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Do you sharpen/strop your factory edges?
- Thread starter n8swag
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2009
- Messages
- 1,878
Depends on the factory as some do a much better job than others and some are hit & miss. I usually refine the edge by stropping at the very least and some involve more substantial work. Sometimes I might want to thin out the edge, convex it, or just polish it up a bit and sometimes the edge out of the box is just plain jacked up.
I have found Fallkniven and Bark River have consistently provided well sharpened (and convex) knives right out of the box. Murray Carter knives, as you would expect, are sharp. Most Spydercos I see are sharp and the only one not being sharp out of the box in recent memory was a Sprint Orange Dodo. Victorinox does a consistently good job too. Some others I would like to say do a good job also are Al Mar, Mcusta and Chris Reeve but I just haven't sampled enough of those to say. In my experience Benchmade, Kershaw/ZT, Buck, ESEE, Kabar, Ontario, Condor, Cold Steel, CRKT, Boker, SOG and Gerber have been in the hit and miss category and that is being generous for some of those. One might expect that the higher priced the knife the more likely it will be sharp out of the box, but I haven't found that to be true. I have a couple of $15 Svord knives that came sharper than some that cost many times that.
I have found Fallkniven and Bark River have consistently provided well sharpened (and convex) knives right out of the box. Murray Carter knives, as you would expect, are sharp. Most Spydercos I see are sharp and the only one not being sharp out of the box in recent memory was a Sprint Orange Dodo. Victorinox does a consistently good job too. Some others I would like to say do a good job also are Al Mar, Mcusta and Chris Reeve but I just haven't sampled enough of those to say. In my experience Benchmade, Kershaw/ZT, Buck, ESEE, Kabar, Ontario, Condor, Cold Steel, CRKT, Boker, SOG and Gerber have been in the hit and miss category and that is being generous for some of those. One might expect that the higher priced the knife the more likely it will be sharp out of the box, but I haven't found that to be true. I have a couple of $15 Svord knives that came sharper than some that cost many times that.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2009
- Messages
- 13,442
With a few rare exceptions, I always get around to re-bevelling the factory edge on new knives. Most 'factory edges' will usually be more obtuse than I prefer, and many of those are also often incomplete (not fully apexed). It comes down to whether one is satisfied with how the factory edge cuts, or if one thinks it might get better with some additional work (and they will, almost without exception).
I've tried stropping brand new factory edges up to shaving sharpness, for those that won't. But, it's usually not very productive, due to obtuse angle or incomplete apex, or both. Almost always needs a little more stone work (at least).
I've tried stropping brand new factory edges up to shaving sharpness, for those that won't. But, it's usually not very productive, due to obtuse angle or incomplete apex, or both. Almost always needs a little more stone work (at least).
- Joined
- May 31, 2011
- Messages
- 1,124
Always put my own edge on, the factory ones tend to be fairly rough and more obtuse than the steel is actually capable of. Why have a supersteel blade with a 40-degree edge?
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2012
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- 494
This.
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2011
- Messages
- 384
Most all but some safe queens get at least stropped on my WE. Many are too "toothy" at best and get reprofiled as previously said.
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2012
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- 1,223
+1 ^^
I usually re profile/sharpen my new knives when I get them as I try to keep sharpening on a need to basis only. I touch up my knives after each use that may dull them as soon as I can to keep them at the ready all the time. Of course I am retired and have lots of time on my hands. Usually more time than money. :grumpy:
Omar
I usually re profile/sharpen my new knives when I get them as I try to keep sharpening on a need to basis only. I touch up my knives after each use that may dull them as soon as I can to keep them at the ready all the time. Of course I am retired and have lots of time on my hands. Usually more time than money. :grumpy:
Omar
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2011
- Messages
- 2,090
If I plan to use the knife, I will always put my own edge on it as a first step. Although factory edges can be well-apexed and shaving sharp out of the box, they all have at least some bevel issues and are usually finished pretty coarse. If it's a knife I don't plan to use (for example, a collector), I leave the edge as is.
