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pauljgallant

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Jul 3, 2002
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Why can't I sharpen my sebenza? I just got a spyderco sharpmaker today - watched the video, followed the steps and I just can't get the thing sharp! Please help dear forumites - I am feeling very dull witted.

Thanks,

PJG:mad:
 
it's DEFINATELY a b!tch. BG42 and S30V are the hardest of ANY knife I've sharpened. 154cm on my microtec is a ~~~breeze~~~. ATS34 on my custom Wil Stegner... practically sharpens itself.

I recommend practicing on a SAK or something else... THAT'S HOW I LEARNED.

ALSO.. it takes an edge MUCH faster with the 40degree angle.
 
I know they recommend the sharpmaker for the Sebenza, but when I tried using my 204 on a large classic, it wouldn't even hit the edge. In other words the Sebbie edge was greater than 40 total at the very edge. I don't know why, but it was. I ended up just using a leather hone with silicone carbide and CrO2 to polish the edge. After all, it is a convex edge, and really needs this kind of sharpening to keep the edge factory.

Mike
 
I have just sharpened my sebenza on my sharpmaker for the 4th time but this time I did not do as the instructions say but just sharpened one bevel at a time until I got a wire edge all along the blade, then sharpened the other bevel the same.

I did this four times on the courners & then the flats of both stones and finished it off on a strop to get rid of the final wirer edge and polish it up.

This worked much better than the standard however many strokes side to side that the video recomends.

I know that this kills the convex edge but I still have a very sharp sebenza.
 
I too had problems with my sharpmaker, but last week I bought a 303MF stone from Spyderco (for sharpening while camping/hiking) and tried my Sebenza on the white stone, and very easy I got it back to a good edge. Especially the last 1/2 " near the tip, which I allways had problems getting sharp on the sharpmaker.
I was surprised myself.
I made a small wooden stand with two small wooden blocks with a 20 degr. edge on both sides of the stone, so that I allways start with the right angle.
A major advantage of sharpening on a bench stone for me is that I don't dull the point of the knife. (Which happens easily on a sharpmaker when you let the point slide of the stone). There is a way to avoid that on a sharpmaker, you need to stop before the tip reaches the stone, and then finish the tip on the flat part, and also not let it slide off. But I found that rather difficult to do.
Also recently read on the Fallkniven forum on knifeforums that sharpening a convex edge on a sharpmaker actually 'kills' the convex edge, but I don't know if that counts for the edge on a Sebenza as well. I need to find some good info on how to sharpen a convex edge on a stone.
 
I dont hardly use the flats at all on the 204. This comes from my using around EZLAP for the last 15 years. Just a thought.
guy
 
Quote:Also recently read on the Fallkniven forum on knifeforums that sharpening a convex edge on a sharpmaker actually 'kills' the convex edge, but I don't know if that counts for the edge on a Sebenza as well. I need to find some good info on how to sharpen a convex edge on a stone.Quote

It doesn't matter who's knife it is, you'll eventually change a convex edge by not sharpening it properly.

There is a lot of info here on how to sharpen a convex edge. Do a search and you'll get all you need.

The most common suggestion is, stropping the blade on sand paper, which is set on top of a computer mouse pad, or any type of spongy surface. The softness of the mouse pad allows it to conform to the blades edge, without having to hold an exact angle.

I took a piece of 2x4 about 8-9 inches long. Cut a mouse pad to fit the top and glued it down. Went to Wal*Mart, in their auto care section you will find wet/dry sand paper in grits up to 2000. All you need to do is, strop the knife, pulling the blade towards you with the edge trailing. A convex edge seems to be the easiest type of edge to care for.

Do a search. You'll find much better info than I can give you, by others with much more experience. However, at least you now have 1 recommendation on how to sharpen a convex edge. It works and is about as cheap to put together than any sharpening system.
 
I saw a similar home-made sharpener on one of the other Forums a while ago, and tried it immediately. Nnot only does it work great on convex edges, it seems to work well on all of my thinner blades. Over time it should put a convex edge on those blade also, ya think? Johnny O's right -- convex is the way to go for ease of maintenance. My small Sebenza S30V is a piece of cake using my wood 'n paper sharpener.
Hey Johnny --where are ya in Colorado ?? Woodland Park here, just a mile south of the Hayman fire scar.
MtMike
 
There was a recent post here about 2 weeks or so ago. It was reccomended to tilt the blade a bit more than verticle when using the sharpmaker. Basically tilt the blade away from the stone being used. Can't remember who posted the solution but it worked perfectly(it was also more clear). Within 20-30 strokes on the flat fine my sebbie was scarey sharp.

Droopy
 
I've sharpened my sebenza on my Sharpmaker... dare I say.. 20 or so times... not bad for 2years of pretty hard use! looking at my Mnandi which I have never sharpened, the convex edge is quite pronounced. My seb still cuts like a dream. THe convex edge is GONE though. Sharpening it really does suck at first... If you maintain the edge it realy does zip tight back to a razor just like in the demo tape!
 
MtMike,

Not too far from you. I'm in Parker, just SE of Denver. Although, I'd much prefer to be in the higher elevations!

I sharpen my convex edge Faalkniven S1 and SRKW Bandicoot using a mouse pad and sandpaper. Works great. Real easy to put something together for the bush, too. Light and compact.
 
I've especially run into this problem with my NICA tanto blade, I find that if I hold the edges parrallel to the table that the 204 is sitting on it works fine....
Uh? (I can hear you all think.......:confused: )

the front edge AS WELL, you have to hold the knife at an angle, so that the front edge is horizontal, and sharpen that edge seperately from the main edge
 
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