EDC thats good for learning to sharpen

quigibo

quigibo

Joined
Dec 29, 2012
Messages
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My beloved yellow handled 555 Mini-griptilian is gone... or at the very least it's found itself a really good hiding spot. Either way I don't have high hopes of finding it anytime soon. Thus I need a replacement. I'd like to try something different and have been looking a range of options from a Delica to an Izula.

Now I'm wondering if I can find an EDC that would be good for learning to sharpen (for now I'm using a Sharp Maker). I don't necessarily want the "easiest" blade to sharpen but rather a blade that will provide plenty of feedback showing when I'm doing things wrong and eventually, I hope, when I'm doing things right.

I'd like to keep the blade size in the neighborhood of the 555 @ 3" or so. Price wise I'd love to stay under $60 but would be willing to go up to $100 or so. Other than that I'm pretty open on brand, fixed vs. folder, blade shape, etc...

Any thoughts or tips?
 
Cold Steel, Columbia River Knife and Tool, or Kershaw. Lots of price options, and since the lower-end ones use lower-end steel, you'll find yourself getting more practice than you would with the high end stuff.
 
by sharpen do you mean reprofile or just edge maintenance? pick any knife you fancy with a softer more manageable steel for your sharpmaker. there are many popular makes and models that are 420hc, 440c, aus8, 8cr13mov, 13c26 and vg10 for folders and 1095, 5160 for fixed blades. i would shy away from 154cm, s30v and any of the other designer steels if youre just starting out.
 
I've wondered the same question. How would AUS8 compare with 154 or ats34 in this regards?
 
VG-10(Spyderco Delica) would be a good steel. It's easy to sharpen, takes an edge well, and holds it well.
For other knives in VG-10 around the same size or smaller than the 3" limit:
Spyderco Delica - A fine EDC that slices like crazy and can handle any regular EDC task.
Spyderco Urban - A Spyderco Slipit(meaning it doesn't have a lock) that you can get in OD Green or Orange in two different blade shapes.
Spyderco Dragonfly 2 - A small but awesome knife.

Another good Spyderco to check out would be the Spyderco UKPK Lightweight(another slipit) in BD-1 steel. BD-1 is easy to sharpen and holds its edge well.

VG-10 is very easy to sharpen. It takes the edge very easily, gets super sharp, and holds its edge well. VG-10 is a good steel for EDC.
BD-1 is also a good steel for EDC and is a little easier to sharpen than VG-10. However, it's not really noticeable. VG-10 holds its edge a little better.
 
I think VG10 will serve you well. Check out a Spyderco Stretch in VG10. I love it for edc I'm sure you will also, and the steel takes a very keen edge with little effort, very forgiving. $65 if you shop around.
 
Thanks for all the input everyone. Looks like I've got a little while longer to contemplate my purchase. The alternator/water-pump belt tensioner came apart on my wife's car taking the belt with it in rather impressive fashion. The left side of the engine compartment is covered in fuzzy yellow belt yarns. Between tow, parts and labor, my knife money is shot for this week!

In the meantime I'll be digging through the "old knife" drawer looking for stuff to sharpen.
 
Practice on your old "junk" knives. The method is the same. I actually enjoy sharpening knives, I'm not great at it, but with everything else...practice.
It's like meditation away from the kids and the tv....:) Heck, I'll resharpen a sharp knife...
 
I'd say anything you like with a blade made from 8Cr13MoV, AUS8, or one of the Sandvik steels like Kershaw's 14C28N. All of these will reward you with a fine, brilliantly effective razor edge if you treat them well.

The Tenacious and it's 3 brothers have probably one of the easiest to sharpen profiles, due to their being full flat ground, not having thumbstuds, and having relatively straight edges near the ricasso.
 
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