Best sharpmaker 204 angle

K

Klaus

Joined
Dec 3, 2001
Messages
219
Sorry to ask maybe stupid questions but as a new happy owner/user of a Sharpmaker 204 I wonder whether to use the 30° or 40° settings for a Buck BG42-bladed knife with the newer E2K edge which is supposed to be around 30°. Am I right that first-of-all if the factory edge is good enough for your tastes (the E2K on the BG42 is scary sharp out of the box) one should try to keep the factory edge intact - which in this case would mean to use the 30° setting instead of the normal 40° ones ? Anyone with experience on this combo or general advice ?

TIA

Klaus
 
In most cases, 40 degrees produces a sharp, durable edge. For harder, more finely-grained steels that can hold a finer edge well, 30 degrees will work as the primary edge, but in hard use, the edge can either turn or chip. For thick blades, such as most kitchen knives and many survival knives, 40 degrees with a 30 degree back bevel gives the best of both worlds: a sharp edge that can still slice without binding.

Short answer: BG-42 should be able to hold a 30 degree edge well, especially if it came that way from the factory, indicating that Buck thinks the steel will hold the edge. However, if the edge turns, chips, or dulls easily during your normal abuse of the knife, you may want to rebevel it to 40 degrees, possibly with a back bevel to reduce binding. In any case, a 30 degree primary edge will probably require more maintenance than a 40 degree on any steel.

Gee, that wasn't a real short answer, was it? :cool:
 
Thx Liko - your more or less confirm my believe that if no issues show up I should just stay with that 30° angle the Buck E2K is using.

Klaus

But if someone using this combo of BG42 w E2K/30° and Sharpmaker 204 would throw in his 2 cents I would very much appreciate too.
 
I don't have that combination, but I'll throw in another vote of confidence on your thinking process. If you want max performance, go with the thinnest edge you can that can stand up to your toughest jobs without chipping or rolling. Since Buck seems to think their knives can take 30-degrees total, I'd stick with it. Frankly, I keep most of my folders at 30 degrees, sometimes with a few light strokes at 40-degrees at the end of the process, to finish off what's left of the burr.

Joe
 
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