Benchmade Contego M390 Polished edge with Venev OCB Resin stones

[wade7575]

I have had a lot of people ask me questions about the Venev OCB Resin stones and what kind of a polished edge do they give.

I used my TsProf K03 and I started with the Metallc Bond CBN stone's to start and I used the Venev 1200 grit stone it's the only one I have in the OCB resin bond,I have ordered 2 or the new 800 grit stones in the OCB resin and I should be getting them this week sometime,and in 6 to 8 weeks when Venev release's their new 400 grit OCB stone I'm going to pick up 2 of them as well.

The Venev stones are also rated in FEPA grit and a 1200 FEPA stone is the same as a 8K Japanese water stone.

After using the Venev 1200 stone I used a 6 10 and 13K Sigma Power Select 2 stones to try and polish out more of the scratch's and stropped it with 10 Carat diamond paste with 1 and then .25 in 10 Carat as well and then with .10 in 4 Carat as I don't have that in 10 Carat concentration.

I don't think using the Sigma Power stones helped remove any scratch's and the same goes for the stropping but I was checking the edge the whole time and it did get sharper with each grit change of stone.

The performance is great it dig's into your fingernail instantly with never mind pounds or once's of pressure try more like grams,it dig's in right away and you can shave thin layers of your fingernail off as well with no effort if you lay the knife back on a shallow angle and that is sharpened at 15 degree's per-side and not dropped down to some stupid crazy number like 10 or 11 degree's.

When I get the Venev 800 OCB I have a second one of these knifes that is a bit dull and in need of a touch up and I will try starting with the 800 and then going to the 1200 to see if the 800 will leave less scratch's in the blade and that aren't as deep.

The problem with the Metallic Bond CBN is that they can leave deeper scratch's then the Venev stones it seem's to be anyway from my result's,I will also try polishing the edge with my Sigma Power stones as well and maybe my Suehiro 15 and 25K stones just to see if how sharp I can get it and for scratch removal.

I also never mention I found with the Sigma Power and Chosera stones on steel's like M390 I find if you use a good amount of pressure the metal comes off much faster then if you just use normal pressure,you don't want to go so crazy with the pressure your giving it all you but at the same time more then you normally would.

I myself don't really care if I don't get the edge to a perfect mirror polish even if it's this close because I don't own knifes to look at my ugly in the reflection of the edge,I like to feel I'm a little more clever then that and just use the dam thing for what it's meant for and that's cutting thing's,plus why would I spend 2 hours just with a 6 10 and 13K stone just to get every last out out on M390 if I want true mirror polish I'll do it on a steel that it's easier to do it on and it's not because I can't do it on M390 I have better thing's to do like cut stuff up rather then sit there stroking a guide rod back and forth for god only knows how.

 

[wade7575]

I just finished sharpening my the first Benchmade Contego 810 in M390 blade steel that I got with the Venev 800 and 1200 grit stones.

I took pictures after I used each stone and I used more stones then I said I would because I said I'd do a follow up when I got the Venev 800 grit stone.

I'll post the name of the stone that was used above the picture and in the order of progression.

Also this was just a touch up sharpening and the bevel did not need to be rest so that's I choose to start off at the Venev 800 OCB stone.

I don't know why and I think maybe it's the way my camera pick the edge up on the last few pictures it looks like the scratch pattern got worse but to the eye it looks better.

I have also after setting the bevel and going all the way threw my highest diamond grit's like the F1500 witch is an 8K Japanese rating then dropped down to a 3 and 5K Chosera then worked my way back up the 10 and 13K range.

I know it doesn't make sense to do that but it's the fastest way to set a bevel and get as fine of a scratch pattern as you can with diamonds then move onto water stones,but now that Venev is making the F400 800 and 1200 OCB stones I think a person might be able to stop one or 2 grit's before the using the F1500 Metallic CBN stone and and use the F400 800 and 1200 OCB stones and may even be able to skip using the 400 OCB stone.

The 800 OCB is not a bevel setting stone so please don't forget this when you look at buying it,the 400 OCB is a J1000,the F800 is about a J2600 to J2800 my chart show a comparable grit to an F800,the F1200 is a J4000.

I do not have the 400 OCB but when Konstantin at Gritomatic get's them I will be getting 1 to try out as well,the F800 cut's pretty good but it's not a heavy lifting stone either.

I can say that I may for M390 stop at the F1200 OCB stone,it's hard to describe but it gave my M390 blade a an edge when I tested it that felt more aggressive and sharper,it has a toothy edge cutting feel but at the same time a polished edge feel as well that feels really really sharp and the next time I touch one of these knifes up I may stop at the Venev 1200 OCB just to what will happen with no stropping or anything just stopping at the 1200.

Venev 800 OCB

Venev 1200 OCB

Suehiro G8 8K stone

Sigma Power Select 2 13K

I then finished by using a Suehiro 15 and 20K stone and I just did one pic for both.

 

[dpav02]

Thank you for posting this. I am highly considering getting the TSPROF K03 and I'm researching some decent stones to purchase. The Venev OCB stones seem like they're very nice. I like the fact that you can flatten them.

May I ask, what do you recommend for more course grits and reprofiling work?

 

[wade7575]

The normal Venev stones in the lower grit's work well and the F60 F80 and F120 in the Metallic CBN are great stones as well.

The F60 or F80 if all you need for reprofiling an edge or removing chip's and doing repair's,the F120 is great for just removing metal fast when your not needing to do a repair but the knife is really dull.

 

[wade7575]

D dpav02 check your profile page message's.

 

[dpav02]

Just did. Thank you!