Chinook edge angle

[drbones666]

I just got the Spyderco Triangle Sharp-maker and notice that my Chinook seems to have a 30 degree bevel not 40 degrees. In the video (I was in a hurry last night) I think Mr. Sal said something about the Spiderco knives being a little different.



Should I be sharpening my Chinook using the 30 degree setting?



Thanks.







From Your Kind and Humble Narrator, DrBones666

[Clay Kesting]

Well Dr, it really depends on what you plan to use the knife for. A 40 degree edge will be more durable but a 30 degree one will cut more easily. My choice would be 30 degreee back bevels with just the final few strokes at 40 degrees. Check out <a href="http://www.spyderco.com/forum/Topic.asp ... sion">this thread</a> for lots of good information on sharpening from the the master, Joe Talmadge.

Clay

Life's too short to waste on instant coffee.

[drbones666]

Thank you very much for that. I'm sharpening it at 30 from now on. My first attempt at the triangle sharpener was slightly passable. I put a bit more edge back than what there was but it was nothing to crow about. I just hope I don't wear out my Chinook before I get the hang of it.

Again, thanks.



From Your Kind and Humble Narrator, DrBones666

[Sword and Shield]

Howdy DrBones666! Welcome to <img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>Land! <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

Don't worry, you won't wear out the Chin by sharpening it, the things built strong as a brick outhouse! <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

By the way, it is best to not let 440V get too dull. When it dulls really badly, it is a bear to sharpen.

Keepin' it real...real sharp, that is.

[drbones666]

Thanks for the big hello. I'll try again this weekend when I have time. If I chould get the Chinook close in sharpness to my Cold Steel (bad word here?) Recon 2 I'd be happy. The Recon has a thinner blade so it's easier to make sharper and I could shave my arm with it right out of the box. It was the feel and the bowie knife shape of the Chinook that sold me on it. It just felt so right in my hand.

From Your Kind and Humble Narrator, DrBones666

[drbones666]

BTW Clay, I see we feel the same about coffee:

I have a Gaggie espresso machine in my office. I make better cappucino than the "big boys".



From Your Kind and Humble Narrator, DrBones666

[Jeff/1911]

drbones666,

I went through the same process with my first Military, which uses the same blade steel (CPM-440V). Using the Sharpmaker, I tried to sharpen it to, or at the 30 degree inclusive angle. I stroked and stroked for hours and hours and hours, cleaning the stones over and over again. I never was able to achieve a satisfactory edge, so eventually returned to the 40 degree setting and got it back OK. In the process of all of this sharpening, I managed to sharpen the sharp point of the tip mostly away.

As I understand it, when one tries to change the main angle on a given edge it termed "reprofiling". I found that reprofiling a blade of this type with the standard Sharpmaker stones was nearly impossible. I hope you have better success, or you could simply chose to touch up the original angle; whatever that may be.

By all accounts, the new diamond stones for the sharpmaker are far, far better for reprofiling tasks.

Jeff/1911.

Edited by - Jeff/1911 on 8/14/2002 8:44:57 AM

[Sword and Shield]

Doc- Your Chin and Recon Tanto should sharpen totally differently. The Recon likely has AUS-8a steel, which is soft and extremely easy to get a fine edge on.

However, the Chin has 440V. 440V is designed for hard work-fibrous material and the like. It is thusly a "grainier" steel. While you can get a shaving edge on it, expect it to naturally be toothier and harder to sharpen than 8a.

Keepin' it real...real sharp, that is.

[drbones666]

As an addendum, I went back a second time and started from scratch. This time, using only the 30 degree for both, I managed to get a much sharper edge. My Chinook leaves stubble but that's as good as it came out of the box if not a bit better. My Recon shaves my skin smoothly again, just like out of the box. Holding the edges of the blades against the stones at the 30 degree setting puts both the blades at 90 degrees to the ground i.e. the proper sharpening angle. Thanks for the advice folks.

From Your Kind and Humble Narrator, DrBones666