Edge on my new Sebenza

TripleF100

TripleF100

Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
195
My new small Sebenza is awesome . . . a dream knife for me. But I'm not that impressed with the edge on the knife. Especially on the tip. My manual sharpening skills are virtually not existent in spite years of trying. BUT I can use my Spyderco Sharpmaker with good results and CRK suggests using a Sharpmaker.

So my question is should I just use my Sharpmaker and see if I can get this blade sharp? Or should I ask a professional to get this blade profiled properly?

Understand that this knife is really WAY beyond my budget so I SURE don't want to mess it up!

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions!
 
Did you buy it new? Have you used it? What is it that you are not impressed with? If it is bad from the factory you could send it back to the dealer.

Generally, the way CRK does S35vn makes them easy to sharpen. You have a sharpmaker. Have you used it before? I'd get some experience on cheap knives before messing with the seb. That said, it is certainly doable.
 
The tip on mine was sort of dull too and I tried to put 30 degree back bevel on it using the sharpmaker diamond stones. I was careful and tried to keep the blade free of swarf, but I still put sharpening marks on the blade near the tip.

If I did it again I would sharpen the knife at the 40 degree setting to avoid messing up my stonewash finish.
 
I did buy it new. It's just the blade isn't really all that sharp . . . especially at the tip. I guess I could send it back to the dealer or back to CRK. But I know there are some awesome blade sharpeners on this forum. I'm pretty good using my Sharpmaker and feel fairly confident. But this knife is a HUGE expenditure for me and I want to get it to the point where I can easily use the Sharpmaker with my strop to keep it sharp.
 
I wouldn't try to reprofile a valuable knife with a Sharpmaker. Send it back to CRK or to one of the top-flight sharpeners here on the forum. Don't take it to an ordinary sharpener.

You might have someone here put a precision 30-degree inclusive edge on it, and then keep it sharp with your 40-degree Sharpmaker stones. It's a breeze to keep sharp that way, especially if you finish with a strop.

CRK puts on a convex edge that it took 6 months to develop. It should be an awesome edge, but you lose that precision when you have to resharpen.
 
If you bought it new, exchange it for another one with the dealer, or send it back to Chris for a do-over. Let him know you aren't happy about it and the edge may come back polished and minty fresh.

I wouldn't attempt the first good edge myself. I may be wrong but I'd look at it in the vein of a good, well set factory bevel being critical over the long term...something better than I could ever put in it. Get it set correctly then sharpen it yourself from then on.

I'd have expected a sharp knife too.
 
Thank you all for understanding my hesitancy! Maybe I should start by sending this back to CRK. But after waiting years to get this beautiful baby, it will hurt to part with it! Hope they can address this quickly.
 
TripleF100 said:
Thank you all for understanding my hesitancy! Maybe I should start by sending this back to CRK. But after waiting years to get this beautiful baby, it will hurt to part with it! Hope they can address this quickly.
Click to expand...

We ALL know the feeling. Especially after shelling out a house payment.

Be sure and post when you get it back.
 
If you're hesitant about using the SharpMaker, then don't. A guided system may better suit your confidence level. I've got a Lansky and KME. That will get you where you can maintain with the SM and a strop. Sending it to someone to get it sharpened presents its own problems i.e. shipping, waiting, wondering if it's being done to your expectations.
Practice with the SM, it's a great system to have for maintaining a sharp edge.
 
Maybe it's time for Chris Reeve to introduce a high precision sharpening robot, just like Spyderco has done a while ago.
Although i certainly like the money i make on reprofiling/resharpening brand new Sebenza's, i think this could be a valid option.
Otherwise threads like these will most likely continue to pop up.
 
Twindog said:
I wouldn't try to reprofile a valuable knife with a Sharpmaker. Send it back to CRK or to one of the top-flight sharpeners here on the forum. Don't take it to an ordinary sharpener.

