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For ZT Elmax on a Sharpmaker...
- Thread starter D-der
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2014
- Messages
- 31
Depends on what you're cutting, and how often you like to sharpen -- or at least touch up -- your blades. 40 degrees is safe for practically everything, including a huge soft stainless steel Chinese cleaver we have. When the deep gouges get noticeable, we re-sharpen. At the current wear rate, this cleaver should last about 2.6 more human life cycles. 
We have Kershaw/Shun kitchen cutlery, and they (Shun) make a big deal out of how they can take a wicked edge, so when I put them on my Wicked Edge (tm), I set for 16 degrees per side. Seems to hold up OK. Nothing special. We got used to slicing ripe tomatoes a millimeter thick (yawn).
Knives I have which I haven't sharpened, a ZT 0454, a ZT 0888MAX, a Kershaw Ruby 4040. I expect all of them to take and hold a very acute angle -- 30-32 degrees -- but also to be a complete PITA to try to work up a decent burr. More likely I'll use a Leek or 0770CF (which is Elmax) for routine tasks. The fancy knives, it better be really important to someone ... like a bris. ;p "You save the best for the best."
We have Kershaw/Shun kitchen cutlery, and they (Shun) make a big deal out of how they can take a wicked edge, so when I put them on my Wicked Edge (tm), I set for 16 degrees per side. Seems to hold up OK. Nothing special. We got used to slicing ripe tomatoes a millimeter thick (yawn).
Knives I have which I haven't sharpened, a ZT 0454, a ZT 0888MAX, a Kershaw Ruby 4040. I expect all of them to take and hold a very acute angle -- 30-32 degrees -- but also to be a complete PITA to try to work up a decent burr. More likely I'll use a Leek or 0770CF (which is Elmax) for routine tasks. The fancy knives, it better be really important to someone ... like a bris. ;p "You save the best for the best."
For my ZT's in Elmax, I sharpen them to a bit less than 20 degrees per side, and I'll maintain the edge on the Sharpmaker in the 20 DPS position. Effectively, I end up with a secondary bevel that's a little more acute than 40 degrees inclusive and a 40 degree microbevel. That's been a good balance between sharpness and edge strength, at least for my uses.
