D2 Re-profile Question

Sulaco

Sulaco

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Nov 15, 2003
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I am currently in the process of re-profiling my Benchmade 710 from whatever crazy grinds (definitely more obtuse, and definitely not even on each side) Benchmade put on it from the factory. I decided to go with 15 degrees per side and am probably about at the half-way point.

I've got two questions:

With these diamond rods, can I just wash them off with soap and water and remove the metal to get them cutting good again? I just got then so I wasn't sure.

And also, it seems like my Sharpmaker does a terrific job overall, but I've noticed it's really hard to get the end of the grinds as sharp as the part further back, towards the handle. Can I do something different to improve this?
 
Sulaco said:
I've got two questions:

With these diamond rods, can I just wash them off with soap and water and remove the metal to get them cutting good again? I just got then so I wasn't sure.
Click to expand...

I'm good for one of the questions. DO NOT use soap and water on your diamond products. Soap leaves behind residue, which clogs the cutting surface of the diamonds. I use a 12" diamond chef rod and freehand my knives unless I am reprofiling.

But since they are in the kitchen, and my work knives wind up with job site stuff on them, I find I need to clean them fairly frequently. (They cut a lot better when they are clean, too!). I have also found that these rods collect the super fine dust they create when they cut, so regardless of conditions, a good cleaning is in order as a matter of course. I clean mine off after a several edge touch ups, and after 2 - 3 major sharpenings.

I clean mine with a toothbrush sink cleanser and water, the way we cleaned crock sticks years ago. Works like a champ. Pat dry with a paper towel, brush off any paper towel residue and you are up and running again.

Robert
 
midnight flyer said:
I'm good for one of the questions. DO NOT use soap and water on your diamond products. Soap leaves behind residue, which clogs the cutting surface of the diamonds. I use a 12" diamond chef rod and freehand my knives unless I am reprofiling.

But since they are in the kitchen, and my work knives wind up with job site stuff on them, I find I need to clean them fairly frequently. (They cut a lot better when they are clean, too!). I have also found that these rods collect the super fine dust they create when they cut, so regardless of conditions, a good cleaning is in order as a matter of course. I clean mine off after a several edge touch ups, and after 2 - 3 major sharpenings.

I clean mine with a toothbrush sink cleanser and water, the way we cleaned crock sticks years ago. Works like a champ. Pat dry with a paper towel, brush off any paper towel residue and you are up and running again.

Robert
Click to expand...

Great! Thanks!
 
DISH SOAP and water works fine on diamond hones. That's how I've been cleaning mine (with Ivory liquid, specifically). Rinse completely with hot water. Think about this: If dish soap leaves residue behind, it wouldn't be so useful for our dishes, would it? Some of the hard-core sharpening nuts around here, use a little dish soap for lubrication on the hone, too. Don't worry about it.
 
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Even if it did leave residue... we're talking about a soft coat like jelly. Your steel will just move it out of the way, and the hard diamonds will continue to cut the steel. If the steel were going to skate on top of the residue, you'd notice because the diamonds wouldn't be grinding the steel.
 
For coarser grit diamond sharpening tools the loading of swarf is not a issue or something you would notice to reduce cutting speed. With a 1200 & 8000 DMT it can be a small issue but only after 5-6 knives.

A small drop of dish soap breaks the surface tension allowing the water to not puddle on the surface.

Sulaco, the second part of your question relates to following the curve of the blade. A recurve requires a rather complex hand movement to hit all areas of the edge evenly. Basically the edge must be kept 90 degrees to the stone when grinding and to get the tip you will need to move the handle of the knife away from the stone.
 
knifenut1013 said:
For coarser grit diamond sharpening tools the loading of swarf is not a issue or something you would notice to reduce cutting speed. With a 1200 & 8000 DMT it can be a small issue but only after 5-6 knives.

A small drop of dish soap breaks the surface tension allowing the water to not puddle on the surface.

Sulaco, the second part of your question relates to following the curve of the blade. A recurve requires a rather complex hand movement to hit all areas of the edge evenly. Basically the edge must be kept 90 degrees to the stone when grinding and to get the tip you will need to move the handle of the knife away from the stone.
Click to expand...

I realized once I was almost done, that some improvement in my technique (trying to more closely follow the contours of the recurve, and actually raising the handle up once I got close to the tip) would have been more efficient. However, I finally did finish re-profiling that 710. I also ground a micro bevel at 20 degrees which got it really sharp. I did some test cuts and it performs very well.

I am quite pleased with the grinds now, and didn't have to remove much metal at all. I sure wish Benchmade would have done this from the factory!
 
I triad to reprofil my bone collector folder and it is a b!tch to do. I tryed it on my sharpmaker and that wouldnt work so i busted out a carbide draw through set at 30 and with about 10 very light passed that seem to get the angle i need. And when i clean my ceramic rod i use tooth past and a tooth brush lol that works worlds better than soap.
 
TheSharpStuff said:
I triad to reprofil my bone collector folder and it is a b!tch to do. I tryed it on my sharpmaker and that wouldnt work so i busted out a carbide draw through set at 30 and with about 10 very light passed that seem to get the angle i need. And when i clean my ceramic rod i use tooth past and a tooth brush lol that works worlds better than soap.
Click to expand...


Please don't use a carbide pull through sharpener on any knife, much less a quality knife. They basically work by tearing out metal from the edge and making micro serrations that seem sharp but are very far from a refined sharp edge. Do a quick search here on them and you will get lots of info that is unanimously against them.
 
TheSharpStuff said:
I triad to reprofil my bone collector folder and it is a b!tch to do. I tryed it on my sharpmaker and that wouldnt work so i busted out a carbide draw through set at 30 and with about 10 very light passed that seem to get the angle i need. And when i clean my ceramic rod i use tooth past and a tooth brush lol that works worlds better than soap.
Click to expand...

That's probably 30 degrees per side. You now probably have a 60 degree inclusive micro bevel which cuts a bit.

I also don't think that there are carbide pull through sharpeners with a 30 inclusive angle setting.
 
Looking back, now that I am done, I can see where it would be very easy to lose patience when re-profiling and look for quicker alternatives. I am glad I stuck with it, though. The bevels are terrific now and very easy to maintain. I took the 710 out the other evening and trimmed some vines and brambles. I also chopped a few small pieces of very well seasoned Holly just to pass the time. I brought it back in, cleaned it up, and it was still shaving sharp. I went ahead and touched it up on the Sharpmaker just because I could, and it's just like it was when I initially profiled and sharpened it.

I think the diamond rods or using sandpaper over the Sharpmaker rods is a great way to re-profile. I should be getting the ultra fine rods soon (on their way here) and once I do, I feel like I'll have a great system for not a whole lot of money.
 
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