Disappointing experience with VG-10 today - Am I expecting too much?

I love VG-10.
If I ever get a custom I'm going to ask for it.
It gets so sharp so fast and holds it for a decent time.
Personally, I think you're asking too much.
A quick stropping and it should be good.
 
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retzius said:
I've been looking for an excuse to pick up a Dragonfly in ZDP :thumbup:

I think a comparison between the VG10 and ZDP Dragonfly would be a fun experiment. I was about to pick up a Centofante 3 but with such a thin edge (Very thin stock plus hollow grind) I am starting to think I would be disappointed in the performance.
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I think you would be happy with that or a Delica in ZDP, very capable knife.
 
What you mentioned in your post has been my experience with the spyderco vg10 delica in ffg that I own. I have had my delica for 2 years now and use it almost exclusively in a retail setting. I find that I lose my shaving sharp edge after just one or two days of light use. I always keep my edges maintained, and never have to use anything more coarse than my spyderco 302f fine 2x8 sharpening stone. With that said, I sharpen my delica about 3 to 4 times a month. VERY recently, I have learned that the edge however is not lost. I learned that with about 5-10 passes on each side of my zwilling ja henckels knife steel (you know, the steel rod with ridges that comes with kitchen knife sets) brings the edge back to razor status. On another note, I purchased a new native 5 with s35vn steel and g10 handles a month ago and have yet to need to sharpen or put the knife to the steel.
 
My first Spyderco, and at the time I thought it was pricey, was the Spur, but the original with the grip inlay and solid ss handle. They use to call it a tank, b/c its solid. I just pulled it out after several years and the lockup is solid. Great knife, but the VG-10 Seki City Japan blade doesn't keep a sharp edge for very long. Still a great knife like many others that are discontinued. Now I know why people buy them.
 
Been my experience that no matter the steel it doesn't take very long to lose a shaving sharp edge. I haven't tried the new super steels but do use S30V, 154cm, D2, 440V, VG10, N690, and a few others. I am still waiting for the magical upgrade. Definitely the knives stay sharp longer but not shaving sharp.
 
Within the last year I've gifted two knives to a customer: a Manix G-10 saber grind S30V and a Centofante 3 in VG10.

Couple weeks ago he heaped high praise on me - he'd forgotten the Havilon he normally hunts with and found himself mountainside with a downed spike elk and only the Spyderco in his pack. He said the knife had gotten all the way through gutting, skinning and quartering before the knife had become too dull to cut cleanly anymore.

He's good to me so I asked him to have the knife ready for my next visit so I could sharpen it back up for him (and thus save the blade from his pull-through :eek: ).
So next visit, my jaw literally dropped when he produced the knife. It wasn't the Manix. It had never occurred to me that he'd meant the Centofante 3 but that's what he held forth. He'd severed joints and neck, yet the blade only required a few careful swipes on my ceramic rod to bring back to hair popping sharp.

Several of my very good kitchen knives are VG-10 and I feel it's a great steel for everyday use. I like super steels on my modern folders just for the cool factor but dang if that Centofante 3 impress the hell out of he and I.
 
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A year or so ago my 90 year old next door neighbor almost tripped on her back steps because years before she had installed outdoor carpet that was coming loose. For her safety, I proceeded to remove it in pieces and cut up the pieces with my Spyderco Stretch. It was filthy old carpeting that had been collecting outdoor grime for years with only occasional sweeping. Of course the Stretch was dull by the time I finished with the job--duller than I usually let any of my knives become. But it only took a few minutes using the Sharpmaker medium and fine rods to get the knife sharp again. A few more passes on the ultrafine rods got it back to shaving sharp.

I expect one of my more deluxe super steel knives would have lasted a bit longer cutting up this old carpeting. But I decided not to use them simply because it would take me so much longer to get them sharp again. I started thinking about it and the fact is I usually go straight to my 440C, VG-10 and 154CM knives when I know I'll have to resharpen again after using. Those knives sharpen easier and get sharper faster. I guess the attributes of all the newer super steels are pretty much lost on me a lot of the time.
 
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Lee48, just curious how long does it take to make it razor sharp. I use my sharp maker on a daily basis, normally just the grey stones, but I find some blades such as the VG-10 take much longer to get the razor sharpness then a D2 or SS.
 
Davor said:
Lee48, just curious how long does it take to make it razor sharp. I use my sharp maker on a daily basis, normally just the grey stones, but I find some blades such as the VG-10 take much longer to get the razor sharpness then a D2 or SS.
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You're technique is wrong if it is taking you longer to sharpen VG10 than it would D2.
You need to form a burr, then knock it off. It sounds like you are not successfully deburring the edge.
 
Davor said:
Lee48, just curious how long does it take to make it razor sharp. I use my sharp maker on a daily basis, normally just the grey stones, but I find some blades such as the VG-10 take much longer to get the razor sharpness then a D2 or SS.
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VG-10 sharpens up quickly but my methods may not work as well for anyone else. I don't let knives get really dull so I seldom use anything but fine or ultrafine Spyderco ceramic benchstones or freehand on the Sharpmaker rods. Like every other type of steel, if it's really dull I use DMT coarse and fine diamond bench stones to start, followed by Spyderco ceramic bench stones from medium through ultrafine. Maybe stropping on a Knives Plus Strop Block...maybe not...not really necessary but I do it sometimes. Takes longer sharpening on a Sharpmaker but not that much.

Compared to D2, VG-10 is a breeze for me. Most of the time I give up before getting my D2 knives really razor sharp.
 
I got bored last night so I took a slightly dulled Delica in VG-10 to the fine stones of the Sharpmaker. Ten swipes per side and stupid sharp. Went onto the ultra fine stones and a few passes on my strop, and it's just silly now. I love VG-10.
 
IME, VG-10 is incredibly easy to restore to crazy sharp. One of the easiest steels to resharpen, IMO. For touch ups, I only use the white rods on the Sharpmaker. Then lightly strop on a piece of cardboard. And the edge holds up quite well for most tasks.

Jim
 
I have never had an issue with the ease of sharpening with VG-10. My issue is that it also loses that edge quickly if it sharpened at an acute angle. Spyderco's VG-10 does seem to be run at a lower RC which I think is a good choice for everyday carry and maintenance but it does affect the performance in thin edges.
 
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