Am I crazy or just brave?

jlubas

jlubas

Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Messages
301
My small Micarta inlay insingo arrived about a week ago and I noticed that this knife in particular had a thicker grind on it then I prefer. So while at work today I decided to take a risk... Our cutlery belt grinder. Normally I use it every day to sharpen my work knives so I am very confident in using it, though one small slip up can dramatically mar the blade and prolonged usage can eat up the blade quick. It's normally not an issue with my knives at work because I don't care about their appearance and I go through a set a year as it is. Back to my Sebenza though, I decided that I would risk it and thin out the edge a hair.
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Sorry about the shaky pictures but as you can see I went slow and light on the pressure and it turned out well. I finished it on a diamond hone and now it cuts like a laser!
So I pose the question to you guys. Who else hear will sharpen a $400 dollar knife on a belt grinder? Has anyone every had the misfortune of hurting the finish on one?
I hope I won't have to do it again for a while. I can honestly say I concentrated a lot more one this one than most other knives:rolleyes:
 
Brave is my vote! I know my limitations and lack of experience on a belt, but looks like you did a good job!Get it how you want it or die trying! Bart
 
If one is familiar with using a belt grinder then I don't see the problem with using it, that's what it's for. :p If you're new to it then a Sebenza is probably not the best knife to start on.
 
Looks good to me. Very subtle and probably quite sharp! If you know what you are doing, by all means have at it. Everyone else, don't try this at home (and wind up with a projectile Sebbie skating down your forearm or into your thigh)! Remember... left-right gets you a ride to the hospital; up-down gets you a ride to the morgue.
 
Thanks for the words of encouragement guys! I should say though my micarta insingo is my go to work knife though. I still don't think I'll be trying this on my box elder mnandi :D
 
I absolutely use a belt grinder for sharpening. I have a Lansky, an Edge Pro clone with EP stones, an assortment of freehand equipment, including a few strops, and the aforementioned belt grinder. I'm a sharpening nut just as much as a knife nut.

The first knife that I sharpened on it was a brand new Kershaw Blur and I absolutely ruined it. That was many years ago. I haven't sharpened my 25, but that's only because I'm trading it. I'll definitely sharpen the Insingo when I get it (if needed). The edge on that model is perfect for someone that doesn't have a ton of experience, although I don't have to tell YOU that, plus it sounds like you are very experienced anyway.

Some tips for new grinders:

Use sharp (new) belts. They produce less heat.

Heat is the no.1 enemy. If you can't pinch the steel it's too hot. Dip it in water.

I've never worried about a little water on my belts.

Sharpen edge down if the belt moves in that direction.

Wear eye protection.

Don't sharpen against the platen. I like using the belt just under the top wheel, or about 1/2" above the platen.

Light pressure. Let the belt do the work.

Never, and I mean never drag the tip more than half way across the belt! Fastest way to get rid of it.

Op, your Insingo edge looks excellent. I can't wait to try my own! :)
 
I sharpen by edc Insingo on the belt sander all of the time. I started first with cheap kitchen knives. You did good.
 
Nice work! Looks like you did a great job:thumbup: not something I would try, but then again I don't use a grinder every day either
 
Crazy and brave :) I always sharpen by hand. Makes the blade last longer and you get exactly the edge it needs. Even master smiths can't use a grinder w/o taking off at least 1mm. By hand, you can't tell how much is gone. At the Randall shop, from their museum, you can see them do the final sharpening by hand with a large hone. If it's good enough for Bo Randall, it's good enough for me.
 
Care to provide some sort evidence for this statement ? It is absolute nonsense so I doubt you can. With a variable speed belt sander (everybody uses those) you are as safe as you are with hand sharpening on stones.

brownshoe said:
Crazy and brave :) I always sharpen by hand. Makes the blade last longer and you get exactly the edge it needs. Even master smiths can't use a grinder w/o taking off at least 1mm. By hand, you can't tell how much is gone. At the Randall shop, from their museum, you can see them do the final sharpening by hand with a large hone. If it's good enough for Bo Randall, it's good enough for me.
Click to expand...
 
I agree with Haze here. While its true a belt can eat up a blade awfully quickly it is all how you sharpen. I can say for certain I didn't take off 1mm from my blade.
 
Nonsense. I have an old worn belt that does nothing more than polish an edge. My loaded strop won't damage an edge (unless you're really, really trying), nor will either produce much heat.
 
"Nonsense". Why be so insulting?

Maybe we have different ideas of what constitutes a good edge and minimal steel removal. The Randall shop does the final edge by hand... I've had custom makers state their edge is hand honed with pride as a discriminator between their knife and others. Do Japanese knife makers leave a belt finish on their edge?

I like to collect used customs and use them :) I've sent two 15+ yo customs back to their famous makers to be sharpened, since they were quite dull. One a MBS with 25 years experience and the other has 30 years experience with about 5 CRKT models in the market. Both makers left an obviously reprofiled edge; which would not have happened if sharpened by hand. When I mentioned to the MBS that it was a great job, to bad he had to change the profile, he said that was the best to be done by belt and told me how to sharpen the convex edge by hand so the profile would not change very much in the future.
 
brownshoe, I didn't mean to come across as rude! :o

Occasionally I'll look back at something I've written and realize that I didn't convey myself well, or that I came across one way or another.

I come here *only* to make friends and learn, never to be rude or sound like a know it all. Sorry about the miscommunication. :)
 
You often post things that are just plain wrong and you should be called on it. The use of the word "nonsense" is far from insulting, it is purely a factual description of your post.

How many CRKs do you have and use these days by the way ?.......

brownshoe said:
"Nonsense". Why be so insulting?

Maybe we have different ideas of what constitutes a good edge and minimal steel removal. The Randall shop does the final edge by hand... I've had custom makers state their edge is hand honed with pride as a discriminator between their knife and others. Do Japanese knife makers leave a belt finish on their edge?

I like to collect used customs and use them :) I've sent two 15+ yo customs back to their famous makers to be sharpened, since they were quite dull. One a MBS with 25 years experience and the other has 30 years experience with about 5 CRKT models in the market. Both makers left an obviously reprofiled edge; which would not have happened if sharpened by hand. When I mentioned to the MBS that it was a great job, to bad he had to change the profile, he said that was the best to be done by belt and told me how to sharpen the convex edge by hand so the profile would not change very much in the future.
Click to expand...
 
brownshoe said:
Crazy and brave :) I always sharpen by hand. Makes the blade last longer and you get exactly the edge it needs. Even master smiths can't use a grinder w/o taking off at least 1mm. By hand, you can't tell how much is gone. At the Randall shop, from their museum, you can see them do the final sharpening by hand with a large hone. If it's good enough for Bo Randall, it's good enough for me.
Click to expand...

I've had my CRKs (and others) sharpened by the CRK factory for a couple decades. They use the belt.
 
Haze it's probably a cultural thing. Where I live if you state "nonsense" in response to someone, it is insulting. However, I believe this may not be so for the English speakers of Great Britain.

Your description of my post is not "factual" but your opinion, which was insulting. Just like my post is my opinion, I certainly have not done any scientific testing...

Fooj, CRK sharpens with a belt because it is fast...they also have a lot of practice :)
 
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