anyone have problems sharpening up there medford micro praetorian on the sharpmaker? i just got the sharpmaker and ive gotten good with my other knives, but just having problems with my medford. wondering if theres anything about the blade geometry or the steel that makes it difficult for anyone else
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hrd time on sharpmaker with medford micro praetorian?
- Thread starter SeeTOPh
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- Sep 23, 2014
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- 1,287
Hi,
What angle setting are you using?
Have you tried painting the blade edge with permanent marker, then a few strokes on medium rods, to get an idea of the angle?
Medford makes really really really thick "knives" ... hard to find someone mention any edge angles
yea, ive tried the sharpie method. ive found it hard to get a good "Reading" on it because one side will wear one way and the other a different pattern. plus i cant really recognize exactly where its wearing the ink off. im just too inexperienced at it. i was using 40 at first and then 30 and now back to 40. ....i was getting a decent edge on my cheaper knives. nothing hair widdling sharp like ive seen people get on the sharpmaker. but better than when i started. just need a little more practice to know im doing it right before i say its the blade and the sharpener and not the user! ha
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2014
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Hi,
Since we sharpen one side at a time, each side can have its own number of degrees per side (dps),
it is a common problem that edges come uneven (not same angle)
I've been there not too long ago, not sure what I'm supposed to do, not sure what I'm looking at,
it can be pretty tricky, esp with coated blade
So I would forget about the medford for a minute (ok 5-15 minutes)
go into your kitchen and grab a few stainless knives, a paring knife , something bigger,
paint each real well with marker, the edge and shoulder ... 1cm from edge easy,
then take each and do 5 strokes per side with medium rods the 30 degree settings,
look to see where the marker is removed
repeat with 40 degree setting
that should be easier to see,
if the angle is too low, the marker should be removed behind the edge, at shoulder, apex still painted, increase angle
if angle is high, the marker should be removed only at the very apex, everything else still painted, this is microbeveling,
so edge should get sharp pretty quick (under a minute)
as this can be your finishing/final angle
if marker is removed at apex and a bit behind it,
or behind the apex and almost at the apex, still a bit of thin thin thin marker left at the very apex,
thats the regular sharpening angle, do some 30-300 passes per side at this angle,
raise a burr (optional) and cut it off using 1-10 light passes at elevated angle ,
either double angle freehand,
or next angle setting
after looking at marker,
pick one knife (paring),
and sharpen it one to three times in a row,
fifteen minute session then quit
raise a burr in under 300 passes per side,
try slicing paper, it should slice, but snaggy
cut it off at double angle in under 10 passes per side,
try slicing paper now, it should slice but noisy (more noisy at double angle)
then do 10-20 alternating passes at original angle (not double)
do 1 pass per side then slice, when it gets quiet slicing, you're done, stop
it should also whittle hair now,
but dont worry about whittling hair
the finer the hair the harder it is to whittle
i can whittle my beard hair with a burr, its so coarse,
that burr wont slice smooth at all
paper tells you more
When you've got the burr thing down, try going burrless
Try this pretty good debugging list of steps here for getting silly sharp with the sharpmaker Sharpening Curriculum
thanks man. great tips. gonna try it out for sure...any tips on the best way to strop afterwards? i know everyone does it different...my microtech LUDT came RIDICULOUSLY sharp and i loved it. i actually shaved with it, like put shaving cream on and everything just cause it was so fun! haha. ive got a pair of ultra fine sharpmaker rods coming, any thoughts on how sharp i can get my blades with those and a decent stropping?
i really appreciate it dude, for real man
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2014
- Messages
- 979
Good advice above Medfords are quite thick and can be tough,
Maybe read the long list of don'ts just in case the user isn't supposed to sharpen them
Maybe read the long list of don'ts just in case the user isn't supposed to sharpen them
Good advice above Medfords are quite thick and can be tough,
Maybe read the long list of don'ts just in case the user isn't supposed to sharpen them
i know right. he is obsessed with anyone messing with his knives. he literally feels like theyre still his and were just leasing them. but thats fine, i still dig em, even though theyre expensive as fuck. i do feel like i could chop down a forest with mine
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2004
- Messages
- 2,270
I suspect that, as thick as that knife is, and given its size... the edge angle is higher than even the 40 deg. Sharpmaker side.
You might try just holding the knife against the Sharpmaker stone, (start with the knife vertical) and without moving it down, rotate the knife and just see if you can feel (or see) when the edge bevel makes contact with the stone. That should give you an idea of the actual angle. It's sometimes easier to do this vs. the Sharpie method, when there's a big difference in the angles.
