Cold Steel SRK Chipping

[Tieva]

I recently reprofiled my new CS SRK to 30-degrees total. The steel is their "Carbon V". After using a diamond hone for most of the heavy work, I finished the sharpening process on the Sharpmaker. When I looked at the blade under a 10X loupe, I noticed two distinct chips in the blade. They weren't there before I started the sharpening process. My questions are 1) Is 15-degrees to steep of an angle for that blade (will be used for standard camping chores)? and 2) Is Carbon V prone to chipping?

 

[gud4u]

Just a guess here - that the chipping was caused by very hard pressure on the diamond hone when you re-profiled the edge.

My SRK main bezel is a bit extreme, about 20 degrees inclusive, with a micro-bevel of about 25 degrees inclusive. There was some very apparent edge-chipping created when I formed the main bevel with the coarse hone (I used a coarse Carborundum stone to form that bevel). Another 10 minutes at light pressure on the coarse hone removed enough metal to cure the edge-chipping.

I used a Spyderco medium ceramic bench stone to de-burr and form the micro-bevel.

I have no chipping problems with slicing wood, but I haven't chopped with it or dug in the dirt with it since applying this edge.

Also, be careful about using heavy pressure when using the edges of the Sharpmaker stones. That can cause edge-chipping of both the blade edge and the stone-edges.

Hope thiws helps!

 

[Cliff Stamp]

1) Is 15-degrees to steep of an angle for that blade (will be used for standard camping chores)?

It should not be assuming there isn't a fault in the steel or heat treatment. It is far more obtuse than what I would tolerate.

... 2) Is Carbon V prone to chipping?

I have had mixed results, some were some were not. In general it is a well respected steel, used by many in the industry under different names. It has also been said by some very "in the know" people like Mike Turber that "Carbon V" has at times been different steels which makes users reports obviously hard to correlate.

-Cliff