Best edge on an ESEE

eloreno said:
I have a hard time sharpening freehand, a really hard time. I just got a DMT aligner in today and am looking forward to trying it out tonight....

Anyone have any experience with the aligner?
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I hear ya man! I have about every sharpener there is DMT Benchstones, Steels, Dia folds, Spyderco sharpmaker, Bark river convex kit and strop, Lansky pro and the more shit I get the more confused I get. But for me sharpening freehand is a skill I cannot live without so I practice all the time. Sometimes I put an edge that will split hairs and sometimes I want to eat my benchstone when I am done.
 
CanisMajor said:
When using the stand and sharpening your Izula are you using 30 or 40 degree setting? I use the 40 degree while rods are in the stand and mine gets shaving sharp.

Canis
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I've tried both, mostly to take a little off the shoulders to try to get the edge more lined up with the 40 degree setting. Do you try to follow the curve of the blade or just go "straight up and down" (quoting the included video for lack of a better description)?

When I use a sharpie to mark the edge, I appear to have issues getting down to the very edge. Perhaps I am holding the Izula such that it is a bit tilted? For some reason, I have a harder time judging if it is dead vertical than with Spydercos...I suspect this is because the spine isn't as squared off with the Izula/other ESEEs...

Also, I apologize if I'm hijacking this thread with my sharpening issues. I decided to give convexing a shot, and just ordered the Otterbox kit off of Knivesshipfree...

Thanks for the help!
 
SwimmingBird said:
I've tried both, mostly to take a little off the shoulders to try to get the edge more lined up with the 40 degree setting. Do you try to follow the curve of the blade or just go "straight up and down" (quoting the included video for lack of a better description)?

When I use a sharpie to mark the edge, I appear to have issues getting down to the very edge. Perhaps I am holding the Izula such that it is a bit tilted? For some reason, I have a harder time judging if it is dead vertical than with Spydercos...I suspect this is because the spine isn't as squared off with the Izula/other ESEEs...

Also, I apologize if I'm hijacking this thread with my sharpening issues. I decided to give convexing a shot, and just ordered the Otterbox kit off of Knivesshipfree...

Thanks for the help!
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No apology needed. Sharpening chat of any kind welcome, you can even learn when someone is having problems. I doubt you are the only one.
 
Sandpaper and stropping. Over time all my fixed blades become convexed (except Scandis) JRE sharpening kit works wonders for sharpening fixed blades.
 
DMT double sided Diafold red/blue & leather Strop black /green compound, natural leather strop.... & Lansky diamond rod retract into brass rod handle
 
SwimmingBird said:
I've tried both, mostly to take a little off the shoulders to try to get the edge more lined up with the 40 degree setting. Do you try to follow the curve of the blade or just go "straight up and down" (quoting the included video for lack of a better description)?

When I use a sharpie to mark the edge, I appear to have issues getting down to the very edge. Perhaps I am holding the Izula such that it is a bit tilted? For some reason, I have a harder time judging if it is dead vertical than with Spydercos...I suspect this is because the spine isn't as squared off with the Izula/other ESEEs...
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I do not have much experience with ESEE yet but I have been using a Sharpmaker for 15 years. I am having trouble putting what I am thinking into words.....Using a sharpie to color the sharpened part of the knife and then seeing how much you remove is the easiest way to learn. If you use a sharpie and are not getting all the way to the edge then you need to either keep doing it with the gray stone until you do (may take awhile) or use some kind of courser stone to remove metal until you get to the edge. If an edge is undamaged and kinda sharp I will use the Sharpmaker only... gray than white. If it is damaged or really dull I always start with a Norton India or DMT Diamond to profile the edge so the Sharpmaker doesn't have to do so much work. I then finish with a Sharpmaker and I always go straight up and down.

I also would like to say that most people that have sharpened with some generic "stone" have no idea how much better any stone made by Norton will work than something generic. I was frustrated by stones for years until an old blacksmith told me about this.
 
SwimmingBird said:
I've tried both, mostly to take a little off the shoulders to try to get the edge more lined up with the 40 degree setting. Do you try to follow the curve of the blade or just go "straight up and down" (quoting the included video for lack of a better description)?

When I use a sharpie to mark the edge, I appear to have issues getting down to the very edge. Perhaps I am holding the Izula such that it is a bit tilted? For some reason, I have a harder time judging if it is dead vertical than with Spydercos...I suspect this is because the spine isn't as squared off with the Izula/other ESEEs...

Also, I apologize if I'm hijacking this thread with my sharpening issues. I decided to give convexing a shot, and just ordered the Otterbox kit off of Knivesshipfree...

Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...

When I sharpen my Izula I follow the curve of the blade. So where the blade starts to curve upward, my wrist moves upward which makes the area toward the blades point sweep "downward". It is difficult to explain. You kind of have to "lift" your wrist upward to allow the blades tip to be sharpened. Also, try not to let the tip of the blade slide off the stones, it can dull the tip if your not careful.

Also, if your having trouble or you aren't sure if your holding the knife vertical, I have heard/read of people sharpening in front of a mirror to help see if the knife is vertical.

I'm not sure how much experience you have with the sharpmaker, but going slow is definitely a good thing until you get the proper technique down. Also, don't use too much pressure when making the strokes, especially if you have the diamond rods.

I hope this helps.

Canis

ETA: I stick with the 40 degree side. After a several sharpenings on the 40, you may have/want to do a "back bevel" which Sal explains in the DVD.
 
