What's the best way to keep my sebenza razor sharp?

[Maprik]

The best way to keep any knife sharp is simple... don't use it! In a real world, avoid cutting cardboard. El-cheapo boxcutters - with replaceable blades - have a function.

Stainz

Yes, well, when I'm at home I use a box cutter for cutting down boxes for recycling. But I like to use my small sebenza and it's always on me so sometimes it's just easier for a small job rather than going looking for my boxcutter... Anyway, I plan on seeing how things go with stropping after use.

[PAZach]

Wicked Edge and set of stops are all you'll ever need. Sharpmaker and strop for quick touch ups

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[lathrop]

Just used a sharpmaker and cardboard to bring my Lg. Ironwood Sebenza back after some weekend chores that involved cutting cloth flower bed liners that were buried in dirt. The belly wouldn't catch and drop thru paper the way I like so 26 strokes each side on brown corners, 26 strokes each side on white flats then 10 each side on cardboard and it is back to sharp.

[cziv]

Brown corners to white flats? You missed a couple of steps in there right?

[Tim616]

get some 320 grit, some 800, some 1000, 1500, 2000, and a green strop.

BOOM

sharp (if you learn how*)

[lathrop]

CVIZ-that's all I did and it worked. What other steps? I followed Chris Reeves advice from another thread.

[bayvillageidiot]

I followed Chris Reeves advice from another thread.

I like the sound of that.
If you can find and paste a link... thank you kindly!

There seem to be as many answers over the past several years as there are responders.
I'm anxious to hear what the boss has to say.
I'm not keen on re-profiling unless there's no other option.
They must convex-grind for a reason.

[jwolf90]

Really if you stropped it every day maybe 5 min tops it will be sharp until you actually damage the edge. Always try to hone and strop before going to the stone. It reminds me of the recent thread about Do I need a new Umnum blade yet? If only that guy used a hone and a strop he woudn't have written that thread Knives plus strop plus Spyderco 306 ultrafine stone I'm convinced this is the best stone for learning as it would be hard to actually damage a blade b/c it cuts slow, but it works incredible Get a good strop and some ceramic rod and practice on your cheap knives first

[cziv]

I like the sound of that.
If you can find and paste a link... thank you kindly!

There seem to be as many answers over the past several years as there are responders.
I'm anxious to hear what the boss has to say.
I'm not keen on re-profiling unless there's no other option.
They must convex-grind for a reason.

Here's your link man! http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...2#post10327332

[bayvillageidiot]

Here's your link man! http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...2#post10327332

Thanks CVIZ.

Anyone remember a more complete how-to than that, from Mr Reeve?
Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to discover Colonel Sanders' secret recipe.

[cziv]

Thanks CVIZ.

Anyone remember a more complete how-to than that, from Mr Reeve?
Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to discover Colonel Sanders' secret recipe.

Sometimes we over think things, I know I do. You can use whatever you're used to, put a V grind and lightly strop it or use the sandpaper stropping - to leather stropping micro-convexing method, as one arrives from the shop if you know how to do that.

There's a thread on sharpening a Sebenza in the Maintenance section right now you can check out.

[100eyes]

here's a tip, don't learn to sharpen on a Sebenza lol

and a little Murray Carter tip is to strop on the material you're cutting(like cardboard for example); if it can dull the edge, it can sharpen the edge.

[cziv]

here's a tip, don't learn to sharpen on a Sebenza lol

and a little Murray Carter tip is to strop on the material you're cutting(like cardboard for example); if it can dull the edge, it can sharpen the edge.

That makes sense in a strange kind of way. Now I have to make TWO more stops - one with thread and the other with copy paper!

[Maprik]

So much great information! Thank You!!!!! Strop should be here any day now!!!

[somber]

The best way to keep any knife sharp is simple... don't use it! In a real world, avoid cutting cardboard. El-cheapo boxcutters - with replaceable blades - have a function.

Stainz

This is the most asinine advice I've ever read.

[Maprik]

Got my strop block yesterday from Knives Plus. Nicely made block of wood with a green leather pre-loaded strop. Watched some youtube vids and stropped my small sebenza. Think I'll go shave now...

[cziv]

Got my strop block yesterday from Knives Plus. Nicely made block of wood with a green leather pre-loaded strop. Watched some youtube vids and stropped my small sebenza. Think I'll go shave now...

That's weird because I got mine yesterday too. I pretty much trashed m first one after years of stropping with bad technique. I had put man cuts in it by zoning out and slapping the blade down w/o being careful etc..

This one looks a little more dry than my first one which would leave a little of the polishing compound on the edge. I decided to leave it alone but I'm fighting the urge to olive oil that thing!

Congrats! I stropped 4 folders with Bark river white, wiped them down and took them to the KnivesPlus strop.

"Hmmm, very good now - sharp!........virtuovoice"

[Maprik]

How much pressure do you use? I don't know what people mean by "lightly" stroking the strop. Another guy says that you should apply enough pressure to hear the blade hiss like a snake... What works best for you?

[Maprik]

Just found this...

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...-plus-pressure

[Geode]

Sharpmaker fine, and extra fine stones. Big leather strop with black (med coarse) compound, then green compound. Sometimes I just use the spyderco triangle rods as a "steel" and use a stropping motion to align the edge.