Fastest way to fix an edge

C

cobb

Joined
Feb 5, 2001
Messages
43
I got a Sharpmaker 204 a few months ago, and got some super results on some knives, and nothing on others and didn't understand why. Then I saw a post that mentioned using a felt marker on the blade edge to see what type of contact is being made between the edge and the stone. I worked hours and hours on one Benchmade, because of the uneven bevel and still have quite a bit more to do near the tip to get too the actual cutting edge. The 204 comes with fine and medium, no course stone to speed up the process of getting to a 40 degree edge. Any suggestions? The marker trick helped alot to see what I had to do, where, and my progress, but I sure would like to speed it up getting to the 40 degree. Hell, I think at this rate, the medium stones are going to last only a few knives, unless my wrist and patience gives out first.

------------------
"Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the hydrant"
 
I use a DMT Duo stone with the course and fine. I place the course on the stick and use that to speed things up a fair bit.

Hope it helps!

W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
Founding president and member number 1! Wana join?
 
Thanks General, it would help if I could learn how to keep it at 20 degrees without some type of guide, that is one reason I got the Sharpmaker 204. I also have a Lanski, but will not put up with the marks is leaves on the blade. Maybe I am asking too much from the new high tech world with modern contraptions do everything, and there is less need to learn the art. If there is a quicker way to re-profile an edge, or a simple method that I could learn to get me close to 20/40 degree, I would try.
But General, I guess I really don't understand your mention on the stick, or how you are using it to get the desired angle.

------------------
"Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the hydrant"
 
The Lansky works great for rebeveling. What kind of marks does it leave on your blades? If you're talking about marks on the back of the blade from the clamp, put some masking tape on the blade or clamp and you won't get any marks.

------------------
Jason aka medusaoblongata
-----------------------
"Is not giving a need? Is not receiving mercy?" - Thus Spoke Zarathustra
"Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about." - Lazarus Long
"Knowledge is not made for understanding; it is made for cutting." - Michel Foucault
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the General is saying he lays the DMT Diamond Hone against the ceramic stone of the sharpmaker. Since it's laying flat against the stone, when you take a swipe across it, your blade will be at the perfect 20 degree angle.

--Matt
 
"I saw a post that mentioned using a felt marker on the blade edge ..."

That's a clue -- if you found that in a post you haven't found the Sharpening FAQ yet. Click on the upper of the two Bladeforums logos at the top left of this page, then click on "Knowledge Base" -- or use this link http://www.bladeforums.com/features/faqsharp.shtml to go directly to the Sharpening FAQ, but you'll want to read the other FAQs too. Good stuff!
smile.gif



------------------
-Cougar :{)
Use of Weapons
 
Thanks Cougar, alot of good info that I am looking for. Now if Benchmade could just learn to put the same angle on "BOTH" side of the blades, and be consistant from tang to tip, thst sure would help.
rolleyes.gif
Remember, per a question I asked BM customer service, "what angle does BM put on their knives", and the responce was,"we don't really know because they are done by hand on a belt". Now that explains the start of my problem,
frown.gif
and now I just have to kickback and do some reading on the page that cougar sent me to.
cool.gif


------------------
"Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the hydrant"

[This message has been edited by cobb (edited 03-12-2001).]
 
Patience has never been my most obvious characteristic, but I have been using an extra coarse stone file to reprofile my blades for a long time now. Just go to the hardware store and get a stone file sharpener for lawn mower blades. Makes reprofiling any blade a 15 minute job. Of course then you want to work it on the medium Sharpmaker rod for a couple of hours to polish the coarse scratches off the edge, but you can do that five minutes at a time over the next couple of months as you do your normal sharpening. If you care about the blade finish, put tape over the blade anywhere you don't want scratches, or be real careful. I use a felt pen and the Sharpmaker to judge the angles, and just file away more or less free hand with the knife in a vice. Do be careful not to cut yourself. A sharp knife in a vice is a dangerous thing.

As far as getting the angle the same on both sides of a Benchmade blade, forget it. I just try to get the bevels about the same width, so it looks pretty nice, and then use a felt pen whenever I touch up to make sure I am getting the angle right. If you try to get both sides the same angle relative to your Sharpmaker, you will wind up with an edge bevel 1/8" wide on one side and 1/16 wide on the other. I don't like that.
 
The fastest is with a grinder, but I doublt you want to go there, judging from your post!

Here's the simple deal on fixing your problem. The area/angle behing the edge is called the relief. Crappy relief (thick) means a crappy edge. Go get a coarse stone (try walmart or sears- just get a nice coarse one and the bigger the better, but there is no need to spend a lot of $$). You then lay the blade at a shallow angle, something slightly below the 20 degrees mark. Scrub away until you get a burr, flip the knife over and do the same to the other side of the edge (scrub away until you get a good burr). You needn't fuss about getting a perfect angle on the relief. Just make sure you are thinning out the relief. With the relieg ground in go to your sharpmaker and you will have a good relief with an edge right at 40 degrees and it should take a very short time to get the edge set. With a good relief to start it should take a few minutes, if that, to set the edge.

------------------
"Come What May..."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top