You might have someone here put a precision 30-degree inclusive edge on it, and then keep it sharp with your 40-degree Sharpmaker stones. It's a breeze to keep sharp that way, especially if you finish with a strop.

CRK puts on a convex edge that it took 6 months to develop. It should be an awesome edge, but you lose that precision when you have to resharpen.
Click to expand...

Send it to Josh at Razor Edge Knives to have it reprofiled.
 
Big Chris can put an edge on a knife that blows even my wicked edge out of the water. When I tested my Hogue EX-02 after sending it off to him, my arm hairs called the UN and complained that I was using weapons of mass destruction.
 
kershawguy13 said:
Send it to Josh at Razor Edge Knives to have it reprofiled.
Click to expand...

I'll second that: Josh is amazing to work with: Just specify you want something below the usual 15-20 degrees per side: I think 12 is about right, but for a knife this small I would go 10 per side (20 degrees inclusive).

Gaston
 
Keep in mind, a factory CRK has a slight convex.

When using your sharpmaker, you will likely be hitting the shoulder and Not the apex. If you Did want to sharpen it using your sharpmaker, you would have to reprofile it to a "V" grind.

Send it in, or send it out for a regrind. Keep in mind that a regrind from someone other than CRK may void your warranty. Call CRK and ask if a " professional sharpening service" would cause it to be denied for future service.
 
I wouldn't recommend a 20 degree inclusive edge.

CRK's edge geometry is well enough that there won't be any benefit in going that low. Infact, if you plan on using the knife to cut wood, zip ties, and other tough materials you may even chip the edge at that thinness.

30 is plenty, and will allow you to still maintain it easily on your Sharpmaker to achieve a microbevel. You can take steel off, but you can't put it back.
 
If you are confident in sharpening yourself, go for it, slowly, as there is no better time to learn than on a lifetime quality knife.

If you are willing to wait, send it back to the dealer or in to CRK directly for a sharpening.

If you would like an atom-splitting non-factory edge, send it directly to Jason B here on the forums. His work is utterly incredible, and you will end up with a crisply even edge and a blade that shows none of the scratches or errors of a less experienced sharpener.
 
Gaston444 said:
I'll second that: Josh is amazing to work with: Just specify you want something below the usual 15-20 degrees per side: I think 12 is about right, but for a knife this small I would go 10 per side (20 degrees inclusive).

Gaston
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Blues Bender said:
I wouldn't recommend a 20 degree inclusive edge.

CRK's edge geometry is well enough that there won't be any benefit in going that low. Infact, if you plan on using the knife to cut wood, zip ties, and other tough materials you may even chip the edge at that thinness.

30 is plenty, and will allow you to still maintain it easily on your Sharpmaker to achieve a microbevel. You can take steel off, but you can't put it back.
Click to expand...

I agree with Blues. No need to go so low. It is hollow ground for a reason. If all you do is slice with it, maybe. If it is to see tougher work, let the edge be more robust and the hollow grind make up for it when doing other tasks.
 
My Small Seb came not so stellar edge wise as well when I got it awhile ago (funny cause my large Sebenza came wicked sharp). I sharpened it myself and all was fine. I did have it professionally sharpened though from a local guy and now it is amazing.
 
TripleF100 said:
My new small Sebenza is awesome . . . a dream knife for me. But I'm not that impressed with the edge on the knife. Especially on the tip. My manual sharpening skills are virtually not existent in spite years of trying. BUT I can use my Spyderco Sharpmaker with good results and CRK suggests using a Sharpmaker.

So my question is should I just use my Sharpmaker and see if I can get this blade sharp? Or should I ask a professional to get this blade profiled properly?

Understand that this knife is really WAY beyond my budget so I SURE don't want to mess it up!

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions!
Click to expand...


If it's from the factory then setting the Sharpmaker to 20 degrees per side will work.

Should only take a few light passes with the Med Stones to get it into shape.... A few light passes means just that as in around 2 or 3 per side using the points of the stones, not the flats, light passes very little pressure.
 
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