Why can't I get my H-1 Tasman sharp??

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Waldamir
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Why can't I get my H-1 Tasman sharp??

#1

Post by Waldamir »

Hello again everyone. I'm back with a frustrating topic. I can't get my Tasman salt PE sharp at all. I've searched the web high and low, asked bladeforums and even the knives section of edcforums and can't seem to find any problem solving advice. So now its time to ask you guys.

My Tasman is pretty dull. A lot duller then it should be and everywhere I go I hear its easy to sharpen. I'm using the ceramic rods of the lansky crock sticks to follow the curve but it just doesn't want to get sharp. I know it can't be my technique and it has to be the steel. I've put a razor edge on a Tac Force model POS hawkbill with the same method I use on the Tasman and it had to be just as dull if not duller then the Tasman. So what do you guys think? What am I doing wrong? What's the steel doing wrong? Should I pick up a diamond rod? If so what kind of diamond rod?

I'm sorry for so many question but after the work I've (waved it, sanded under the pocket clip) put into this knife to make it the way I like I really want- no need to carry and use it

Yours truly-
A very frustrated Waldamir :confused: :spyder:
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Orion's Belt
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#2

Post by Orion's Belt »

Are you sure you're hitting the edge? Color the bevel with a sharpie and make a few swipes on the rod. If it's not removing the sharpie at the very edge, you'll have to change the angle of your sharpening or re-profile it.
-Ryan
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noseoil
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#3

Post by noseoil »

What Ryan said. Color the edge with a magic marker & run a few passes. If you have a magnifying glass, use some decent light and take a close look at the edge after you run your passes. It should remove the marker all the way to the edge. If there's still a hint of color right at the edge, your angle isn't quite right. Patience & practice will git 'er dun.
Waldamir
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#4

Post by Waldamir »

tried the marker trick. still the same issue
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noseoil
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#5

Post by noseoil »

Did you try a coarse rod to start out the process? Not for a fine finish, but a coarse stone will still give you a very sharp edge. Once you have that, go to a finer grit. If it isn't sharp with a coarse stone, a fine won't give you a better edge. Magic marker & try again. Look closely at the edge after two or three passes. Is the marker gone all the way across the bevel or just in spots?
Waldamir
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#6

Post by Waldamir »

all the way a cross. I drew a long the bevel ran it over with the course stone. I'll try it again and post results
yablanowitz
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#7

Post by yablanowitz »

My user PE Spyderhawk Salt gave me fits for a while. It turned out to be a really stubborn burr. Once I took my S90V Millie and carved the burr off, it sharpened up just fine. I was using my Byrd Duckfoot with a base I made to set the angle at 30° included.
I don't believe in safe queens, only in pre-need replacements.
Waldamir
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#8

Post by Waldamir »

yablanowitz wrote:My user PE Spyderhawk Salt gave me fits for a while. It turned out to be a really stubborn burr. Once I took my S90V Millie and carved the burr off, it sharpened up just fine. I was using my Byrd Duckfoot with a base I made to set the angle at 30° included.
I'm a little confused. Can you elaborate a little more please?
yablanowitz
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#9

Post by yablanowitz »

I mean that my PE Spyderhawk Salt (the big brother to your Tasman) developed a stubborn burr while I was sharpening that just kept bending one way or the other without breaking off or being abraded away, possibly because I was trying to hurry and using too much pressure. I finally used another knife (S90V Military Sprint Run that I carried and used for a few years) to cut the burr off. I ran the edge of the Millie the length of the edge of the 'hawk, slicing the burr off. I then started over on the Duckfoot, using much lighter pressure and succeeded in getting a good edge on the Spyderhawk. I also changed the edge angle to 30° inclusive (15° per side) by using a special base I built to change the angle of the Duckfoot from its' normal 20° per side to a more acute 15° per side. I find the H-1 steel tough enough to handle the lower angle without chipping, and the difference in perceived sharpness is noticeable.
I don't believe in safe queens, only in pre-need replacements.
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#10

Post by Cliff Stamp »

How dull is it exactly?

Can you slice a piece of newsprint?

Can you slice a piece of photocopy paper?
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jackknifeh
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#11

Post by jackknifeh »

Have you ever sharpened this knife before? I've had a problem steel before but mine was ZDP-189. It took a while but I finally mastered sharpening it. Sometimes the steel responds better to a certain technique. Having said that the issue is your technique. For whatever reason you are having trouble and you will get past it. But it won't be by changing the steel. First of all TAKE A BREAK AND REGROUP. Then I'd suggest you do this. Try dulling the edge more by trying to cut a sharpening stone in half. This will get rid of any problem burrs or weakened steel by your use and recent sharpening. THEN, start over with the coarse stones to reset the back bevel then sharpen the edge bevel. Something tells me by doing this you will have a clean, sharp edge. You have gotten other knives sharp so your technique has to be pretty good. So take a break and a breath, grind all old steel from the edge and sharpen this knife to a razor edge like you have never seen before. Make sure you have a couple of bandaids handy. :D Good luck.
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Pockets
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#12

Post by Pockets »

+1 for the "cut a sharpening stone in half" technique. Just make sure to use a fine stone, or you'll remove too much metal and get a thick edge, which means more work later on when you sharpen it.
Delica PE, Dragonfly Salt SE, Stretch SE, Manbug SE, Mule 16, Sage 1, black/satin PM2, Native 5
Waldamir
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#13

Post by Waldamir »

Cliff Stamp wrote:How dull is it exactly?

