Sharpening a Street Bowie

[Tucson Tom]

I just purchased one of these knives, and am charmed by it, but it didn't arrive all that sharp, so I just hauled out the sharpmaker.

I started with the brown stones at 30 and my sharpie to see what is going on. It is grinding away far from the edge.
So I put the stones in at the 40 degree position, and it is still grinding a tiny streak away from the edge.
So I intentionally tip the knife towards center as I make strokes and I have now found the original grind angle.
It is something like 50 degrees (25 or 30 on a side).

Well, this is a first for a Spyderco. On a knife from Golden (or Taipei) I can expect the stones at 30 to match the factory grind almost exactly.
The temptation now is to get out the diamond rods I spent good money on and get busy and reprofile this to
30 degrees. But I figured I would ask here first, just in case anybody had advice to offer. Stop me now, before I grind again!!

This is VG10 steel.

[Evil D]

It's gonna take an eternity to reprofile. My Street Beat came pretty thick too. I reground it to 30 inclusive on my Edge Pro.

[Joris Mo]

My micarta Street Beat was fine when it came in years ago but my Street Bowie that I got about 1,5 year ago still hasn't gotten a really good edge and is a pain to reprofile because my wicked edge is crap at holding FFG blades so I'll probably keep at it with my Sharpmaker.
(was just thinking about it the other week that I really should finish getting a decent edge on that)

Nonetheless, these designs are still well worth the possible extra bit of work I think.

[Tucson Tom]

I am grinding away using the diamond rods at 30 degrees. I can see the grind area creeping closer and closer to the edge. I drug out my DMT bench stone and have been using the 600 grit side free hand - then dab the edge with the sharpie and grind some on the sharpmaker to check the angle. This might be a good way to teach myself how to hold a blade freehand. Mostly though I just thought I would prefer to wear out the DMT rather than my sharpmaker rods. I may also play with some 320 grit silicon carbide "wet/dry" paper I glued onto some scrap MDF. Indeed this is taking a long time and I may be out of patience for today.

[vivi]

30 degrees is fine. I took my bowie to about that edge angle on some DMT bench stones. No reason to have a 25 degree per edge on a knife this small IMO.



The lighting makes it look a lot more uneven than it was

Works a lot better for food prep with the thinner edge.

[Tucson Tom]

Part of the reason I posted this, is because I half expected to tell me that there was a good reason for the knife being shipped with a 50+ degree inclusive grind. But nobody seems to be jumping up and saying that. Also it is odd that this is the first Spyderco that has not come frighteningly sharp out of the box. Maybe there are reasons. But we can fix all of that -- or it least adjust it to our liking.

[Doc Dan]

Let me ask a slightly off to the side question. Does anyone know the overall length of the Street Beat inside the sheath...from the end of the handle to the end of the sheath?

[vivi]

Let me ask a slightly off to the side question. Does anyone know the overall length of the Street Beat inside the sheath...from the end of the handle to the end of the sheath?

It's about 1/2" to 3/4" more than the advertised OAL if I remember correctly.

[Doc Dan]

Thanks! I want to see if it will fit my pocket.

[RLDubbya]

If any forum members are stuck on reprofiling because it simply takes too long, drop me a note. I'll be happy to reprofile on a grinder for you at no charge except you pay postage both ways.

[Joris Mo]

Let me ask a slightly off to the side question. Does anyone know the overall length of the Street Beat inside the sheath...from the end of the handle to the end of the sheath?

196mm in sheath.
(sheath gets up to 6cm wide and handle is about 15mm at thickest)

[Doc Dan]

Let me ask a slightly off to the side question. Does anyone know the overall length of the Street Beat inside the sheath...from the end of the handle to the end of the sheath?

196mm in sheath.
(sheath gets up to 6cm wide and handle is about 15mm at thickest)

Thank you. That is what I was looking for, exactly.

[Doc Dan]

Is the edge that thick that it needs reprofiling? I last saw one a few years ago (Micarta) and I do not remember the edge needing to be reprofiled on it. Has there been a change on the LW?

[vivi]

Is the edge that thick that it needs reprofiling? I last saw one a few years ago (Micarta) and I do not remember the edge needing to be reprofiled on it. Has there been a change on the LW?

Based on what I've seen, the longer Street Bowie the OP mentioned comes ground a little thicker than the smaller Street Beat. Personally I reprofiled both but most people would be happy with how thin the Street Beats come.