Do you have any blades that just won't take an edge?

Guyon

Guyon

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I recently got a Queen fixed blade hunter in D2 steel. I'd heard good things about D2 and even read here that Queen's heat treat is pretty good.

Try as I might though, I just haven't been able to get a shaving sharp edge on this one. My latest effort has included reprofiling the edge using the 30 degree "back bevel" side of my Spyderco Sharpmaker. It's gotten sharper, but not to the point that it will shave hair.

I really like the shape, size, and look of this one. Any tips on how I can get it cutting like a hunting knife should cut?
 
I have a Beretta Avenger, this knife has a laminated CF/VG-10 blade, the single bevel grind on the Tanto blade is razor sharp but because the angle is so acute, the VG-10 is paper thin, scary sharp(it fillets hair)the problem is that it is so brittle it get little chips in it.

I have't tried to sharpen it on my EdgePro, hopefully that will solve my problem.
 

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I found a very cheaply made folder on the way home some times ago, and the edge is BLUNT. Tried diamond stone, Norton India, ceramic, etc, but still would not give it an edge. Poor steel IMHO. I still keep it because I consider it to be a good luck of some kind.
 
Well, I finally got the Queen to shave. After back beveling the blade to 30 degrees, I then switched my Sharpmaker stones to 40 degrees. After a couple of passes it was shaving hair.

Couple of questions that someone might can answer:

(1) Why would the knife not shave when I was simply honing at 40 degrees to begin with (my first attempt at an edge)?

(2) Why would the knife not shave when I switched to 30 degrees and reprofiled the edge?

In other words, why did a shaving edge require a combination of back beveling at 30 and then putting on a edge at 40?
 
I've never came across a knife that couldn't be made shaving sharp. I have met people who can't sharpen a knife though. :) So don't blame the knife.
 
Originally posted by Guyon
In other words, why did a shaving edge require a combination of back beveling at 30 and then putting on a edge at 40?
Click to expand...

LOL, your reply wasn't there a minute ago when I left mine. :)

I have a feeling when you were sharpening with the 30 you weren't taking the 30 degree bevel all the way to the edge, but you were probably close. When you switched to the 40 you probably got the edge to come together. Here's an image. a and b being the 30 degree edge, and c and d being the 40 degree. The angles aren't perfect by any means in my sketch. :)

edgesample.gif
 
Also did you get a burr when you were using the 30? If no, then you weren't getting all the way to the edge. If yes, then maybe you were flopping the burr back and forth and not removing it, or getting it straight, so it wouldn't shave.
 
Wade, that was my suspicion. I figured I was somehow inadvertently flipping the burred edge back and forth as you describe. In my defense, I tried a variety of pressures on the blade. Finally, when the lightest of pressure still wouldn't give me the results I wanted, I switched to 40 degrees.

The 40 degree edge is fine with me. Better working edge. Stays sharp longer.

As for my sharpening skills, I'm no expert at freehand, but I've always been able to put a shaving edge on all my knives fairly quickly with the Sharpmaker. This knife is the exception.
 
If you got a full length burr down the whole length,
and then the same burr on the other side you should have been OK.

Sounds to me that by switching to 40 degs, you rapidly removed the burr. Sometimes this is the only way.

Some of my knives just flip/flop the burr from side to side, EVEN WITH ALMOST ZERO PRESSURE.

In these cases, I up the angle by a few degs and then one or two stokes per side will remove the pesky burr.
 
I've never came across a knife that couldn't be made shaving sharp.
Click to expand...

Why don't you try sharpening those knives from the TV shopping network ? The ones made from some kind of metal (don't know what kind) and let us know if you could.
 
Originally posted by beluga
Why don't you try sharpening those knives from the TV shopping network ? The ones made from some kind of metal (don't know what kind) and let us know if you could.
Click to expand...

Anyone got one they can send me to try? :) I'll even send it back, with or without a razor edge.

wade@newgrounds.com if you want my shipping address.

I don't know what kind of metal they use. However, any knife made from some kind of decent steel should be able to take a razor edge, unless it had a defective heat treat or something.
 
My Gerber EZ-Out with ATS-34 is a bear to sharpen. Kitchen knives, axes, my wifes pocket knife... they're all a piece of cake: it takes 10 minutes to get them to shave. The Gerber takes a half hour to get acceptably sharp.
 
I have a Boker Applegate-Fairbairn Tactical Knife that has a lousy grind angle that would require a complete regrind to get a good angle for sharpening. Not really worth the trouble.
 
I have a Gerber Applegate-Fairbain that I had to regrind. I used a large coarse stone and it only took about a half hour to change the angle and perhaps another half to sharpen it up again.

Sharpening the false edge will take significantly longer.
 
I have a Kershaw VaporII (aus6) that I can't get as sharp as I'd like. It will scrape hair and all, but not like any other. It doesn't hold a dull edge very well either. It just seems way too soft. Maybe I'm spoiled.
 
A Russell Knive (from Canada) great ergonimics but very fat and will not take or hold an edge.
 
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