Can you slice a piece of newsprint?

Can you slice a piece of photocopy paper?
Neither :(
cochise
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#14

Post by cochise »

I know sharpening a knife can be frustrating. I am 64 and been doing this for a while. The thinner the blade is, the easier it is to sharpen. I bought a DMT diamond round folding sharpener just for my serrated Sypderco's. I never could get them as sharp as factory until I used this . I stroke the blade hard and brisk, pushing into the steel. On the flat side I use a black hard arkansas stone to polish the other side. It does work for me that way.
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#15

Post by Cliff Stamp »

Waldamir wrote:Neither :(
That is a simple problem then because once the edge is apexed, even if it has a prominent burr, it will easily slice photocopy paper.

Your description means that the edge doesn't actually form on the knife at all, i.e. it doesn't come to a point.

Here is what you do :

-cut the knife into the rod like you are trying to slice it in half
-use light force, a lbs or so, 1-3 passes
-the edge should now reflect light if you put it under a lamp or similar

Go back to the rods :

-sharpen on one side until the edge no longer reflects light
-repeat the above to make the edge reflect light again
-sharpen on the other side until the edge no longer reflect light

At this point the edge has to be < 20 microns (as you can't see it) and it will easily slice photocopy paper.

If it fails to cut the paper and you think it isn't reflecting light, put it under the lamp and slowly rotate it from side to side and up and down, you will see light still reflecting. Continue the sharpening until you don't.


To get it sharper use standard techniques to refine the edge :

-increase the angle by 10-15 dps to cut off the burr
-resharpen at the original angle very light
-use water on the rods
-make sure the rods are very clean

If at any point you get frustrated, find a cheap knife that you don't want and get a hammer. Put it down very carefully next to the knife you want to sharpen, explain to the Tasman that you are only trying to help it, but if it doesn't stop being a nob about the process then you are going to sort it out right quick. Then bring the hammer down on the other knife and smash it to bits.
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zeroed4x
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#16

Post by zeroed4x »

noseoil wrote:What Ryan said. Color the edge with a magic marker & run a few passes. If you have a magnifying glass, use some decent light and take a close look at the edge after you run your passes. It should remove the marker all the way to the edge. If there's still a hint of color right at the edge, your angle isn't quite right. Patience & practice will git 'er dun.
Yep, thats the ticket. I've used the Lansky sticks, the sharpening system and many other similar sharpeners. The number one critical issue is to maintain the exact same bevel angle. The sharpy marker tip works, I do it out of habit. 2, Make sure your rods are clean ( warm soapy water, no honing oil ) If the rods are heavily clogged with metal you can use a little bit of Comet / Bon Ami scouring powder to remove the fouling and then the soap and water.
Zeroed4x W4WTA
MatthewSB
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#17

Post by MatthewSB »

Different perspective here....

I recently started a thread about the trouble I was having with my Superleaf. The grinds were off, shallower on part of the blade than the rest, and I was getting a bad burr that I couldn't get rid of. The set angles of the Sharpmaker weren't allowing me to follow the blade right and it was giving me all sorts of trouble. Not sure why I didn't think of this before making the post, but I ended up stropping the edge like I do some of my fixed blade knives.

I used a piece of 600 grit sandpaper on top of a computer mousepad and sharpened it like I do my convex edged fixed blades. The squishy foam mousepad allows the sandpaper to flex around the cutting edge, ensuring that the edge gets sharpened even if the angle you're holding the knife at is slightly off. I don't push at all, the weight of the knife is enough to get it. Youtube "convex edge sharpening". I start with 600 grit, then 1500 grit paper, then finish with 3000 grit stropping compound on a piece of leather.

You're probably pushing too hard, rolling the edge over instead of removing material. I had the same problem with my H1 knife the first time I sharpened it. It's much more forgiving, sandpaper and foam, than a stone or rod.
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#18

Post by Waldamir »

Thank you all for your help. Tonight when I get home from work I'm going to try to run the edge over the stone
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#19

Post by Waldamir »

I tried running the edge over the stone along with the sharpie trick. I've noticed that as I sharpened one side it should progress but then when I sharpened the other side it got duller
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noseoil
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#20

Post by noseoil »

It sounds like the edge bevel may be different on one side, that, or you may be holding it slightly differently from one side to the other. Are you using the sharpie trick each time? Is the edge being cut along its entire length or just part of it? Are the stones clean & "sharp" enough to remove metal properly (not clogged)? Can you see the edge with a bright light & magnifying glass OK?
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