Edge Retention of UKPK

[nathan310]

I just sharpened my UKPK last night (at a 26 degree angle in total)stroped it and it was cutting hair above the skin with hardly any pressure...

I used it today doing some extremely light work, cutting up some paper and tape.

Now it wont shave and I have to run it on the extra fine to get it shave sharp.

This seems to happen every day.

Is that normal?

Did I get a bad one?

What should I do?

[carrot]

If you are getting a wire edge then it would explain a lot. Bad heat treat is also possible but not as likely.

[nathan310]

It's still cutting great it just doesn't shave.

How do I know if there's a wire edge?

I just ran it throught the extra fine and it's cutting hair above the skin again.

[krazichinaman]

Seems like to me that your stropping might be rounding the edge. Try finishing off on the UF and not stropping.

You said that you can shave above the skin, but wouldn't that require no pressure? Since you are above the skin and all? I can get my knives to whittle hair, but never shave above the skin. If I barely touch the skin, the hairs "pop" off. :p

Hopefully this helps you!
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[Agent Starling]

There's been mention of some people on this forum using their thumbnail to test sharpness...you might want to give it a try. :)

Agent Starling

[nathan310]

I'm going to try just using extra fine with no strop and see how that goes.

Thanks.

[telemeister]

Hi There,

I have the UKPK and it is one of my favourite, and sharpest, Spydies. I have found that it retains a very sharp edge for a long time. I finish off with the Ultra Fine rods, and don't strop.

Let us know how you get on.

[nathan310]

Sure.

And I'll make sure and tell you guys what happened.

[gordonk]

Hi There,

I have the UKPK and it is one of my favourite, and sharpest, Spydies. I have found that it retains a very sharp edge for a long time. I finish off with the Ultra Fine rods, and don't strop.

Let us know how you get on.

Same for me - use the whites just to remove the burr.

[sal]

One strops a razor to create a burr. It is the burr that one uses to shave hair. If one touches the burr with a finger to "test the sharpness of the edge" it usually bends or breaks the burr. That's why you should NEVER touch the edge of a straight razor with anything harder than a hair.

If you are going to shave hair, strop. If you are going to cut, don't strop or use any method of sharpening that creates a burr.

sal

[nathan310]

Well I used the extra fine last night with no strop and then did some light work today and it's still shaving hairs effortlessly.

I think it was the stroping messing it up.

Thanks.

[GlenD65]

Bladesmith and writer Wayne Goddard recommends "wiping off" the burr by increasing the sharpening angle by a couple of degrees on the last pass or two on the sharpener. Extremely light pressure must be used as well. It works for me. My knives hold their edges much better since I started using his technique. By the way, I use the white stones stones for this step.