Edge Pro

[travis55]

My Dad ordered one today . Damn I cant wait to try it out . How do you know what angle certain knives have on them ? For example the native .

 

[TT2Toes]

Ben (at Edgepro) suggests a trick for figuring out the edge bevel. Take a broad tip black marker and run it down the length of the blade, each side, covering just the secondary bevel (the bevel that forms the cutting edge). Then put a fine grade stone on the EdgePro, set the blade flat on the sharpening platform, and lightly draw the dry stone across the secondary bevel. See where the stone is removing the marker black; high on the bevel (away from the edge) then your angle needs to increase, low on the bevel (at the edge) then you're too steep. When the stone takes off the marker black across the entire face of the secondary bevel, you're in business. Then you can just leave the EdgePro at that setting through the whole series of stones; coarse through fine, and the Al tapes. Make a mental note where it's set on the height adjusting rod, or write it down, and the next time you won't need to use the marker. Just go right to that setting - - for that knife. If you're real meticulous, you can put a protractor on the sharpening platform and read what the angle is between the guide-rod and the platform.

Make sense?

You're gonna love that EdgePro. Won't be a dull knife in the house!

TT2Toes

 

[Twindog]

If you don't know the angle, you can "paint" the edge with a magic marker and then give a light, dry pass with the stone at any first-guess angle, say 20 degrees (one side). Where on the edge that the stone scrapes off the marker indicates whether the angle is too steep or too shallow.

I've found on some knives that, for whatever the reason, the edge on one side is different than the edge on the other. I usually just make a note of the blade's characteristic and sharpen to the original angles, even if they are not the same. The only other choice is to reprofile, which can take a while.

 

[travis55]

Thanks for the ideas , I def cant wait to get it . Or I cant wait till my Dad gets it , lol .

 

[Cougar Allen]

 

[DGG]

Don't worry about the factory angle. You will be putting your own angle on it which is probably more acute and cuts better than the factory's angle.

A common rule of thumb is to profile the primary grind edge ( some call this the back bevel) at 30 degrees total (15 degrees per side) and sharpen the micro-edge (some call this the primary edge bevel) at 40 degrees total (or 20 degrees per side).

What angle you use to sharpen depends a lot on the steel and hardening of the blade and how you use it. I can usually get away with 24 degrees total (12 degrees per edge) on the primary edge and 30 degrees total on the micro-edge and still have very good edge retention (no chipping).

But there really is no right one way to sharpen.

Here is some good info that might help you out. It talks about kitchen knives (those that get the most use in most houses) but pertains to all knives.

http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?showtopic=26036

Our resident wizard, Mr. Joe Talmadge has some great info if you are just getting serious about knives and sharpening. His comments about sharpening for performance are great!

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368828

 

[travis55]

Thanks again for the feedback , very good tips .