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Dang, I just need a something that makes reprofiling practical. I love the way the edge pro works but it does need something that cuts aggressively.
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Edge Pro Reprofiling: How much time?
- Thread starter singularity35
- Start date
Dang, I just need a something that makes reprofiling practical. I love the way the edge pro works but it does need something that cuts aggressively.
I'm serious when I say to look into having water stones cut for you at a local lapidary shop. In the PI you can buy the stones pretty cheaply, and get them cut to size even MORE cheaply! It's a great way to get a nice supply of effective stones that cost about as much as one single one bought over Internet. I had some stone cut for me in Kuala Lumpur and in Bangkok, and I know the PI prices are even less!
Stitchawl
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I'm sure that's the case in the capital city but I'm way out in the provinces. I probably have more access to buying online rather than ordering something in Manila. Thanks though, I will have to look into that. Knife guys in Manila are less than helpful to the guys in the boondocks.
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You can try those X-Coarse custom cut DMT stones for the EdgePro from jendeindustries. Thing is, they're pretty pricey at $40 a piece.
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Hhhhmmm too rich for my budget but thanks.
Try hunting down some wet-and-dry sandpaper? Should be easy enough, although you will need to restock regularly.
What size are the blanks for Edge Pro? Is there any way to glue or jury-rig a DMT or something onto them? If so I can mail you a Lansky extra-coarse or DMT coarse, I only need one of them.
What size are the blanks for Edge Pro? Is there any way to glue or jury-rig a DMT or something onto them? If so I can mail you a Lansky extra-coarse or DMT coarse, I only need one of them.
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Yes, I've tried wet/dry and they work well but I do need to fabricate blanks because they wear out fast. I think they are 1" X 6" inches. How big is the lansky stone?
A DMT stone in the proper dimension can easily be glued onto a blank but my DMT stones are 1" X 4" inches so I have less area to work with. I also find it harder to control pressure with the edge pro or maybe I just need more practice. I would be pulling out the diamonds as of my present skill with the edge pro.
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I don't suppose you could put some adhesive on the blank, put the silicon carbide grit used for flattening the stones onto it, and use it that way?
It sounds nuts, but if you were to make several layers like that and flatten it out the usual way, it might just work:thumbup:.
Either that, or it's probably way past my bed time:yawn:.
It sounds nuts, but if you were to make several layers like that and flatten it out the usual way, it might just work:thumbup:.
Either that, or it's probably way past my bed time:yawn:.
^Sounds like a good idea.
@singularity: Don't have a ruler handy, but the hones (the stones can be pried off the hones, but may accidentally crack) are more than twice as thick as a DMT Aligner plate, and about as long. I think the DMTs will be more suited to your purposes. The 4in should still be enough for you to work with.
Perhaps you could use some sort of removable adhesive with your sandpaper. So when it wears out, you don't have to make a new blank.
@singularity: Don't have a ruler handy, but the hones (the stones can be pried off the hones, but may accidentally crack) are more than twice as thick as a DMT Aligner plate, and about as long. I think the DMTs will be more suited to your purposes. The 4in should still be enough for you to work with.
Perhaps you could use some sort of removable adhesive with your sandpaper. So when it wears out, you don't have to make a new blank.
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I actually use rubber cement. I have 2 blanks that I put the 80 grit on but it takes a few minutes to glue them on when they wear out. I'm thinking of prepping at least 6 blanks so I won't have to remove and glue when one wears out. I'd like to do the prepping before I reprofile and not stop working when the sand paper wears out. I also will not have blanks for the polish tapes if I use them for the sandpaper since the polish tapes don't wear out with one use.
All that's needed to stick sandpaper to stones or stone blanks is ordinary white paper glue sticks, the sort that work like a large lipstick. Twist the base and it rises in the tube. This stuff is fine for holding sandpaper, polishing film or tapes, and washes off with plain water. No need to make new blanks every time you change paper. Just be careful how you apply the glue so that there aren't globs and bumps between the paper and the blank. I even used the white glue right on top of the 600 grit stone when I wanted to try several different tapes at one time and only had a few tape blanks. The glue washes right off but holds sandpaper and polishing film perfectly.
Stitchawl
Stitchawl
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I'm not thinking of making new blanks each time I wear out the sandpaper but I'd like to prep a few ahead of time so I can just focus on the reprofiling job. The reprofiling I did on a kitchen knife wore out about 3-4 of them. Since I have only 2 blanks, I had to stop and change out the sandpaper on the blanks. I don't want to do that so I will have to fabricate some blanks and prepare at least 6 before starting to reprofile. The 80 grit sandpaper does cut fast.
