Three or four weeks ago I posted about how impressed I was by the edge retention of s110v, and specifically a Manix 2 LW in that steel. Since then I managed to purchase a Manix 2 in 15v. I didn't want to go *right* out and possibly ruin the blade, so I waited a few weeks to run the same test--carving through a 5/8" Dade Pine branch--to see how it would compare.
As with the s110v knife, this Manix was wearing a 15 dps edge that I put on using a Tormek T-8 and CBN wheels. Prior to the branch hacking it had a BESS score of 90g, which falls between a new, double-edge razor (50g) and a new, utility razor blade (150-200g).
So I cut the branch off the tree, basically by carving a notch into it, which involved a fair amount of twisting the blade into the hard wood. After cleaning the blade with mineral spirits, I checked the edge. I could detect no chips whatsoever. The BESS reading, with no stropping, was 107g (average of one reading in two different spots). In other words, cutting a 5/8" hard wood branch in half had almost no effect on the sharpness of the blade. Amazing!
After testing I stropped on leather with .5 micron diamond compound. That had absolutely no effect either.
Subsequently, I stropped on leather belts using a Worksharp Ken Onion with 2 micron diamonds (2 passes) and with Tormek compound (2 passes) and the knife was back to 90g on the BESS tester.
Amazing work by our friend BBB (Sean Houston) and Spyderco!
As with the s110v knife, this Manix was wearing a 15 dps edge that I put on using a Tormek T-8 and CBN wheels. Prior to the branch hacking it had a BESS score of 90g, which falls between a new, double-edge razor (50g) and a new, utility razor blade (150-200g).
So I cut the branch off the tree, basically by carving a notch into it, which involved a fair amount of twisting the blade into the hard wood. After cleaning the blade with mineral spirits, I checked the edge. I could detect no chips whatsoever. The BESS reading, with no stropping, was 107g (average of one reading in two different spots). In other words, cutting a 5/8" hard wood branch in half had almost no effect on the sharpness of the blade. Amazing!
After testing I stropped on leather with .5 micron diamond compound. That had absolutely no effect either.
Subsequently, I stropped on leather belts using a Worksharp Ken Onion with 2 micron diamonds (2 passes) and with Tormek compound (2 passes) and the knife was back to 90g on the BESS tester.Amazing work by our friend BBB (Sean Houston) and Spyderco!
