Would you buy ZDP-189 again?

[dbcad]

I look forward to when one of my ZDP blades need sharpening. It'll probably be the Walker first.

When I came here I was very challenged with regard to sharpening, but made a vow to myself that I would learn how to. If I'm going to own them I need to learn to take care of them. I will be smart though and not let any of my knives get really dull.
Touched up the Urban this morning and took the opportunity to put a nice edge on my little fox folder :D By the time comes to sharpen the Walker, or ZDP endura or Stretch I will have had plenty of practice on other steels. I do enjoy the "Sharp Keeper" as Deacon calls it.
For me sharpening comes with the obligation to take care of your knives.

ZDP is a great material. It holds a really fine edge through a lot of use. It is not nearly as prone to corrosion as what I thought previously. I haven't seen any corrosion problems on my ZDP knives. This steel is terrific!!! :D If I could afford more of them I would buy them :) Won't use them as prybars though......

Charlie

[THG]

No, for the reasons mentioned here in your other thread:
http://spyderco.com/forums/showpost.php ... ostcount=6

The only big positive I can note on this steel is that when I accidentally smacked the edge down on a metal dumpster, there was no damage done at all; the entire edge was still perfectly sharp. The same would not and does not happen with VG-10.

[defenestrate]

I don't own anything with ZDP-189 yet but have been considering a couple of different models and look forward to trying it in time.

[jackknifeh]

Looks like most like the ZDP-189 so far which I'm glad to see. My sharpening issues just means I just need to get more experience. When it comes to using the ZDP blade I've been using the more I use it the more I like it.

Jack

[The Mastiff]

I like sharpening ZDP better than a bunch of other steels. Give me nice crisp hard steels instead of gummy, underhardened steels with floppy,rubbery burring any day of the week.

[chuck_roxas45]

I was actually surprised to find that it was easier for me to sharpen and even lower the bevel angle on my ZDP Endura than the S30V on my all black millie.

[D1omedes]

As a member who has yet to experience ZDP-189, I'm curious about something - What is your guys' experience sharpening ZDP on the Sharpmaker?

I've heard a number of knife owners complain that they can never get back to the factory-edge sharpness on the Sharpmaker. The consensus, at least to me, seems to be that you need to re-bevel a ZDP knife to an angle lower than 30 degrees for it to be very sharp. Thoughts/opinions?

[chuck_roxas45]

Not at all. you can get plenty sharp at 30 degrees but you will only have edge retention as an advantage against say the ffg endura at the same bevel angle. If you have the time and tools to take it down to 20 degrees or less, you will see a very large increase in cutting performance.

[BlackNinja]

As a member who has yet to experience ZDP-189, I'm curious about something - What is your guys' experience sharpening ZDP on the Sharpmaker?

I've heard a number of knife owners complain that they can never get back to the factory-edge sharpness on the Sharpmaker. The consensus, at least to me, seems to be that you need to re-bevel a ZDP knife to an angle lower than 30 degrees for it to be very sharp. Thoughts/opinions?

My experience with ZDP is it takes me forever to sharpen, and I can never get it back to as sharp as it came! But that's me, everyone is different. As mentioned by chuck_roxas45, ZDP is easier to sharpen than the s30v Military for him.

I like, s30v, he likes ZDP to sharpen.

FWIW, ZDP is VERY hard steel (RC is around 61 or higher). So if you like hard steels to sharpen, this will be right up your alley!

[chuck_roxas45]

I use diamonds. :D

[bh49]

I buy a knife when I like design. Steel is important, but secondary. In Japanese made models I prefer VG10, but if I like design and the knife available in ZDP only, I would buy it.

[TBob]

As a member who has yet to experience ZDP-189, I'm curious about something - What is your guys' experience sharpening ZDP on the Sharpmaker?

I've heard a number of knife owners complain that they can never get back to the factory-edge sharpness on the Sharpmaker. The consensus, at least to me, seems to be that you need to re-bevel a ZDP knife to an angle lower than 30 degrees for it to be very sharp. Thoughts/opinions?

No problems on my Sharpmaker. I've been keeping the edge keen with the ultra fine ceramic sticks, which do a very nice job. It just takes more strokes than VG-10 or CPM S30v, maybe around twice as many or so. I keep the edge sharp. If I were to let it dull significantly, it would probably take a lot of effort to get it back to top performance.

[nozh2002]

Vassili,

How do you REALLY feel on the topic? Do not hold back. LOL.

Joking!

I get what you are saying, but you should understand that you possess an ability to sharpen that vastly surpasses many forum users. Further, comparing your abilities to the average knife buyer (a much larger group than "forum users") is BEYOND ridiculous.

Keep in mind that these feelings and beliefs regarding ZDP are the result of MANY users including those who lack even the abilities you have forgotten by now. ZDP is difficult to sharpen compared to other steels when you are at the limits of your abilities with other steels like VG-10 (owing partially to the difficulty of perceiving such a fine burr). Compound this with the time constraints that some people have...not everyone is willing to invest more than 20 minutes with a knife sharpening. If you are rushing the process on ZDP you will likely conclude that it is a bear to work with. Finally, not all sharpening mediums work the same.

So in summary, yeah if you can not sharpen ZDP your abilities are not good enough...it is not the steel's fault. But saying it more diplomatically, not everyone is willing to invest this much into their abilities...and therefore ZDP may be a poor fit for their needs and desires.

I just thank Spyderco for offering many options to their customers! Nurture us all, and we will smile!

No I perfectly remember time I was not skilled in sharpening. You do not know what is going on, do not understand what went wrong etc. In this situation people tend to blame something else rather then themselfs.

ZDP-189 being supersteel is good excuse and instead of learn how sharpen - here we go - "ZDP189 is hard to sharpen!", while if this happen to any other steel in same situation - "Well, may be I need to pay attention to what I am doing?"

This is how you have your MANY complains.

How come one ZDP knives were not a problem to sharpen but the other one was hard? Simple - when you do not know how sometimes you get lucky sometimes not, but this is not ZDP-189 fault.

So before start talking about it being hard to sharpen - learn how to do this. Then when it done you may find out that there is no difference at all.

It is easy to learn sharpening - this is one day learning, not a high math, physics or medicine. You do not have to be gifted or something. You need good light, comfortable table, marker, stone need to be lifted inch or two up the table surface. Then it is matter of simple skills any monkey and humans as well can do. This is simple move - not like some sambo wrestling or piano playing.

In many cases problem is - uncomfortable environment (like stone laying on the table which does not give enough room to hold knife), no idea of what looking for and how (inspect very edge under bright light to see chips or bends - damaged area of the edge, burr, mark edge side with marker to verify that stone affect full edge side area not only front or back), while most for some reason worry about angle.

Here some video to see what is burr etc...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TscN9h-1xQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP9tII6Tp7s

Thanks, Vassili.

It is unfair to say "It is hard to sharpen" and skip most important part "but I do not know how to sharpen anyway".

[JNewell]

It is easy to learn sharpening - this is one day learning, not a high math, physics or medicine. You do not have to be gifted or something. You need good light, comfortable table, marker, stone need to be lifted inch or two up the table surface. Then it is matter of simple skills any monkey and humans as well can do. This is simple move - not like some sambo wrestling or piano playing.

Nicely made point, and humorously made as well. :D