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Factory Edge vs Sharpmaker edge

P

PAPA SMURF 8 ME

Joined
Oct 6, 2013
Messages
79
First of all sorry if this question has already been asked. I searched and could not find a similar question yet. Anyways, i got a paramilitary 2, which I really like, and as always with spyderco, it came with a razor edge. After some use I resharpened it with a sharpmaker, and while it was sharp enough to easily shave hairs, it didn't feel as sharp as the factory edge. My question is there a difference between spyderco's factory edge and one I would get using a sharpmaker? Could it be the factory edge is "toothier" or something like that? Thanks for any help.
 
I don't have a Paramilitary 2 or a Sharpmaker, but I do have a Delicate and a Spyderco Double Stuff. I am almost positive that Spyderco sharpens their knives with a belt grinder, and the strops them on a buffing wheel. I don't really remember how the Delica cut out of box, only that is was pretty sharp. I can, however, tell the difference from when I use the ceramics versus when I use my DMT stones. The DMT cuts deeper into the steel, like a higher speed belt grinder would. It makes for a very aggressive edge, even after stropping. The ceramics aren't as aggressive as the diamonds, so the edge is more smooth. They make the knife just as "sharp" as the DMT stones do, but they don't cut as easy as the DMT stones. It may have a lesser impact though since S30V is harder than VG10.
 
Spyderco usually aims for a 30 degree factory edge on their knives. That way you can use the 40 degree sharpmaker for adding and touching up the microbevel. So a 30 degree edge will seem sharper than the 30/40 bevel/microbevel edge you get from the sharpmaker. But for a heavy duty knife like the Para II it's a better edge geometry to have. Shaving sharp is a good result from a few passes on the sharpmaker.
 
I suggest doing more research on how sharpening works, but the Sharpmaker, unless you have at it for hours on end, will only affect the edge of the blade, that's why its best use is to touch up blades that are already sharp. I highly doubt you reprofiled the edge.
So maybe you we'rent consistent at maintaining a 90 degree angle the whole time and caused an uneven edge. Did you strop? I have a feeling you got it sharp but failed to knock off the burr, which is common if you aren't careful.
Can you upload a picture of the edge?
 
The sharpmaker will take your edges far beyond any factory edge they send out. I can get a relatively toothy edge off of the medium stones that will still break a hanging hair. Keep working with it and your edges will get better. A little bit of OCD helps. ;)
 
When I use the sharpmaker i can get the knife to the point that it is almost "scary sharp" and probably much sharper than the factory edge. What I am saying is that the factory edge FEELS sharper than the sharpmaker edge when running my thumb across the blade, not that it actually is sharper. I was wondering why it FELT sharper. Maybe I just suck at sharpening and stropping, but despite the fact that it is very sharp it doesn't feel as sharp to the touch as the factory edge. Thanks for the help.
 
Just practice more with the sharpmaker, it can easily make far better edges than factory ones.
 
So then why doesn't Spyderco finish off their knives with their own sharpmaker before sending them out?
 
PAPA SMURF 8 ME said:
When I use the sharpmaker i can get the knife to the point that it is almost "scary sharp" and probably much sharper than the factory edge. What I am saying is that the factory edge FEELS sharper than the sharpmaker edge when running my thumb across the blade, not that it actually is sharper. I was wondering why it FELT sharper. Maybe I just suck at sharpening and stropping, but despite the fact that it is very sharp it doesn't feel as sharp to the touch as the factory edge. Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

It's the edge angle. A kitchen knife sharpened to 20 degrees with a coarse stone will feel sharper than a knife sharpened to 40 degrees with a very fine grit. Technically the 40 edge is more refined and is "sharper", the micro serrations are much smaller. But the 20 degree edge is thinner and therefor has more bite. It'll dig into your skin more when you test the edge with your thumb.
 
Moxy said:
It's the edge angle. A kitchen knife sharpened to 20 degrees with a coarse stone will feel sharper than a knife sharpened to 40 degrees with a very fine grit. Technically the 40 edge is more refined and is "sharper", the micro serrations are much smaller. But the 20 degree edge is thinner and therefor has more bite. It'll dig into your skin more when you test the edge with your thumb.
Click to expand...

I disagree.

I have kitchen knives all profiled at 20 degree inclusive. All my folders are set to 30 inclusive and feel way sharper because the steels feature better edge retention and finer carbide structures than the kitchen knife steel does.

Sure, I can get a scary sharp 20 DI edge on the kitchen knives, but there are more things to factor in besides angles.

Geometry cuts, but the steel determines how well.
 
I agree with you. But I'm just talking about the way the edge feels on your thumb after sharpening. To me anyway, 20 degrees at 500 grit "feels" sharper than 30 degrees at a mirror polish.

Performance and edge retention is dependent on many other aspects.
 
I find that it sometimes take many hundreds of passes on the Sharpmaker medium stones before the knife gets truly sharp. Eventually you will get there.
 
It's those that are the most obsessive that get the best edges. Proven. Just keep at it
 
AS far as kit sharpening systems go I do think the Sharpmaker is the best out there. I also like the one DMT recently put out. But I do most of my fine finishing work either on the 204 Sharpmaker or on one of Spyderco's great 302 Benchstones. I've had excellent luck using most of their sharpening equipment.

I don't know if it's fair or not to compare a factory sharpening to one you can do on a unit like the Sharpmaker. Most Spyderco factory edges I get are really toothy>> as with the 204 Sharpmaker you can get about as refined of an edge as you want providing you put in the time and work to do so.

Now I don't think that the 204 Sharpmaker will outperform something like the EDGE PRO or Wicked Edge units can. But both of those are very sophisticated systems which had a lot of designing and engineering behind them. But again the 204 Sharpmaker by Spyderco is the best I've personally come across ever.
 
PAPA SMURF 8 ME said:
My question is there a difference between spyderco's factory edge and one I would get using a sharpmaker? Could it be the factory edge is "toothier" or something like that? Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
Yes, the factory edge is "toothier". I've looked at a lot of Spyderco factory edges under magnification and while sharp they are ground pretty coarse. Unless you deliberately reset the bevels for the first several sharpenings you'll be polishing the tops off those ridges left by the factory sharpening.
 
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