Community Sharpening Journal

[olywa]

Wondering if any of you have tried these Idahone rods that fit the Sharpmaker? They come in 3 grits and I'm thinking about giving the coarse (100-200 grit) a go. They are reasonably priced and I've had a good experience with one of their 10" round hones on my kitchen knives.

https://idahoners.com/collections/acces ... cement-rod

Quick update on these. They fit like they were made for the Sharpmaker base (which they probably were). I broke 'em in a bit with an older CV Case Sodbuster at 15 degrees. They had a couple of raised 'bumps' on the corners but smoothed out fairly quickly and gave me a nice toothy edge. There's no way I can confirm the grit at 100-200 as advertised, but the scratch pattern is consistent and appears just a little less coarse than I get out of my CBN rods.

I next took my new K390 Delica PE to them at 15 degrees. I used both the corners and the flats and moderate pressure and progressed to the browns and then the whites. After a couple light strokes at 20 degrees on the whites, I was rewarded with one of the sharpest edges I've ever managed.

I was really impressed with the edge that they put on my SE H1 Salts. Did a great job on my Manbug Salt, Salt 2 and Dragonfly Salt HB, all at 15 degrees. So far, they seem like a good value, and I'll be interested in seeing how well they hold up to extended use.

I should mention that they come bubble wrapped but with no tubes for protection. I need to get another Sharpmaker base with no rods to store these and my CBN rods in. Prolly impossible so I'll keep them wrapped in a soft cloth for now.

[cabfrank]

Sounds good. Thanks for the update.

[cabfrank]

Oops double post.

[Soanso McMasters]

Nope, set the edge at 15 withh diamonds, then refine at 20 with the ceramics. The whole process only took about five minutes. polishing full bevels is a waste of time IMO, only the apex needs polished for good push cutting.

That’s my general strategy for all edge maintenance. I do go ahead and give the knives I plan to use for carving wood the full treatment the first go around but then I just kiss the edge when needed. Knives not intended for carving rarely get the whole bevel treatment.

[vivi]

before:



after:

4V working well after being reprofiled. Took it thin and finished at 300 grit then stropped each side a few times with 45 micron loaded leather. Very toothy.

[Soanso McMasters]

Vivi, what compound did you use on your strop?

[Ramonade]

I finally found a distributor of gunny juice in Europe. Ordered some 3 and 1 microns.

I've often hear by really experienced people that a strop is a finishing touch or maintenance, a couple of passes and you're good. However it seems that this applies especially to Al. Ox. compounds, because i've seen people using almost a full progression (3 to 4 different strops) of diamond emulsion and getting betwen 30 and 100 bess score when they weren't that low right off the stones.

[vivi]

Vivi, what compound did you use on your strop?

venev 45 micron diamond paste in a tube. stuffs getting hard to find since the war.

[Bemo]

Wondering if any of you have tried these Idahone rods that fit the Sharpmaker? They come in 3 grits and I'm thinking about giving the coarse (100-200 grit) a go. They are reasonably priced and I've had a good experience with one of their 10" round hones on my kitchen knives.

https://idahoners.com/collections/acces ... cement-rod

Quick update on these. They fit like they were made for the Sharpmaker base (which they probably were). I broke 'em in a bit with an older CV Case Sodbuster at 15 degrees. They had a couple of raised 'bumps' on the corners but smoothed out fairly quickly and gave me a nice toothy edge. There's no way I can confirm the grit at 100-200 as advertised, but the scratch pattern is consistent and appears just a little less coarse than I get out of my CBN rods.

I next took my new K390 Delica PE to them at 15 degrees. I used both the corners and the flats and moderate pressure and progressed to the browns and then the whites. After a couple light strokes at 20 degrees on the whites, I was rewarded with one of the sharpest edges I've ever managed.

I was really impressed with the edge that they put on my SE H1 Salts. Did a great job on my Manbug Salt, Salt 2 and Dragonfly Salt HB, all at 15 degrees. So far, they seem like a good value, and I'll be interested in seeing how well they hold up to extended use.

I should mention that they come bubble wrapped but with no tubes for protection. I need to get another Sharpmaker base with no rods to store these and my CBN rods in. Prolly impossible so I'll keep them wrapped in a soft cloth for now.

I was surprised as well by the packing. Mine arrived safe though and I have a few more on order. I'm really happy with the course rods as I've felt that was a hole in the Sharpmaker offerings unless you went with diamond/CBN. I think a section of PVC with end caps would be one way to store these in a safer manner.

[vivi]

Today I went through my spyderco collection and sorted them into two drawers. "Knives I'll probably carry at some point," and "Knives I don't see myself carrying again."

Took the first group and went through them, checking their edges for sharpness, pivots for play, and inspected for loose body screws. Some just need a quick touch-up on a strop and they're good, but some need a new bevel set, loc-tite, etc.