Brutane said:
I use multiple types of stones and a strop but I have been wanting to get one of the new Fallkniven DC3/4 combo stones. Looks like they'd be great.
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I carry the DC 4 stone with me in my bug out bag. It's a great ceramic/diamond sharpener for the field and it works great!
 
messer454 said:
I do not have much experience with ESEE yet but I have been using a Sharpmaker for 15 years. I am having trouble putting what I am thinking into words.....Using a sharpie to color the sharpened part of the knife and then seeing how much you remove is the easiest way to learn. If you use a sharpie and are not getting all the way to the edge then you need to either keep doing it with the gray stone until you do (may take awhile) or use some kind of courser stone to remove metal until you get to the edge. If an edge is undamaged and kinda sharp I will use the Sharpmaker only... gray than white. If it is damaged or really dull I always start with a Norton India or DMT Diamond to profile the edge so the Sharpmaker doesn't have to do so much work. I then finish with a Sharpmaker and I always go straight up and down.

I also would like to say that most people that have sharpened with some generic "stone" have no idea how much better any stone made by Norton will work than something generic. I was frustrated by stones for years until an old blacksmith told me about this.
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Please elaborate, as I bet a few of us use them . I know the Nortons are of good quality from what I've seen and used.
 
What do you guys use to sharpen your ESEE knives? I know skills play a huge part but I would like to see what you guys use equipment and grit for home and field.
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To maintain the edge I just use a 1x30" belt sander with lee valley leather belts and their green honing compound. If I need to repair a chip or re-grind a bevel I'll use the 320 grit and 20 micron belts first.

In the field I'll use whatever old gatco or lansky diamond stone I have with me at the time.

If I want to make a very accurate bevel or secondary bevel I'll use a magnetic bubblejig stuck on the end of a lee valley large machinist clamp. I sanded the top flat on the clamp so the bubblejig is level, and can be easily swiveled to do either side of the blade. The one in the photos is set to 20 degrees. Always perfect bevels unless my arm gets bumped or I screw up. The bottom pic is my RC6 beside a James Emmons O1 custom out of Brantford Ontario.

bubblejig-sharpen1.jpg

bubblejig-sharpen2.jpg

emmons-rc6.jpg
 
All my knife money ends up buying knives, so I sharpen with sandpaper on glass (for highly defined V edges) and sandpaper on top of my strop to get convex edges.
 
I use the spyderco 303MF double side stone in thefield, with a DMT Diafold Extra Course.

At home:Spyderco Rods M\F\UF.

Spydercos sharpening stuff is awesome.


I only sharpen freehand, but i think for a survivor or buschrafter its a neccessery skill. IMO its worth the practice, i know sometimes its confusing to do for a long time without results but if someone learn it well, no problem at all with any knife anymore. jst my 00.2
 
CanisMajor said:
When I sharpen my Izula I follow the curve of the blade. So where the blade starts to curve upward, my wrist moves upward which makes the area toward the blades point sweep "downward". It is difficult to explain. You kind of have to "lift" your wrist upward to allow the blades tip to be sharpened. Also, try not to let the tip of the blade slide off the stones, it can dull the tip if your not careful.

Also, if your having trouble or you aren't sure if your holding the knife vertical, I have heard/read of people sharpening in front of a mirror to help see if the knife is vertical.

I'm not sure how much experience you have with the sharpmaker, but going slow is definitely a good thing until you get the proper technique down. Also, don't use too much pressure when making the strokes, especially if you have the diamond rods.

I hope this helps.

Canis

ETA: I stick with the 40 degree side. After a several sharpenings on the 40, you may have/want to do a "back bevel" which Sal explains in the DVD.
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Maybe my Izula came with a slightly thicker grind, since after taking enough off with the diamond rods freehand, the standard Sharpmaker approach appears to be working better. I suppose it is also possible that I've been oversharpening the 1095 and actually taking the edge off, since I'm used to VG-10, which is supposedly harder to sharpen.

Thanks!
 
Two of my ESEE Izulas (and other knife company brands) have different geometry in the stock and/or grinds from the factory. A 40* setting for e.g. will yield a larger bevel on one side as compared to the other, not a big one or a big deal for that matter.

That said, the ESEE folks may want to chime in here, but I read somewhere in this forum that their knives came with a 40*+ angle on them - something like 44 or 45 degrees. That could cause problems with the Sharpmaker's 40 degree setting.

I used the SM and diamond rods for a loooong time to get close to a 30* back bevel, removing loads of coating while doing so. I still couldn't get the edges to meet, but when I switched to the 40* setting, I was able to get an edge that would shave.

I've switched to Diafolds since then which are amazing for speed and simplicity in putting a good edge on my knives. :)
 
After taking a bit off the shoulders in terms of metal and mostly coating (freehanding with the sharpmaker diamond rods, it looks like my Izula is to a point that the 40 degree setting is just about right. I still want to get better at freehand sharpening, but so far my results are far less regular than with the sharpmaker...
 
Thanks guys. I am going to try all of these methods and see wich one I can get the best edge with.:thumbup:
 
My best attempts thus far have both been taking the shoulders back a little with the diamond, medium, and fine Sharpmaker rods by hand, sort of convexing it, then putting a V-grind on with the medium and fine Sharpmaker rods at 40 degrees. Once I get the Otterbox convexing kit from Knivesshipfree in, I'll see how that works out. I keep hearing how awesomely easy it is to convex sharpen a knife, so we'll find out...I'll let you know how it goes/which I like better.

Also, where do you find 2000 grit sandpaper? I must be looking in the wrong places, because I never see much finer than like 600 in hardware stores when I glance around, and the only place I saw it online was in the aforementioned sharpening kit.
 
TAGannon said:
I love the Spyderco Sharpmaker. The angle seems to mate up perfectly with the factory edge.
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+1 Best thing EVER.

I added the diamond stones in addition to the med and fine ones that come with the sharpmaker - all I ever need and idiot-proof.

I do strop when I'm done with black then green compound, but having a blade pop a hair really isnt necessary, just cool :D
 
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