I glubbed up - S35VN Espada XL tip slight dent/bend. Vanity issue. Absolutely green to strops/hones/sharpening, limited tools, more on the way.

[Jason B.]

Just sharpening the knife will solve this very minor issue. No need to overthink it, sharpen as if it were dull or, use it until dull then sharpen it.

 

[scottc3]

Hashishiin, Let us know how you progressed from ding to no ding. Your pics mean both Jason and Obsessed with Edges are correct, and stropping is not the way to go for repairing that ding.
Simplify simplify, forget about micro-bevels and stropping for now, just use your 1100 diamond (what is it relative to this chart) on A FEW PRACTICE KNIVES FIRST, then your Cold Steel's s35vn. Practicing serves 2 purposes, it breaks in the stone and increases your sharpening skill. Match the grind angle with a sharpie and iron out that ding to your satisfaction, then use that beast. I always use water with a small drop of dish soap with stones.

In addition to hands and eyes, a sharpie, protractor, and a camera, I used a quality bathroom scale to show boys how much pressure 5 pounds was, when trying to drive home the idea of how little pressure is required when using quality diamond stones (they already understood precision vs accuracy). In your case think about the difference between “grinding” your Cold Steel's bevel, and “smoothing out your bevel” until clean with a sharp edge (apex).

Also, it should be mentioned that with you can work on the entire length of the knife's bevel, and you can work on just the area near the ding. In your case the Espada XL looks like it still has Cold Steel's factory coarse grind at about 360 grit, powered. If you choose to just repair the tip area with your 1100 grit diamond, by hand, you will see and feel that difference. This is not just an aesthetic, it involves edge performance. At first, it is useful to pay attention to the angle and coarseness of your knives edges and bevels you bought and create with your sharpening skills.

 

[Hashishiin]

Hashishiin, Let us know how you progressed from ding to no ding. Your pics mean both Jason and Obsessed with Edges are correct, and stropping is not the way to go for repairing that ding.
Simplify simplify, forget about micro-bevels and stropping for now, just use your 1100 diamond (what is it relative to this chart) on A FEW PRACTICE KNIVES FIRST, then your Cold Steel's s35vn. Practicing serves 2 purposes, it breaks in the stone and increases your sharpening skill. Match the grind angle with a sharpie and iron out that ding to your satisfaction, then use that beast. I always use water with a small drop of dish soap with stones.

In addition to hands and eyes, a sharpie, protractor, and a camera, I used a quality bathroom scale to show boys how much pressure 5 pounds was, when trying to drive home the idea of how little pressure is required when using quality diamond stones (they already understood precision vs accuracy). In your case think about the difference between “grinding” your Cold Steel's bevel, and “smoothing out your bevel” until clean with a sharp edge (apex).

Also, it should be mentioned that with you can work on the entire length of the knife's bevel, and you can work on just the area near the ding. In your case the Espada XL looks like it still has Cold Steel's factory coarse grind at about 360 grit, powered. If you choose to just repair the tip area with your 1100 grit diamond, by hand, you will see and feel that difference. This is not just an aesthetic, it involves edge performance. At first, it is useful to pay attention to the angle and coarseness of your knives edges and bevels you bought and create with your sharpening skills.

I will indeed keep it updated. I am practicing the act of removing material with the Opinel stone and diamond hone with a dagger today, going to order an Opinel for this purpose and will sharpen my Mora as a final act of learning once I have the hang of it. I'm also reading up on technique. I was pouring water on that Opinel stone of unknown grit and sharpening this dagger, feeling like a kid. I think I actually dulled it at first, but then I saw the black paint (bad-quality BUDK dagger) coming off, presumably with the metal too, and I use the "edge gleaming in the light" test to find dull spots. This is an amazing new area to explore. Can't wait to be able to give all my knives edges of their own.
Oh, turns out that hone of mine is 1600 grit!

Wow, so, my Espada is currently a very coarse grit? I wouldn't have suspected, but then again, I am just now this month learning about true sharpness when a Spyderco PM2 sliced a tomato-thin slice off my middle finger, which was about healed the next day, it was so thin of a cut. Hardly even bled, so clean. This amazed me. I had the Espada give me a cut while wiping it down with a cloth two nights ago. I can't imagine what it'll be like when I give it a true sharpen on the 1100 grit.

