Community Sharpening Journal

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
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TkoK83Spy
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#381

Post by TkoK83Spy »

For the price, this seems interesting.

https://knifeworks.com/accusharp-five-s ... it-as059c/
15 :bug-red '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
prndltech
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#382

Post by prndltech »

Freshly sharpened s90v titanium and carbon fiber military.... 15dps with CBN rods to reprofile the factory edge, then about 40 passes if I had to guess at 20dps with the brown rods to debur. Never tried reprofiling super steels with the SM... always used big diamond plates freehand. But I wanted to prove to myself what I already knew... if you have diamond or CBN rods, brown rods and a 204p sharpmaker you don’t NEED anything else. It’s sharp.


Image
- Shannon

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vivi
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#383

Post by vivi »

If you're just deburring with the browns and not trying to polish out the micro serrations from the CBN rods, I'd imagine you'd only need maybe 2 strokes per side.

Looks like a great edge either way.
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prndltech
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#384

Post by prndltech »

Vivi wrote:
Sat Dec 21, 2019 12:12 pm
If you're just deburring with the browns and not trying to polish out the micro serrations from the CBN rods, I'd imagine you'd only need maybe 2 strokes per side.

Looks like a great edge either way.
That’s what I like to do... but I’m experimenting
- Shannon

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vivi
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#385

Post by vivi »

My C95 was due for its first touch-up today.

Looking at the edge, the factory grind lines had been completely removed from the edge bevel before I received it. The previous owner put a very nice edge on it; I was pleasantly surprised. It appeared free hand. Either way it was one of the sharpest used knives I've purchased.

I gave my ~15 year old DMT fine a really good cleaning. It worked well. I did about 15 strokes per side aiming for roughly 15 degrees per side, which felt like it was hitting the apex set by the old owner. I think back when I used it on my Manix XL a few months back it was dirtier, which gave me worse results. Considering they're both the same steel and blade shape.

Either way, the C95 got tree-topping sharp. I checked it slicing jute twine with feather light pressure and it seems to have pretty good slicing aggression. Not on the same level as the x coarse edges, but still good.

It came with a more polished edge than I've been using, and as much as I like those micro-serrations, it's been fun having a higher degree of push cutting performance. I'm keeping it fairly polished for now, time will tell what I do long term. Considering how sharp it was when I got it vs how sharp it was prior to sharpening today, it did seem to dull fast.

That's one thing that's gotten me spoiled with toothy PE configurations....I can go much further between sharpenings because a moderately dull extra coarse edge still slices most materials well.

But, after carrying a lot of coarse edged knives that have been dulled to the point of having no hope of scrape shaving a single arm hair, it's fun having an edge that sends hairs flying with the slightest contact.

Image

It's been so nice having one of these back in my pocket. The C95 was the second Spyderco I fell in love with. The first was a single liner 440V Military for its amazing size to weight ratio, followed by a pair of C95's, one PE one CE, for their incredible ergonomics and stoutness. My tastes haven't changed much :)
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JD Spydo
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#386

Post by JD Spydo »

For quite some time I used to frequent a Straight Razor forum just to try to get a better understanding of how razors differ over knives. I also used to read a lot on the sharpening section in that forum as well As a result I bought about a half a dozen different razor sharpening stones and even found one that my dad used when he was younger.

There is one of those Razor Stones with the name "Columbia" engraved on it that I've used more or less as a strop. I've had some interesting results from it. It has different effects on different steels but it is a nice finishing tool. I've just wondered if any of you have had any experiences using those older razor stones?
prndltech
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#387

Post by prndltech »

Vivi wrote:
Tue Dec 24, 2019 1:05 am
it's been fun having a higher degree of push cutting performance. I'm keeping it fairly polished for now, time will tell what I do long term.
I did the same with the s90v mili above. Since posting I ran it through the medium progression again, then went onto the fine. The aggressive course edge isn’t there, but I can pinch it with 2 fingers and the weight of it will “push cut” thin receipt paper. Not usually what I got for either....
- Shannon

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jackh
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#388

Post by jackh »

JD Spydo wrote:
Sun Sep 15, 2019 3:04 am
That would be a great title for a printed magazine. I used to be an active member on a really popular "straight Razor" forum and the main reason I was there was to learn more about the different stones and strops they used to sharpen with. It was most interesting because those Straight Razors were a completely different animal all together.

But the subject of sharpening can be a pretty vast item of discussion because there are literally hundreds of abrasives and methods to discuss. And it seems like it's a hobby that is growing pretty rapidly. I got really hooked on it when I got my very first Sharpmaker back in the late 90s. I hope this thread gets at least 200 hits on it.

A section on hardware alone could go on for days.
What sharpening tools do you have? How much difference does it make? How much skill do you have? etc.

Dad taught me how to sharpen a knife when I was 10 or 11. By the time I was out of high school shaving arm hair was my standard of a sharp edge. And for the most part that's plenty sharp enough for day to day cutting.

Over the past 10 - 12 years I got more interested in obtaining a much sharper edge. Tree topping, hair whittling, etc. After a few angle controlling sharpening systems including the Edge Pro I have settled on free hand sharpening. That is because the "systems" I learned to used all have their own limitations. Having said that I do want to say I love the Edge Pro. I do want to say that the first time I used the Edge Pro was MUCH different than the last time. No matter how good a tool performs it takes time to learn how to use it well. That's any tool. But free hand sharpening leaves the only limitations on the individual.

The sharpening tools I now have and use are Spyderco's med, fine and UF stones. I find the fine grit the most useful. The UF is not needed much for knives but makes for a great stone for straight razors. The medium grit is just that. Good for when the fine grit isn't quite coarse enough or you just want a bit coarser edge. Great set of stones.

I also have a set of DMT stones. Add a DMT (or other diamond company) coarse stone to the Spyderco stones and I think you have a nice set. One thing I love about these stones is you can use them dry. No mess to clean up.

Last, I have a set of Shapton glass stones. 320, 500, 1k, 2k, 4, 8k, 16k grits. I like 320 - 2k grits for knives and the higher grits for straight razors. Or, if you just want a smoother edge the higher grits are great for knives. HOWEVER, all my life I would get my pocket knife very sharp with a medium grit range stone. Then, thinking I was going to get it sharper with a finer grit stone I ended up making it duller. So I quit using finer grits. Several years ago I decided to improve my sharpening skill. So I started buying sharpening tools. Whatever I bought I either sold, gave away or kept. What I kept is listed above.

In my opinion it takes more skill to get good results from the higher grit range of stones. Since anything higher than 1k or 2k grits aren't necessary for a great edge I'd suggest not buying them right away. If you do buy them and don't get good results you probably just need more practice.

My opinion again. The secret to the super sharp edge is super light strokes as the finishing touch. This is something that takes time to be able to "feel". It's not something you get in a month either. There's a reason really good knife sharpeners are sought and respected. It's a skill just like any other. To get a super light amount of pressure balance the knife on your finger. After finding the balance point keep a finger under the knife just back far enough for the blade to be heavy enough to lay on the stone. Using the weight of the blade instead of you pushing down on the stone keeps the pressure very light.

By the time you get to this point if there is a burr on one side, one super light stroke to remove it is all that should be needed. At this point if you use too much pressure you'll probably have wasted the last 10 or 15 minutes of work.

No matter what stones you use your ability will be the most important thing. And it takes time to develop.

If I didn't have any sharpening stones I'd start with buying a DMT coarse grit, Spyderco med and fine grit stones. If you want to go with water stones a Shapton glass 320, 500, 2k grits are enough. But with water stones you will need to flatten them occasionally and they are a bit messy. To flatten them you'll need a coarse DMT (for example) also.

All of this is just my opinion and my opinion smells just as bad as anyone else's. :)
vivi
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#389

Post by vivi »

Wise words, jackh. In full agreement with all of your views. The combo of a coarse DMT for repair and reprofiling, plus the Spyderco stones for finishing is an efficient setup. Feather light touch is essential for optimal results, and reduces the time one spends chasing away burrs.
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prndltech
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#390

Post by prndltech »

I usually reprofile free hand and then “debur” or in all honesty microbevel, on the sharpmaker to finish and touch up fast. However, I have just recently repofiled a few knives with the CBN rods on the 204p at 30 inclusive and then microbevel at 40 and I have to say I’m very impressed with the results. Very light touch is key.
- Shannon

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Doeswhateveraspidercan
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#391

Post by Doeswhateveraspidercan »

This year I did very well and received Holiday Bonuses from each of my two employers. As of now I have incoming Shapton 320 stone not the Glass version.

And the following glass versions

500 Double thick

1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, 8000,

12000 not glass

I looked at the grand unified Grit Chart and saw how these parallel the Wicked Edge Pro stones and system I have and even though the micron difference is small sometimes it makes a difference especially when going for mirrored bevels which I like to do and then give a coarse microbevel.

Worse case scenario someone will get a nice deal on eBay for some lightly used stones if I do not like them, figure it is worth a small loss in order to experience my hobby, same as the knives.
jackh
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#392

Post by jackh »

One thing I've wondered about is how large of change is good enough to do a good job without needing every grit in a set. A couple of weeks ago I sharpened 5 kitchen knives for a friend. They were from the same company but I don't remember which. The blades were stainless but I didn't look to see which. I used my Shapton glass 320, 500, 1k and 2k stones. In theory when you use grits closer together you can spend less time with each stone to achieve the scratch depth of the stone being used. So I wonder if I had used the 320 then the 1k or 2k if I would have seen much difference in the amount of total time. If you made a huge jump is grit (500 to 8000 for example) I don't know if you would ever get rid of the scratch pattern created by a 500 grit stone.

Then you have the amount of money spent total. Then you also need to think of the amount of wear on each stone. After using the 320 if I needed more time with the 1k because I skipped the 500 it stands to reason I'd need to replace it sooner. The only water stones I've ever used are the Shapton glass. When I decided to get water stones I counted on the people in knife and knife sharpening forums on which ones to check out. According to what I read the Shapton glass stones wear much slower than other types. Plus, no soaking is required.

This is what I've wondered about but never experimented with it. One goal would be to have as few stones as possible to save money. Then the amount of time to complete the job would be impacted also. I think I think too much. :) Jack
vivi
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#393

Post by vivi »

jackh wrote:
Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:11 am
One thing I've wondered about is how large of change is good enough to do a good job without needing every grit in a set. A couple of weeks ago I sharpened 5 kitchen knives for a friend. They were from the same company but I don't remember which. The blades were stainless but I didn't look to see which. I used my Shapton glass 320, 500, 1k and 2k stones. In theory when you use grits closer together you can spend less time with each stone to achieve the scratch depth of the stone being used. So I wonder if I had used the 320 then the 1k or 2k if I would have seen much difference in the amount of total time. If you made a huge jump is grit (500 to 8000 for example) I don't know if you would ever get rid of the scratch pattern created by a 500 grit stone.

Then you have the amount of money spent total. Then you also need to think of the amount of wear on each stone. After using the 320 if I needed more time with the 1k because I skipped the 500 it stands to reason I'd need to replace it sooner. The only water stones I've ever used are the Shapton glass. When I decided to get water stones I counted on the people in knife and knife sharpening forums on which ones to check out. According to what I read the Shapton glass stones wear much slower than other types. Plus, no soaking is required.

This is what I've wondered about but never experimented with it. One goal would be to have as few stones as possible to save money. Then the amount of time to complete the job would be impacted also. I think I think too much. :) Jack
Utilizing microbevels lets you get away with much less. You can leave the entire bevel with the finish from your coarsest stone, then take the apex to whatever grit you desire.

Polishing steel behind the apex has almost no effect on cutting performance. If you use stones that wear and dish, I think a microbevel is a smart choice.
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Ankerson
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#394

Post by Ankerson »

Started using DMT 6 Micron diamond paste on my strop in place of the SIC slurry I was using for years.

Not as much of a mess to apply either. :D

Seems to be working well so far, slightly finer than the slurry was, but that's fine as it's for touchups.

I think it cuts the burr off faster than the slurry did too.
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TkoK83Spy
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#395

Post by TkoK83Spy »

I'm actually in the middle of re-re-profiling my M390 Para 3. I did it a few months ago but kind of rushed through the project using the Sharpmaker at the 30 degree settings, using the CBN rods. The show side turned out pretty good and even, noticeably thinned down. The clip side hardly looked reprofiled.

I'm finding myself doing much better holding the rod in hand and free handing it. Probably get both sides closer to 13-14dps once I'm done. I'm thinking it's time to look into a diamond stone to get these jobs started! Any suggestions on a decent stone that's not overly expensive to get myself started?
15 :bug-red '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
vivi
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#396

Post by vivi »

TkoK83Spy wrote:
Thu Dec 26, 2019 12:36 pm
I'm actually in the middle of re-re-profiling my M390 Para 3. I did it a few months ago but kind of rushed through the project using the Sharpmaker at the 30 degree settings, using the CBN rods. The show side turned out pretty good and even, noticeably thinned down. The clip side hardly looked reprofiled.

I'm finding myself doing much better holding the rod in hand and free handing it. Probably get both sides closer to 13-14dps once I'm done. I'm thinking it's time to look into a diamond stone to get these jobs started! Any suggestions on a decent stone that's not overly expensive to get myself started?
This isn't the cheapest one you can find, but it should last you a minimum of a decade.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/dmt- ... tra-coarse
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soc_monki
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#397

Post by soc_monki »

I've been using a lansky with some diamond stones for reprofiling, and my sharpmaker for maintenance, and some reprofiling with the diamond rods. Also have a smith's tri-hone that I haven't used much. Well, I decided I want to actually freehand because systems have limitations. So I worked on sharpening some of our kitchen knives and they came out really nice. Used my sharpmaker uf rods to give them a little more refinement and man... Those things are scary sharp!

