Edge Pro and Small Blades

[BladeChemist]

I agree with you! :thumbup:
EdgePro is great, and I will always use it. But I'll only use it 3-4 times a year on a blade, not every week to touch it up. The Sharpmaker and the DMT Aligner work better for that for me.


Stitchawl

I would love to see your setup sometime. I mean everything. Too bad you're not in the Iowa City area

 

[stitchawl]

I've stopped using my DMT aligner kit. It just makes it necessary to reset the bevel more often with the edge pro and I have to remove a lot of metal to reach the edges that will be at about 44 degrees inclusive(lowest angle I can get with my DMT aligner kit).

The DMT takes of metal quite fast. If I touch up often, even starting with the red(fine) my microbevels quickly become visible, which is my cue for resetting the bevel on the edge pro.

Two very easy ways to lower those angles;
1. Instead of using the the DMT stones, use the Aligner with bench stones or sandpaper. Run the stone guides off to the side of your abrasive. You can get almost flat angles that way!
2. Take two pieces of sheet brass, about 1"x3". Drill a small hole through the center of each so you can put a bolt and wingnut to clamp them together. Put one end into the Aligner and clamp the blade into to other end. The knife will be about 2½" further out, reducing the angle considerably.
There is never any reason to ignore the possibilities. Don't be locked into thinking that you can only do something one way. I really hate to use this but 'think outside the box.' (It almost makes my teeth rattle to say that! )

Stitchawl

 

[singularity35]

Two very easy ways to lower those angles;
1. Instead of using the the DMT stones, use the Aligner with bench stones or sandpaper. Run the stone guides off to the side of your abrasive. You can get almost flat angles that way!
2. Take two pieces of sheet brass, about 1"x3". Drill a small hole through the center of each so you can put a bolt and wingnut to clamp them together. Put one end into the Aligner and clamp the blade into to other end. The knife will be about 2½" further out, reducing the angle considerably.
There is never any reason to ignore the possibilities. Don't be locked into thinking that you can only do something one way. I really hate to use this but 'think outside the box.' (It almost makes my teeth rattle to say that! )

Stitchawl

Yeh, I did the first of those before I got my edge pro but takes a lot of time when reprofiling. Even on the extra coarse.

The second method needs also an extension on the stone holder rod or the guide will pull out.

I have heard those suggestions a lot of times already. I wonder if anyone really does use their DMT aligner that way.

 

[stitchawl]

I would love to see your setup sometime. I mean everything. Too bad you're not in the Iowa City area

Hey, I'm only about 6,300 miles away. Pop over for a beer some Friday night!

But nothing much to see. My condo is tiny so no 'shop' area set-up. All my stones, strops, compounds, and devices are stored in two sets of cabinets. Smaller knives are stored in another set of drawers, and long blades such as machetes, wakis, etc, just stuffed into a corner. Only my Sharpmaker is out, and on a kitchen shelf, and there are a couple of bench and hanging strops scattered about the place. Oh... and a borosilicate glass rod hanging over the kitchen counter.

Except for stropping, I only take out gear when I need to sharpen something.

Stitchawl

 

[stitchawl]

Yeh, I did the first of those before I got my edge pro but takes a lot of time when reprofiling. Even on the extra coarse.

Huh? Why should it take any longer? It's the stone that does the cutting, not the controlling device.

Stitchawl

 

[singularity35]

Huh? Why should it take any longer? It's the stone that does the cutting, not the controlling device.

Stitchawl

Yeh, but the stroke is so short and it's really hard to keep it consistent. It is just probably my skill with this tool but method one is really impractical for me. Knifenut uses his clamp with benchstones. I tried mine with the 1X4 inch stones that come with the kit. I find it really hard to hold the stone steady while I'm stroking with the clamp and the knife.

Also while pushing edge forward onto the stone, which I'm holding with my left hand the edges come scary close to my finger tips.

