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BK9 and BK10 sharpening
- Thread starter WayneH
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2003
- Messages
- 892
I believe I sharpen my BK7 at the 30* setup on my Sharpmaker. That's 15* per side(cause I don't understand all that "inclusive" stuff 
).
Best advice I can offer you is this, take a sharpie marker and mark the whole edge. Then, start at 15* and see if it takes the mark off the entire edge like it should, adjust accordingly. If its hitting the very edge you may want to go with a smaller angle; hitting the "shoulder," go with a larger angle.
). Best advice I can offer you is this, take a sharpie marker and mark the whole edge. Then, start at 15* and see if it takes the mark off the entire edge like it should, adjust accordingly. If its hitting the very edge you may want to go with a smaller angle; hitting the "shoulder," go with a larger angle.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2003
- Messages
- 892
I've chopped 2x4's with it and done some limbing also and the edge has held up fine. I really wouldn't worry about the edge unless something happens to it, it bites nicely into wood as it is. I did a bunch of chopping and carving with it one time and maybe just slightly noticed it a little duller, with under a minute on the fine rods it was back to how it was before.
Take your time to learn on the sharpmaker and you can get great results.As I understand it, the reasoning behind using a 40 degree setting primarily and only using a 30 degree angle is to reduce the amount of steel you remove from the knife each time you touch it up on the rods. At 30 degrees you are removing more metal than 40 degrees, so if you are sharpening the knife a lot (like a butcher or something) the knife will wear out faster.
Also, the two bevel edge with a primary and secondary bevel, according to some, give a better cutting edge because it creates an almost convex shape.
Something I have found very effective with beckers is a good steel. After some light work with any of my beckers a few passes on the steel has them right back in shape! Eventually they will need a trip down the ceramic stones, but steeling really prolongs edge life.
Also, the two bevel edge with a primary and secondary bevel, according to some, give a better cutting edge because it creates an almost convex shape.
Something I have found very effective with beckers is a good steel. After some light work with any of my beckers a few passes on the steel has them right back in shape! Eventually they will need a trip down the ceramic stones, but steeling really prolongs edge life.
Here is a link to the FAQ section of this website that covers steeling. the sharpening books they suggest are really worth picking up, its good reading and lots of pictures. http://www.bladeforums.com/features/faqsharp-fundamentals.shtml
My steel is "cheap" too, it works. Just use very light pressure, about the most pressure I use is the weight of the knife. I haven't tried the spine first method in the FAQ's, but I should...
I do have some knives I keep sharpened at 30 degrees, not hard use ones like Beckers, but specialized knives that don't get much actualy cutting use. The narrow angle is really really sharp, but not as durable.
My steel is "cheap" too, it works. Just use very light pressure, about the most pressure I use is the weight of the knife. I haven't tried the spine first method in the FAQ's, but I should...
I do have some knives I keep sharpened at 30 degrees, not hard use ones like Beckers, but specialized knives that don't get much actualy cutting use. The narrow angle is really really sharp, but not as durable.