Factory grind geometry, sharpening, and you.

humblerodent · Dec 4, 2012

Ok, I know this topic has been done, but I read through a lot of old posts and I'm still not satisfied. It seems like a given to me that CRK knives come from the factory with a convex secondary grind. I say this from examining my new and refurbished Sebenzas and also from some old posts on this forum. I have tried touching up my Sebenzas on a Sharpmaker as recommended by CRK and am not happy with the results, precisely because the Sharpmaker is designed for V-grinds and that is not what the Sebenza comes with. So why would CRK recommend using the Sharpmaker to touch up a Sebenza when you would need to reprofile the whole edge first for that to be effective?

So the question is this: Should I have the secondary edge reground to a V-grind and proceed with the Sharpmaker, or try to preserve the convex edge by using the loaded compound/strop and sandpaper/mousepad method? Or worst of all in my opinion, and this is what CRK recommends, just hammer away on the Sharpmaker even though the edge is convex, with the result being some sloppy medium between convex and V?

lemmuhj · Dec 4, 2012

I'm sure glad you posted this because this is the point I'm at. The sharpmaker does not produce good results at all on a crk. I've tried over and over, and I'm about to move onto a new sharpening system.

Bapple · Dec 4, 2012

I have always just sharpened my Sebenza on a black compound loaded strop, followed by a white compound loaded strop and the results have always been great. Any kind of serious edge deformations will/would require some sandpaper mousepad/strop method. I would give the stropping a try. As you mentioned, continued used of the sharpmaker will eventually put a V edge on your CRK. Nothing wrong with that at all either though. The main reason I use a strop for sharpening is the ease in which it is accomplished. Hope this helps and good luck!

tomsch · Dec 4, 2012

Some of my Sebenzas work OK for touch-ups on a Sharpmaker. My EDC small Insingo was very frustrating trying to get a decent edge. In the end I reprofiled to 18 degrees per side using my Edge Pro. Now touch-ups on a Sharpmaker works great. Not only is it easy to maintain but it now slices and holds an edge much better than the original factory edge.

NvG79 · Dec 5, 2012

tomsch said:
Some of my Sebenzas work OK for touch-ups on a Sharpmaker. My EDC small Insingo was very frustrating trying to get a decent edge. In the end I reprofiled to 18 degrees per side using my Edge Pro. Now touch-ups on a Sharpmaker works great. Not only is it easy to maintain but it now slices and holds an edge much better than the original factory edge.

+1 for me on this subject!!
My experience exactly

mlamb · Dec 5, 2012

Bapple said:
I have always just sharpened my Sebenza on a black compound loaded strop, followed by a white compound loaded strop and the results have always been great. Any kind of serious edge deformations will/would require some sandpaper mousepad/strop method. I would give the stropping a try. As you mentioned, continued used of the sharpmaker will eventually put a V edge on your CRK. Nothing wrong with that at all either though. The main reason I use a strop for sharpening is the ease in which it is accomplished. Hope this helps and good luck!

I do the same except if the blade gets real bad I use a Benchmade V carbide sharpener I find that the Benchmade is more consistent. Then I use a black loaded strop.

mrdeus · Dec 5, 2012

I tried maintaining my small Sebenza with a strop only, but I wasn't satisfied with the sharpness. So I moved to the sharpmaker, but the edge was too obtuse, so I reprofiled in on the edge pro. Then I've been touching it up on a strop.

I haven't needed to touch up the edge on my large sebenza yet, but I'll probably do the same thing (edge pro reprofile -> strop) if just stropping isn't enough.

Evany · Dec 5, 2012

I've been struggling with this myself. My most recent CRK has only seen a strop and the factory edge is holding up, but it could be sharper for sure. The Sharpmaker has worked ok for me in the past but I was thinking there must be a better way. Was wondering where to go from here. Guess I have to pony up for an Edge Pro or Wicked Edge.

simplespeed · Dec 5, 2012

I reprofiled mine with a lansky delux kit. Mine came convex and dull. It woukdnt cut phone book paper. Since the reprofile, its been my edc almost every day since iv owned it. CRK need to do v grinds and make sure they are sharp before they ship em out. Some of us actually plan on using them. I wont buy another crk until they fix this.

me2 · Dec 5, 2012

I have not used a Sebenza, but I've been using convex edges on the Sharpmaker for years. It works best if the angle of the apex of the convex is slightly lower than the desired sharpmaker setting. I aim for e degrees per side lower, ie 12 or 17. Lately I've been moving lower to the 12 dps setting, though I dont know what the Seb comes with from the factory. The point is that the SM 204 wont have any issues with convex edges.

humblerodent · Dec 5, 2012

simplespeed said:
I reprofiled mine with a lansky delux kit. Mine came convex and dull. It woukdnt cut phone book paper. Since the reprofile, its been my edc almost every day since iv owned it. CRK need to do v grinds and make sure they are sharp before they ship em out. Some of us actually plan on using them. I wont buy another crk until they fix this.

