anyone have a Queen Serpentine Jack (plus D2 question)?

E

edb

Joined
Aug 30, 2002
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740
I was browsing around, and stumbled across pictures of a Queen Serpentine Jack, stag scales. Looks great!

I've been hesitant to get anything with D2, because despite its reputation for holding an edge, I also read that it's tough to sharpen.

My experience is limited. I know I can get VG-10 shaving sharp, and my kitchen knives (steel ?) the same way, but I've had S30V (never sharpened it), and also have read that it's tough to sharpen, too.

Any opinions? Comparisons? Is D2 as tough to sharpen as S30V?
 
I own a Queen jack in D2 as well as many others. I took awhile to grow on me, and it does take some getting used to to sharpen D2 but in the long run it has become a favorite of mine.
 
I still can't get a real fine edge on it. Which is nothing but psychological.

The edge I have on it, resulting from work on coarser than usual stones (I stop with a soft washita), gets there quick, cuts anything within reason, and stays for a very long time.

One thing. The edge bevel that comes from factory is more suited to 1095 or 420. Need to take it to a coarse hone (carborundum does fine for me) and drop it a few degrees. Then you're in business as noted above.
 
I can get a hairpopping edge on D2, and hold it for quite a long time. Drop the angle to 30 included or less, finish with 1000 grit paper and a stropping on green compound. Works like a charm. ;)
 
"...stropping on green compound..." ?? I know what stropping is, but..?
 
Sword and Shield said:
Green compound's a Chromium Oxide paste, about 3 microns. Takes and smoothes out any imperfections very well. :)
Click to expand...

You can get it from Lee Valley.

I've had good luck with D2 (mostly Queens but also a Darrel Ralph CUDA from AG Russell) with the basic ceramic rods on the Sharpmaker at 40° included. Best to get the angle just under--I go with about 18° a side--with something coarse then go to the Sharpmaker. Even then, like the fellers say, it takes awhile.
 
The majority of my experience with user D2 steel knives is with Bob Dozier's fixed blades. As an archaeologist, I'm in the field a good part of the time. I have a number of standard EDC's depending on what I'm doing in the field. However the one knife I always have on me is a Dozier fixed blade. Its a 3-1/2-inches hollow or flat grind, I'm not sure. The point is, I hard use this D2 blade daily. D2 takes abuse / hard use well. With not that much effort, I can can bring up an incredably sharp edge on the sharpmaker. I probably sharpen the blade once a month, only because I'm one of those knife nuts that demands sharpness all the time.

I will say this, the D2 does not compare to a good carbon steel like 1095 in terms of cutting ability and resharpening (the second blade thats always with me in the field).

I would definetly recommend D2 steel, and enjoy using it. Just my .02.
Jay
 
Personally, I think the hard part about sharpening these Queens is the thickness of the bevel, not the fact that the steel is D2. I took a couple of mine down to about 20 or 25 degrees total on my Edgepro, and now I can sharpen them in 3 - 5 strokes per side on a ceramic rod, no problem. D2 also holds that edge for a very, very long time.

Great stuff!
 
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