Sharpening Maxamet?
- Fly Fishing Rick
- Member
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:54 am
- Location: Upstate NY
Sharpening Maxamet?
How thin have y'all taken Maxamet before having problems? I like most of my edc knives around 13-14dps, is Maxamet tough enough for 13dps?
-Jimmy
-
- Member
- Posts: 558
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:30 pm
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
I'm sure there wouldn't be any problem dropping the angle a few degrees-per-side.
YMMV.
A full primary bevel "re-grind" of my Maxamet Native 5 has been on my to-do list for a while, however I also have K390 and REX45 in the works as well... Not owning powered equipment certainly only makes the task that much more daunting (from what I've heard on grinding Maxamet even with powered equipment), but since Maxamet has been stored away in favor of other steels for the past year now, I think it's time to start (slowly) tackling that feat.
YMMV.
A full primary bevel "re-grind" of my Maxamet Native 5 has been on my to-do list for a while, however I also have K390 and REX45 in the works as well... Not owning powered equipment certainly only makes the task that much more daunting (from what I've heard on grinding Maxamet even with powered equipment), but since Maxamet has been stored away in favor of other steels for the past year now, I think it's time to start (slowly) tackling that feat.
Make Knife Grinds Thin Again.
- Fly Fishing Rick
- Member
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:54 am
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
I started this morning on my Lanskey and it's pretty time consuming but not as bad as I was expecting. I'm aiming for around 14dps and it's coming along well so far. I intend to finish up tonight when I have more uninterrupted free time.
-Jimmy
- Surfingringo
- Member
- Posts: 5820
- Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2013 2:02 pm
- Location: Costa Rica
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
My Manix is about 11-12 degrees per side with a tiny 15dps microbevel. I’ve used it off and on as my regular edc for a couple of years and have never seen ANY edge damage. Very easy steel to sharpen too. The edge retention to ease of sharpening ratio of this steel is excellent.
- Fly Fishing Rick
- Member
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:54 am
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
Glad to hear it! I'll be touching this one up on the 15° side of the Sharpmaker for the foreseeable future after this.Surfingringo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:54 amMy Manix is about 11-12 degrees per side with a tiny 15dps microbevel. I’ve used it off and on as my regular edc for a couple of years and have never seen ANY edge damage. Very easy steel to sharpen too. The edge retention to ease of sharpening ratio of this steel is excellent.
-Jimmy
-
- Member
- Posts: 1390
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2021 10:06 am
- Location: Earth probably?
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
I've gone pretty thin with Maxamet, although not as thin as some other steels. So far I have had no problems with the edge being too fragile.
The REX 45 one is thinner, although it may not be super evident in the photo.
The REX 45 one is thinner, although it may not be super evident in the photo.
Because desolate places allow us to breathe. And most people don't even know they're out of breath.
MNOSD member #0035
MNOSD member #0035
-
- Member
- Posts: 1390
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2021 10:06 am
- Location: Earth probably?
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
Better close up edge image here, this is a Maxamet Para 3 that I've also reprofiled. It's a bit thinner than the PM2. And now this thread has inspired me to get out some Maxamet, I've been giving loads of attention to K390 lately far as the tool steels go.
Because desolate places allow us to breathe. And most people don't even know they're out of breath.
MNOSD member #0035
MNOSD member #0035
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
Ive got my Manix2 at 15 dps and have had no problems with it. I was a little unsure at first, so I tested it by carving a walking stick out of a pine branch. No nicks or chips whatsoever. Still sliced paer and shaved hair just fine. Personally, I think it's a great performing steel.
- Fly Fishing Rick
- Member
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:54 am
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
Looks good, any idea what angle it's at? looks pretty similar to my pm2 which is around 13-14dps.Wandering_About wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 3:41 pmBetter close up edge image here, this is a Maxamet Para 3 that I've also reprofiled. It's a bit thinner than the PM2. And now this thread has inspired me to get out some Maxamet, I've been giving loads of attention to K390 lately far as the tool steels go.
-Jimmy
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
I created a microconvex and stopped worrying about it.
Military/PM2/P3 Native Chief/Native GB2 DF2 PITS Chaparral Tasman Salt 2 SE Caribbean Sheepfoot SE SpydieChef Swayback Manix2 Sage 1 SSS Stretch 2 XL G10
-
- Member
- Posts: 1390
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2021 10:06 am
- Location: Earth probably?
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
Probably somewhere in there. I freehand sharpen and have not actually measured angles in a very long time.Fly Fishing Rick wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 4:02 pm
Looks good, any idea what angle it's at? looks pretty similar to my pm2 which is around 13-14dps.
Because desolate places allow us to breathe. And most people don't even know they're out of breath.
MNOSD member #0035
MNOSD member #0035
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
What do you mean by “sharpening” ? Touch ups or reprofiling ?Surfingringo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:54 amMy Manix is about 11-12 degrees per side with a tiny 15dps microbevel. I’ve used it off and on as my regular edc for a couple of years and have never seen ANY edge damage. Very easy steel to sharpen too. The edge retention to ease of sharpening ratio of this steel is excellent.
Marius
" A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it "
( Rabindranath Tagore )
Proud member of the old school spyderedge nation
" A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it "
( Rabindranath Tagore )
Proud member of the old school spyderedge nation
-
- Member
- Posts: 2997
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Longmont, CO USA
- Contact:
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
Dear Pacu0420:
Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.
Stay safe,
Mike
Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.
