help restoring dragonfly edge!! (kinda long)

mkjellgren

mkjellgren

Joined
Nov 1, 2005
Messages
1,592
I've been browsing these forums on and off for a while now but have never posted however I've come across a little problem I need some help with. I'm not really much of a collector (my collection consisting of 2 delicas, a dragonfly, and a ladybug) since my poor college student budget doesn't really allow for it but I've always carried a pocket knife ever since I was a little kid and never leave without my dragonfly.

My grandfather taught me how to sharpen on an old arkansas stone when I was a kid and while far from a master, I've become fairly proficient at sharpening consistantly achieving a pretty respectable edge using just some very small DMT diamond hones and a 3x1" arkansas stone.

Recently however I seem to have messed up the edge on my dragonfly somehow. In the recent past I had reprofiled my dragonfly and put a fairly narrow primary bevel on it. I'm not sure of the angle as it was free hand but narrower than the factory for sure. The first time I got it perfect. That thing was wicked sharp but when it started to dull I attempted to touch it up using a slightly more obtuse angle than my previous bevel so as to just touch up the very edge but was unable to achieve the same level of sharpness I once had.

Before anyone suggests I get a sharpmaker, just don't, new toys to help me play with my old toys are just simply not in my budget in the immediate future. I need help getting that wicked edge back using the tools I have available which are some very small (maybe 1x2") diamond hones ranging from course to extra fine as well as a small arkanas stone for polishing. I would prefer not to reprofile if at all possible. Any tips would be appreciated as well as any generic freehand sharpening tricks from the masters as well. Thanks.

MK
 
Putting on a micro-bevel (more obtuse) is the way to go. Once your primary angle is set and you raise the angle to touch it up, it only takes a very light touch to resharpen. For me, it's harder to keep that light pressure with a bench stone. It's much easier with some sort of ceramic rod. I've had better results by holding the bench stone so that it simulates the Sharpmaker or crock stick. The last few passes with just the weight of the blade works well. The problem could be a wire edge, then it's better to raise the angle even more and start over. This will dull the knife and cut off the weak wire edge. Starting over after this with few light passes should give you good results.
 
I graduated about 2 years ago and know full well you situation!!

My advice is - convex grind. I just put it on my native 3 days ago. 3 skids of boxes later and it still pretty sharp.
 
sherlockbonez said:
I graduated about 2 years ago and know full well you situation!!

My advice is - convex grind. I just put it on my native 3 days ago. 3 skids of boxes later and it still pretty sharp.
Click to expand...


any advice on how to achieve a good convex grind? I tried a while back on a benchmade mini ambush I didn't mind experimenting with using a mouse pad and various grits of sandpaper and it didn't go all that well. It was sharp but not really even close to what I was looking for.

MK
 
just slipped on one of those little stones and cut the s*** out of my finger :mad: maybe i don't need my knife any sharper after all. didn't even feel it and before i knew it there was blood all over and dripping from my hand. but then again, there is no such thing as a too sharp spydie and i was probably about due for another bite anyway. thats what i get for demanding such a sharp edge.
 
Alright, I think I may have figured it out. After reading some about the wisdom in using oil on my arkansas stone I decided to boil it to get all of the oil out and then try to touch up my dragonfly. I started with a few strokes at a very high bevel to get rid of any wire edge and then went at it for about a half our using VERY light strokes on a dry stone followed by a quick strop on the back of a notebook. My EDGE IS BACK!!!!! I can push cut paper about 1.5" from where I hold it and hairs practically fly off of my arm with almost zero friction. I can't help but think I have still left something to be desired. I know there are those of you out there capable of achieving some stellar edges and would like to know, how do you do it? I feel like I did everything fairly and got a REALLY good edge, but still, there has to be some sort of trick. What is it?
 
Boil the oil stone (which you did) and scrub it with abbrasive kitchen powder (Comet?), then DON'T use oil again. Once it's fresh and clean, use soapy water as a lubricant. Read that on these forums and the edge I can get it amazing. Don't know why, but it slays oil.
 
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