How To Bit of a sharpening mystery

[znapschatz]

Recently, I spent some time sharpening several of my folders, using a Sharpmaker. Those were a Delica 4 PE saber grind, Native, Leatherman Crater, Ontario RAT II, Buck Vantage Select (small) and Vantage Select (large), all at combined 30° bevel. All were hair shaving sharp. I like to finish by hacking a sheet of tissue paper, and a clean cut means I’m done. All of them did so, except for the large Vantage. I worked on it some more, it shaved just as well as the others, but I still could not get it to slice tissue to save my life. Does anyone have any ideas about what’s going on here?

 

[yakantosh]

I've had that happen to me when I accidentally fold over a wire edge.

 

[115Italian]

My guess is the apex is not a keen as you want it. Maybe some micro chips that cant be seen with the eyes. Try stroping it.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Probably a burr (wire edge), as mentioned previously. A burr will shave all day, if that's the only test. But a fine burr will quickly fold over in doing much of anything else, even cutting paper.

Using the ceramics on the Sharpmaker increases the likelihood a burr is the issue. With some ductile steels, touch has to be nearly perfect to avoid forming new burrs on ceramic hones. So I'd expect to see burrs, to a larger extent, when using the SM.


David

 

[znapschatz]

Probably a burr (wire edge), as mentioned previously. A burr will shave all day, if that's the only test. But a fine burr will quickly fold over in doing much of anything else, even cutting paper.

Using the ceramics on the Sharpmaker increases the likelihood a burr is the issue. With some ductile steels, touch has to be nearly perfect to avoid forming new burrs on ceramic hones. So I'd expect to see burrs, to a larger extent, when using the SM.


David

Thanks for your reply. This is the first I learned about this issue. The SM worked well with the other knives, but maybe you’re right. I have some DMT Diafold sharpeners. I’ll try them and report back.

 

[znapschatz]

Well, I went at my Vantage with a DMT fine sharpener, and it worked! I don’t know for sure whether it eliminated a folded wire edge/burr, but it did the trick, and pronto. Thanks all for the help.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Well, I went at my Vantage with a DMT fine sharpener, and it worked! I don’t know for sure whether it eliminated a folded wire edge/burr, but it did the trick, and pronto. Thanks all for the help.

That's exactly what I would've expected.

A diamond hone cuts much more cleanly, with less effort and with less burring issues. It's what I've come to like about using them, especially as compared to ceramic hones.


David