Is there a trick to sharpening?

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SuzukiGS750EZ

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Dec 30, 2008
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Hey guys. I can get a "working" edge on my sebenza 21 (s35vn) but can't get past that. I sharpen on my sharp maker and then strop on an old belt, no compound but a fine metal polish. Is there a trick to sharpening? I see they don't have a standard flat bevel, it's more like a convexed edge.
 
Well since the sharp maker is guided, my guess is that you could be dulling it while stropping...again this is just a guess.

I would start by picking up a cheap loupe on that river site for a few bucks and then you can inspect your edge throughout sharpening, and hopefully identify where you are going off track.

Also, check out some stropping videos, the mistake I would make is not lifting it straight off the strop after each stroke.

Good luck, and you could probably get some better answers in the maintenance, tinkering, and embelishment sub-forum. They've helped me out a lot on the path of the blade :)
 
First cut into the tip of a sharpie the entire length of the blade. Then hone on sharpmaker. Make sure you are reaching the apex, removing all sharpie, on both sides. If so you should have a sharp edge. Now to strop for burr removal. This can make or break an edge quickly. Picture too much pressure actually rounding off that nice crisp apex you just honed.

Try this and check back :)
 
I've been sharpening knives for many many years. I get a burr on both sides but the knife just doesn't seem sharp. Stropping smooths the burrs out, and it will cut news print cleanly. But it just doesn't seem to have that bite. It's the only knife I've ever questioned after sharpening lol
 
Why did you ask about sharpening tricks if you have no questions on it???

It's very simple to give a knife bite. The other poster is correct. Get a loupe and figure out what that apex actually looks like..

Good luck..
 
Perhaps instead of stropping, try raising the angle ever so slightly and make a few very light passes on the fine rods.

Removing the burr this way often results in a better "bite", as you say.
 
I was more so asking if there were tricks to the sebenza. Like maybe not using the fine stones, etched. Unit, that I will try. Somewhat like introducing a micro bevel but just doing so to skip the strop?
 
Okay. If it's sharp but no bite and your using an abrasive that has a grit size to actually give an aggressive bite, you likely have a wire edge and your not actually getting to that fresh microserrated apex. Does the edge hold well? If you cut a bunch of cardboard will it still pushcut newsprint? It should.
 
This is actually why I moved to a linen belt strop with black waxed compounds. It would really clean up the edge quickly without any worry of rounding off the apex and quick enough your not just polishing away the teeth. Make sense?
 
Yes it does. Stropping I'm new to. This is the only knife I strop. I can work off the burr on all my other knives on a stone. The grit size of the polish isn't enough to do much more than provide more of a grit than just the leather belt. I can usually feel a burr on my nail. Perhaps you are correct on a wire edge still being there. I will look with a loupe in the morning. Like I said it will cut news print clean but I have knives I've sharpened that I can get tons sharper, even some blade steels that are more difficult to sharpen than s35vn. Do you think maybe the primary bevel is convexed and needs to be brought down flat? I have no experience other than with this seb 21 when it comes to crk knives and steels.
 
I got the "bite" :-). I stropped at a more obtuse angle than i have been to not "round" the edge as richstag suggested. Seemed to do fine, it bites like it never has. Nice to know i can now grab and go!
 
Seems the bite left? I haven't carried or used it since I sharpened. Does this blade steel oxidize at the edge at all?
 
I like a coarse edge for bite on this steel. Typically 300-600 grit, remove burr (typically via micro bevel at 300 with no pressure).

There are many other solutions, this one is what I goto for quick/easy/economical. Other solutions include a lot more refinement, but sometimes simple is best.
 
Like Unit I went for the easiet way too. Though it was after trying all the others.

What I use is actually my grandfather's old straight razor belt strop. One side is horsehide leather and the other is linen/canvas. He had a dry white compound on thelinen but that was not abrasive enough for some of the higher steels igot into

This strop in very very old and the very old way to use it islinen side for large burr removal and leather for polish.

I only use the linen. I found with that and harder buffing compound it will take a burr right off any steel. Of course I don't make huge wire edges, so Idk about that.

It's quick, easy and obviously nothing new.

One trick I learned with my beltgrinder to remove a larger burr just wad up paper towel and slice it multiple times. This is only if yougot in trouble with your burr.
 
I put mine on the Wicked Edge after it dulled from use and put a hair splitting edge on it. It takes great skill and much practice to hand sharpen a nice convex edge like they do at the CRK factory. That's why I went to the machine. If you do use a machine just don't make the angle too shallow. Nothing wrong with a 22-24 degree edge on a pocket knife.
 
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