How do you sharpen your Sebenza?

flipe8

flipe8

Joined
Oct 24, 2005
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:confused: I just got my Small Sebenza last week and was very pleased with the knife overall as it really is well thought out. I noted that it wasn't as sharp out of the box as my Spydies, so I figured I'd hone it up a bit. Using a Lansky sharpener, I started at it. To my chagrin, the blade hasn't come up at all. If anything, it's worse. What angle are you guys using? The CRK suggested angle is 19-20 deg that I followed. Any suggestions?
 
I once owned a large Sebenza. Like grnamin, I used a Spyderco Sharpmaker with good results.
 
I also use a Spyderco Sharpmaker. I touch up the edge with the ultra fine rods and then strop on chromium oxide-loaded leather glued to a block. It works great for me -- I maintain a hair-splitting edge.
 
I also use the Triangle Sharpmaker by Spyderco. Finishing with leather on block.
Sometimes it is enough only to use the leather to maintain the finish.



jeckyll
 
What angle are you guys using? I just went out and bought a couple new stones for my Lansky and they are much more likely to sharpen the knife. My old ones were over ten years old and quite worn in comparison to the new ones. When I get a chance, I gotta get a Sharpmaker. Wish they were in my parts to at least see one.
 
When I first got my small regular Sebenza I tried sharpening it on the Syperco Sharpmaker. The blade's edge was way too obtuse for the sharpmaker to work without angling the knife off vertical. I think my edge was about 22 degrees per side.
I ended up regrinding the the secondary bevel with my Lansky to the thinnest I could get it (yes it is no longer convex ground, but it is thin :) ) Then I sharpened it with a few strokes on the Sharpmaker at 15 degrees per side.
It is lovely now.
Most often I just strop it for about a minute and it come right back to hair popping sharp.

LJG
 
grnamin said:
I use a Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker (204MF). Works every time.
Click to expand...

I have one of these and it's put an edge on every knife I own EXCEPT my Sebenza. Every other knife is razor sharp after using the Sharpmaker but the Sebenza will not take an edge. I do not understand!

Does anyone else have this problem?
 
No, I used the Sharpmaker on a s/h Sebbie.
All the way through Grey edge, Grey Flat, White edge, White flat, UF edge, UF flat.
Then stropped it on a plain leather belt.
Bald left arm to show for it.
 
G'day,
I do the basic bevel setting with a DMT Aligner and then polish the edge with either a paper wheel or leather strop or leather wheel--all loaded with polishing compound. This edge will 'pop' arm hair without touching the skin.
Greg
ps-The original bevels were not even and needed considerable work. This was sort of frustrating and sort of fun--the results are very fun!
 
Because the edge is convex, you may have to grind through a "shoulder" before you even touch the edge depending on the angle you're resharpening at. The edge should be at 20 degrees but I think CRK freehands it, which can result in variations of a degree or two. You can also be off a degree or two yourself. This can make it more difficult to actually sharpen the edge.

Also, if you are hitting the shoulder, you may need a coarser stone. For example, the Sharpmaker's medium hone (coarsest it comes with) is actually a fine hone by most standards and does a poor job of removing metal. You really need the diamond hone for that (costs about $50 I think.) It's great for touch-ups out of the box but terrible for reprofiling without a new hone. If you change the angle, or switch to a multibevel grind, or even find that you're hitting a shoulder, then guess what - you're reprofiling.
 
I use a buffer with sewn muslin wheels with black compound on one wheel and green on the other. I just make a few passes on the black and then a few passes on the green and I'm right back to screaming sharp.

I don't know if that qualifies as "sharpening" but that's all I've used for my Sebbie since I got it (BG-42 so it's been a while) and that's probably all I'll do going forward as it works so well.

B
 
You also might try stropping the blade on a leather belt loaded with simichrome polish. I did that with my new LE and the blade went from OK sharp to insanely wicked sharp. I think by stropping occasionally, I can keep the blade in top sharp condition.:cool:
 
Hello fellow Sebenzanites,
I have carried my Sebenza for approx. 5 years so it is BG-42 a great steel actually when I spoke to Mr. Reeve he said that type of steel was used in bearings. The first time I had to sharpen it I used my Sharpmaker and then stropped it. I was doing some yard work and was cutting some simple twine (jute) and (I know my knife was scary sharp it would shave hair and glide through news print like butter) i handed my knife to my wife to cut a piece of twine and she said "this knife is so dull it won't even cut twine". I took the kife from her and gave it a try and i will be damned i had to put pressure on the cut, it was like the blade was sliding on the twine and not grabbing it. Well I asked Mr. Reeve about it and he said that with BG-42 he never strops because this being a bearing steel it turns the edge smooth as glass and it has no bite, he told me to finish with the white stones on sharpmaker. So if you have a super sharp stropped edge on BG-42 test it on different materials to see how it cuts.. I love the ring from teh steel when i cut twine.
 
flipe8 said:
:confused: I just got my Small Sebenza last week and was very pleased with the knife overall as it really is well thought out. I noted that it wasn't as sharp out of the box as my Spydies, so I figured I'd hone it up a bit. Using a Lansky sharpener, I started at it. To my chagrin, the blade hasn't come up at all. If anything, it's worse. What angle are you guys using? The CRK suggested angle is 19-20 deg that I followed. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...


I would go about 5-10 degrees per side. That will slim it down quite a bit but it will really cut well.
 
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