Just the brown SM flats

[TkoK83Spy]

.

[araneae]

I could use a couple of pointers. I can get my knives sharp but I’m not getting an edge anywhere near to hair splitting.

I have an old Norton wet stone that I used before I bought the Sharpmaker. I only use the Sharpmaker now. I have the brown medium stones and white fine stones. I watched the Spyderco DVD and some YouTube videos. I’m getting better slowly but sometimes I just don’t get any results, maybe I’m just not hitting the edge on some knives.

Have you used a sharpie?

[BLUETYPEII]

I could use a couple of pointers. I can get my knives sharp but I’m not getting an edge anywhere near to hair splitting.

I have an old Norton wet stone that I used before I bought the Sharpmaker. I only use the Sharpmaker now. I have the brown medium stones and white fine stones. I watched the Spyderco DVD and some YouTube videos. I’m getting better slowly but sometimes I just don’t get any results, maybe I’m just not hitting the edge on some knives.

Have you used a sharpie?

Usually I only use a sharpie if it’s very dull or a problematic edge.

[araneae]

The sharpie helps to see what's going on, especially if grinds are uneven. Good to do if you're having trouble.

[TkoK83Spy]

The sharpie helps to see what's going on, especially if grinds are uneven. Good to do if you're having trouble.

Absolutely! Doing that right now with a PM2 that I rolled the edge on a screw a few days ago. I always thought the grind was very even while doing touch ups. Come to find out, while reprofiling that the show side has taken a bit more work than the clip side to get to the apex. I may not have figured that out if it weren't for the sharpie!

[BLUETYPEII]

So I apologize but I have some really dumb questions.

Do all Spyderco knives have a 40° inclusive edge from the factory thusly necessitating the use of the 40° side of the Sharpmaker to maintain that edge?

If I use a sharpie on the blade and that sharpie is not removed within four or five passes am I using the wrong angle?

What does it mean if the sharpie is only removed on one side completely but on the other side it is only half removed?

[The Meat man]

So I apologize but I have some really dumb questions.

Do all Spyderco knives have a 40° inclusive edge from the factory thusly necessitating the use of the 40° side of the Sharpmaker to maintain that edge?

If I use a sharpie on the blade and that sharpie is not removed within four or five passes am I using the wrong angle?

What does it mean if the sharpie is only removed on one side completely but on the other side it is only half removed?

No need to apologize. Those aren't dumb questions. :)

1. It varies. My Golden made knives seem to be more consistently close to 30° inclusive. Seki City is close too, but I see more variation with them. My only Taichung knife (Advocate) was pretty bad - it was greater than 40° inclusive, so I couldn't even use the Sharpmaker on it.

2. Probably, yes. If you look carefully you should be able to see where the sharpie is being removed. If it's gone on the shoulder of the bevel, leaving the apex of the edge still colored, your angle is too acute. If the sharpie is only being removed at the very apex, your angle is too obtuse (unless you're applying a microbevel.)

3. Factory grinds can and often do vary from one side of the blade to the other. For example, the bevel on the presentation side of the knife might be 15°, but flip the knife over and the bevel on that side might be 16°. In this case, if you were using the 15° setting on the Sharpmaker, you would see the marking getting worn off on only one side because the grinds are not perfectly symmetrical.

Edit to add:
Factory grinds can also vary as one travels from the heel to the tip.

[BLUETYPEII]

So I apologize but I have some really dumb questions.

Do all Spyderco knives have a 40° inclusive edge from the factory thusly necessitating the use of the 40° side of the Sharpmaker to maintain that edge?

If I use a sharpie on the blade and that sharpie is not removed within four or five passes am I using the wrong angle?

What does it mean if the sharpie is only removed on one side completely but on the other side it is only half removed?

No need to apologize. Those aren't dumb questions. :)

1. It varies. My Golden made knives seem to be more consistently close to 30° inclusive. Seki City is close too, but I see more variation with them. My only Taichung knife (Advocate) was pretty bad - it was greater than 40° inclusive, so I couldn't even use the Sharpmaker on it.

2. Probably, yes. If you look carefully you should be able to see where the sharpie is being removed. If it's gone on the shoulder of the bevel, leaving the apex of the edge still colored, your angle is too acute. If the sharpie is only being removed at the very apex, your angle is too obtuse (unless you're applying a microbevel.)

3. Factory grinds can and often do vary from one side of the blade to the other. For example, the bevel on the presentation side of the knife might be 15°, but flip the knife over and the bevel on that side might be 16°. In this case, if you were using the 15° setting on the Sharpmaker, you would see the marking getting worn off on only one side because the grinds are not perfectly symmetrical.

Edit to add:
Factory grinds can also vary as one travels from the heel to the tip.

So if I’m understanding you correctly if the sharpie on the shoulder of the edge is being removed but not on the point the Apex and the angle is too acute

If I have uneven grinds should I just get the diamond rods or the cubic boron nitride rods for the Sharpmaker to correct uneven grinds and or change the angle from 30° to 40° or 40° to 30° or would you recommend another method?

[BLUETYPEII]

Oh sorry one other thing...

Cleaning the stones?

How often and if I switch steels should I clean no matter what?

Another thing If you sharpen say for example H1 after M4 without cleaning the stones won’t you be grinding those M4 steel particles into the H1, then later could those particles rust?

