Completely dulled the edge on my Native III

[silenthunterstudios]

Okay, I'm not great at sharpening, but I am adequate with carbon steel. I can't get a razor edge on my blades, but I can put a good edge on them. Pretty sharp. Two shining examples are my Cold Steel kukri machete, and my Western W36.

I thought that VG10 would be easy. It's not a super steel like S30V. It's not all too different from 440A, or so I've read. If I am wrong, please correct me. I believe that I read in Spydercos catalog that VG10 is a super 440A. I am at work, and will have to check again.

Anyway, I have a Smiths two sided diamond sharpener. Coarse and fine. I also have two Arkansas stones. I drenched the stones with Smiths oil.

The edge on my Native III was not razor sharp, but it was a pretty good edge. I started out with a 45 degree angle, and got a little bit better of an edge. Stropped it on a belt.

Then things went downhill. By the time I was done, after losing the edge, then gaining it back at a lesser sharpness, I finally stopped at dull. Luckily, the blade only has scratches, and is a user. There are some lock problems I'm experiencing with it, so it's going back to the spa anyway.

My question is, what the hell am I doing wrong. I've looked at videos online, I've gotten great results with carbon steel. VG10 is a great steel, but it's not a super steel! Did I ruin the blade? I was at my wits end last night. I know that stones shouldn't be dry, did I put too much oil on my stones? Is it because I've got Smiths sharpeners? Are they crap? Should I get Lansky, DMT or Spyderco?

 

[Cliff Stamp]

I thought that VG10 would be easy. It's not a super steel like S30V. It's not all too different from 440A, or so I've read.

It would depend on what they were being compared to, both are very similar if they were compared to M2 for example. But as far as high carbon stainless goes then they are fairly different. VG-10 has a significantly higher maximum hardness and carbide fraction and the properties are influenced by number of additional elements.

I started out with a 45 degree angle

What does this measure exactly, it sounds really high.

By the time I was done, after losing the edge, then gaining it back at a lesser sharpness, I finally stopped at dull.

What are you doing exactly and what is the responce at each stage.

I've looked at videos online, I've gotten great results with carbon steel. VG10 is a great steel, but it's not a super steel!

The grindability of VG-10 is much lower than carbon steels so it takes a long longer to remove a similar amount of material. This isn't a factor with proper micro-beveling but can be otherwise.

Did I ruin the blade?

This is very difficult unless at the end of the session you started stabbing and chopping into the stones. Pretty much anything less drastic can be fixed with a proper sharpening in a few minutes.

... did I put too much oil on my stones? Is it because I've got Smiths sharpeners?

Generally neither of these are a real concern, better stones make the process more efficient, but you can use really low end stones and produce a high quality edge. It just takes longer and more effort to remove the burr because the cutting aggression is low.

-Cliff

 

[tarmix101]

I started out with a 45 degree angle, and got a little bit better of an edge. Stropped it on a belt.

Is that 45 degrees inclusive (22.5 degrees on each side)? If not, that is one problem. 45 degrees is way to high for effective cutting.

One thing you may want to try is:

Laying the blade flat on a course stone. Grind the whole blade pulling spine to edge until the secondary edge is gone. This will thin the blade out and obviously scar the blade. However it will increase the performance of the blade and make it easier to put the secondary edge bevel on it. After that using the same course stone put between a 20-24 degree secondary edge bevel depending on what you will be using the blade for. follow up with finer stones until you are satisfied. Strop the blade on charged leather if possible. I use baking soda toothpaste on my leather strop and it works great.

This is what I do to my blades and has worked very well for me. It takes some time, and as I mentioned does scar the blade, but IMHO makes a more effective cutting edge. Good luck:thumbup:

Edited to add: make sure you are not pressing to hard on the leather strop. If you roll the leather over the edge you will be dulling the blade rather than removing the burr.