First time sharpening D2

rbeggs

rbeggs

Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Messages
852
Hi yall, im trying to sharpen a Knives of Alaska fixed blade in D2 steel and im at a standstill. I started with a SiC stone and got a good bevel on it. I used the coarse and fine side.
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Then went to a Washita stone to continue refining the edge because thats what i use on all my 1095 knives and it got sharp enought to coarsely cut receipt paper (the thin walmart kind) but would not get any sharper.
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Then i went to a Halls Pro Edge
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But it is not getting any sharper. I can see the edge (wire edge) but cant get rid of it. Oh and forgot to mention i also used three different grit diamond stones to set the bevel after the SiCstone and they worked great but they didnt get me a good refined edge like im used to on my 1095 carbon steel knives.
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Any suggestions?
Sorry bout the pics, they came out sideways.
 
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If you can cut Walmart receipt paper, then your knife is sharp. I had the same problems when I purchased my first D2 steel knife. I also found that when I ran my finger across the blade it didn't feel sharp. However it could easily slice paper.
 
you will need SiC and or Diamonds to sharpen D2. those additional stones you used wont refine D2 at all. Those diamond plate you have are not very fine either. i think they go up to 600grit or possibly a little more, really cheap chinese stuff.
 
Those diamond hones look an awful lot like the set I bought at Harbor Freight: 3 hones for $10. If so, the 'finest' one (red) is rated @ 360 grit, with the yellow one @ 260 and the blue @ 180. They're all a bit coarse, at the very least, to get much refinement from.

For D2, avoid natural stones (Washita & other Arkansas stones) entirely.

The SiC stone and/or some quality diamond hones will work much better for setting bevels and refining D2. The easiest refining for D2 will come from either a 'Fine' SiC (~320), or something like 600 (Fine) or 1200 (EF) in diamond. 'Quality' examples would be those particular rated grits from DMT.


David
 
Thanks for the replies. Frankster, yes i can run my finger down it and doesnt feel very sharp but will cut paper. Mo2 and obsessed, yes the diamond hones are cheap Harbor Freight stuff and are not very fine. Ive never invested in anything any better in diamond because i didnt really need to.
So if and when D2 gets really good and sharp will it feel like 1095 does which is almost razor sharp or will it be more of a subdued edge and perform well and last better than 1095?
 
D2 can achieve a hair popping edge very easily. If I sharpened both D2 & 1095 blades with my stones, you would not be able to choose the sharper of the two. They would both be devastatingly keen edges. And yes, the D2 will hold an edge longer. D2 is great stuff, but not a super steel by any stretch. But goot basic stuff.
 
Hi,
How are you trying to deburr?
Do you flush/clean your deburring stone ?
Do you increase (double) the angle and do 1-2 edge leading alternating passes ultra light (like under 100 grams on a scale)?


If you use double angle deburr on your fine crystolon or finest diamond stone,
the knife should also easily shave hair from your arm
and slice any kind of paper

And if you go back to not double angle
and do 1-20 edge leading alternating passes ultra light,
it should start push cutting paper as well




After its already very very sharp off the coarse stone,
it should be possible to increase the push cutting ability
by setting a microbevel with an arkansas stone with oil for lube,
as arkansas is too slow for anything else on steels like d2

you can read more lube choices (oil...)and best uses for arkansas(microbeveling...) ..... in Soft Arkansas Review and 90/90/90° X-Grain Push Cut on Phonebook Paper with 154CM and Smith's Diamond Tri-Hone for various steels? , there is even a video in Knife Sharpening : 64 HRC k390 + Soft Arkansas - CliffStamp
Also see best uses for soft arkansas and how to revive a used one (flatten, then recondition)
 
rbeggs said:
Thanks for the replies. Frankster, yes i can run my finger down it and doesnt feel very sharp but will cut paper. Mo2 and obsessed, yes the diamond hones are cheap Harbor Freight stuff and are not very fine. Ive never invested in anything any better in diamond because i didnt really need to.
So if and when D2 gets really good and sharp will it feel like 1095 does which is almost razor sharp or will it be more of a subdued edge and perform well and last better than 1095?
Click to expand...

you will get it sharp, just spend more time on the coarse stone, avoid convexing, burr and deburr and don't round the edge and move up the grits and repeat.

its will get as sharp as 1095 but it takes more time. 1095 is very easy to sharpen and alot of guys get away with just honing it and never actually sharpening it to a burr.

that d2 will keep you honest.

If you execute it properly the d2 will cut longer and can cut more aggressively and will hold up better when cutting animal hide.
 
Thanks everybody for the replies and advice and for letting me know what to expect with it. Sounds like i need to be more patient.
 
Simple thing I do to make my life easy while sharpening. Make it sharp on your coarse stone first, than all your doing when you move up the grits is just refining it as it's already sharp.
 
I just finished a D2 blade for a friend. took a very long time to set the inital angle and build a burr. I've been workign on it for about a week, but just working at it in bits and peices in the evenings when I can. usually on a 1095 or 420, or "basic" steel, I can get an angle and burr while watching a sitcom.
 
get dmt diamond stones for d2 and other harder steels.they will sharpen it with no problems,I get hair whittling edges on x-coarse dmt on s30v and d2,using just xcoarse and stropping on back of my palm.Technique is the key,and light pressure!
 
You need to thin the edge down first and get the burr,especially if the blade is thick behind edge like most blades out of factory are.,best and fastest way to do this is on small belt sander,or coarse silicon carbide stone.After you get the apex to meet on both sides use light strokes on dmt or silicon carbide stone and sharpen the edge.It will shave hair at least LOL.Problem with most sharpening is the blade is too thick behind edge and people do not grind untill they get the burr.
 
To remove a burr or wire edge, I came across a barbaric looking method. This is assuming you've done all the sharpening you wanted to already. You can take a scrap piece of wood and do a draw cut from heel to tip going with the grain on the end of the wood. It supposedly is rough enough to take the burr off but soft enough not to dull it.
 
ALittleHigher said:
To remove a burr or wire edge, I came across a barbaric looking method. This is assuming you've done all the sharpening you wanted to already. You can take a scrap piece of wood and do a draw cut from heel to tip going with the grain on the end of the wood. It supposedly is rough enough to take the burr off but soft enough not to dull it.
Click to expand...
Hi,
thats just folding/smashing and ripping/tearing the burr off
which is better than a burr
and better than waiting for the burr to crack/rip/tear off in your cutting chores (metal in your food)
but
its much better to cut off the burr using the same sharpening stone you used to create it,
just increase the angle (double it) and do 1-2 ultra light edge leading alternating passes,
and repeat once or twice if you still feel burr,
and then go back to not-double angle and 10 light edge leading alternating passes per side
and then you're done
 
I've gotten beautiful edges with D2 many times. Used diamond mostly to sharpen up to a high grit, then touched up on the highest ceremic i have. To remove burr, i used a strop with CrO compound (since changed to diamond compound). Light strokes goes a long long way.
 
D2 is easy To sharpen. Diamond stones are not needed by any stretch! But I'll use a lower grit diamond when I'm creating a secondary bevel, or must remove a good deal of material for a reason such as chip, or other damage repair. But on normal sharpening, I use my Shaptons. Honestly, if you are unable to bring a D2 blade to a rediculously sharpe edge, than your technique should be evaluated.
 
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