1st Time Sharpening Tips Lg. Sebenza 21

cziv

cziv

Joined
Nov 24, 2005
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Calling all experts!

I have a fairly new new Sebenz that's a light duty folder. I'm told that it has a high, hollow grind with a min-convex on the apex.

I know what CRK recommends: Sharpmaker with grays (greys) then the whites at 40° while stropping on back cardboard of legal pad in between changes. This sounds very odd to me but Mr. Reeve says it yields hair popping edges (for him :p).

I think that he's changing to a V grind.

Is there any way to maintain the mini-convex by lightly stropping with aggressive strop & compound using light strokes? This would probably end in a dull edge after awhile though right?

I'm scared to bang it up by using sandpaper 1000 to 2500 grit before stropping it.

Should I stick to his directions?

This knife will never be a real worker BTW, just in my EDC rotation and used for opening mail priority mail boxes and other mundane tasks. I'd like to keep it looking nice or I'd convex the darn thing, like my Izulas and a new, small Busse I picked up.

So how do you sharpen your Sebenza or high hollow grind with a fat little convex edge on it?
 
I had a lefty Sebbie 21 for a while, and I sharpened it like all of my other convex blades, either on a compounded strop and sandpaper, or with the belt. More common was the belt, usually with just black compound on leather. The factory edge was not bad, but it improved quite a lot with some work.
 
The 1000+ grit sandpaper, on a thin leather-on-wood backing (see pic below; it's what I've been using), would actually be my preference for maintaining/enhancing the slightly convexed bevel on it. Especially if you desire to keep the convex in it; sandpaper is a perfect solution, when stropping alone might not be enough. Just keep the angle conservatively low on the sandpaper, to minimize the chance of rounding off the edge. To 'practice' the technique, start high in grit, such as with 2000 grit. Exactly the same as stropping (edge-trailing, low angle, light pressure).
 
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Thanks David, that's what I'm looking for and one more question please? :thumbup:

If you start low then you risk scratching the hump of the hollow grind right?

Tape the blade or just sharpen at the angle as I strop it - which has shown no issues.
 
cziv said:
Thanks David, that's what I'm looking for and one more question please? :thumbup:

If you start low then you risk scratching the hump of the hollow grind right?

Tape the blade or just sharpen at the angle as I strop it - which has shown no issues.
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You can tape the blade if you want. That's another reason I suggest practicing at higher grit first. At 1000+, you're more likely to slightly polish the blade (assuming it's satin finish), if it rubs a little too low against the sandpaper. Scratches won't be much of an issue, when using grit that high. Don't worry about rubbing the upper half of the blade on the paper, though. To me, it'd be worse if I was rounding off the edge, using a higher angle to protect the rest of the blade.

Edit:
Another thought, you might use a Sharpie to darken maybe 1/4" of steel near the edge. Keep an eye on where the ink comes off, and you can fine-tune your angle (and pressure) to what you see.
 
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Thanks a bunch David. I think if a guy stays on top of the edge once he gets it where he wants, it's very simple to keep it razor sharp. At least that's been my experience. I understand your advice but I still bookmarked the page! :D

Edit: If I change my mind, there's always the SharpMaker to flatten it and put a micro-bevel on. Probably be okay except for the comments that bug me when I read in CRK forums about it. "I did it that way and it's almost as sharp as when it came from the factory!" :(
 
cziv said:
Thanks a bunch David. I think if a guy stays on top of the edge once he gets it where he wants, it's very simple to keep it razor sharp. At least that's been my experience. I understand your advice but I still bookmarked the page! :D
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Absolutely. That's almost becoming my religion, I think. Maintenance gets so much easier, if the blade starts out with a good, geometrically-effective bevel. It's great if the factory can start it that way, but if not, then it's my mission to get it there, as soon as possible. :D

Edit: If I change my mind, there's always the SharpMaker to flatten it and put a micro-bevel on. Probably be okay except for the comments that bug me when I read in CRK forums about it. "I did it that way and it's almost as sharp as when it came from the factory!" :(
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The Sharpmaker can work great, and it does. But it's quite hard, sometimes, to regulate pressure applied, to fit the steel being sharpened on ceramic hones. If pressure isn't right, the results always suffer for it. The ceramic can quickly chip harder steels, and roll the softer ones, if it's just a little too heavy. And what seems 'light' on ceramic, can often still be too heavy, when exerting pressure against such a small and very hard contact area.
 
I've no idea if the most recent incarnations of the Sebenza are convexed (either fully or subtly) or not. But, at some time a while ago, they specified they had a very subtle convex on the edge bevel, due to the way they buff the edges on a hard felt wheel. This seems to jibe with the factory edge on mine (S30V version, bought a few years ago). Looks essentially like a 'freehanded V-bevel', meaning there's a little bit of convex in it. Looks a lot like the subtle convex I put on many of my knives, using sandpaper on my strop block.

This is an old thread from 2000, with some input from CRK reps to that effect (one comment from member 'Chris Reeve Knives', moderator of the CRK sub-forum). See posts #4 and #6:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/128530-Question-to-Chris-about-Sebenza-blade-grind
 
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I just posted this question. Should know something by tomorrow I'd think??
 
The one I had WAS convexed on the edge, with a hollow grind behind it.

Once you get the hang of stropping to sharp for a convex, you won't have any problem at all with it. The S30V or S35VN will be a challenge to abrade, so if you don't see immediate results, don't give up. It might take quite a bit of work to get the edge just right.
 
Komitadjie said:
The one I had WAS convexed on the edge, with a hollow grind behind it.

Once you get the hang of stropping to sharp for a convex, you won't have any problem at all with it. The S30V or S35VN will be a challenge to abrade, so if you don't see immediate results, don't give up. It might take quite a bit of work to get the edge just right.
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How about some bark river black on a leather strop or some sandpaper? I have 1000, 1500, 2000, & 2500 grits.

Hey it won't be the first time I've buggered up a Sebenza blade. I stropped one out of spec. once in two weeks. True story - I sent it to CRK and he said it was abused.

I guess that nightly stopping with diamond paste will constitute abuse. It was still a razor though! :D
 
I'd think it would work just fine. BRKT black works fine (if slowly, given the large abrasion resistance) on 3V, M4 and CMP154, so I'd suspect it'll work on the S30V/S35VN with no trouble at all.

You've gotta' be kidding, they actually claimed abuse in less than two weeks?
 
Komitadjie said:
I'd think it would work just fine. BRKT black works fine (if slowly, given the large abrasion resistance) on 3V, M4 and CMP154, so I'd suspect it'll work on the S30V/S35VN with no trouble at all.

You've gotta' be kidding, they actually claimed abuse in less than two weeks?
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It was my fault really. I got the knife and looked at it briefly and it seemed okay so I put it back in it's box. About a 2 week period (something like that) went by and I decided to carry it.

I looked it over really good and found a deep cut or notch in the edge under bright lighting. It was out of return warranty to the vendor and there was no way to prove it was there or how it got there. I was po'ed at the time but I see Chris's point - how's he going to know what happened after I already repaired it.

Well that's history now. That taught me to check my knives thoroughly and right away! My newest lg 21 micarta inlay is excellent in every way and I really like it. :thumbup:
 
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