How I jacked up a new Endura

A

Amaranth

Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
421
This is embarassing. After getting a ZDP-189 Endura, I decided to try to touch up the edge, just a LITTLE, to get it to the next level of sharp.

This is my standard procedure with every other knife I've owned, but of course 154CM steel was the hardest of any of them. I have never had any trouble getting a knife from the factory just a little sharper, but this was the exception.

After literally hours of trying to get a sharp knife sharper using diamond honing stones, I successfully removed a lot of metal, but dulled the knife considerably in the process. So, I decided to send the Endura in to Tom Krein for a full flat grind. This was something I had in the back of my mind before, but it was necessary after seeing the mess I made of the edge!

Even if you THINK you know how to sharpen a knife freehand, ZDP-189 IS TOUGH!

Don't do what I did-ruin a good edge! I may have to get Spydie's sharpening kit-anyone have that? How good is it?
 
Check the exchange for a Sharpmaker....there are usually a few there. Did you happen to take any pics of the Endura after the sharpening attempt?
 
Well since I can't post here with my membership level, didn't bother. But what happened is that the edge went from being a nice bevel to a rounded, scratched up mess. Not pretty.

I am looking forward to using that great steel with a full flat grind though. Should cut like a b!tch. That's the only way to go IMHO.
 
Good move sending the knife in for a FFG from Tom Krein. My ZDP Endura has that treatment and is a great cutter. If you want I can sharpen it up for you. I can bring the angle down a bit (the bevel ends up wide on a factory ground knife) and polish it out to hair whittling sharp in pretty quick time for you if you are short on funds for the regrind right now, but I definately recommend that regrind to make the knife a true high performance knife (I'll sharpen it for free).

Mike
 
Thanks Mike, I appreciate that. The knife is on it's way to TK already. He answered the phone at 8pm Sunday night. Pretty down to earth guy.

I saw some pics posted here of his work and it looked awesome, can't wait to get it back. This time, I'll be extremely careful!
 
Amaranth said:
Well since I can't post here with my membership level, didn't bother. But what happened is that the edge went from being a nice bevel to a rounded, scratched up mess. Not pretty.

I am looking forward to using that great steel with a full flat grind though. Should cut like a b!tch. That's the only way to go IMHO.
Click to expand...

What were you doing?
Free-handing it on a rock?:D
Toughest I have found so far was M2.
And I did not have any trouble, just took
more time than I was used to.
Is ZDP-189 harder than M2/M4?
 
Amaranth said:
Thanks Mike, I appreciate that. The knife is on it's way to TK already. He answered the phone at 8pm Sunday night. Pretty down to earth guy.

I saw some pics posted here of his work and it looked awesome, can't wait to get it back. This time, I'll be extremely careful!
Click to expand...

You're going to love it. As you can see from my Avatar I'm a huge fan. I have 2 in right now for regrinds.

Mike
 
cbxer55 said:
What were you doing?
Free-handing it on a rock?:D
Toughest I have found so far was M2.
And I did not have any trouble, just took
more time than I was used to.
Is ZDP-189 harder than M2/M4?
Click to expand...

I might as well have been freehanding it on a rock. What probably happened was that I got so inpatient, and started using an EXTRA freakin' coarse DMT sharpener, that's what jacked it all up!:grumpy:
 
Amaranth said:
I might as well have been freehanding it on a rock. What probably happened was that I got so inpatient, and started using an EXTRA freakin' coarse DMT sharpener, that's what jacked it all up!:grumpy:
Click to expand...

I rebevel my knives with the XX Coarse DMT. It took me 2 minutes on my pre-Kreined ZDP Endura to drop the angle from 15 per side to 10 per side. you then need the DMT Coarse to clean up the XX Coarse scratches.

Mike
 
IMO scratches are beauty marks. They show you are using your tool as intended and getting your money's worth. It is nice to keep them pretty if you can, but all of my knives seem to get all scratched up from cardboard, rope, or whatever else I tend to cut. A lot of the scratches on my knives are from errant passes on very coarse stones, but again that is part of the use of the knife as I thin the angle on all of my knives. I intend to thoroughly use the crap out of my Manix 2 CF/S90V when I get it, just like my scratched to crap Manix C95. I did send the Manix C95 to Krein for a regrind (I'm waiting to get it back) because the edge has thickened considerably from so much use and sharpening over the years, not for the looks. The Krein grinds do give you that new look though, and I find the finish he leaves on the knives doesn't show cardboard and other scratches quite as much as factory finishes.

Mike
 
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