- Joined
- Dec 21, 2006
- Messages
- 3,158
Last year I made myself a hunting knife from CPM M4, and put a quick edge on it. Used it to dress one whitetail last season, and the edge was still super sharp (as expected). We moved just recently, and my mother and wife used my knife for I don't know what, but it was dull when they got thru with it. I didn't mind! I love to sharpen! This was a special HT done by Brad at Peter's, we used no snap temper, direct to cryo, and the low end tempers. 64HRC, with an edge that was about .007" prior to applying the bevel. This is a 14° per side edge...no microbevel. Something interesting happened when re-sharpening I thought I would share with you. I have encountered this before, wasn't too sure, this verified it.
I decided to start with Shapton Pro 1000 grit, as it only needed a bit touching up. I was getting no where fast. (freshly leveled and conditioned stone). I noticed the scratch pattern was hitting the edge shoulder, not the apex....and the more I sharpened, I was not progressing towards the apex, and did not want to raise the angle.
Took out the 1200 Atoma. I like that stone, cuts mega fast, but leaves a coarse, almost striated sort of pattern. This did hit the apex quickly at the same angle 14°.
Went back to the SP1000. Again...scratch pattern shows it hitting towards the shoulder, not the apex. Back to square one.
Raised the angle just slightly, and was then able to hit the apex with the SP1000, continued with 2000 Green Brick edge trailing, then King 4000 edge trailing. It is wicked sharp now.
It is true, some stone combinations don't play well together. It seems there is some difference in the diamond plates hitting an edge vs other stones. My angle was constant, using the Razor Edge guides. To slightly raise my angle, one layer of Duct tape on the guide faces is all it took. The Atoma 1200 would apex easily at the 14°, but the SP1000 was hitting the shoulder, and would only apex with the added layer of Duct tape. I thought that was interesting. I'm thinking, in the future, I may try lowering the edge angle to 10° per side, and then applying 15° microbevel.
Stay sharp!
I decided to start with Shapton Pro 1000 grit, as it only needed a bit touching up. I was getting no where fast. (freshly leveled and conditioned stone). I noticed the scratch pattern was hitting the edge shoulder, not the apex....and the more I sharpened, I was not progressing towards the apex, and did not want to raise the angle.
Took out the 1200 Atoma. I like that stone, cuts mega fast, but leaves a coarse, almost striated sort of pattern. This did hit the apex quickly at the same angle 14°.
Went back to the SP1000. Again...scratch pattern shows it hitting towards the shoulder, not the apex. Back to square one.
Raised the angle just slightly, and was then able to hit the apex with the SP1000, continued with 2000 Green Brick edge trailing, then King 4000 edge trailing. It is wicked sharp now.
It is true, some stone combinations don't play well together. It seems there is some difference in the diamond plates hitting an edge vs other stones. My angle was constant, using the Razor Edge guides. To slightly raise my angle, one layer of Duct tape on the guide faces is all it took. The Atoma 1200 would apex easily at the 14°, but the SP1000 was hitting the shoulder, and would only apex with the added layer of Duct tape. I thought that was interesting. I'm thinking, in the future, I may try lowering the edge angle to 10° per side, and then applying 15° microbevel.
Stay sharp!
; she used the first good knife I got her, a Case trapper, to dig potatoes. Camping one time she swatted at a fly; didn't realize she had a knife in her hand. The fly lived and I fixed the cut across my hand with a butterfly bandage. Still have the scar. And my wife
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