A question of angles?

J

jebib

Joined
Apr 21, 2011
Messages
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I suspect this might be an elementary question but here goes. In many cases the knife blade is defined by its angle. Additionally, sharpeners like lansky or spiderco also identify the angle the tool with sharpen by. But what I'd like to know is what is the angle? for example when spiderco says you can sharpen at 30 degrees, does it mean the entire angle will be 30 degrees? In other words each side of the blade sharpened to 15 degrees?
 
jebib said:
I suspect this might be an elementary question but here goes. In many cases the knife blade is defined by its angle. Additionally, sharpeners like lansky or spiderco also identify the angle the tool with sharpen by. But what I'd like to know is what is the angle? for example when spiderco says you can sharpen at 30 degrees, does it mean the entire angle will be 30 degrees? In other words each side of the blade sharpened to 15 degrees?
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Yes. It is harder to keep the angle consistent if you sharpen by hand also. Be careful with the convex edges also. They are best handled by stropping.
 
jebib said:
I suspect this might be an elementary question but here goes. In many cases the knife blade is defined by its angle. Additionally, sharpeners like lansky or spiderco also identify the angle the tool with sharpen by. But what I'd like to know is what is the angle? for example when spiderco says you can sharpen at 30 degrees, does it mean the entire angle will be 30 degrees? In other words each side of the blade sharpened to 15 degrees?
Click to expand...
Yes. In other words, when it is sharpened 15 degrees per side, younsay 30 degrees inclusive. 20 degrees per side would be 40 degrees inclusive.
 
If I am not mistaken the angle of the Sharpmaker is not given as an inclusive angle. Meaning sharpening at 20 degrees means each bevel will be sharpened at 20 degrees for a total angle of 40.

Hope that makes sense.
 
jebib said:
I suspect this might be an elementary question but here goes. In many cases the knife blade is defined by its angle. Additionally, sharpeners like lansky or spiderco also identify the angle the tool with sharpen by. But what I'd like to know is what is the angle? for example when spiderco says you can sharpen at 30 degrees, does it mean the entire angle will be 30 degrees? In other words each side of the blade sharpened to 15 degrees?
Click to expand...

Here is a great Spyderco Sharpmaker video that will help you. Watch all 4 parts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB0r6GvESGg

Here is good info from my knife guru, Master Bladesmith Joe Talmadge, that discusses steels, angles used for different steels, etc.

http://www.zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml

I generally follow what Spyderco recommends when sharpening a knife blade. I sharpen the back bevel, the part of the steel behind the primary bevel or sometimes called a micro bevel, to 30 degrees total, 15 per side. That gives a real nice slicing bevel for most knife steels. I rarely have to do the sharpening of the secondary bevel because my knife steel is pretty good and the primary, or micro bevel holds up very well under use. I sharpen the primary bevel to 40 degrees, 20 per side. So the actual cutting edge bevel has a little more total angle than the back or secondary bevel has. The reason for this is that you don't have to remove as much steel as you would if you just had one overall bevel. Watch the videos, they explain it better than I'm sure I can.
 
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The 4 part video by Spyderco ought to be required viewing for anyone who is allowed to purchase a knife. Thanks GatorFlash1 much appreciated. I am now truly dangerous.
 
jebib said:
The 4 part video by Spyderco ought to be required viewing for anyone who is allowed to purchase a knife. Thanks GatorFlash1 much appreciated. I am now truly dangerous.
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You are very welcome. Hopefully you are now very knowledgeable, not a dangerous knife sharpener. I hope you also read what Joe Talmadge said about sharpening various knife steels.
 
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jebib said:
I suspect this might be an elementary question but here goes. In many cases the knife blade is defined by its angle. Additionally, sharpeners like lansky or spiderco also identify the angle the tool with sharpen by. But what I'd like to know is what is the angle? for example when spiderco says you can sharpen at 30 degrees, does it mean the entire angle will be 30 degrees? In other words each side of the blade sharpened to 15 degrees?
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In terms of the Spyderco Sharpmaker, their 30 degrees and 40 degrees are inclusive, i.e. 15 or 20 degrees per side. Lansky guided system quotes angles per side of 17, 20, 25.
 
What degrees do you dudes sharpen your knives to?

I stick with the normal 30-40 degree pattern, because I'm lazy and it works. If I were going to change the angle on say my Gayle Bradley I would have to reprofile and I'm not yet convinced it would be work all the effort, I'm lazy or too many other things on my plate.
 
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