Here's how I did it. I put the knife in the clamp and set the guides for am approximate 30 degree inclusive angle. I had to put the stone on top of a piece of wood so that the knife would hit it a the correct angle. I tried taping the stone to the piece of wood but that made the stroke even shorter. Oh, and it was pretty hard to keep a light touch, I was afraid of pulling out the diamonds from the stones.

Just curious, have you tried it?

 

[stitchawl]

Yeh, but the stroke is so short and it's really hard to keep it consistent. It is just probably my skill with this tool but method one is really impractical for me. Knifenut uses his clamp with benchstones. I tried mine with the 1X4 inch stones that come with the kit. I find it really hard to hold the stone steady while I'm stroking with the clamp and the knife.

Ah... OK, now I understand the problem. You really can't do this well with 4" stones. The longer the better. I do it with 8" and 10" stones, the longer ones working best. But actually, it's even more effective with large sheets of sandpaper! I glue the sandpaper down on the side of a 2"x4" or a 1"x4" so it's raised up, and use the Aligner guides to set the angles. With a large sheet of sandpaper, it takes just a couple of minutes to reprofile because you can really scrub the hell out of the blade without worrying about trying to stay on the stone or losing some finger skin!

Also while pushing edge forward onto the stone, which I'm holding with my left hand the edges come scary close to my finger tips.

I guess the heck so! I don't blame you for not liking this method! LOL!

Just curious, have you tried it?

I use it this way more often than with its own stones. Also the sheet brass clamps too. I made longer guide rods out of brass tubing, so the original stone guide rods go inside the tubes. That way the rod doesn't get hung up at some sort of connection. Works great!

Stitchawl

 

[singularity35]

Ah... OK, now I understand the problem. You really can't do this well with 4" stones. The longer the better. I do it with 8" and 10" stones, the longer ones working best. But actually, it's even more effective with large sheets of sandpaper! I glue the sandpaper down on the side of a 2"x4" or a 1"x4" so it's raised up, and use the Aligner guides to set the angles. With a large sheet of sandpaper, it takes just a couple of minutes to reprofile because you can really scrub the hell out of the blade without worrying about trying to stay on the stone or losing some finger skin!

The sandpaper idea is excellent! Don't you have to keep changing them out? And your 2X4 needs to be exactly the same thickness, correct? Bit of a problem here.

I use it this way more often than with its own stones. Also the sheet brass clamps too. I made longer guide rods out of brass tubing, so the original stone guide rods go inside the tubes. That way the rod doesn't get hung up at some sort of connection. Works great!

Stitchawl

I can see that you can make an opportunity from a challenge. :thumbup:

 

[stitchawl]

The sandpaper idea is excellent! Don't you have to keep changing them out? And your 2X4 needs to be exactly the same thickness, correct? Bit of a problem here.

I can re-profile a 1095 blade on two strips of sandpaper. One piece if I don't bear down hard on it. Then it's just one sheet per each grit. And remember, from a single sheet we can get three strips wide enough to cover.

As for the thickness, any decent lumber yard is going to have wood milled two sides. The thickness is more than uniform enough to do the job.

I can see that you can make an opportunity from a challenge. :thumbup:

Always.
That's what makes life interesting. Instruction books are good as a starting point, but no need to get trapped by them.

Stitchawl

 

[ricklee4570]

Some excellent ideas posted here!

 

[cbwx34]

The name of the game is 'get the job done,' not 'confine yourself to rules.'

Often improvisation is the key to success.

There is never any reason to ignore the possibilities. Don't be locked into thinking that you can only do something one way. I really hate to use this but 'think outside the box.

Instruction books are good as a starting point, but no need to get trapped by them.

Stitchawl

All the cliches in the world, won't turn a bad idea into a good one.

cbw

 

[BladeChemist]

Hey, I'm only about 6,300 miles away. Pop over for a beer some Friday night!

