Maintaining factory edge.

[Tucson Tom]

Don't use the knife at all.

This has always been the first and foremost rule in the use of knives.
It promotes safety, and reduces the amount of time you have to spend sharpening.

Some people find this rule restrictive, and those people are well advised to get a sharpmaker.

[legOFwhat?]

The Sharpmaker is a great investment and should last you a very long time. It's simple, brilliant, easy to use and I can't think of anything It can't sharpen. It may sound crazy to purchase a $60-$70 tool to upkeep a $30-$40 knife but that's why I called it an investment. This may just be me but I've went through the house gathering any knife, scissors, wire cutters,chisel etc just to use my Sharpmaker and get more familiar with it. I bring it to work and sharpen things around the office/plant. Don't mean to be pedantic about it but it's what introduced me to Spyderco.

Kinda funny how a $40 "won't stay sharp" Kershaw brought me here.. :D

[blues]

Don't use the knife at all.

This has always been the first and foremost rule in the use of knives.
It promotes safety, and reduces the amount of time you have to spend sharpening.

Some people find this rule restrictive, and those people are well advised to get a sharpmaker.

Brilliant!!! :p

I've been using the same philosophy with my 4Runner and so far it's keeping me out of accidents and the vehicle should last for decades.

:cool:

[tps3443]

I’m kind of confused, Spyderco states the Tenacious has a 17-20 degree edge on the blade. But, the SM only sharpens at 30 degrees or 40 degrees. Can someone clarify this?

After I get mine, I’m gonna have to use the coarse stones and regrind to 30 degrees?

[Xander3Zero]

I’m kind of confused, Spyderco states the Tenacious has a 17-20 degree edge on the blade. But, the SM only sharpens at 30 degrees or 40 degrees. Can someone clarify this?

After I get mine, I’m gonna have to use the coarse stones and regrind to 30 degrees?

The SM 30/40 degree is referring to "inclusive angle" which is the total angle between both edges. 40 deg. inclusive is 20 on each side, 30 deg. inclusive is 15 on each side. You should be able to use the 40 deg. setting on the SM for your Tenacious.

[awa54]

Total angle in degrees versus degrees per side... a 40 degree bevel can also be expressed as a 20 degree per side angle (or 20 DPS).

Usually the best method with the Sharpmaker is to set the primary bevel to 30 degrees (15 dps) and then finish with a 20 dps micro-bevel.

Re-profiling an entire blade, even one in an easily ground steel like 8Cr14MoV can be a time consuming process on the Sharpmaker and I think most people would recommend using the diamond or CBN rods for that kind of work as it might take hours to accomplish with the brown ceramic rods. Others have suggested a different system for establishing the primary bevel for the first time, I would agree, having done a re-profile on the Sharpmaker with the CBN rods that took over an hour.

Full disclosure: I use an Edge Pro type system now and only use my Sharpmaker for touch-ups and applying micro bevels.

[blues]

For you guys that aren't sure if your Sharpmaker is contacting the apex...

Take a small piece of newspaper and wrap it tightly around the 15* rod and hold it in place. Using no pressure, place your blade on the hone as if you were about to sharpen. If the edge bites into the newsprint, your edge bevel is 15* or less.

If the blade slides without biting, your bevel angle is larger.

Now try the same thing on the 20* side. If the edge bites the newsprint, you know that your bevel is 20* or less and that you can sharpen at the 20* setting if you have no wish to thin / reprofile the blade.

If it doesn't bite at 20*, then your Spyderco is a bit more obtuse than most and could use a bit of thinning. (Or you'll have to cant the blade spine inwards a bit, (away from the rod), to make edge contact with the hone.)

Hope you may find this useful.

[tps3443]

So I tried cutting paper today, after all day use of the knife here and there. The Tenacious did ok cutting paper, not super smooth though on all of the cuts, some angles it would fold or grab.. So, I went at the blade with a dry leather strop. I did about 20 passes each side, the blade feels very smooth, not toothy, or gritty grabby feeling on your finger. But, the edge is just like butter smooth. Just like it was right out of the box. I went at a fresh piece of paper after stropping, and I could instantly tell a difference! Believe it or not, the point even feels pointier if that makes sense.

So, I feel like I’ve got the technique down on stropping. I feel slightly proud of that makes sense lol.

This knife hasn’t touched a stone, or sharpener since I’ve had it. It literally feels great.

I know some guys like toothy blades that are ultra ultra sharp, but I feel like this will maintain this reasonable sharp level for longer.

[Slash]

I thought most hate a leather strop saying it gets clogged up with metal gunk and stuff. Why would you use or not use strop for touch ups?

[tps3443]

I thought most hate a leather strop saying it gets clogged up with metal gunk and stuff. Why would you use or not use strop for touch ups?

Well that’s about all I’ve got to maintain a blade without mucking it up real bad. Besides my cheap pull through sharpening tools, and I won’t use those.

[tps3443]

Honestly I just read that the SharpMaker offers optional “extra fine” stones. I think I’ll go for that. Then stropping shouldn’t be necessary.

[Bloke]

Honestly I just read that the SharpMaker offers optional “extra fine” stones. I think I’ll go for that. Then stropping shouldn’t be necessary.

Having maintained edges with strops for decades I’ve found the SharpMaker used to cut a micro bevel gives me best results and the only edges I strop now are true zero ground Scandinavians.

I personally can’t see that stropping an edge after you’ve cut a micro bevel, particularly with fine or ultra-fine stone can be of any advantage and I’m inclined to think it may well be detrimental.

All said … my $0.02c worth. :)

[tps3443]

Honestly I just read that the SharpMaker offers optional “extra fine” stones. I think I’ll go for that. Then stropping shouldn’t be necessary.

Having maintained edges with strops for decades I’ve found the SharpMaker used to cut a micro bevel gives me best results and the only edges I strop now are true zero ground Scandinavians.

I personally can’t see that stropping an edge after you’ve cut a micro bevel, particularly with fine or ultra-fine stone can be of any advantage and I’m inclined to think it may well be detrimental.

All said … my $0.02c worth. :)

I don’t have a sharpmaker yet. The Only thing I’ve got is a homemade strop. I cut a 2x4 piece of wood, and cut a piece of raw leather then glued it to the 2x4. This seems to work to keep it hair shaving sharp, until I get a sharpmaker.

[vivi]

Honestly I just read that the SharpMaker offers optional “extra fine” stones. I think I’ll go for that. Then stropping shouldn’t be necessary.

If you're using F or UF I'd skip the strop. I only use my strop on knives I finish with the medium rods or coarser, and only once or twice per side.

[tps3443]

Honestly I just read that the SharpMaker offers optional “extra fine” stones. I think I’ll go for that. Then stropping shouldn’t be necessary.

If you're using F or UF I'd skip the strop. I only use my strop on knives I finish with the medium rods or coarser, and only once or twice per side.

Once I get a sharpmaker I will lol. But, all I have is a homemade strop. It’ll get me by for a couple weeks.

[Sharp Guy]

All said … my $0.02c worth. :)

That's in Australian currency so it's worth even less to some of us. :p

[Bloke]

All said … my $0.02c worth. :)

That's in Australian currency so it's worth even less to some of us. :p

Ah, hahaha, ah, hahaha, ah, hahaha! :)

A bit cruel, but fair Pat. :rolleyes: