Cliff Stamp
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 17,562
With all the cutting performed when I was comparing the BM-E and my SHBM, I was sharpening both knives frequently to keep the edges in top shape to make sure I didn't miss even small changes in performance. In the past I tended to use either DMT plates or high quality SiC sandpaper to sharpen the SHBM, and I had no problems with either. Both abrasives are very hard and bite into the steel very well under low pressure.
However recently I was using mainly waterstones, 1000 and 4000 grit and getting poor results, basically honing for a long period of time and getting no where fast. I knew the stones were solid as I was using them on other blades at the exact same time. It turns out that the steel just requires much more pressure for the hones to bite in well.
I used a scope to check the edge, and under light pressure, the stones simply can't make scratches in the steel. This is an aspect of sharpening that doesn't get a lot of press, but can make a major difference. It also depends wildly on the steel. If I used the same amount of force when sharpening an Opinel I would get nowhere as the edge just gets bent over.
Now with ceramic rods you can get away with a lot less force because it is all concentrated on a very small contact area and thus the pressure is very high. Diamonds are so hard they eat up the steel even when you go very light, same thing with the SiC mylar sandpaper.
So in short, if you are having problems honing, try altering the amount of force you are using and see if it makes it any better. In general, the hard and more abrasion resistant the steel, the hard you have to press on the hone.
-Cliff
However recently I was using mainly waterstones, 1000 and 4000 grit and getting poor results, basically honing for a long period of time and getting no where fast. I knew the stones were solid as I was using them on other blades at the exact same time. It turns out that the steel just requires much more pressure for the hones to bite in well.
I used a scope to check the edge, and under light pressure, the stones simply can't make scratches in the steel. This is an aspect of sharpening that doesn't get a lot of press, but can make a major difference. It also depends wildly on the steel. If I used the same amount of force when sharpening an Opinel I would get nowhere as the edge just gets bent over.
Now with ceramic rods you can get away with a lot less force because it is all concentrated on a very small contact area and thus the pressure is very high. Diamonds are so hard they eat up the steel even when you go very light, same thing with the SiC mylar sandpaper.
So in short, if you are having problems honing, try altering the amount of force you are using and see if it makes it any better. In general, the hard and more abrasion resistant the steel, the hard you have to press on the hone.
-Cliff