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Good job Stitchawl... some tips that work with the EP, and not against it. BTW, it was nothing personal... most of your tips and info are pretty good, I just happened to home in on one that really wasn't. Hopefully someday you'll see it (although I suspect it won't be by your next post).
Anyway, on to other stuff. Although the EP is pretty good at reprofiling a blade, sometimes there's better ways. One thing to keep in mind is that major metal removal doesn't have to be as precise as setting/sharpening the final edge. Depending on your needs, if you plan on doing a lot of this, or have a knife that needs some serious work, you might look into a way of removing metal that's better or faster. For example, you can get a coarse benchstone, grind a bevel that's at or lower than what you want to finish at, then switch to the EP to clean everything up and put on the final edge. Prop the stone at an angle, and it's easier to match things up. You can also start the bevel on the EP, (making the bevel you want easier to match), switch to a stone to do the grunt work, then finish it up on the EP. Even using sandpaper... it's better to have a large sheet doing the work, instead of a 1x6 piece that will wear out rather quickly. A beltsander with a coarse belt is another example... you can do some of the major work without worrying as much about overheating or incorrectly sharpening the final edge. Finish on the EP and you'll end up with the final edge you want, but in a shorter amount of time. Also consider using a primary and secondary bevel, it can make the job go faster and most times you won't see a difference in performance. Just a few ideas... there's tons of them out there. In the long run, some of this can end up being cheaper, and certainly faster. (Of course if this is just an occassional event, it may not be worth it.)
As for flattening the EP stones with sandpaper... I tried it too without much success. I've tried diamond stones, sandpaper, bricks, drywall screen, and other stuff I can't think of right now. For me, the SiC powder has been the most effective at not only flattening the stone, but making it cut better.
Someone asked about other stones... CongressTools
( http://www.congresstools.com/congresstools/catalog?action=getcat&parent=72 ) (it says polish stones, but there's coarse ones in there) sells a lot of different stone types if you're interested in experimenting. They have 1x6s that will fit an EP stone blank (but you have to provide the blank). I tried a bunch of different types a few years back. At the time, nothing really stood out over the EP stones... some cut faster but tended to wear down faster too. (I lost my notes, so can't give you specifics.) But they were fun to play with...
cbw
Anyway, on to other stuff. Although the EP is pretty good at reprofiling a blade, sometimes there's better ways. One thing to keep in mind is that major metal removal doesn't have to be as precise as setting/sharpening the final edge. Depending on your needs, if you plan on doing a lot of this, or have a knife that needs some serious work, you might look into a way of removing metal that's better or faster. For example, you can get a coarse benchstone, grind a bevel that's at or lower than what you want to finish at, then switch to the EP to clean everything up and put on the final edge. Prop the stone at an angle, and it's easier to match things up. You can also start the bevel on the EP, (making the bevel you want easier to match), switch to a stone to do the grunt work, then finish it up on the EP. Even using sandpaper... it's better to have a large sheet doing the work, instead of a 1x6 piece that will wear out rather quickly. A beltsander with a coarse belt is another example... you can do some of the major work without worrying as much about overheating or incorrectly sharpening the final edge. Finish on the EP and you'll end up with the final edge you want, but in a shorter amount of time. Also consider using a primary and secondary bevel, it can make the job go faster and most times you won't see a difference in performance. Just a few ideas... there's tons of them out there. In the long run, some of this can end up being cheaper, and certainly faster. (Of course if this is just an occassional event, it may not be worth it.)
As for flattening the EP stones with sandpaper... I tried it too without much success. I've tried diamond stones, sandpaper, bricks, drywall screen, and other stuff I can't think of right now. For me, the SiC powder has been the most effective at not only flattening the stone, but making it cut better.
Someone asked about other stones... CongressTools
( http://www.congresstools.com/congresstools/catalog?action=getcat&parent=72 ) (it says polish stones, but there's coarse ones in there) sells a lot of different stone types if you're interested in experimenting. They have 1x6s that will fit an EP stone blank (but you have to provide the blank). I tried a bunch of different types a few years back. At the time, nothing really stood out over the EP stones... some cut faster but tended to wear down faster too. (I lost my notes, so can't give you specifics.) But they were fun to play with...
cbw