Would you recommend me a stone? Or, the Worksharp, that seems like three stones in one? I am afraid of bad brands/bad stones and could use an experienced rec. Say, budget of around 50 dollars, can that get me a good waterstone of decent size that I could use to make things sharp? I am aware that I need to use different angles on different knives, correct? I want something that can sharpen everything from my saber-ground Ontario SP-1 to the Espada to my Spydercos. I want to be able to sharpen all my knives on it. Arkansas stone, Japanese stone, I do not know.

So, my plan: buy what I need to sharpen, a proper stone, and a plain-jane Opinel specifically for the purposes of sacrificing to the stone to learn to sharpen.

 

[scottc3]

Reading below seems like info is in the weeds, but I gotta go, hope it is clarifying and not confusing - L8tr

Wow, so, my Espada is currently a very coarse grit?

Yes, revisited images to be sure, of course grit is inferred by edge condition.

Oh, turns out that hone of mine is 1600 grit!

Well what brand, model? Sound like a fine grit. Go look at stone and package for standard, then try and match grit and standard called out at Mr Wizards chart over at Gritomatic that is linked in post above.
I 'm with Obsessed With Edges on getting a 600 grit Electro-plated hone / stone. DMT is often praised by those who use them long term. An Atoma 600 grit is highly praised, there are others, but that is what I would look at if I had little experience sharpening.

If you get any of the bonded diamond stones, they all seem to be finer then my old brain thinks, and they all require flattening maintenance at some point. Though as a home hobbyist, flattening will be very infrequent, because you will be starting to strop for maintaining edge down the line in your learning curve. Be aware, first class bonded stones will have no flattening before first-use recommendations.

Would you recommend me a stone? Or, the Worksharp, that seems like three stones in one?

I want something that can sharpen everything from my saber-ground Ontario SP-1 to the Espada to my Spydercos.

Reading your posts for gaining freehand skills, seems like you are very interested in buy once cry once. The Atoma and DMT electroplated 600 grit diamonds are something like 65 bucks US each, well withing your budget. And I have read many folks saying they last a very long time. Proven.
First time hearing about Worksharp from you. What model are you thinking?
Worksharp is like Procter and Gamble "(and other umbrella corporations), they sell lots of tooth paste brands, many options, just like under Worksharp sharpening umbrella. The only one I use is the Worksharp Ken Onion plus optional blade grinding attachment and various factory and after market belts. The big river reports many happy customers like me, but freehand is the tributary your choosing to go down at the moment.

 

[Hashishiin]

Reading below seems like info is in the weeds, but I gotta go, hope it is clarifying and not confusing - L8tr

Yes, revisited images to be sure, of course grit is inferred by edge condition.

Nah mane, you are all good, I appreciate the knowledge you guys have here so much and am already learning more about edges, grits, etc. Take your time and reply whenever you can, my man. Enjoy your night!

Well what brand, model? Sound like a fine grit. Go look at stone and package for standard, then try and match grit and standard called out at Mr Wizards chart over at Gritomatic that is linked in post above.
I 'm with Obsessed With Edges on getting a 600 grit Electro-plated hone / stone. DMT is often praised by those who use them long term. An Atoma 600 grit is highly praised, there are others, but that is what I would look at if I had little experience sharpening.

It is a Hewlett Diamond Plate , that I bought as a sharpener from KnivesOfTheNorth (Can I link it?) It is in the wrong bag, marked Jewelstik 600 Medium Mesh, but written in sharpie 1800 fine grit, which is what I think I bought. Also, one side is much rougher, it's 600 grit upon inspection of KOTN's website.

I am looking at that very website and they have diamond DMT stones but I do not think they are the right ones, am unsure.

If you get any of the bonded diamond stones, they all seem to be finer then my old brain thinks, and they all require flattening maintenance at some point. Though as a home hobbyist, flattening will be very infrequent, because you will be starting to strop for maintaining edge down the line in your learning curve. Be aware, first class bonded stones will have no flattening before first-use recommendations.



Reading your posts for gaining freehand skills, seems like you are very interested in buy once cry once. The Atoma and DMT electroplated 600 grit diamonds are something like 65 bucks US each, well withing your budget. And I have read many folks saying they last a very long time. Proven.

