VG-10 Delica Zero-Grind

Cliff Stamp · #1

This is a zero on a VG-10 Delica :

-7.5 dps

This is a fairly robust grind for most cutting (cardboard, plastics, foods) but would require a small micro-bevel of harder woods like plywoods and such or else the edge is likely to ripple at the barely-visible extent.

The interesting thing which might not be obvious is the way, or speed at which this happens as it is not linear (because of the change in pressure as the edge thins out) :

Edge started at 0.030" thick, using the Sigma Power Select II waterstone :

-500 , edge was 0.015"
-1000 , edge was 0.011"
-1500 , edge was 0.004"
-2000 , edge was zeroed in places
-2500 , edge was cleanly apexed

These are very light scrubbing passes (by this I mean if you were to do them on a bathroom scale you would barely move the needle) and so you can do them easily very fast, 2-3 per second.

Now fully in 15 minutes you can zero one side, 30 minutes for both.

This isn't the SPS-II stone that is intended to be used for major work of course there are lower grit stones (I have them) this is just done to get cut/speed estimates.

However the more interesting thing is that :

-after just 2-4 minutes the edge is already at the level of decently thin customs

-at 4-8 minutes it is matching the thinnest ground knives you are likely to see

Blerv · #2

Cool sharpening job Cliff :D .

Per-Sev · #3

Your stone looks like what they use to polish a Katana with that paste on it. Did you just lay if flat like they do with a straight razor. Nice job.

Cliff Stamp · #4

The SPS-II stones are designed to cut HSS, they can be use on plain carbon steels but are a bit over kill for it and they are fairly expensive.

Yes, you just lay it flat and try to keep from rocking the edge or else you will convex it and blend the main edge bevel into the primary. There is nothing wrong with that, but I was trying specifically to make a true-zero flat .

ljg · #5

Cliff, What grit SPS-II stone were you using for this? And Why that grit (and not a lower grit first?)

Cliff Stamp · #6

I was using a 1000 simply as I was comparing it to a Bester 700 in cutting speed so I needed a large grind count to get an accurate comparison. The comparison failed as I didn't pay attention to what I was doing and flat ground the SPS-II side and convexed the Bester side which I had to fix which takes a different technique and the number ration isn't meaningful.

If you are not doing comparisons and such, switch to the lowest grit SPS stone and then only stop when you start to approach the edge, don't let the coarse grit hit the edge because at that very low angle it will tear pieces out you can see and you will lose a lot of metal regrinding them out. Assuming of course you don't want that very coarse edge of course.