Flat to stone -- what now?

[Harry White]

OK so I've sharpened an old 440C knife flat to the stone over the past week, using my DMT D8XX and then the coarse side of a cheap silicon carbide stone.

I got my first "visible" burr! It now push cuts paper easily. This is the first time I've been able to get something this sharp, but it's still just sharpened "flat to the stone."

What should I do next? Leave it as is, or put a back bevel on it? I'm not good at keeping a consistent angle (which is why I went flat to start). How much angle should I use, and what is a good way to approximate the correct angle and keep it consistent?

Thanks to thombrogan and gunmike for showing me the way of the D8XX and sharpening flat to the stone. I'm impressed with the results and want to take it to the next level of sharpness.

I'll try to post pics later tonight when I get home.

Thanks.

 

[thombrogan]

Glad to hear the corruption continues!

Next would be to remove evidence of those deep and garrish furroughs plowed into your knife by the D8XX. You remove the evidence by grinding smaller furroughs (finer stones). After it no longer looks like it lost a fight with a gang of vicious roofing tiles, add a microbevel to durability to the edge and to let your wrists and hands recover. Keep sharpening at the microbevel when needed and reset the edge when it's either no longer a microbevel or it's way past being a microbevel, but you don't like using added force for cutting.

 

[Harry White]

Glad to hear the corruption continues!

Next would be to remove evidence of those deep and garrish furroughs plowed into your knife by the D8XX. You remove the evidence by grinding smaller furroughs (finer stones). After it no longer looks like it lost a fight with a gang of vicious roofing tiles, add a microbevel to durability to the edge and to let your wrists and hands recover. Keep sharpening at the microbevel when needed and reset the edge when it's either no longer a microbevel or it's way past being a microbevel, but you don't like using added force for cutting.

thanks thom. i switched to the "fine" side of the silicon carbide stone and the knife is beginning to look better -- the deep scratches are gone, but its still a little rough. still cuts very well though.

the only benchstone i have after the fine SiC is a smaller, medium Arkansas stone, then a leather hone with CrO. I also have a Sharpmaker and a Spyderco Profile set.

What would you recommend using to add the microbevel? The SiC fine?

I appreciate your tips and guidance.

 

[Buck268]

I cannot say anything about the sharpmaker, but the arkansas will do alright, just give it 2 or 3 strokes per side, alternating; then proceed to the strop. Although I'm sure the sharpmaker would work great, just never used one before (i'm a free hand man!)...

 

[Harry White]

I cannot say anything about the sharpmaker, but the arkansas will do alright, just give it 2 or 3 strokes per side, alternating; then proceed to the strop. Although I'm sure the sharpmaker would work great, just never used one before (i'm a free hand man!)...

thanks buck! i'll give it a shot and post the results.

 

[thombrogan]

If you're already practiced on the Sharpmaker, two types of tricks come to mind:

If you absolutely positively need a thin edge, put the brown hones in the 30 degree setting and tighten the base with a thick elastic (it'll make the angle slightly less than 30 degree) and hone away. Then, remove the elastic and add a microy microbevel and finish with the flats of the white hones also at 30 without an elastic. Do not use pressure to speed up these steps.

If you can stomach a thicker edge; one which allows you to enjoy the wear resistance of 440C's carbides; sharpen with the brown flats at 30 and finish with either the brown or white flats at 40.

Supposing you're going to use the fine SiC hone anyways, just raise the spine of the knife so that it's spine-height or lower off of your SiC hone and lightly strop with the SiC hone. Finish with CrO strop to get a finely-polished toothy edge.