Also if the blade is coated you could try one of the silver colored sharpie pens, it might show up better. At least you will know if you hitting the shoulder of the blade.
Also use a loupe or magnifier. Sometimes it looks like you are hitting the edge until you look at the sharpie under magnification.
Also use a loupe or magnifier. Sometimes it looks like you are hitting the edge until you look at the sharpie under magnification.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2014
- Messages
- 1,287
Hi,
The "best" way to strop is
- start with a sharp edge that has been deburred/microbeveled on a stone
- skip the strop unless you plan to shave, or you need more push cutting ability than your last stone (unless its spyderco ultra fine)
- use a clean strop (fresh compound), not black from knife metal dust (swarf),
- use a light touch (low force), same as finishing/microbeveling on a stone
- angle slightly lower your final angle on stones to avoid too much rounding because of flexibility of the strop
- very few strokes, as in less than five per side (1 or 2) after sharpmaker medium or fine stones, same as finishing on a stone/microbeveling
One reason stropping is used is to round/thicken the apex a little,
which makes for a more comfortable shave (less razor burn),
but if you're not planning to shave your face,
there is no need to strop if you do everything right on the sharpmaker stones
If you refer to Sharpening Curriculum , thats silly sharp off the fine stones ( catch hair above the skin , as in tree-topping )
More on stropping and ultra-fine stones What is the next step after the sharpmaker? - Spyderco Forums
notebook paper strop Stropping Experiment
Stropping: angle plus pressure
There is always more info out there (this is a lot),
but you've got pretty good kit in the sharpmaker,
just practice getting better with it, learn to see what needs seeing
... maybe get a 50x loupe as crutch
keep it fun
colubrid
Gold Member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2005
- Messages
- 5,125
Hi,
Since we sharpen one side at a time, each side can have its own number of degrees per side (dps),
it is a common problem that edges come uneven (not same angle)
I've been there not too long ago, not sure what I'm supposed to do, not sure what I'm looking at,
it can be pretty tricky, esp with coated blade
So I would forget about the medford for a minute (ok 5-15 minutes)
go into your kitchen and grab a few stainless knives, a paring knife , something bigger,
paint each real well with marker, the edge and shoulder ... 1cm from edge easy,
then take each and do 5 strokes per side with medium rods the 30 degree settings,
look to see where the marker is removed
repeat with 40 degree setting
that should be easier to see,
if the angle is too low, the marker should be removed behind the edge, at shoulder, apex still painted, increase angle
if angle is high, the marker should be removed only at the very apex, everything else still painted, this is microbeveling,
so edge should get sharp pretty quick (under a minute)
as this can be your finishing/final angle
if marker is removed at apex and a bit behind it,
or behind the apex and almost at the apex, still a bit of thin thin thin marker left at the very apex,
thats the regular sharpening angle, do some 30-300 passes per side at this angle,
raise a burr (optional) and cut it off using 1-10 light passes at elevated angle ,
either double angle freehand,
or next angle setting
after looking at marker,
pick one knife (paring),
and sharpen it one to three times in a row,
fifteen minute session then quit
raise a burr in under 300 passes per side,
try slicing paper, it should slice, but snaggy
cut it off at double angle in under 10 passes per side,
try slicing paper now, it should slice but noisy (more noisy at double angle)
then do 10-20 alternating passes at original angle (not double)
do 1 pass per side then slice, when it gets quiet slicing, you're done, stop
it should also whittle hair now,
but dont worry about whittling hair
the finer the hair the harder it is to whittle
i can whittle my beard hair with a burr, its so coarse,
that burr wont slice smooth at all
paper tells you more
When you've got the burr thing down, try going burrless
Try this pretty good debugging list of steps here for getting silly sharp with the sharpmaker Sharpening Curriculum
That is a really great tutorial. Except for a couple things with the language.
What is a "burr"?
What is raising a burr?
What is an apex?
What is microbeveling?
so i found a way that was easier for me personally. it allows me to get better contact on the blade and make sure im hitting the proper surface of the stone. i just measured the height of the blade in this position and then calculated the distance the tip the stone should tap when i push it over the blade at the varying angles. the weight of the stones keeps it on the blade in the correct position and i make better contact this way. im only doing this for the blades that im having problems with like my medford. i know it may seem complicated but it works for me. ive found i can get a better edge this way quicker, it just allows me to see things and make sure everything is where and how its supposed to be
