Factory Knife Edge Sharpness?

[Woodsmann]

Maybe the wrong thread, but I’m still learning how to find stuff on here lol. I’ve got a Busse Badger Attack ergo that I picked up used. Had a convex edge when I got it. Dull as crap. I laid some 600 grit on my strop and went to town. Then green compound. Edge looks gorgeous, but still won’t cut a turd. Any advice?
Fixin to give up on convex. Never in my life had trouble getting something sharp.

 

[PaultheCarpenter]

Maybe the wrong thread, but I’m still learning how to find stuff on here lol. I’ve got a Busse Badger Attack ergo that I picked up used. Had a convex edge when I got it. Dull as crap. I laid some 600 grit on my strop and went to town. Then green compound. Edge looks gorgeous, but still won’t cut a turd. Any advice?
Fixin to give up on convex. Never in my life had trouble getting something sharp.

There's an art to sharpening convex, the easiest way is to start the blade at the angle of it's apex for an inch or two then start rolling the blade flatter as you push it across the stone. Takes practice and a steady hand.

It's worth nailing as convex is a great geometry for a lot of tasks. Not so good for cutting up cardboard boxes, which I've come to realize is what most people seem to want from their knives these days, but for wood work, camp duties and so on, it's better than scandi.

 

[The_Knife_Man]

I care more about how consistent the grind is. I can always get it sharper than factory using water stones. I'll have to sharpen it eventually, but a sharp knife out of the box is always a plus.

 

[James Y]

Yeah, Spyderco says it holds an edge well. H1 is different and I believe not heat treated but compressed. I'm told the edge gets harder the more you sharpen it? I thought a hard edge holds well?

You might want to post your question on the Spyderco sub-forum here. Who knows? Sal Glesser himself may reply.

H1 in plain edge is NOT generally known for great edge-holding, though it works for some. H1 in serrated edge is a whole different matter. And in my experience, H1 is easy to sharpen, and the serrated edge is easy on the Sharpmaker. Don’t use a lot of pressure when sharpening.

I don’t know if the edge gets harder the more you sharpen it, but the H1 serrations tends to work better after a few sharpenings. I just use the factory edge u til it needs resharpening and go from there.

Jim

 

[bigsurbob]

Another here for Cold Steel's knives being sharp out of the box.

 

[vjb.knife]

I'm yet to see someone do durability test with a Rockstead, we all know they're expensive, but are they durable?

This is from the Rockstead website and I believe it is true. My Rockstead has had very little use but is still as new.

"We demonstrate our Rockstead knife at knife show all over the world. After cutting completely through a 25mm manira rope 1000 times, our ZDP189 blade is still more than capable of cleanly slicing through a sheet of paper. This is only possible as a result of ZDP189's excellent hardness of HRc67. Blades made from YXR7 can cut or chop through dried bamboo and still be able to slice through a sheet of paper. YXR7 blades can also cut through a 25mm manila rope apporoximately 500 times while still maintaining their sharpness. Our BEETLE DLC model was featured in the American knife magazine "Tactical Knife" where it was subjected to 3 months of cardboard cutting by a blade-testing machine. Upon the conclusion of the testing, the Tactical Knife article reported that the sharpness was wonderful."

Here is a link to a youtube video of them doing this type of testing.

I have done these things with my Rockstead Kon but not as many times.

 

[afishhunter]

I think the sharpest edge out of the box for me (excluding my straight razor, and Stanley 10-499 box cutter with a new blade, of course) was on a $5 and some odd coin with shipping, large MAM non locking "Operario" friction folder with sheepsfoot blade. It was almost as sharp out of the box as my straight razor!
I'm sure the near 20° inclusive edge, and thin blade stock is a big factor in how sharp it is.

 

[Smiling]

This is from the Rockstead website and I believe it is true. My Rockstead has had very little use but is still as new.

"We demonstrate our Rockstead knife at knife show all over the world. After cutting completely through a 25mm manira rope 1000 times, our ZDP189 blade is still more than capable of cleanly slicing through a sheet of paper. This is only possible as a result of ZDP189's excellent hardness of HRc67. Blades made from YXR7 can cut or chop through dried bamboo and still be able to slice through a sheet of paper. YXR7 blades can also cut through a 25mm manila rope apporoximately 500 times while still maintaining their sharpness. Our BEETLE DLC model was featured in the American knife magazine "Tactical Knife" where it was subjected to 3 months of cardboard cutting by a blade-testing machine. Upon the conclusion of the testing, the Tactical Knife article reported that the sharpness was wonderful."