Here's the group I'm working with:



Top: M4 DLC Chief, M4 Chief

Second: CE G10 Resilience, DLC Military, Siren LC200n, DLC Yojumbo, VG10 Police 4 LW, K390 Police with pakkawood, Police 3 VG10

Bottom: S30V Manix XL, DLC M4 Manix XL with micarta, DLC 4V Manix XL, PE H1 Pacific 2, PE waved H1 Pacific 2, SE Pacific 1, PE Pacific 1, Rex45 Chief

+ a pair of PE Aqua Salts that need some edge work.

Couple missing, like my C95 foliage green Manix that just needed a minor stropping, and the reprofiled black blade Pacific Salt 1 I'm pocketing at the moment, and some pre-need backups. But that's every Spyderco in my user rotation right now.

Once I get my hands on some Swicks and a Military 2, it'll feel complete. At least until the next reveal

If you're interested in how I sharpened any particular one of these let me know!

[AH80s]

I have just purchased a Sharpmaker & CBN rods mainly for sharpening my serrated Police (also new).
When reading the booklet I noticed it gives two ways to sharpen serrated knives, one that says Spyderco recommended,which is just like sharpening a plain edge.
Has/Does anyone do this ?
I’m new to serrated edges and was wondering why I see mostly the 3:1 system being used, even in the yt sharpmaker videos. Thanks.

[vivi]

Shout out to the Spyderco ceramic bench stones. No dishing. No oil required. No soaking in water for 10 minutes when you have some prep to handle now.

I keep a fine bench stone in my knife roll and it's the only thing I use to maintain the edges on my work knives. The 10" gyuto pictured is Aogami Super @ 65rc - I also have work knives in VG10, White #1, and whatever soft stainless Victorinox and Kiwi use. This stone handles them all perfectly.

Makes me laugh seeing folks with four step strop progressions for their pocket knives. Meanwhile I don't even strop the knives I use for presentation grade culinary cuts at a fine dining establishment.

Pictured above is some Peruvian inspired salsa criolla. I always grill some shrimp and snack on some when I make a fresh batch.

[olywa]

I love hearing this! I just picked up my first Aogami Super kitchen knife, a Bunka, and have been wondering whether I would have to relearn sharpening. Good to know my Spydie ceramics will take care of business, as per usual.

[vivi]

I love hearing this! I just picked up my first Aogami Super kitchen knife, a Bunka, and have been wondering whether I would have to relearn sharpening. Good to know my Spydie ceramics will take care of business, as per usual.

I think the japanese are on to something with steels like aogami super and zdp189. high hardness but not as loaded with carbides as a lot of high edge retention US made steels.

I've always felt they have an amazing sharpening response. They don't require diamonds and they burr much less than steels in the 50-60rc range.

[olywa]

I've got a couple of VG Max Shuns and I've been able to keep the edges pretty well in shape with my steel honing rod along with a ceramic rod from time to time. But this Aogami Super is next level. Looking at a HAP40 Petty next.

[Steeltoez83]

Here's a opinel number 10 billhook I put a fresh edge on this morning. I just used the pocket medium ceramic to set a new apex. I've carried this guy all month just as a change of pace from the norm.

[vivi]

found a nostalgic image. this was the stuff I used when I got my first cleanly shaving edge. UKPK S30V original run, DMT Fine and a loaded leather strop.

[Senfkarte]

This was kind of overdue, my first time sharpening a SE blade. Since I own this knife, it was in my pocket approximately 80% of the time.
This was before

Every tooth was bend. Some more than the others. Does not look too bad in the pictures but one could feel it without a doubt. The PE part of the blade has been sharpened before.

This is after

The teeth are still a bit pointier and I needed more time to remove the burr, than I have expected. But now it is shaving sharp and ready to be back in my pocket.

[vivi]

gave my vg10 petty a couple swipes per side on a fine spyderco bench stone that needs cleaned.

https://streamja.com/B3bR1

Nice edge for a quick touch up and go. No testing the edge, checking for burrs or stropping - just a few strokes per side by feel and off to work.

[Ramonade]

Your pictures have gotten me hungry vivi !

This was kind of overdue, my first time sharpening a SE blade. Since I own this knife, it was in my pocket approximately 80% of the time.
This was before
Every tooth was bend. Some more than the others. Does not look too bad in the pictures but one could feel it without a doubt. The PE part of the blade has been sharpened before.

This is after
The teeth are still a bit pointier and I needed more time to remove the burr, than I have expected. But now it is shaving sharp and ready to be back in my pocket.

You seem to have done a nice job ! I have to admit that removing the burr on a SE knife still takes me more time than on a PE knife, because I often have on small spot or two where the burr remains and the rest of the edge is ok.
I acquired a dragonfly SE in H1 and I really do not like how it cuts, I guess I have to soften the peaks but it is an operation I have yet to try on a SE knife. I might just let it live its life until we get there.