But nothing much to see. My condo is tiny so no 'shop' area set-up. All my stones, strops, compounds, and devices are stored in two sets of cabinets. Smaller knives are stored in another set of drawers, and long blades such as machetes, wakis, etc, just stuffed into a corner. Only my Sharpmaker is out, and on a kitchen shelf, and there are a couple of bench and hanging strops scattered about the place. Oh... and a borosilicate glass rod hanging over the kitchen counter.

Except for stropping, I only take out gear when I need to sharpen something.

Stitchawl

Yikes! Europe, Asia, South America? I'm in a tiny condo as well- I can choose to have either a kitchen counter or a workspace, but not both. The wife of course prefers the former .

 

[stitchawl]

Yikes! Europe, Asia, South America? I'm in a tiny condo as well- I can choose to have either a kitchen counter or a workspace, but not both. The wife of course prefers the former .

Asia, for the past 20+ years. About a 90 minute motorcycle ride from the waterstone mines north of Kyoto, Japan, and less than 3 hours to Seki City to watch all the knife and sword makers.

Fortunately, our hobby doesn't require much room. The kitchen table works well for most needs. Many of Japan's "Living Treasure" sword sharpening masters do their work in a 4½ mat room. That's about 10'x10', so I can't complain about not having enough room.

Stitchawl

 

[stitchawl]

Originally Posted by cbwx34

Originally Posted by stitchawl
The name of the game is 'get the job done,' not 'confine yourself to rules.'

Often improvisation is the key to success.

There is never any reason to ignore the possibilities. Don't be locked into thinking that you can only do something one way. I really hate to use this but 'think outside the box.

Instruction books are good as a starting point, but no need to get trapped by them.

Stitchawl

Wow These weren't all in one post. You must have collected them from a couple or posts! I am truly flattered that you keep copies of everything I say. I'm honored.
I should apologize to you for I don't keep anything you say. Sorry.

All the cliches in the world, won't turn a bad idea into a good one.
cbw

:jerkit:


Stitchawl

 

[cbwx34]

Right on! (Unrelated part deleted)... However, I'm sure that the instruction manual tells people NOT to do so. I usually throw away instruction manuals.
I want a device to function the way "I" want it to, with the results that "I" want, so I'll do what ever is necessary to achieve that goal.

(Unrelated part deleted)... taking all of a few extra seconds to do so, and the only ones to complain will be the anally-retentive souls who must follow the instructions to the letter. No problem with that either. We all do what we like, right? It's a hobby, not something we are doing for merit badges or college credits. :thumbup:

Stitchawl

I took the above post from another thread. Apparently, whatever light bulb should have come on in my ongoing debate of "clamps on the Edge Pro", DID come on when I read the above. In the new light, I can appreciate where Stitchawl was coming from. No idea why i didn't see it sooner... pretty obvious now.

I should have merely stated how I would have done it, without criticizing his idea.

So, my apologies to Stitchawl, and I'm going to take my "anal-retentive soul" (which really isn't, but I hope is now a little more enlightened) to the kitchen for a little serving of humble pie. I actually am for new ideas, and don't know why I perceived his the way I did.

Sorry Stitchawl, turns out I was the one that needed a lesson, and also now understand why it bugged you as much as it did.

cbw

 

[stitchawl]

I took the above post from another thread. Apparently, whatever light bulb should have come on in my ongoing debate of "clamps on the Edge Pro", DID come on when I read the above. In the new light, I can appreciate where Stitchawl was coming from. No idea why i didn't see it sooner... pretty obvious now.

I should have merely stated how I would have done it, without criticizing his idea.

So, my apologies to Stitchawl, and I'm going to take my "anal-retentive soul" (which really isn't, but I hope is now a little more enlightened) to the kitchen for a little serving of humble pie. I actually am for new ideas, and don't know why I perceived his the way I did.

Sorry Stitchawl, turns out I was the one that needed a lesson, and also now understand why it bugged you as much as it did.

cbw

Apology gladly accepted. No harm, no foul. Enjoy the hobby.

Stitchawl

 

[singularity35]

Hey guys, excellent!