I saw another post over at Bladeforums that indicated that the Native is has a single-sided edge and related that to ease of sharpening.
What is a single edge, and is there anything special to do when using the Sharpmaker? How would you tell that it has just the single edge?
I've already sharpened my Native twice using the instructions, which I guess means sharpening both edges. Have I done anything to degrade cutting performance?
Matthew
Sharpening question
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Clay Kesting
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- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Sydney Australia
Matthew,
Is your Native plain or serrated? The plain Native is bevelled on both sides and can be sharpened normally. The plain edged portion of the partially serrated Native has a chisel grind (I think) which means that it is ground on one side only (the side with serrations) and the blade should be sharpened following the instructions for serrated edges which come with the Sharpmaker. Either way, I very much doubt that you've damaged your blade.
Clay
Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow, in Australia it's tomorrow already.
Is your Native plain or serrated? The plain Native is bevelled on both sides and can be sharpened normally. The plain edged portion of the partially serrated Native has a chisel grind (I think) which means that it is ground on one side only (the side with serrations) and the blade should be sharpened following the instructions for serrated edges which come with the Sharpmaker. Either way, I very much doubt that you've damaged your blade.
Clay
Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow, in Australia it's tomorrow already.
Clay - I have the plain edge. Good to hear that I haven't messed up too bad yet! Although I don't think I quite have the technique down yet. I just don't think I'm getting the edge as sharp as it could be.
I'm using the 40 degree setting, and following it for the 20 strokes on each side but the results just don't seem as good as when I first received the knife....
Thanks,
Matthew
I'm using the 40 degree setting, and following it for the 20 strokes on each side but the results just don't seem as good as when I first received the knife....
Thanks,
Matthew
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Clay Kesting
- Member
- Posts: 1241
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Sydney Australia
Matthew,
You need to keep working with the corners of the grey stones until the knife will slice paper easily or catch on your thumb nail. It may well take more than 20 strokes but just keep doing 20 strokes at a time until you get the desired sharpness and then move onto the next steps. BTW be careful not to let the point slip off the corners of the stones as this will round the tip. I only sharpen the tip on the flats and never let it leave the stone. Hope this helps.
Clay
Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow, in Australia it's tomorrow already.
Edited by - Clay Kesting on 5/30/2001 5:39:31 PM
You need to keep working with the corners of the grey stones until the knife will slice paper easily or catch on your thumb nail. It may well take more than 20 strokes but just keep doing 20 strokes at a time until you get the desired sharpness and then move onto the next steps. BTW be careful not to let the point slip off the corners of the stones as this will round the tip. I only sharpen the tip on the flats and never let it leave the stone. Hope this helps.
Clay
Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow, in Australia it's tomorrow already.
Edited by - Clay Kesting on 5/30/2001 5:39:31 PM
Thanks Clay. That's actually the hardest part for me - knowing when I am finished on the corner of the grey stones.
Slicing paper easily - does that mean to hold up a piece of paper, start from the top and slice with a minimum of pressure? If that is the case, I have reached that step.
Catching on the thumb nail - how do you try that test?
I tried to do the shaving on the arm, but I can never get it to that point. At least not using the technique Sal shows in the video where he holds the blade perpendicular to his arm and shaves off a bit of hair. I have to hold mine at a bit of an angle to accomplish that.
Thanks also for the tip about the tip <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle> I will follow that from now on!
Slicing paper easily - does that mean to hold up a piece of paper, start from the top and slice with a minimum of pressure? If that is the case, I have reached that step.
Catching on the thumb nail - how do you try that test?
I tried to do the shaving on the arm, but I can never get it to that point. At least not using the technique Sal shows in the video where he holds the blade perpendicular to his arm and shaves off a bit of hair. I have to hold mine at a bit of an angle to accomplish that.
Thanks also for the tip about the tip <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle> I will follow that from now on!
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Clay Kesting
- Member
- Posts: 1241
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Sydney Australia
Matthew,
The paper test sounds about right. I like to try to slice thin strips off the corner the way Sal does on the video. To test on your nail (a ball-point pen will do as well) just run the blade down the nail at an angle. A blunt knife will slide but a sharp knife catches. The sharper the knife, the lower the angle before it starts to slide. I hope that explains it <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>. Sal also runs the knife down the hair on the back of his head, a sharp knife catches in the hair very quickly. I don't do this too often though, for the fear of getting a bald spot <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>. One final point, don't exect to get your knives feeling quite as sharp as they were originally if you are using 20 degree slots. The factory edge is closer to 30 degrees which is why they are so amazingly sharp "out of the box". A 40 degree bevel won't feel quite as sharp but it will last longer.
Clay
Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow, in Australia it's tomorrow already.
Edited by - Clay Kesting on 6/1/2001 1:28:03 AM
The paper test sounds about right. I like to try to slice thin strips off the corner the way Sal does on the video. To test on your nail (a ball-point pen will do as well) just run the blade down the nail at an angle. A blunt knife will slide but a sharp knife catches. The sharper the knife, the lower the angle before it starts to slide. I hope that explains it <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>. Sal also runs the knife down the hair on the back of his head, a sharp knife catches in the hair very quickly. I don't do this too often though, for the fear of getting a bald spot <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>. One final point, don't exect to get your knives feeling quite as sharp as they were originally if you are using 20 degree slots. The factory edge is closer to 30 degrees which is why they are so amazingly sharp "out of the box". A 40 degree bevel won't feel quite as sharp but it will last longer.
Clay
Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow, in Australia it's tomorrow already.
Edited by - Clay Kesting on 6/1/2001 1:28:03 AM