Is 154CM easy to sharpen?

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KnifeWizard

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Hi, I am looking at purchasing a Benchmade Griptilian. Is the 154cm steel easy to sharpen? Will I need diamond stones like for s30v or will normal Naniwa waterstones work fine? Or possibly the spyderco sharpmaker?
 
The Sharpmaker will work just fine, granted that the inclusive angles of the bevels are 40° or less. If you can use the ceramic rods freehand, even better.

154CM is very easy to resharpen, and takes a screaming edge in no time. In my experience, it is nothing like S30V. 154CM will form a burr much faster and will respond better to white strop compound on leather, or just use a smooth piece of cardboard to strop.
 
The Sharpmaker will work fine. I would include a pair of cbn rods with the basic set to sharpen really dull blades. I like them better than the diamond rods.
 
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The Sharpmaker stones work really well. I would use diamond for a re-profile though. Those cheaper double sided ones work just fine, I got them for under 10 bucks and I still use them as a first step, if needed, before my finer grit ceramic stones
 
154 CM is pretty easy to resharpen on my Sharpmaker. TBH, the Sharpmaker is my only sharpening system, apart from a small pocket diamond hone that I never use.

I've actually reprofiled an S30V blade on my Sharpmaker (mostly the dark rods). It took patience and a good while, off and on over several days, but I did it to see if I could. Plus, I didn't want to risk removing too much steel at once. And I'm a competent sharpener, but not a sharpening authority like some are. As far as simple resharpening, I've easily touched up S30V, S35VN, 154CM, VG-10, etc., quite often using only the fine, white rods. IMO, diamonds are not a necessity for S30V, much less 154CM.

Jim
 
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James Y said:
154 CM is pretty easy to resharpen on my Sharpmaker. TBH, the Sharpmaker is my only sharpening system, apart from a small pocket diamond hone that I never use.

I've actually reprofiled an S30V blade on my Sharpmaker (mostly the dark rods). It took patience and a good while, off and on over several days, but I did it to see if I could. Plus, I didn't want to risk removing too much steel at once. And I'm a competent sharpener, but not a sharpening authority like some are. As far as simple resharpening, I've easily touched up S30V, S35VN, 154CM, VG-10, etc., quite often using only the fine, white rods. IMO, diamonds are not a necessity for S30V, much less 154CM.
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But if you don't have a sharpmaker or similar, I would still suggest a fine diamond stone. Just easier...
 
I have the mini-grip in 154CM and it's really well heat-treated, IMO. 154CM has fairly large carbides, so you either need a very coarse non-diamond stone or a medium or fine diamond. A medium arkansas stone will merely polish the edge (beatifully, I might add!), but not really sharpen if the blade has taken some abuse.
 
154cm is one of my favourite steels because it is so easy to touch up and responds well to my ceramic stones, while still being tough enough plus corrosion and abrasion resistant.

I find it sharpens much easier than s30v. Though once you have a good edge set most steels are fairly easy to touch up with a sharpmaker rod. The sharpmaker is great for touchups and not ideal (in my opinion) for reprofiling an edge.
 
I have one knife in 154cm (kitchen parer/utility) with a second due in October (JK Knives Improved Friction Folder), and I can't wait.

I like the alloy and it Loves a toothy edge.
I run mine on my coarse or medium DMT and straight to the strop.

I have both hard and soft Arkansas stones, so I will see how my parer responds to them tonight.
 
Your Naniwa waterstones should be fine, depending on the grit. I've sharpened 154CM with a Norton medium grit stone and my Spyderco medium grit ceramic stone just fine. For a final touch up I just use a Spyderco fine grit ceramic stone. Only reason to get the diamond stone is if you need to reprofile the edge or you dull the hell out of it.
 
Good, tough steel, used by a lot of makers like Benchmade (Grippie) and Emerson (all of 'em). But I don't care for it much as it does not hold an edge like D2, S30V, CTS-XHP.
 
I don't think you need diamonds for S30V and I think 154CM is easier to sharpen than S30V. You can do touch ups on either with the sharpmaker.
 
The Griptillian is a favorite in our home. Benchmade has a lot of experience with this steel and model knife. I think you'll be just fine with what you have. Go to the maintenance and tinkering section for TONS of info on "how to".
 
I find that my old customs in 154CM form less of a burr and therefore are easier to sharpen than my Spyderco's in S30V.

Based on this I assume they're pretty much equivalent steels in this aspect.
 
154CM isn't terribly hard to sharpen - my cheap stones work just fine on it. I have a Sharpmaker and will echo - great for touchups but wouldn't want to try reprofiling with them.
 
http://knifeinformer.com/discovering-the-best-knife-steel/

a nice little page on knife steel. i agree with 99% of the information in here. the main thing i'd adjust are the headers

- ultra premium = super steel
- premium = premium
- high end = acceptable
- upper mid = barely acceptable
- lower mid-range = niche steel - only for very specific knives that have deep history using these steels. (e.g., 1095 on GEC/northwoods/traditionals and 420HC on Buck, etc.)
 
KnifeWizard said:
Hi, I am looking at purchasing a Benchmade Griptilian. Is the 154cm steel easy to sharpen? Will I need diamond stones like for s30v or will normal Naniwa waterstones work fine? Or possibly the spyderco sharpmaker?
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NJBillK said:
I have one knife in 154cm (kitchen parer/utility) with a second due in October (JK Knives Improved Friction Folder), and I can't wait.

I like the alloy and it Loves a toothy edge.
I run mine on my coarse or medium DMT and straight to the strop.

I have both hard and soft Arkansas stones, so I will see how my parer responds to them tonight.
Click to expand...

Just got it off of the stone and it sharpened up fine. 600 grit stone was quick to raise a burr and I even knocked the shoulder down to the flat to get a feel for how it would re-grind; not that bad.

My stone shed quite a bit, so it may be on the softer/faster cuting side, it didn't load, and the swarf was helped a bit, though it cut fine clean as well.
 
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