Interestingly, I recently got a couple of small sebenzas back from the spa and they were both crazy sharp! I was almost shocked how sharp they were. I wonder if the new knives are sharpened in the same area of the shop as the refurbs or if they are separate.

Evany · Dec 5, 2012

humblerodent said:
Interestingly, I recently got a couple of small sebenzas back from the spa and they were both crazy sharp! I was almost shocked how sharp they were. I wonder if the new knives are sharpened in the same area of the shop as the refurbs or if they are separate.

My experience exactly--a small regular came back from the spa with a very sharp polished edge. Very different from the small 21 I bought new a few months back.

kaosu04 · Dec 5, 2012

Bought my small seb new (new enough to have the new back spacer sleeve design) and it came in ridiculously sharp. CRK blades are the only ones I've ever had that will effortlessly push cut through cardboard with minimal force.

I bought a sharpmaker 2 years ago and really cant get used to it. I find it too difficult to sharpen a knife with any kind of curve in the edge whatsoever. It'd be great for sharpening relatively straight edges, but so far I just use the sticks it came with to freehand.

Mad_Maxx · Dec 5, 2012

leather strop with sandpaper on top for sharpening and then leather strop and compound
that's how I mainain mine, costs less and when you change the paper "strip" it's new and 100% effective

humblerodent · Dec 5, 2012

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm glad to see there are others out there that have gone through the same dillemma. I don't have much experience with stropping convex edges, but I'm about to pick up a Bark River so once I feel comfortable honing that guy on sandpaper and compound loaded leather, I'll probably use the same methods for my CRKs.

Scott Dog · Dec 5, 2012

I imagine that the guy who finishes the knife and the one that does spa work are different. I bet the more experienced do the spa work while the less experienced do the finishing work. I have had good luck with the sharpie and edge pro system and I mostly strop to keep my insigno really sharp.

psquared · Dec 6, 2012

A few of us met Chris at a local knife shop when he was here in South Africa a few months ago. One of the guys mentioned he wasn't getting a good edge on a Sharpmaker. Chris took the knife in question, took a Sharpmaker off the shelf and gave the blade a good few hard passes on the corners of the brown stones and then went through the flat and a few light passes on the white stones. Got a great edge in a couple of minutes. Looked at and felt the edge often .... he's done this a few times and knows how the steel feels and sounds on a Sharpmaker.

Now the knife is a collector's item - hand sharpened by the man himself

kennywoo · Dec 6, 2012

humblerodent said:
Thanks for the responses guys. I'm glad to see there are others out there that have gone through the same dillemma. I don't have much experience with stropping convex edges, but I'm about to pick up a Bark River so once I feel comfortable honing that guy on sandpaper and compound loaded leather, I'll probably use the same methods for my CRKs.

Same issue here, sharpmaker has not been producing results I want. I have gone through a few strops as well trying to find one I like. For the time being I have reluctantly used the lanky system. I do have the diamond stones and it has done just fine to produce a satisfactory edge. Looking at other systems for the future ..maybe wicked edge, etc.

On a side note, I have a feeling you will love the Bark River knives. I have several and they have been THE sharpest knives I own from the factory...period, truly 'scary' Sharp. I use them for hunting, etc. But maintaining them pretty much requires stropping.

Steel_Addiction · Dec 6, 2012

Day 1 with a new sebenza I put a good micro v_bevel with my edgepro and use it til its not even a working edge anymore.

After that I sharpen it up to a v with the ep. And finish it off with a micro v bevel.

I like to have mirror polished edge and have found the v with micro v to be the easiest to maintain. One pass on each side with the EP and its back to shaving.

tomsch · Dec 6, 2012

I had a major turning point using the Sharpmaker after watching this video. Makes even touch-ups on my kitchen knives so much faster and more accurate since you do not remove the knife from the stone each pass in the beginning.
[video=youtube;-MHe_8wTHmg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MHe_8wTHmg[/video]