Good angle for honing carbon steel?

loodieboy

loodieboy

Joined
Oct 16, 2002
Messages
154
A question for you traditionalists. On your slip joints, at what angle do you hone your carbon steel blades? Okay, two questions, do you use different angles depending on the blade type? I ask because I've been honing main blade clip points at 25 degrees and still seem to suffer flat spots too easily. Maybe its the steel, maybe its me, or maybe I should try 30?
 
I am no sharpening guru but I have had the best luck with 30 degrees (15 degrees on a side) with the master blades of most "small" slipjoints (i.e. about 4 inches closed and under) and 40 degrees (20 degrees on a side) with the master blades of larger slipjoints. This has been the case no matter what the steel is present with only one exception. That exception is a 4-inch carbon steel Sunfish that has a relatively thick master blade for its length. The master blade of this "little big knife" seems to do best with a 40-degree edge. In my experience, "flat spots" are mostly the result of either a poor initial sharpening job and/or poor sharpening technique. Any good knife steel can be made to deliver an acceptable edge and this observation goes double with good carbon steel.
 
On most of my knives, from small slipjoints to camping fixed blades I do a primary bevel of about 15 degrees and a secondary bevel of 20 degrees, I´ve done 12 and 17 before because those were the angles of my older jig. I really don´t notice any diference between the new and the old.

I have a couple of carbon slipjoints that I like for whittling/carving wood and I have left those with a single bevel of 15 degrees.

I have also tried the "sandpaper on a mouse pad" convex edge that I learned about in this forums and have had great results with it, I´ve only done it to two knives (one 2 1/2 inch carbon and one 4 inch Case stainless) but am considering doing it to others.
 
Thank you, gentlemen, I'll work at 15/15. If you're still about, may I ask if you use a sharpening system, and if so, what. I've been struggling with Lansky, and it's not for me.
 
I use various brands of "crock sticks", mostly. They are a real help to those of us who lack basic motor skills!
 
My current jig is an inclined plane, like an "L" shape made of wood (I´ve used other things, like cigar boxes with the lid forced open or holding the hone on a vise).

This jig gives me 20 degrees from the horizontal, If I raise the lower end by 1/2" I get 15 degrees.

What I do is lay the hone on the jig and draw the knife horizontally across so as to keep the sharpening angle constant, it´s like crock sticks or a sharpmaker but horizontally instead of vertically.

I have mentioned this method several times before on this forums and haven´t heard of anyone trying it, but it works fine for me.
 
I recently tried a lot of whittling with my stockman at a 25 deg angle (total). I thought it was doing well, until I re-beveled the 2 smaller blades to around 15 deg. Wow, what a difference. They really cut a LOT better, and cleaner on wood.

I'm leaving my main (clip point) blade at 25, and keeping the 2 smaller (sheepsfoot and spey) at 15. I figure I have things pretty well covered for tough cutting and delicate cutting.

P.S. At 15 degrees, the blades are very susceptible to damage on the edge. You have to be careful, it's a tradeoff, just like most things.
 
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