Community Sharpening Journal

[Ramonade]

I very often finish on the F240. After some time with these stones (Dog series and then Cerberus Dog series, even better) I know what I like best ! IT's either going really high like F1500 on particular steels, or F240 one pass on each side on a leather strop and I'm good to go.

If there's any reprofiling to do, I start with the F80. I lapped all my stones yesterday. I still have some inconsistencies but knowing with what I'm working for lapping, I'm pretty happy



Here's a terrible picture of my N5 in Cruwear that I got recently. It's a F400 edge because I haven't played with Cruwear yet. I give it my "basic middle road edge" to see how it goes. It took ages because the previous owner rounded the tip (certainly while using a fixed angle system) and had a pretty annoying microbevel. Both took me ages to get rid off aiming for a 17 dps edge (I always do 15, but I knew this wasn't gonna be fun). Took longer than when I simply reprofile some Maxamet from let's say 18 to 15 dps I can tell you that I was happy to be using the F80 stone and not F150. I guess the F100 wouldn't feel slower but why would I use it ?



The Clipitool took a crazy edge with the F240, no stropping on this one (touched it up 2 or 3 times already, on the same stone) and it's just a slicing machine ! I love that little thing. I'd love a sprint run in the same body and like VG-10 or S35VN.



Since we are on the subject. I also gave a F240 edge to the Para 3. Being on cat litter duty it sometimes get dings. I strop it with 6 micron gunny juice. I've stropped 3 times already and it shows on the apex . I only do 2 passes on each side, but it cuts way way faster that the other compounds, pastes or spray I've tried before.

[Strauss95]

I struggle when trying to finish on coarse stones freehand, but I'm assuming that's due to my inexperience since I've only been sharpening freehand for about 2 years, but only recently have been seriously trying to improve my technique. I've assumed it's due to problems with burr removal and angle inconsistencies. I got myself a BESS tester so I can monitor my progress which has been a big help in quantifying my level of sharpness. If I sharpen a blade on my Venev stones all the way up to F1200, followed by a light 1 micron strop I can usually score around 150-175 BESS. But when I try to finish off the F240 followed by the same stropping I've been stuck in the 250 BESS range.

I also have an Edge Pro that I hadn't used in years, so I just ordered some Diamond Matrix stones to bring it back to life. The reason I hadn't been using it is because all I had was a set of Chosera stones, which wasn't going to cut it (literally lol) on the recent "super steels". I also ordered the retractable magnet and may pick up the slide guide if I find I really enjoy using it again.

I'm excited/hoping I can bring my BESS scores down with the precision of the Edge Pro. My goal has been to get down to a score of 100 or less so we'll see what happens. My lowest BESS score so far was a 130 on one of my Japanese kitchen knives I sharpened freehand, finished on my Gesshin 6K stone and stropped on 1 micron diamond on a denim strop.

[Sharp24/7]

Took my new K390 S2 to a mirror polish trying to get rid of the burr it came with from the factory. Worked on most of the edge, except around the tip. I’ve stropped it at a few different angles, figuring that the tip might be at a slightly higher angle, but not dice. Anyone have any advice? I sharpen on an Edge Pro Apex with diamond matrix stones, strop on a leather paddle with 1 micron diamond paste on one side and .5 micron on the other.

[TkoK83Spy]

Looks like you may have worked through your grit progressions a bit too fast. Should be no burr present when going from stone to stone. That's a pretty large burr for the finishing stone. Fully apex and clean the burr from the coarsest stone and continue to do so until you finish at whatever finish suits you.

[RustyIron]

Worked on most of the edge, except around the tip. I’ve stropped it at a few different angles, figuring that the tip might be at a slightly higher angle, but not dice. Anyone have any advice?

It's common on Spydercos to come from the factory with an edge that is slightly more obtuse at the tip and heel. More than likely, you've failed to apex the edge. A quick gander with your magnifier will reveal the problem.

[WyoJon]

This new native 5 spy27 had uneven bevels from the factory, with an edge that was off center.

Corrected it with 120 grit sand paper ove the sharp marker stones. Cleaned it up with 220, then did the sharp maker progression to the ultra fine. Its set at 15 degrees and is now quite sharp.

[Ramonade]

Took my new K390 S2 to a mirror polish trying to get rid of the burr it came with from the factory. Worked on most of the edge, except around the tip. I’ve stropped it at a few different angles, figuring that the tip might be at a slightly higher angle, but not dice. Anyone have any advice? I sharpen on an Edge Pro Apex with diamond matrix stones, strop on a leather paddle with 1 micron diamond paste on one side and .5 micron on the other.

My experience with K390 knives from Seki is that I always had to put my own edge on them. Everytime I had a giant tough burr from the factory. Most often last inch of the blade and near the heel.

[Sharp24/7]

Took my new K390 S2 to a mirror polish trying to get rid of the burr it came with from the factory. Worked on most of the edge, except around the tip. I’ve stropped it at a few different angles, figuring that the tip might be at a slightly higher angle, but not dice. Anyone have any advice? I sharpen on an Edge Pro Apex with diamond matrix stones, strop on a leather paddle with 1 micron diamond paste on one side and .5 micron on the other.

My experience with K390 knives from Seki is that I always had to put my own edge on them. Everytime I had a giant tough burr from the factory. Most often last inch of the blade and near the heel.

That’s exactly what I had. The part by the heel wasn’t as hard to get rid of, but that inch by the tip was making my nuts.

