Having problems sharpening my ZDP Caly3

Planterz

Planterz

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I'm stumped.

I've had my carbon fiber, ZDP-189/420J Calypso 3 for quite a while now. When I had the original bevel on it, I was able to touch it up just fine. A while ago though it became time to reprofile it, which I did with my Edge Pro Apex. Since then (and this was a few months ago), I've been unable to get and keep a proper edge on it.

The problem is that it keeps getting a really ragged edge. I don't know if it's micro-chipping or what, but it's nearly impossible for me to get a smooth edge on it. And when I finally do, it immediately gets ragged again after the littlest bit of use.

I've tried using all my Sharpmaker stones (I freehand with them); medium, fine, ultra fine. On most of my knives I don't bother with the ultra fine because I get the edge I want with the fine, but my problems with my ZDP Caly 3 have led me to try anything and everything.

I'd normally be the last person to blame the steel and place the guilt on anything other than my inabilities, but this the the only one of my knives to give me these sharpening problems. It is also my only knife in ZDP-189. I own and have owned many Spydercos, Benchmades, Microtechs, and others in S30V, 154CM, ATS-34, D2, M2, VG-10, H1, 440C, and others, and I can get the edge I want on all of them, regardless of type steel or brand of knife, using the techniques I've developed over 13 years of knife ownership and use. But this ZDP-189 is kicking my ass.

Any ideas? Is there something about ZDP-189 that doesn't work with my regular techniques? Is there maybe something wrong with the heat treatment on my knife?
 
Never had that problem. :confused:

I use my sharpmaker with the lightest pressure possible on ZDP-189. Very light strokes do the trick there.

Did you thin the edge out too much? Maybe one bevel is a lot steeper then the other?
 
Light pressure is needed, because it is so hard, that with the corners of the stones (if you use them) will cause microchipping.Have you checked for small burrs or wire edgeing?
A few suggestions.
 
It's not a burr/wire edge.

I have tried using lighter and lighter pressure, using the UF stone, and it does help; it's the only way I can get an edge that isn't micro-chipped off the bat. However, even the slightest bit of usage (like cutting a few sheets of newspaper) and it's ragged again.
 
I know you don't want to hear another sharpening system, but it's the only thing I have experience with sharpening ZDP. Paper wheels.

If I put my ZDP caly 3 on the polishing wheel it will get tree topping, hair whittling, stupid sharp. None of my other knives with other steels respond this way and just get to where they shave easily. But MY knife really responds to that wheel quickly.
 
I'm finding it easy to sharpen with just a Fallkniven DC4 (inexpensive small diamond/ceramic stone)

I got a new stretch II CF recently, chips were appearing before even using it, never experienced anything like it. After re-sharpening (working out the chips and forming a new edge with the diamond side, then polishing with the ceramic) it seems totally fine, and i've been testing it light chopping on this maple block, cutting wood, cardboard, plastic. No chipping, holds an incredible edge, takes a scary edge just on the ceramic stone, can't wait to try stropping. I wonder if the edge was burned at the factory, can't think how else to explain it, my edge behaves nothing like the brittle factory edge.

Anyway, i'd suggest putting a new edge on with a diamond stone.
 
I have had some issues with a few of my ZDP 189 knives microchipping on ceramic stones. Some get hair whittling sharp on the Sharpmaker, some microchip. I think it is pressure related, but either way I now use Shapton Glasstone waterstones to sharpen ZDP 189 (you already have waterstones on your Edge Pro). They cut clean and fast (my Shapton Glasstones are very hard waterstones, though, and lower end stones may gouge on you if you use too much pressure) and don't dish very fast, and they require no soaking at all. I also use DMT plates for my XX Coarse, Coarse, and Fine grits, and they have no issues at all with ZDP. I know the Edge Pro stones are very hard, so maybe you can just use them to put on a microbevel and see how the edge reacts. If the Edge Pro doesn't work for you I'm not sure what the problem is.

How thin did you go with the Edge Pro? I'm at about 7 degrees per side on my Caly 3 ZDP with a 10 per side microbevel with no issues on light duty cutting, but I'll probably go to a 15 per siide microbevel next time I sharpen just because the higher angle on a microbevel doesn't reduce cutting performance noticeably. You may need to thicken your angle, and also remember that FFG blades actually get sharpened about 4 degrees per side LESS than the Edge Pro says because of how it lays on the blade table.

Mike
 
Josh K said:
Did you thin the edge out too much?
Click to expand...

gunmike1 said:
How thin did you go with the Edge Pro? ... You may need to thicken your angle, and also remember that FFG blades actually get sharpened about 4 degrees per side LESS than the Edge Pro says because of how it lays on the blade table.
Click to expand...

I think this was the problem. The width of the bevel from where it starts to the edge was about as wide as my 940D2CF, and since the grind of the C3 is much flatter than the 940, the edge bevel was definitely too thin. So I've been microbeveling the edge at a steeper angle than I was before, and the microchipping problem seems to be solved. This also explains why I didn't have those problems with the original blade profile, which was definitely steeper than my reprofile.

Thanks for the help guys.
 
I had similar problems with ZDP and my 52100 mule team. I was getting a microchipped edge even when I was using light pressure, the problem was finally resolved with the use of diamond stones and waterstones. Here is a pic of the 52100 mule after the fine ceramic. Still not sure why it did this :confused:

PIC034.jpg
 
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