CTS BD1N edge retention

[driftingfir]

About a month ago I got a para 3 lightweight. Part of the edge seems to dull quicker than what it should. Also I have found BD1N to have a particularly stubborn burr. Any help on the matter would be appreciated.

[sal]

Hi Driftingfir,

Welcome to our forum.

What are you using for sharpening.?

sal;

[driftingfir]

Thanks for your speedy reply. I use the worksharp guided sharpening system. I progress from 320 grit diamond, 600 diamond, 800 diamond, coarse and fine ceramic, and finally follow up with stropping. The knife is sharpened to 17 dps.

[AwayFromMySpydieHole]

Interesting. I have been very, very impressed with BD1N. Seems to hold an edge significantly longer than VG10 and sharpens just as quickly. I love this.


Hands down the best “budget” steel out right now.

[driftingfir]

I can get the knife sharp, however it seems there is a slight burr on one side that doesn't want to go away. I believe that this is why its edge retention seems to be less than what it should be.

[driftingfir]

The burr seems to not want to come off on one side.

[prndltech]

I have also found it very easy to sharpen, gets that sticky kinda sharp. Love my manix 2 LW with it.

What sharpening set up are you using?

[Albatross]

Where did you purchase the knife from? That might be as important as what you use to sharpen.

[driftingfir]

I purchased the knife from a local gun and knife shop

[sal]

Hi Driftingfir,

I would suggest you get a 10X - 12X loupe so you can get a good look at the edge.

sal

[Albatross]

I don't use my Sharpmaker anymore, but I do occasionally use the rods for de-burring. The corners rip off burrs like no ones business. Drawing the blade through wood or cork also works well. The edge trailing method seems to work well on bench stones too.

If none of this is news to you, disregard what I've said, but hopefully one of those tricks will help. As recommended by Sal, a loupe is a great tool, which might help figure out what's going on.

Good luck. I hope you get it sorted out!

[cycleguy]

I've had a UK PK with BD1N for a few months. It seems a little on the soft side to me. Sharpens and touches up easy. I've experienced more edge roll/burr with it than any other knife I use ... which is mostly delica vg-10 and buck 420 and assorted kitchen stainless. I took it to 30 degrees with the first sharpening and have slowly been working back to 40 degrees with subsequent sharpening. Forget where I am with it but seem to like it better backed off from 30 degrees. I also have a few kitchen knives from Japan in BD1N. They are supposed to be Rockwell 63 and 32 degrees and I haven't t experienced the rolling/burr with them like I do with the Spyderco. Makes me think the Rockwell on the Spyderco is something less. There is a HRC database thread here that lists it at 60.

I strop my knife back to a useful edge when it starts to feel dull with as few strokes as possible which is usually a couple passes per side (can be most anything as I've used cardstock, leather, leather with compound, and fine ceramic stone. I seem to do best with the fine ceramic stone.). If there is a burr that is stubborn to stropping, then I use a clamp system with diamond stones in the 600-800 grit range for sharpening. I've found a very very light touch with the stones is all that is needed and any so called stubborn burr is quickly and easily removed.

Very interested to hear what others are experiencing and doing with their BD1N.

CG

[driftingfir]

Thanks for all the helpful information. I sharpened it with a 600 and 800 grit diamond, then coarse and fine ceramic, then stropped and it seems to have lessened the burr down a considerable amount. It seems that I run into the edge not lasting when I am cutting cardboard, which makes sense. However the edge should hold longer than what is is.

[AwayFromMySpydieHole]

The burr seems to not want to come off on one side.

The burr not coming off one one side is simply a sharpening issue. I am almost certain that even if the edge looks even, it is slightly moved to one side.

So on one side you’re sharpening and you’re actually hitting the apex, forming a burr on the other side. On the burr side of the edge, you’ve got to be hitting the shoulder and not actually sharpening the apex (although it may seem like you are)


I have seen this before numerous times and it can throw you off if you don’t know what you’re looking at.

I suggest reprofiling the edge, and centering the edge up. I am certain that will fix your issue.


There’s no other logical reason that a burr would seek persistent only on one side of the knife. On one side you’re hitting the apex, and on one side you aren’t. Fix the edge in that spot and your burr issue will go away.

[prndltech]

I agree... I sharpened mine on the sharpmaker to 30 inclusive with the CBN stones and then microbeveled at 40 inclusive using the brown

[driftingfir]

@AwayFromMySpydieHole thanks for the suggestion, I think that may be whats happening. I have a zt0566 that seems to have the same problem, but dismissed it as being a lemon or bad heat treat. Until now I haven't had this problem in sharpening. I plan to go and sharpen the knife from scratch, and make extra sure to fully apex both sides of the knife.

[Dodge]

Nothing scientific here but I feel like my Para 3 LW doesn’t hold the edge. About half as long as my Delica/Endura Wave folders. I use the sharpmaker as intended.

[driftingfir]

I just sharpened my para 3, fully burred on each side and deburred and the edge came out great. Now all I have to do is use the knife and see how the edge retention is. Thanks to everyone who has commented, and feel free to share the thread.

[prndltech]

Nothing scientific here but I feel like my Para 3 LW doesn’t hold the edge. About half as long as my Delica/Endura Wave folders. I use the sharpmaker as intended.

So far I like my manix 2 LW with it, but I haven’t used it enough to really know since reprofiling it. it sharpened up great... only time will tell.

I wonder if your having a burr issue as well? May need to remove some metal to get the “burnt” edge from the factory off of it...

[prndltech]

I just sharpened my para 3, fully burred on each side and deburred and the edge came out great. Now all I have to do is use the knife and see how the edge retention is. Thanks to everyone who has commented, and feel free to share the thread.

Keep us posted...