. This is the one I own> http://www.zwillingonline.com/32505100.html
Sorry, didn't read your op close enough. :o I think you should be good to go. As someone else said, the Chap is thin stock and fairly thin behind the edge so it will be a pretty easy knife to sharpen.
ohcyclist
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#10

Post by ohcyclist »

Get the chap. I find XHP to be quite reasonable to sharpen and takes a fine edge. As others have mentioned, the thin stock will make hitting the apex much easier.
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vlawson
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#11

Post by vlawson »

oh golly gee goodness gracious, I got one. I also bought a plain edge Delica 4 saber grind. Now THAT was also a hard decision; FFg vs Saber. It will be my first Delica...

****. Once these arrive I will have a Ladybug 3 SE, Persistence, Dragonfly 2, Delica 4 PE/SG, and a Chaparral. That should cover all my bases...

Still need a Sage 1 someday, and an FFG Delica in brown, a Dragonfly G10, and maybe I'll buy a Yojimbo 2 as a reward to myself when I finally make it into a law enforcement academy!

oh, I forgot...need a rescue blade for SAR probably too...and a Roc before they get DQ'd...

...not to mention a few more fixed blades for hunting from other companies...

Barf. ;)
"Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull
and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul"
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wrdwrght
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#12

Post by wrdwrght »

I'll echo everyone here by saying that I regret not having my Chap in XHP. I bought early and got S30V. No slouch, that steel, but I like XHP's D2 origins, even if in a powdered rather than ingot version.

Anywho, I find little difference putting a working edge on XHP vs. S30V.
-Marc (pocketing an M4 Sage5 today)

“When science changes its opinion, it didn’t lie to you. It learned more.”
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elena86
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#13

Post by elena86 »

vlawson wrote:oh golly gee goodness gracious, I got one. I also bought a plain edge Delica 4 saber grind. Now THAT was also a hard decision; FFg vs Saber. It will be my first Delica...

****. Once these arrive I will have a Ladybug 3 SE, Persistence, Dragonfly 2, Delica 4 PE/SG, and a Chaparral. That should cover all my bases...

Still need a Sage 1 someday, and an FFG Delica in brown, a Dragonfly G10, and maybe I'll buy a Yojimbo 2 as a reward to myself when I finally make it into a law enforcement academy!

oh, I forgot...need a rescue blade for SAR probably too...and a Roc before they get DQ'd...

...not to mention a few more fixed blades for hunting from other companies...

Barf. ;)
You don't have a Para2 and a Sage1 ? That's all you need.Forget all the others :D
El Gato
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#14

Post by El Gato »

I would like to thank vlawson and everyone who responded to this topic. I have been attracted to the Chaparral myself and after reading all your good comments I decided I "need" a Chaparral of my own. The sharpening is of no concern, it is just a matter of choosing one of the 4 options.

Thanks everyone. :) :spyder:
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vlawson
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#15

Post by vlawson »

I got brave.

Image

Image

Image
"Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull
and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul"
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this_is_nascar
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#16

Post by this_is_nascar »

Nice..........
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abbazaba
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#17

Post by abbazaba »

My Chaparral lives in my pocket all week, clipless. GB on the weekends, Manix2 S110v LW on the trail. The Sharpmaker and a little patience can handle all of those "super" steels no problem.

In many pictures the Sage 1 looks to be a very similar size, but its TWICE the knife in hand. I find it a little too large for office EDC and a little too small on the weekends so it doesn't see much use.

Here's my best attempt at illustrating the size difference with a slightly different approach:
Image
endgame
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#18

Post by endgame »

Nice light blade I gave one to my brother and he snapped the blade prying with it.what a tool.he said "hey pat I need a new blade I snapped it prying two pieces of welded steal apart!"like the knife wasnt over 100$ and it was supposed to not break doing that!like I said what a tool.I gave him a 20$ gerber and said go break it .
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#19

Post by El Gato »

abbazaba wrote:My Chaparral lives in my pocket all week, clipless. GB on the weekends, Manix2 S110v LW on the trail. The Sharpmaker and a little patience can handle all of those "super" steels no problem.

In many pictures the Sage 1 looks to be a very similar size, but its TWICE the knife in hand. I find it a little too large for office EDC and a little too small on the weekends so it doesn't see much use.

Here's my best attempt at illustrating the size difference with a slightly different approach:
Image
Thanks for the comparison picture, it helps me a lot. I have the Sage and wondered how the Chaparral really compared. Now I know. :)
El Gato
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Re: Afraid to get the Chaparral...

#20

Post by El Gato »

........and because I now know, I just ordered one in carbon fiber. Looking forward to trying the little guy. :) :spyder:
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