So now I own a Norton crystolon combo stone for major work, a dmt fine, and of course my sharpmaker and all the rods. Worked on my Kershaw natrix and I did well. Need more practice though, and will probably be stopping at the dmt fine for the bevel, and then microbevel with my sharpmaker rods, maybe stopping at brown but we will see.

Can't wait to see what I can do with this modest set up!
:respect Spyderco : Resilience, Tenacious, Persistence, Manix 2 G10, Para 3 G10, Para 3 LW, Paramilitary 2,
BBS Paramilitary 2, Amalgam, Native Chief, Blade HQ Manix 2 XL, S30V Shaman, Gayle Bradley 2, DLC M4 Shaman, Magnitude, Z Wear Shaman, DLC S30V Shaman, Stretch 2, Kapara, CF/S90V Native Chief, Endela, K390 Endura, DLT 20cv Zome Endela x 2, Police 4 LW K390, SNK Native Chief, SNK Manix 2 XL, K390 Stretch 2, Stretch 2 XL, K390 Endela
Doeswhateveraspidercan
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#398

Post by Doeswhateveraspidercan »

Just received the Shapton Glass 4000 grit. Took my H1 pacific Salt SE and touched it up a bit.

Amazing edge swiftly, cant wait to work with all the grits.
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jpm2
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#399

Post by jpm2 »

soc_monki wrote:
Fri Dec 27, 2019 10:21 am
I've been using a lansky with some diamond stones for reprofiling, and my sharpmaker for maintenance, and some reprofiling with the diamond rods. Also have a smith's tri-hone that I haven't used much. Well, I decided I want to actually freehand because systems have limitations. So I worked on sharpening some of our kitchen knives and they came out really nice. Used my sharpmaker uf rods to give them a little more refinement and man... Those things are scary sharp!

So now I own a Norton crystolon combo stone for major work, a dmt fine, and of course my sharpmaker and all the rods. Worked on my Kershaw natrix and I did well. Need more practice though, and will probably be stopping at the dmt fine for the bevel, and then microbevel with my sharpmaker rods, maybe stopping at brown but we will see.

Can't wait to see what I can do with this modest set up!
Although I have a lot of accumulated sharpening stuff, those two are what I've used 99% of the time for 30 years. I think it's time to get a sharpmaker with all the rods, just because... and have never owned one.
Thanks for talking me into it.
soc_monki
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Re: Community Sharpening Journal

#400

Post by soc_monki »

jpm2 wrote:
Fri Dec 27, 2019 8:59 pm

Although I have a lot of accumulated sharpening stuff, those two are what I've used 99% of the time for 30 years. I think it's time to get a sharpmaker with all the rods, just because... and have never owned one.
Thanks for talking me into it.
I kept reading about how the crystolon was a classic stone, so I figured I'd give it a shot. The dmt was a no brainer, was inexpensive and works great, I was really impressed with the speed it cuts! Left a good edge, was slicing paper and paper towels no problem, but didn't seem to want to pop hair that well. So a few swipes on the sharpmaker was all it needed to give it a little refinement.

The sharpmaker is a great system, and I don't care what people say you can reprofile with the diamond (or cbn) rods. It does take a bit, but there are techniques to speed up the process. Took me a little while to do my 20cv Kershaw Bareknuckle, but it did it. And once the bevel is set thinning the bevel later is a breeze.

The angles aren't exact however. The 30 degree slots on mine add up to about 28.5 degrees. Not an issue really... Just makes for better slicing! Love the sharpmaker... Won't ever give it up!
:respect Spyderco : Resilience, Tenacious, Persistence, Manix 2 G10, Para 3 G10, Para 3 LW, Paramilitary 2,
BBS Paramilitary 2, Amalgam, Native Chief, Blade HQ Manix 2 XL, S30V Shaman, Gayle Bradley 2, DLC M4 Shaman, Magnitude, Z Wear Shaman, DLC S30V Shaman, Stretch 2, Kapara, CF/S90V Native Chief, Endela, K390 Endura, DLT 20cv Zome Endela x 2, Police 4 LW K390, SNK Native Chief, SNK Manix 2 XL, K390 Stretch 2, Stretch 2 XL, K390 Endela
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