[Sharp24/7]

Worked on most of the edge, except around the tip. I’ve stropped it at a few different angles, figuring that the tip might be at a slightly higher angle, but not dice. Anyone have any advice?

It's common on Spydercos to come from the factory with an edge that is slightly more obtuse at the tip and heel. More than likely, you've failed to apex the edge. A quick gander with your magnifier will reveal the problem.

That explains a lot. The tips have always given me trouble. On the plus, aside from the burr being a little stubborn, the K390 wasn’t hard to sharpen at all. Took a nice fine edge. And I’m willing to chalk the burr issue up to overheated metal from the factory.

[Strauss95]

Worked on most of the edge, except around the tip. I’ve stropped it at a few different angles, figuring that the tip might be at a slightly higher angle, but not dice. Anyone have any advice?

It's common on Spydercos to come from the factory with an edge that is slightly more obtuse at the tip and heel. More than likely, you've failed to apex the edge. A quick gander with your magnifier will reveal the problem.

That explains a lot. The tips have always given me trouble. On the plus, aside from the burr being a little stubborn, the K390 wasn’t hard to sharpen at all. Took a nice fine edge. And I’m willing to chalk the burr issue up to overheated metal from the factory.

If you don't already have one, for sure pick up a cheap inspection lens to better view the apex while sharpening. It's really helped me understand what is going on with the edge.

[WyoJon]

Bolomo jewelers loupe 10x is cheap on amazon, and a quality glass triplex lense.

As for the last inch by the tip, when your profiling on the sharp maker, holding the blade verticle, you also have to contend with the fact the blade is thinner at the tip, so rotating the back of the knife slightly away from the stone while keeping the blade verticle will help grind that part that foesnt get touched due to being further from the stone than the rest of the blade.

[WyoJon]

If you hold a machinists straight edge to the blade, you will notice the bevel moves on the horizontal plane inward towards the tip, as well as upward towards the tip. Keeping the arm and wrist locked while using sharp maker effectively allows the stone to skip right past that last inch without contacting it.

[WyoJon]

Youll really see that effect on fat clip point blades such as this ka bar 1189

[Ramonade]

I have to say that I've tried to finish on the venev F150 lately, did it for both a 14C28N and a Nitro-V folder (both with very good heat treats). My grit pattern is always going upward from heel to tip. It bites in everything with aggressivity and still cuts cheap and flimsy paper towel like its printing paper !

I have a sudden urge to resharpen a lot of knives that do not need it at all... (As if I don't have that urge, like, always)

Youll really see that effect on fat clip point blades such as this ka bar 1189

Nice !

[ncrockclimb]

I tried a new sharpening protocol with my Rex45 Native. I kept the 13.5 dps I already had on the blade, but developed a burr and then finished with f80 Venev. I had previously finished with the f150 Venev, and wanted to see if I could get a shaving sharp toothy edge with the coarsest stone in my kit.

This edge is AWESOME. I can cleanly slice phone book paper and shave arm hair. However, this blade really shines in how much it “bites” into fibrous material. It chews through rope with almost no pressure. I usually test my edges by slicing into a cylinder about the size of a cigar that I make from tightly rolling paper towels. This blade cuts deeper into my paper towel roll than any other sharpening job I have done.

I’ll be interested to see how this edge holds up over time…

[Ramonade]

I tried a new sharpening protocol with my Rex45 Native. I kept the 13.5 dps I already had on the blade, but developed a burr and then finished with f80 Venev. I had previously finished with the f150 Venev, and wanted to see if I could get a shaving sharp toothy edge with the coarsest stone in my kit.

This edge is AWESOME. I can cleanly slice phone book paper and shave arm hair. However, this blade really shines in how much it “bites” into fibrous material. It chews through rope with almost no pressure. I usually test my edges by slicing into a cylinder about the size of a cigar that I make from tightly rolling paper towels. This blade cuts deeper into my paper towel roll than any other sharpening job I have done.

I’ll be interested to see how this edge holds up over time…

You beat me to the punch ! Nice work, we are not inventing anything, especially since vivi has talked about low grit edges for 2 years straight, but it's always different with the FEPA F grit chart.

After testing to end on the F150 on a couple of knives I was gonna try the F100 (and then the F80). I guess I can jump to the F80 directly

[ncrockclimb]

Vivi really inspired me to move away from micro-micron stropped polished edges to coarse grit edges. I could not be happier with the results so far. My only regret is spending so much money on stones and strops when I could probably make do with just the F80 and F150 Venev.

Please post up with you like your f80 edge.

[Josh Crutchley]

80 grit is too coarse for me. I've been using a 220 grit finish on 20cv for a few days now. It's OK but I don't think I'll be switching all my knives to low grit any time soon. There's just something about scary sharp edges that fascinates me.

[Bemo]

I tried a new sharpening protocol with my Rex45 Native. I kept the 13.5 dps I already had on the blade, but developed a burr and then finished with f80 Venev. I had previously finished with the f150 Venev, and wanted to see if I could get a shaving sharp toothy edge with the coarsest stone in my kit.

Ok I need this clarified. With what grit did you develop the burr?

And I miss Vivi, he seems to have dropped off the forum lately. Hope it's for a good reason.

[ncrockclimb]

Hi Bemo.

I sharpened the blade for the first time about a week ago. I did this by setting the bevel at 13.5 with a F80, then refining the edge with F150.

I used the blade last week to slice some cardboard and cut a bunch of pallet straps. The blade was still sharp, but I wanted to try a lower grit edge.

Today, I used ONLY the f80 to develop a substantial burr, then remove the burr and fully clean up the edge.