[The Meat man]

So if I’m understanding you correctly if the sharpie on the shoulder of the edge is being removed but not on the point the Apex and the angle is too acute

Well, it means whatever angle you are sharpening at is too acute. If the marker is only being removed at the shoulder of the bevel (where it meets the primary grind, away from the cutting edge) then you need to raise your angle until the entire width of the edge is being worn away. Otherwise, you won't get anywhere because the sharpening stone isn't even touching the very edge.

If I have uneven grinds should I just get the diamond rods or the cubic boron nitride rods for the Sharpmaker to correct uneven grinds and or change the angle from 30° to 40° or 40° to 30° or would you recommend another method?

Depends what you want, really. Personally, I use my Sharpmaker only for putting on a microbevel. For reprofiling, I use a guided sharpening system, where I can set the angle to whatever I want.
If you're going to be using just the Sharpmaker I'd recommend getting the diamond or CBN rods; it'll make the sharpening process go much more quickly.
I prefer edge angles no more obtuse than 40° inclusive, because with thinner angles you get both better cutting performance and greater edge holding. The trade off is with really thin angles the edge is a bit more susceptible to damage.

[The Meat man]

Oh sorry one other thing...

Cleaning the stones?

How often and if I switch steels should I clean no matter what?

Another thing If you sharpen say for example H1 after M4 without cleaning the stones won’t you be grinding those M4 steel particles into the H1, then later could those particles rust?

Cleaning the stones is something I need to do more often. If I were you I'd clean them before every sharpening session, or when they start feeling clogged up (a sign of this will be the feeling that your blade is just "skating" over the stones and not really being abraded).

I guess technically you would be grinding M4 into the H-1. I don't know how much rust you'd get from doing that, but I would guess not much. I've never seen problems with this on my H-1 after sharpening it on dirty stones.

[vivi]

Oh sorry one other thing...

Cleaning the stones?

How often and if I switch steels should I clean no matter what?

Another thing If you sharpen say for example H1 after M4 without cleaning the stones won’t you be grinding those M4 steel particles into the H1, then later could those particles rust?

When the part of the stone you're using it coated with a visible layer of steel dust, clean it or switch to a fresh side. If there's enough build up you can see it, the stones effectiveness is diminished.

When I am sharpening I often keep a wet rag nearby to wipe the stones down every minute or so.

There's no need to worry about cross contamination between steels. Rinsing off the blade and wiping it with a damp rag is enough to remove the steel particles.

[vivi]

So I apologize but I have some really dumb questions.

Do all Spyderco knives have a 40° inclusive edge from the factory thusly necessitating the use of the 40° side of the Sharpmaker to maintain that edge?

If I use a sharpie on the blade and that sharpie is not removed within four or five passes am I using the wrong angle?

What does it mean if the sharpie is only removed on one side completely but on the other side it is only half removed?

Some are 40 degrees. Some are 30. Most my serrated Spydercoe came ground at 15 degrees on the show side. Most my plain edged Spydercos are in between 15 and 20 degrees.

Where the sharpie is being removed is more important than how fast its being removed. If its coming offthe shoulder your angle is too acute. If its only coming off the apex of the blade your angle is too obtuse.

The answer to your last question is the different sides are ground at slightly different angles.

[BLUETYPEII]

I would very much appreciate your opinion on the above issue.

[BLUETYPEII]

You too vivi. You and Bloke seem to really know what you’re talking about. :)

[Pelagic]

You too vivi. You and Bloke seem to really know what you’re talking about. :)

They absolutely do.

[Bloke]

Cleaning the stones?

I don’t think you can ever have your stones too clean and it may be worth noting, the finer the stone the quicker it loads up thus pushing the apex rather than cutting it and ultimately results in a burr. :eek:

So my theory; is clean stone = clean apex. Clean apex = sharp blade. :)

[BLUETYPEII]

Ok, a few more questions...

If when I sharpen ( on the Sharpmaker ) at a 40° inclusive and the sharpie is only being removed on the shoulder because the angle is too acute. Would it be better to just re-profile the knife to 40° inclusive for better cutting?

Isn’t an edge angle greater than 40° undesirable?

In the past when using a whetstone freehand I would always attempt a 40° inclusive angle.

[Pelagic]

Ok, a few more questions...

If when I sharpen ( on the Sharpmaker ) at a 40° inclusive and the sharpie is only being removed on the shoulder because the angle is too acute. Would it be better to just re-profile the knife to 40° inclusive for better cutting?

Isn’t an edge angle greater than 40° undesirable?

In the past when using a whetstone freehand I would always attempt a 40° inclusive angle.

I wouldn't reprofile to 40 inclusive, you'd be leaving too much performance on the table. I'd go 30. It'll take a while if you don't have diamond or CBN rods buy once yiu get it, you're set. Future sharpenings will be easier.

[vivi]

Ok, a few more questions...

If when I sharpen ( on the Sharpmaker ) at a 40° inclusive and the sharpie is only being removed on the shoulder because the angle is too acute. Would it be better to just re-profile the knife to 40° inclusive for better cutting?

Isn’t an edge angle greater than 40° undesirable?

In the past when using a whetstone freehand I would always attempt a 40° inclusive angle.

Yes. That or 30. 30 will offer better performance, but will take a little longer to set the bevel

Yes. 40 degree edge is more appropriate for an axe than a knife IMO.

40 degrees is a good angle to sharpen at if you're only focus is getting the apex sharp fast. Sharpening at thinner angles, like 20-30 degrees inclusive, will yield superior performance but reprofiling the knife to get it there can be tedious.