Help I need sharpening advice.

[Nosetotail]

So I just ordered an Endura 4 with ZDP and after reading several threads, I realized I don't know the first thing about sharpening a knife. My dad could get a knife really sharp with just a few bench stones, but no matter how much I try, I just can't seem to be consistent enough to do it free hand.

I have a DMT deluxe guided sharpener much like a Lansky system. It has four diamond stones: ex course, course, fine, and ex fine. I haven't a clue what the different angle settings come out to be. I'm wondering if this thing will be adequate for sharpening the Endura. It always did fine on my BM with ats.

I've seen several referrences to reprofiling and other references to getting a "toothy" edge, and I think I am interested in both and am wondering if I can get away with using just my DMT for both operations. I've always polished my blade with the ex fine stone and then ran it up and down my black crusty Dickies Walmart belt that I am wearing at the time. Will this be adequate on this zdp blade, or should I use something even finer or forgo the extra fine stone altogether?

 

[King Gimpicus]

Get some cheap-y blade (like the shitty folders you find in liqor stores), get a pocket stone, and practice to your hearts content. The whole thing will cost you about $13 and the crappy steel in the folders will need LOTS of sharpening, and thats all the practice i needed before moving on to a real blade with lots'o'success!

~ King Gimpicus ~

 

[pablo486]

I think that your system would do a fine job. If you're wondering about micro serrations, a toothy edge... You can test the edge after each stone. The extra coarse would be good for reprofiling, but I think you might have a bit too much tooth. You could pick a couple of common tests to see what you think. Maybe push cut some paper and try slicing some rope. If you're not happy with the push cutting ability, go finer. If you think more tooth would help to add slicing ability, go more towards coarse.

One thing i would recommend is to use a secondary bevel. Reprofile as thin as you want until you raise a burr so you know that you made it all the way to the edge. Then go one setting wider on your guide, and you can add a secondary bevel.

Does that make sense?

 

[Nosetotail]

Perfect sense. As to the settings, I'm assuming I can use a cheapy plastic protractor from the grocery store school section to find my angle.

 

[pablo486]

Perfect sense. As to the settings, I'm assuming I can use a cheapy plastic protractor from the grocery store school section to find my angle.

Sure. The important part is to be consistent. If the protractor isn't dead on, that's fine, you just want the 2 sides to match as closely as possible.

 

[Nosetotail]

As to the micro bevel, I was considering setting my primary bevel with my guide stones and then keeping my guide on the same setting but using it on the bench stone. This will give me a bit smaller angle increase than if I change the guide setting. If you can picture where the rod slides through the hole versus where the top of the guide would slide on the bench stone. Of course I would have to use some kind of spacer to protect the end of my guide from sliding on the bench stone and that will give me a little bit more angle.


I don't know if this will be beneficial though, I was just thinking about trying it for a little bit, then maybe comparing it to adjusting the guide to the next setting.