Here is a link to a youtube video of them doing this type of testing.

I have done these things with my Rockstead Kon but not as many times.

Cardboard and rope cutting isn't really a durability test, it is rather edge retention test.

Chopping dry bamboo is stressful, but plenty of way cheaper blades in plain carbon steel can also so that same task.

When I say durability test I mean on seeing this thing hitting bones, getting batonned into hard wood, or stabbing through sheet of metal.

 

[Smiling]

There's an art to sharpening convex, the easiest way is to start the blade at the angle of it's apex for an inch or two then start rolling the blade flatter as you push it across the stone. Takes practice and a steady hand.

It's worth nailing as convex is a great geometry for a lot of tasks. Not so good for cutting up cardboard boxes, which I've come to realize is what most people seem to want from their knives these days, but for wood work, camp duties and so on, it's better than scandi.

I'm getting convex edge on my Recon Tanto on regular stone without even aiming for it. It's only happening on that one knife, hollow grind with convex edge works good tho.
I guess the blade is fairly long for that small stone so I mess something up when sharpening, but I like this convex I get so I'm not going to change it.
I did try the sandpaper on mousepad method too, results were better but also fairly similar.

 

[vjb.knife]

I have a Cold Steel Master Tanto that I have managed to put a convex edge on using the Wicked Edge and leaather strop boards that I made and it is very good.

Cardboard and rope cutting isn't really a durability test, it is rather edge retention test.

Chopping dry bamboo is stressful, but plenty of way cheaper blades in plain carbon steel can also so that same task.

When I say durability test I mean on seeing this thing hitting bones, getting batonned into hard wood, or stabbing through sheet of metal.

All I can say to that is this is not the knife that I would do that with even though I believe it would do better than most any other knife I have. Hitting the hard bamboo is as hard on it as bones I would not baton this knife into wood that is what a saw is for and stabbing sheet metal is abuse of a blade, which I would only do if my life depended on it but not for fun. Let me know when you try it with yours.

 

[Smiling]

Hitting the hard bamboo is as hard on it as bones I would not baton this knife into wood that is what a saw is for and stabbing sheet metal is abuse of a blade, which I would only do if my life depended on it but not for fun. Let me know when you try it with yours

Well, many people on here do baton their knives regularly. I also batonned mine just to see if I can.
I also did cut bones (ribs) with mine.

As far as those tests go, especially ones like stabbing sheets of metal - many manufacturers did so themselves so you don't have to.

Also, plenty of youtubers tested the hell out of most of Cold Steel, KaBar, Esee and other popular manufacturer's knives by stabbing propane tanks, ammo cans, car hoods and so on.

None of these tests were done on a Rockstead. Not even Rockstead themselves did that. They did boast extreme edge retention. We all know they hold an edge, but are they durable? I believe you can chop some dry bamboo. But I'd also like to see a video of it.
And I'd like to see if it can baton.

At this price point it should. It would be incredible for such edge retention. But this is also incredibly spicy price point.

 

[HwangJino]

It is strange, the cheaper knives I've bought had much sharper edges than the more expensive ones I've bought.

Chris reeve knives, they are ok, but considered dull to my liking.

Busse combat knives. The edge sharpness is a joke, they were as sharp as a spoon.

Spyderco. They came very sharp.

 

[Woodsmann]

There's an art to sharpening convex, the easiest way is to start the blade at the angle of it's apex for an inch or two then start rolling the blade flatter as you push it across the stone. Takes practice and a steady hand.

It's worth nailing as convex is a great geometry for a lot of tasks. Not so good for cutting up cardboard boxes, which I've come to realize is what most people seem to want from their knives these days, but for wood work, camp duties and so on, it's better than scandi.

You said “push”, I’ve been dragging. That alone might set me straight. Thanks. I don’t cut a lot of cardboard, but I do cut up a lot of hogs out in the woods. Generally carry two knives, a fine edge for cutting meat, and something a little more durable for cutting around legs, popping hips, cutting dirty hide, etc. Love the idea of the convex edge, be real happy when I get it figured out lol