Stay safe,
Mike
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
I think he means that reprofiling down to 11-12 degrees per side was not much of a problem. At least that's what I thought because this is my experience too. I've dropped 4 degrees on one side and 2 on the other on one of my N5s in Maxamet and it was not too long of a job. The sharpening response of the steel is excellent, there are no stubborn burrs you have to fight for a long time to get rid off :)elena86 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 29, 2022 5:01 amWhat do you mean by “sharpening” ? Touch ups or reprofiling ?Surfingringo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:54 amMy Manix is about 11-12 degrees per side with a tiny 15dps microbevel. I’ve used it off and on as my regular edc for a couple of years and have never seen ANY edge damage. Very easy steel to sharpen too. The edge retention to ease of sharpening ratio of this steel is excellent.
Of course this depends a lot of how you sharpen. I used venev resin-bonded diamond stones (OCB100%, the 25% are nice too but slower). And I've damaged the edge twice already hitting some stuff, getting the small chip out wasn't much of a problem either
In the collection : Lots of different steels, in lots of different (and same) Spydercos.
Robin. Finally made an IG : ramo_knives
MNOSD member 004* aka Mr. N5s
Robin. Finally made an IG : ramo_knives
MNOSD member 004* aka Mr. N5s
- legOFwhat?
- Member
- Posts: 3139
- Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2018 5:58 am
- Location: Kentucky; Earth
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
This was my 1st attempt at sharpening Maxamet and I don't consider myself a "sharpener". I'm learning slowly, one of the big things that helped me was stop worrying about ruining it or scratching up something that's made to get beat up. It's not the prettiest edge in the world but my goodness it splits hairs!
-Larry
Hebrews 13:6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
MNOSD #0049
Hebrews 13:6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
MNOSD #0049
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
Don't feel bad, that's how I feel about my edges too! Not always the prettiest, usually quite coarse...but they do the job and do it well.legOFwhat? wrote: ↑Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:37 amThis was my 1st attempt at sharpening Maxamet and I don't consider myself a "sharpener". I'm learning slowly, one of the big things that helped me was stop worrying about ruining it or scratching up something that's made to get beat up. It's not the prettiest edge in the world but my goodness it splits hairs!
Not much for me to contribute here as I've only needed quick touchups on my only sample of Maxamet. It's a factory seconds, and the blade is slightly warped, which makes me wonder how an actual sharpening session will go in the future.
15 's in 10 different steels
1 - Bradford Guardian 3 / Vanadis 4E Wharnie
1 - Monterey Bay Knives Slayback Flipper / ZDP 189
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31/Macassar Ebony Inlays
1 - CRK Large Inkosi Insingo/ Black Micarta Inlays
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31 Insingo/Magnacut
-Rick
1 - Bradford Guardian 3 / Vanadis 4E Wharnie
1 - Monterey Bay Knives Slayback Flipper / ZDP 189
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31/Macassar Ebony Inlays
1 - CRK Large Inkosi Insingo/ Black Micarta Inlays
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31 Insingo/Magnacut
-Rick
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
i’ve only touched up the edge of my maxamet PM2 and it responds really quickly - wonderful stuff.
when i had the native 5 maxamet ( my first maxamet blade) it took it down to 15 degrees and it held that awesomely - no problems. i’ve found maxamet gets a bad reputation from the internet as it’s tough to sharpen / maintain. my experience has been quite the opposite.
when i had the native 5 maxamet ( my first maxamet blade) it took it down to 15 degrees and it held that awesomely - no problems. i’ve found maxamet gets a bad reputation from the internet as it’s tough to sharpen / maintain. my experience has been quite the opposite.
current fav’s: K390 SS Stretch, PM2 CruWear Mircata, P.I.T.S., Subway Bowie
-
- Member
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 8:47 am
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
That edge looks fine to me.Pretty is as pretty does.legOFwhat? wrote: ↑Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:37 amThis was my 1st attempt at sharpening Maxamet and I don't consider myself a "sharpener". I'm learning slowly, one of the big things that helped me was stop worrying about ruining it or scratching up something that's made to get beat up. It's not the prettiest edge in the world but my goodness it splits hairs!
- Fly Fishing Rick
- Member
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:54 am
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
I finally finished today and ended up somewhere between 12-14dps, this was by far the most difficult sharpening job I've ever done but that's mostly because of a little bit of trouble I had earlier in the week. I was all done setting my edge with a coarse diamond hone, then shortly after starting with the medium a pretty long/large section of the edge just flaked/chipped right off. I stoned the whole edge back flush with the deepest part of the chip and started over and didn't have any more issues after that. I think the edge may have got cooked when the knife was sharpened at the factory and that's what caused it to be so brittle/weak, at least I hope lol. The other thing that made this job a bit more difficult is that the blade grind is not even, so a lot of my sharpening was done 2:1 in favor of the show side and the bevel is still not perfectly symmetrical. I finished off the edge with a 15dps micro bevel using the UF Sharpmaker stones and I'm very happy with the edge. I apologize for the poor photo quality, I can't take a good indoor photo to save my life with this camera lol.
-Jimmy
- kennethsime
- Member
- Posts: 4786
- Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:28 pm
- Location: California
Re: Sharpening Maxamet?
I dropped my Maxamet Manix to 15ºPS and have been pretty darn happy with it. That was at least a year ago, and I haven't even had to touch it up since. To be fair, I probably only carry it once/month, but I don't baby it when I do - it's my favorite "work" knife, and has popped more zip ties than any of my other EDCs.
I'm happiest with Micarta and Tool Steel.
Top four in rotation: K390 + GCM PM2, ZCarta Shaman, Crucarta PM2, K390 + GCM Straight Spine Stretch.
Top four in rotation: K390 + GCM PM2, ZCarta Shaman, Crucarta PM2, K390 + GCM Straight Spine Stretch.