I'm very much willing to get this and attempt freehand sharpening. You're able to throw things like a small flat or hollow to a large Ontario and all in between at it and I am in for it. This is a hone/stone, so, this does indeed sharpen, I am assuming. These questions are most likely pretty reduntant and dumb by now, I apologize, but I am gonna pull the trigger on the 600 electro-plated hone/stone if ya think it sharpens all that. I'm aware you need to center your stones sometimes, seems like maintenence that is an inevitability, happy to do it.
That, plus strop, plus hone, and I can sharpen?

Right on the nose with buy once cry once. I am attempting to find the correct DMT stones.

First time hearing about Worksharp from you. What model are you thinking?
Worksharp is like Procter and Gamble "(and other umbrella corporations), they sell lots of tooth paste brands, many options, just like under Worksharp sharpening umbrella. The only one I use is the Worksharp Ken Onion plus optional blade grinding attachment and various factory and after market belts. The big river reports many happy customers like me, but freehand is the tributary your choosing to go down at the moment.

I think I'll ultimately be better off starting freehand. If I really, really cannot do it, I will go guided but I doubt that'll be needed.

 

[scottc3]

Well your 4 inch by 1.25 inch two sided "medium/fine" Hewlett Diamond Plate will work in the field, but yes, an 8 inch by 3 inch stone will be best for learning. Also, I would buy from a known seller, not a 3rd party unknown seller on the big river.
I'm guessing the steel is tough but not wear resistant on your "large Ontario," so it does not need diamonds like your Cold Steel s35vn or you Para-2. You can use diamonds for your "large Ontario", just remember to let the diamonds cut with no more then 5 lbs of hand pressure. Less is more in this case.

Read this thread for DMT VS Atoma​

DMT or Atoma for sharpening

I am wanting to get a full set of diamond stones and am having trouble finding what most people prefer for sharpening DMT or atoma. All I can find is people talking about lapping waterstones. All I care about is some stones that will quickly sharpen really hard wear resistant steels that have...

www.bladeforums.com

 

[Hashishiin]

Well your 4 inch by 1.25 inch two sided "medium/fine" Hewlett Diamond Plate will work in the field, but yes, an 8 inch by 3 inch stone will be best for learning. Also, I would buy from a known seller, not a 3rd party unknown seller on the big river.
I'm guessing the steel is tough but not wear resistant on your "large Ontario," so it does not need diamonds like your Cold Steel s35vn or you Para-2. You can use diamonds for your "large Ontario", just remember to let the diamonds cut with no more then 5 lbs of hand pressure. Less is more in this case.

Read this thread for DMT VS Atoma​

DMT or Atoma for sharpening

I am wanting to get a full set of diamond stones and am having trouble finding what most people prefer for sharpening DMT or atoma. All I can find is people talking about lapping waterstones. All I care about is some stones that will quickly sharpen really hard wear resistant steels that have...

www.bladeforums.com

Yes, I know I need real equipment. I prefer to buy straight from a company's website if I can. My goal right now is just finalizing stone and diamond. I am thinking with proper diamond I could do the harder steels in the future without too much worry like S110V.
Also, I should clarify what I intend to be actually sharpening on a regular basis. The Ontario is 1075, and I intend to be getting more Ontario 1075 as well as ESEE 1095, and Mora, I use a lot of Mora as is, will increase in the future, so will be sharpening a lot of their carbon and stainless, pretty sure they use the same stainless as Opinel. Already must sharpen my SS Precision, used for whittling.

My most carried stuff in terms of pocketknives has turned out to be carbon steel of a few kinds (Douk Douk, Opinel, Higonokami, K55) and super-steels (this knife we are talking about, S45VN PM2 and have a Cruwear one coming in, heard good things about sharpening that, will eventually have some VG-10 or K390), with some AUS-8-10a, D2, 440HC and stuff thrown in. Bought my fiance a CPM-M4 Sage 5, that so far will be the hardest-to-sharpen thing I own. I would like the stone to be able to tackle everything from slipjoints to a 10-inch bowie, not that it has to be the easiest thing in the world to sharpen a bowie on it, but I want to be feasibly able to do so well, I do not mind a larger-sized stone.
Also intend to use a scale to gauge hand pressure, minus weight of knife, when starting.

And having written this, I am off to read the recommended thread!