Factory edges

[Dr Maclean]

Unless it's a horrible edge I'll use the factory edge until it dulls then try to put an equal to or better than factory edge back on it.

 

[Kbrasmodeler]

There have been a very few knives that were sharp enough for me from the factory. I think they were all Kershaw, except for maybe a Case and my '90's Endura. Other than those, I sharpen right away. I have to make a knife "mine", and that starts with sharpening. Actually, it usually starts with re-profiling.

 

[flatface77]

I didn't see an option for me. I resharpen them if the factory edge isn't a bit better than shaving sharp.

 

[richard thurman]

I make my own knife sharpner and if I cant shave the hair off of my arm then I am not happy so I use my sharpner that I make and I have no problem shaveing my arm with it.

 

[res1cue]

Every knife I get gets reprofiled immediately. Sometimes they do okay jobs, but I really like my knives standardized so it makes it easier to touch up. I also like mirror edges.

 

[Jason B.]

Factory edges are worse that me on my worst day sharpening.

 

[Kai Winters]

Until recently I've never had a "good" knife. Never one that came out of a box razor sharp. I've always sharpened a new knife...because the cheap knives I've owned never had a decent edge to begin with. I also never really knew about edge angles, etc. until recently. I just sharpened on a bench stone until it "felt" sharp.

That's changed quite a bit lately. I've bought a Lansky Arkansas stone system and a separate fine and medium diamond hones. I've also watched a lot of youtube videos and read a lot about sharpening methods, etc. Wow ! Now I can produce a very nice edge but I'm still working at becoming better.
I've bought 2 Benchmades, a 585 mini barrage and 580 barrage. Both came out of the box quite sharp. Sharper than anything I've ever owned. But after seeing and reading about people getting a mirror finish and hair popping sharp I've worked on both blades until they are hair popping sharp. I find it fun and relaxing.

I checked "are you serious" more because I really like how sharp I can get a knife that starts out sharp...maybe there is no such thing as "sharp enough."

 

[russianpolander]

I also use the factory edge if it is livable to get a gauge of where that manufacturer is for future reference. After that all of mine get convexed, if possible, and a modicum of a polished edge with strop and compound. So far Spyderco seems to have the edge, pun intended, in factory sharpening not including the smaller knife makers, some of which are on this forum. I feel everyone should learn to sharpen themselves and I thank the gurus on this site for giving all of us tips and pointers along our journey to edge satisfaction paradise.

 

[kreole]

I sharpen it immediately. That's part of getting to know a new knife.

 

[thedmasterr]

Some knives are incredibly sharp out of the box so I don't touch those. Others are dull so I immediately take them to the stone and finish with a ceramic rod. Old, dull knives are sharpened then polished. When I get bored I sharpen our house's kitchen knives.

 

[michaelm466]

I find about 40-50% of edges are where I want them, some just need a touch up to get them where I want them from factory, some need to be reprofiled because they're 40-50 degree edges. I use a belt sander mostly which gets the job done quickly even with things like ZDP, S90V, etc otherwise some of the reprofiling jobs I've done (ZDP Delica) would have taken hours. When Reprofiling I usually start at 600>800>1000> Leather belt with compound, after the bevels set I usually just use the leather belt from there on out for touch ups, occasionally I'll go back to 1000 if I used it for a big job and it got decently dull (lots and lots of cardboard or something).

 

[DTOM996]

I sharpen knives for family and friends and coworkers as well as family, friends, and coworkers of the people I sharpen knives for. Thus I answered "I'm a professional knife sharpener, more dull knives!" how ever when I saw that Ankerson was in the "Every knife I purchase gets sharpened immediately" cataloger. Despite the fact that I make extra money sharpening it made me rethink, Professional. Oh well.

 

[tomsch]

I stick with a factory edge as long as I can get it hair shaving sharp with just a little work on my Sharpmaker. If not it goes right to the Edge Pro for a 30 degree reprofile followed with 40 degree micro bevel for Sharpmaker touch-ups.

 

[Tilley Knife]

I freehand w/ a diamond whetstone, ceramic rods, finished with a stropping. Good to go.

 

[Moosez45]

First thing I do, make that edge mine. My friends call it "Getting a Moose" edge.

Only folder I ever got with an edge I would call excellent, is my Hogue EX01. Done quite well.

Moose

 

[Magnaminous_G]

I have yet to get a knife from the factory or maker with an edge that satisfies me. Coming from a maker--even a reputable maker--the edge tends to be unrefined and toothy, if very sharp. From the factory, it's often a deceptively sharp edge that goes dull fairly soon. To avoid all problems, I just put my own edge on.

 

[Bigfattyt]

There are several options with my edges.

If the knife comes very sharp (this is rare), I will keep that edge and test it out to see how I like it. Every edge, and I mean every edge normally still gets stropped as I use. So, some factory edges slowly become polished, lightly convexed.

Any edge I damage in use, then gets fixed, and I pick an angle. I will either do this by hand on sandpaper on a rubber backing, and then strop.

Or I will go to the belt grinder to set the bevel. I still tend to finish on my sandpaper, then strop.


I still have several Slip joints by GEC that are using basically the stock edge angles, and are just stropped to maintain. This brand in particular tends to be ground thin, and have decent edge geometry without going crazy I have still convexed some of them just for hair whittling fun.

 

[dark impaler]

I use it as is from the maker; kinda want to get a feel for what their design intent was with the knife. Then when it needs a touching up or full on sharpening- I'll give it a shot.

 

[Skimo]

I sharpen knives for family and friends and coworkers as well as family, friends, and coworkers of the people I sharpen knives for. Thus I answered "I'm a professional knife sharpener, more dull knives!" how ever when I saw that Ankerson was in the "Every knife I purchase gets sharpened immediately" cataloger. Despite the fact that I make extra money sharpening it made me rethink, Professional. Oh well.

I had a similar thing going on a while ago until I moved. I enjoy sharpening knives so it was a win/win.

 

[amnesia997]

Chose option 13. Because I could.

I've got a sharpmaker, and re-profile most of my knives to 30 degrees on diamond rods, then medium, and finish with about 60 passes per side for a semi-polished finish.