How many passes

[MikeC]

Another question, I have a spyderco sharpmaker I also have a S30V hollow ground blade with good heat treat that I'm sharpening for first time. I didn't let it get too dull but unless I'm doing something wrong sharpening that thing is a bear. About how many passess should it take on the sharpmaker sticks to get the thing back to factory sharp as it came REAL sharp from the factory. I've been able to get it back somewhat but just not like it was from the factory, it would shave arm hair from the factory, I can't get it back to that point. It got dull on some plastic used for six pack rings and so I resharpened afterward I had to cut up some cardboard boxes and it did better so I know I did something right but I still can't push cut the edge of a sheet of comp paper. I can use a very slight slicing motion to get it started and its like butter, but just starting from a standstill and trying to get a smooth clean cut, and it just tears or rips the paper. I worked on it again this evening and got it push cut the comp paper about 4 or 5 times and then it went back to requiring a slight slicing motion to get it started.

I used the grey sticks and then the white with pointed side then flat and pointed side then flat for 20 passes each stick just like the manual said, but it still aint shaving sharp. Is it me, is it S30V, it is the sharpmaker, help this is my first go round with S30V.

Thanks

 

[eKretz]

Are you on PM also? If you are, you'll know what I'm talking about.

The amount of passes will depend on the factory sharpening angle. If it's more acute than the sharpmaker's preset angle of 30 or 40 degrees (depending on which set of slots you are using) it will take no time at all to get nice and sharp. If it is more obtuse, you will need to narrow the entire back bevel far enough so you can get to the edge. Use the sharpie trick to see where u're at. S30V is a little tougher than some steels, but if you are hitting the edge, it really isn't that much of a difference. Best thing to do is reprofile to a thinner edge so you can use the sharpmaker only for touch-ups (I use mine to put a microbevel on my work knife). This way I can do touch-ups in less than 5 minutes.

 

[65535]

Depends a lot on pressure and just how dull the knife is. As mentioned previously if you have to narrow the angle it will take even longer if you have a narrower angle it'll shapren up right fast.

 

[THG]

eKretz pretty much summed it up:

1. Use a sharpie to see if you're actually sharpening the edge or if you're just scratching the bevels.
2. If you've got a burr, you're going to have to take it off.
3. How do you know your S30V has good heat treat?

The number of passes is nothing that's set in stone... It could be 10 passes, maybe 50, maybe 100. It could even be 1000 or more if your blade's angle is thicker than the sharpener's setting.

 

[MikeC]

Its got Paul Bos stamped on the blade and one of this knife models claim to fame is Paul Bos heat treat. He is supposed to be one of the best so I'm assuming the heat treat was properly done since it came from his ship with his seal of approval on it.

I'm going to try the sharpie trick tonight and I'm going to go down to the 30 degree angle position as I have been using the 40 angle position. I had thought about because I think this knife is 15 or 17 per side, so if I was using the 40 degree that was 20 per side and I was not contacting the edge but rather the back bevel or shoulder correct?

 

[FLymon]

I'm going to try the sharpie trick tonight and I'm going to go down to the 30 degree angle position as I have been using the 40 angle position. I had thought about because I think this knife is 15 or 17 per side, so if I was using the 40 degree that was 20 per side and I was not contacting the edge but rather the back bevel or shoulder correct?

You have that backwards. I wish I had pictures, but if you have a blade at 17 degrees per side, or 34 inclusive, the 40 degree setting would hit nothing but edge, while the 30 side would hit the shoulder and re-profile the knife to 15 per side before it got to the edge.

 

[MikeC]

Thanks for clearing that up, well then I'm hitting nothing but edge and for whatever reason I just can't get the thing sharp as it came from the factory, its sharp don't get me wrong just not shaving arm hair sharp.