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Convex Sharpening Video?
- Thread starter Dave568
- Start date
I've always wondered why the sharpening masters like Sal Glesser, John Juranitch and 3 others I can think of as to why they have not touched on the methodologies of sharpening a convex edged blade. The 2 I had I used Spyderco 701 Profiles and used the small radius and did it in a rolling method. It seemed to work just fine but I am sure someone has probably come up with something better than that.
About 2 years ago I was talking to a lady who worked at Razor Edge Systems and she told me that John Juranitch ( CEO) and his son were working on an advanced sharpening video. I have called them twice since then and both times they said it was in the works but not close to being finished. But I really wonder why one of the major sharpening gurus haven't expounded the sharpening maintenance of this edge type.
About 2 years ago I was talking to a lady who worked at Razor Edge Systems and she told me that John Juranitch ( CEO) and his son were working on an advanced sharpening video. I have called them twice since then and both times they said it was in the works but not close to being finished. But I really wonder why one of the major sharpening gurus haven't expounded the sharpening maintenance of this edge type.
Cliff Stamp
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Dave568 said:I was just wondering if anyone knows of any free videos floating around on the net that demonstrate the sandpaper/mousepad sharpening method. Thanks.
Check the HI forum.
JD Spydo said:I've always wondered why the sharpening masters like Sal Glesser, John Juranitch and 3 others I can think of as to why they have not touched on the methodologies of sharpening a convex edged blade.
Probably because they are actually trying to avoid it with the way they sharpen.
But I really wonder why one of the major sharpening gurus haven't expounded the sharpening maintenance of this edge type.
They likely can see through the hype.
-Cliff
Functionally, there's little difference in cutting performance beween a compound bevel, such as main bevel + micro-bevel, and a convex bevel.
And touch-up sharpening is easier, since you're only honing the very small micro-bevel area.
And if it doesn't look convex enough for you, you can simply strop away the shoulder between the two bevels - looks just like a convex bevel, doesn't it?
And touch-up sharpening is easier, since you're only honing the very small micro-bevel area.
And if it doesn't look convex enough for you, you can simply strop away the shoulder between the two bevels - looks just like a convex bevel, doesn't it?
I actually found after some experimentation that if anything, convex bevels can be more trouble than they're worth. They don't necessarily cut any better, aren't necessarily any tougher... and they can be decidedly more difficult to maintain, especially if you intend to use a Sharpmaker or some other form of guided sharpener to maintain the edge. Ever wonder why some people find the Sebenza almost impossible to sharpen on the Sharpmaker's "coarse" stones? It's because they use an obtuse enough convex edge that even the 20 degree stones have to grind through a shoulder before they hit the edge in many cases. Combined with the fact that their factory sharpening isn't always 100% perfect, this can make the knife a pain to use until a new bevel is set.
Personally, I reground my Sebenza at a significantly more acute angle, actually convexed it by accident (though this had more to do with inconsistent technique than anything else) but made a 15 degree secondary bevel on the Sharpmaker. The convex edge was near 10 degrees or so before I put the back bevel on. The result is I get the best of both worlds; the knife glides through most materials as though they were made of butter. I also thinned the tip slightly in the process, and now it's almost the same angle as the rest of the knife (still more obtuse, but I ran out of sandpaper before I finished.)
IMO, though, there was only a small advantage in cutting ability over doing a multibevel, and I sacrificed toughness a bit as the edge is now thinner than if I took the multibevel approach. It's no harder for me to maintain a convex back bevel, but I still make the edge itself a flat grind for maintainability. If nothing else, the ability to do meaningful touch-ups with a pocket-sized stone with little effort makes the flat grind attractive. Sandpaper and leather aren't as easy to take with you or use in the field as a small stone, and if you need your everyday maintenance to be idiotproof, the Sharpmaker and Lansky systems also benefit.
Personally, I reground my Sebenza at a significantly more acute angle, actually convexed it by accident (though this had more to do with inconsistent technique than anything else) but made a 15 degree secondary bevel on the Sharpmaker. The convex edge was near 10 degrees or so before I put the back bevel on. The result is I get the best of both worlds; the knife glides through most materials as though they were made of butter. I also thinned the tip slightly in the process, and now it's almost the same angle as the rest of the knife (still more obtuse, but I ran out of sandpaper before I finished.)
IMO, though, there was only a small advantage in cutting ability over doing a multibevel, and I sacrificed toughness a bit as the edge is now thinner than if I took the multibevel approach. It's no harder for me to maintain a convex back bevel, but I still make the edge itself a flat grind for maintainability. If nothing else, the ability to do meaningful touch-ups with a pocket-sized stone with little effort makes the flat grind attractive. Sandpaper and leather aren't as easy to take with you or use in the field as a small stone, and if you need your everyday maintenance to be idiotproof, the Sharpmaker and Lansky systems also benefit.
Cliff Stamp
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 17,562
[convex]
Indeed, the main problem is the mass confusion that exists in which people associate the effect of a relief grind to a convex bevel. Look first at the cross section and not the curvature.
Most convex bevels were traditionally sharpened in this way, it is how Cook describes axe honing for example.
-Cliff
kennyj said:They don't necessarily cut any better, aren't necessarily any tougher... and they can be decidedly more difficult to maintain...
Indeed, the main problem is the mass confusion that exists in which people associate the effect of a relief grind to a convex bevel. Look first at the cross section and not the curvature.
It's no harder for me to maintain a convex back bevel, but I still make the edge itself a flat grind for maintainability.
Most convex bevels were traditionally sharpened in this way, it is how Cook describes axe honing for example.
-Cliff