how do you know to stop for a no burr edge

hardheart

hardheart

Joined
Sep 19, 2001
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I sort of listen and feel, funny it seems to be more listening. I can hear/feel when the cutting seems to get rougher, which would seem counterintuitive if we're trying to smooth out edges. But, I think it's kinda like drilling holes in metal, the sound of the drill changes just before it pops through (then snags on the last sliver, jerks the drill sideways, and snaps the 1/8" bit, again :D) This on the sharpener is when you are cutting right at the edge, so you have the grit contacting and cutting in at the very fine cutting edge, and not just distributing force across the bevel face. It makes sense to go lighter as you feel you are reaching this point, once you get there you don't wanna fold over the edge and lose it again.

Or break any more drill bits.
 
Yep, partly by feel, but mostly by sound is how I know when I have reached the edge. If you think about it, it is fairly obvious. If the very edge is not contacting the stone, there is an incline like the bow of a flat-bottom boat riding over the stone. When you reach the point where the edge touches the stone, that incline is gone, and the blade will start trying to dig into the abrasive instead of riding over it. That makes a different sound, as well as feel.
 
matt321-I freehand, had an Apex for a while and just didn't get into it. It should work the same either way, though it probably requires edge leading cuts to get that sound & feel.
 
Ahhh OK.
Are you just eye-balling the angle as best you can with each stroke, or do you feel the flat of the bevil and glide on that? Seems like you would have to be able to do the latter. Otherwise, the sound/feel would be changing with every stroke due to the error in setting the angle by eye.:confused:
 
After doing it enough times, your hand will naturally hold the angle, and within a couple degrees. You can feel if you're cutting into the shoulder rather than at the bevel. I'll eyeball it a bit when I raise the spine for the microbevel, but that's just a couple strokes.

I'll hold benchstones in my hand, on my leg, or on a flat surface; use narrow rods like a file, stand them up on a table top, or hold them both vertical and horizontal while moving the blade. I also load paper with compund and bow it out for a strop. I just got used to it after a while, I guess.
 
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