How do they get it so sharp?

[tjweeks]

I just recently bought a Gayle Bradley 2 and that is the sharpest knife I have ever had. I wish I knew all the in and out of how they sharpen a knife like this. I have a Sharpmaker with diamond rods and am able to get most of my knives pretty sharp but nothing like this Gayle Bradley 2.

[bearfacedkiller]

Keep practicing! With time you should be able to achieve edges that are sharper than factory edge edges and that may even hold an edge longer.

Recreating factory edges at home can be difficult and in some people's opinions undesirable.

Factory sharpening is done with power equipment so without that it is hard to recreate. Often factory edges are created with a belt sander and then deburred with a buffing wheel or with some other polishing method. Sometimes it is just a two step process.

Power sharpening is believed to possibly generate heat that can effect the very apex. Most edge junkies like edges that are finished slow and cool by hand on stones.

[Deadboxhero]

buy a strop and diamond compound, 1 micron size.

after you make the edge as sharp as possible on the fine rods ( hair popping sharp)
hit the strop, BOOM crazy sharp.

lots of a little details to it as well but you'll come to figure it out if you are doing it enough.

[toomzz]

Like Darby said, keep practicing. Try ceramic and diamond plates, stones and rods. Different steels react all in the own way different sharpening mediums. If you can afford a system where you can rig your knife in like a Wicked Edge, get it. That makes sharpening much easier. Let the stones in a preset angle do the job.

To keep your Bradley sharp Spyderco's medium and fine rods are fine and a strop with stropping compound also works great on M4. Green chrome paste and Tormek stropping paste are my favorites and not expensive.

[ZrowsN1s]

buy a strop and diamond compound, 1 micron size.

after you make the edge as sharp as possible on the fine rods ( hair popping sharp)
hit the strop, BOOM crazy sharp.

lots of a little details to it as well but you'll come to figure it out if you are doing it enough.

+1 for strops. After you get it as sharp as you can on the stones, if you're still not satisfied, try a pasted strop. I have strops ranging from 600 grit to .25 micron, I'd recommend starting with the coarser grits until you get the hang of it. Hope that helps :D

*In the mean time you can try stropping on a firm piece of cardboard, like you'd find on the back of legal note pad. Doesn't work any where near as well as a pasted leather strop, but it works.

[Deadboxhero]

I stopped using the green, white and black compounds, they don't seem to get the edge as crisp as the diamond/CBN.

But I use, the green for my straight razor cause the smoother edge is nicer/more comfortable on my face.
But not on my folders/fixed/kitchen.

You can find the diamond spray for $25 ish just stick with the 1 micron. The others are more Specialty and don't stand alone. The 1 Micron is a stand alone compound.

[tjweeks]

buy a strop and diamond compound, 1 micron size.

after you make the edge as sharp as possible on the fine rods ( hair popping sharp)
hit the strop, BOOM crazy sharp.

lots of a little details to it as well but you'll come to figure it out if you are doing it enough.

So the diamond stropping really makes a difference?

[tjweeks]

Like Darby said, keep practicing. Try ceramic and diamond plates, stones and rods. Different steels react all in the own way different sharpening mediums. If you can afford a system where you can rig your knife in like a Wicked Edge, get it. That makes sharpening much easier. Let the stones in a preset angle do the job.

To keep your Bradley sharp Spyderco's medium and fine rods are fine and a strop with stropping compound also works great on M4. Green chrome paste and Tormek stropping paste are my favorites and not expensive.

Do you have any idea which angle to use on the sharpmaker? I never can tell what angle a new blade has been sharpened. I just always assume it needs the 40 angle, although I have taken some knives that started out as what I thought was 40 and then reprofiled them to the 30. They seem to be sharper when worked thoroughly on the 30. So many secrets so little time. I really appreciate you guys hopping in here to help. Good Community.

[Larry_Mott]

You cannot praise the sharpie method enough IMO. I use it all the time! Paint the edge with a sharpie and set/use the angle that removes the sharpie evenly. If it just removes the black from the very apex, you're too steep, if all the ink is left on the apex but gone on the shoulder your angle's too shallow.

[Deadboxhero]

buy a strop and diamond compound, 1 micron size.

after you make the edge as sharp as possible on the fine rods ( hair popping sharp)
hit the strop, BOOM crazy sharp.

lots of a little details to it as well but you'll come to figure it out if you are doing it enough.

So the diamond stropping really makes a difference?

Yes, and if it doesn't then something isn't being done right and you'll have to troubleshoot your methods. Ya still can't buy the skill, takes practice but the compound is sweet when you nail it. Tree topping hairs man.

[ZrowsN1s]

You cannot praise the sharpie method enough IMO. I use it all the time! Paint the edge with a sharpie and set/use the angle that removes the sharpie evenly. If it just removes the black from the very apex, you're too steep, if all the ink is left on the apex but gone on the shoulder your angle's too shallow.

+1 for the sharpie as well. I was just checking on the status of my fluted cf native I ordered from Knives Plus, and I saw that they had a video showing the proper usage of a pasted strop. Here you go.
https://youtu.be/pwNdL86hyaM

[toomzz]

Like Darby said, keep practicing. Try ceramic and diamond plates, stones and rods. Different steels react all in the own way different sharpening mediums. If you can afford a system where you can rig your knife in like a Wicked Edge, get it. That makes sharpening much easier. Let the stones in a preset angle do the job.

To keep your Bradley sharp Spyderco's medium and fine rods are fine and a strop with stropping compound also works great on M4. Green chrome paste and Tormek stropping paste are my favorites and not expensive.

Do you have any idea which angle to use on the sharpmaker? I never can tell what angle a new blade has been sharpened. I just always assume it needs the 40 angle, although I have taken some knives that started out as what I thought was 40 and then reprofiled them to the 30. They seem to be sharper when worked thoroughly on the 30. So many secrets so little time. I really appreciate you guys hopping in here to help. Good Community.

AFAIK the factory-angle is 40 degrees inclusive on almost all Spydies. You can reprofile and bring back the number to create a steeper edge. I learned to sharpen free hand with the sharpmaker set and never ever used the base. A steeper edge will slice better. I recommend reprofiling an edge in a fixed position like a wicked edge. Then you also can pretty exactly choose the desired angle.

[Evil D]

So the diamond stropping really makes a difference?

I go a bit against the grain regarding strops, but I would highly advise you to get proficient at using the Sharpmaker and get sharp edges there before you bother with a strop, otherwise you'll just be trying to compensate for one with the other. With practice you can get edges off the SM that literally whittle hair.

[StuntZombie]

I've found that sharpening on a coarse diamond stone, then finishing up on the fine ceramics or a strop does a decent job of replicating the factory edge finish. Polished teeth seem to last pretty well for me.

[standy99]

Practice is all you need.

Being a butcher for many years I must say that people new to sharpening themselves over sharpen a blade ( if it's not sharp in a few minutes your doing something wrong )

If I could give anyone a bit of advice it would be too steel your knife more which will mean sharpening less.

One of these is my secret ( and it's why ever butcher has a steel handling of his belt )

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/fdicfincutfl.html