104 days....what???

HOMER GRIFIN · Jul 30, 2015

That's how long it took to get my Rodent Solution due to a lost money order that added about three weeks to the waiting time, so thanks to Trissy for all her help.I have been buying folding pocket knives for 40 years and before I retire in 2 months I wanted one really good quality fixed blade. Since I am not a big outdoorsman or collector the large Busse knives were not what I was looking for and the RS is the perfect EDC knife for me. But I am a little disappointed that the knife is so poorly sharpened it would barely cut open an envelope, so I am trying my novice best with a Spyderco sharpmaker. Should I send it back? I really hate to wait because I really love this knife.

Andy the Aussie · Jul 30, 2015

Swamp Rat will want you to be happy, if you are not happy with the edge I would speak with them and arrange for it to head back in for a touch up.

Congrats on the blade mate....I love my RSs !!!

Andy

Lance23 · Jul 30, 2015

I agree with you, my RS was sharp when I got it, but I got it sharper.
I would just sharpen with your preferred method and if you can't seem to get what you're after send it back.

My main issue was if I sent it back and it came back perfect, I would never be able to get that edge myself.
So I taught myself how.

That being said I've had my Solution for almost a year and would gladly send it back to be reground thinner, I just can't let it go long enough to send it back.

All in all if you prefer the Swamp will put an awesome edge on it for you if you ask nicely, if you want to do it yourself that's not too hard either.

Father & Son Traditional Sharpening · Jul 30, 2015

I'm willing to bet the lack of sharpness you are perceiving is a product of two things, basically an extremely obtuse edge bevel that is finished very coarsely and buffed at the apex. Sending it back may get you a little better result, but ultimately only you can decide what you need from an edge. This is not something that is easily communicated to a knife maker, therefore it's hard to ask for EXACTLY what you want. Saying I want it sharp is not enough, as this could get you anything between cold chisel and scalpel geometry. Both are sharp to a certain degree, yet they have almost nothing in common when you compare the geometries of the two. Sharpness is relative...

PatrickKnight · Jul 30, 2015

I would look up one of the wonderful vendors here on BF that offer sharpening services and send it to them.

I think the gentleman above me here would probably do a wonderful job re profiling it and getting you a nice edge angle that you could easily use your Sharpmaker to touch up.

Father & Son Traditional Sharpening · Jul 31, 2015

PatrickKnight said:
I would look up one of the wonderful vendors here on BF that offer sharpening services and send it to them.

There are indeed many talented sharpening service providers here at Bladeforums. Here's a list of the hosted Knifemaker's here at BF, I know some of them do regrinds/reprofiles and would be happy to fix you up.

PatrickKnight said:
I think the gentleman above me here would probably do a wonderful job re profiling it and getting you a nice edge angle that you could easily use your Sharpmaker to touch up.

Thanks for the kind words sir, it is much appreciated.

Uncle Timbo · Jul 31, 2015

Do as I do, tell whomever you're buying the knife from to put an edge on it that you can maintain with a wet rock and some stropping. I don't get into all those fancy edges. To me, an edge is an edge is an edge. I want one I can maintain myself with a good ol Arkansas wet rock. Medium/fine and a leather strop charged up with some green chromium (sp?)

I think these companies should cater to everybody, the connoisseur who knows edge geometry and the hillbilly like me who doesn't give a rats a**. (sorry for the rat analogy!)

What good is that fancy edge if I have to spend 10 hrs reprofiling it?

Father & Son Traditional Sharpening · Jul 31, 2015

Kootaga13 said:
Do as I do, tell whomever you're buying the knife from to put an edge on it that you can maintain with a wet rock and some stropping. I don't get into all those fancy edges. To me, an edge is an edge is an edge. I want one I can maintain myself with a good ol Arkansas wet rock. Medium/fine and a leather strop charged up with some green chromium (sp?)

I think these companies should cater to everybody, the connoisseur who knows edge geometry and the hillbilly like me who doesn't give a rats a**. (sorry for the rat analogy!)

What good is that fancy edge if I have to spend 10 hrs reprofiling it?

You can maintain virtually any edge on a waterstone with the right technique, but I must respectfully disagree that an edge is an edge. There are very different degrees of performance that you get with different edge geometries or really entire blade geometries for that matter.

A company like Swamp Rat offers a lifetime warranty, therefore the knives must all meet a certain level of durability. A large part of this is edge geometry, the thicker the edge you have equates to the less distance towards the spine that you will see edge failure. Basically if you were to chop into concrete, the thicker edge will take less damage. Therefore, when you send it in for repair it will take less time to grind away the damage as it deformed less due to the thicker steel supporting the edge.

What can often equate to hours of reprofiling is when you want to change this geometry to something that is designed more for cutting performance, rather than destructive abuse taking performance. After it's reprofiled/reground to thinner geometry it should take far less time actually to maintain as you need to remove less steel to sharpen.

hhmoore · Jul 31, 2015

104 days

You know, I've been trying not to dwell on the passage - well, the draggage (yes, not a word...but still very fitting) - of time...
I'll admit that I've kept sort of a mental tally of the weeks passing; but I never thought of it in terms of days. 172. That officially sucks.

Uncle Timbo · Aug 3, 2015

Red Angel Dragnet said:
You can maintain virtually any edge on a waterstone with the right technique, but I must respectfully disagree that an edge is an edge. There are very different degrees of performance that you get with different edge geometries or really entire blade geometries for that matter.

A company like Swamp Rat offers a lifetime warranty, therefore the knives must all meet a certain level of durability. A large part of this is edge geometry, the thicker the edge you have equates to the less distance towards the spine that you will see edge failure. Basically if you were to chop into concrete, the thicker edge will take less damage. Therefore, when you send it in for repair it will take less time to grind away the damage as it deformed less due to the thicker steel supporting the edge.

What can often equate to hours of reprofiling is when you want to change this geometry to something that is designed more for cutting performance, rather than destructive abuse taking performance. After it's reprofiled/reground to thinner geometry it should take far less time actually to maintain as you need to remove less steel to sharpen.

Mr. RAD, with all due respects, I'm a 60 y/o hillbilly from WV. My dad taught me how to sharpen a knife when I was barely 10 years old. I can put a wire edge on (roll it back and forth with my fingers) and then stand her up slightly and take it off and have no problems. Dad showed me how to sharpen a knife 2 ways, one for what he called a "working edge" and one for what he called "one to impress your friends" the latter will shave hair off your arms but not last real long. All with a wet rock and some oil. It works for this hillbilly. Besides, who could doctor one of those edges up if you were in a survival situation? On a flat rock none-the-less? I guess I'm too practical or too stupid.

Mr. Homer. Sorry if I derailed your question. I'm done talking.

104 days....what???

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