Good Tips, On Good Tips

NRA

NRA

Joined
Feb 15, 2014
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286
The problem I seem to struggle with more than anything, is sharpening tips.

Share your best tips, on good tips.

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When getting the tip on a blade with any kind of belly, instead of twisting or anything, just lift the handle a bit with your hand. Try doing it very slowly on something that isn't actually a sharpener to see where the edge touches, and how you can make it touch. That's how I managed to hit the point where my tips are sharp as anything else.
 
Rennd said:
When getting the tip on a blade with any kind of belly, instead of twisting or anything, just lift the handle a bit with your hand. Try doing it very slowly on something that isn't actually a sharpener to see where the edge touches, and how you can make it touch. That's how I managed to hit the point where my tips are sharp as anything else.
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I have heard so many people say this, but it seems like doing that would dramatically change the angle at the tip. I don't have an angle gauge, so I have to eyeball it, but my technique of slight lift with a lot of twist seems to make it pretty even.
 
dkb45 said:
I have heard so many people say this, but it seems like doing that would dramatically change the angle at the tip. I don't have an angle gauge, so I have to eyeball it, but my technique of slight lift with a lot of twist seems to make it pretty even.
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:thumbup:

§ David §
 
I probably do a bit of twisting naturally, but you don't want to over stress it. That's what really screws up the edge angle.
 
Understanding the geometry of the belly and tip is important as it helps you figure out how to move the blade on the abrasive to keep the bevel flat. That's really what you want: For the edge bevel to be in flat contact with the abrasive through the entire length of the edge, starting at the hilt and ending at the very tip of the tip.

Watching the tip as you finish your stroke really is quite instructive. I found that I wasn't lifting the handle *nearly* enough to make contact with the tip. Once I did, my tips starting becoming sharper than any tips I had ever made, let alone felt from the factory.

To understand the geometry better, Ken Schwartz has an amazing video that makes it all seem very simple. I am very impressed with how he presents this.

[video=youtube;JFhUXgYS0Os]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFhUXgYS0Os[/video]

Brian.
 
I have seen this video before. Thank you very much for posting this.

This shows the tormec video, is in fact, wrong???
 
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OK I apparently do it right. I love when I work out my "own way" to do something because what I have seen seemed wrong, and it turns out that my way is right!
 
NRA said:
I have seen this video before. Thank you very much for posting this.

This shows the tormec video, is in fact, wrong???
Click to expand...

It's not... if Ken had merely kept pulling the knife straight across, and lifted the handle, he would have been able to track around the belly to the tip. Either way will work.

One point that I found (to answer your original post) is to pay attention to the handle... not necessarily look at it, but as you move the knife toward the tip, you want to avoid putting any twist in the handle to try to follow the bevel from the belly toward the tip. It seemed like I should, but it's wrong. Basically, move the handle the same way you would if you were cutting something (if that makes sense), regardless of the method you use.
 
I use a Work Sharp KO to set my initial edge, and while the KO does a great job with most of the blade, I confess I often have trouble getting the tip as symmetrical, sharp, and pointy as I want it. Among other issues, I often get a more obtuse edge angle on the right (pile) side at the very tip. And because you are dealing with such a small amount of metal at the tip portion of the blade, to stubbornly keep at it with a powered belt can lead to some very unhappy results.

So if I'm having tip trouble that I can't fix with a few passes, I'll take the knife off the KO and spend some time with a stone and/or sandpaper, aided by a 15x lighted loupe, and work on the tip. I can usually get it pretty much like I want it, and then I resume my grit progression on the KO (being very careful around the tip!).

Brian, thanks for posting that video. Unless I missed it, though, Ken didn't mention another issue which is that blades typically get thicker at the bevel shoulder as they approach the tip, so that you also have to turn the edge into the belt a little as you raise the handle in order to keep the tip in contact with the belt. I guess I haven't mastered this movement, though, as my paragraphs above attest. :o

Andrew
 
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I had a lower end Spyderco I needed to fix the grind on so I set up the Tormek and used the jig. Wheel running away from me. From your picture your just lifting the blade to high. Keep it flatter as you go into the curve toward the tip. Also try to keep the edge more perpendicular to the stone rather than going straight across the stone and lifting. Ken's video is a great illustration of what I'm trying to say. But when using a jig your going to have lift up a bit and pull back some to get a good consistent edge all the way to the tip. I didn't have any trouble getting a good consistent bevel the full length of the blade but its rather a clumsy process using the jig. Allot easier to do without the jig. For me anyway.
 
In kindergarten, you know those kids, that look at square blocks, and wonder why they will not fit into round holes, give up, and nap on the rig? I an about to nap now.

I did run into this video today, and look at how high this guy lifts his blade at the tip. Amazing. I grow more confused, the more I question.

[video=youtube;dW26uMi5ojw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW26uMi5ojw[/video]
 
Yeah I've had the most issued with the tip of the blade.

I watched many videos online and found that raising the tip slightly was my best method.
 
The tip is the first thing to get dull, so tell everyone the sharpening I do, has a non dulling safety spot. lol

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Even when I use a fixed system like the Wicked Edge or now the Edge pro I still seem to bug up the tip. I maintain a nice even bevel 95% of the way but
when I get to the tip it seems the stone has trouble hitting the whole edge so I twist the stone a little to make contact and it ends up putting a different angle
right at the tip. Is it because the arm has too reach too far to the right on the table (Edge pro) and should I position the tip more in the center of the table?
 
The way I sharpen a belly/tip is taken from the way I sharpen on my Spyderco Sharpmaker. On the SS, I only have to keep the blade vertical at all times, if I do so, I will have a very even bevel. If I approach the belly tip area, I move the handle "inwards", towards the opposite rod, keeping it vertical, until I reach the tip. The only problems is not to move the handle too far, otherwise you change the very tip bevel. If I apply this to a bench stone, I do the exact same motion, this time however I have to lift up the handle but same principle until I reach the tip. If I use the dotted DMT plate, I can actually feel when I am at that point not to lift the handle any further.
 
Elevate the handle. You have to imagine the plane the edge is at as it goes around the belly. You have to elevate the handle to maintain the same inclination as it goes around a curve.

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