Just can't get my knife sharp

V

Valdezrl

Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Messages
31
Ok, suggestions needed here. I just finished my first knife out of 1095 and while the blade feels sharp running my fingers across it the thing can just barely shave hair. I sharpened it with my Lansky at 20* and from what I could tell came out pretty well. Maybe I should have spent more time on the diamond stone setting the initial edge? I compared with other knives off the same sharpener that are hair popping sharp.

Suggestions?
 
For some reason I have a hard time with carbon steels like on my Mora or my Schrade. They won't shave hair too well, but they make good feather sticks and split wood. I'll have to keep up with this one to learn too.


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Sounds like it must be the initial edge to me, I like to take the edge down mostly with a worn 400 grit flexible belt (using the slack area right before the wheel) and then finish on a 1000 and 4000 stone just at the very end. Has worked like a charm so far!


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I had the same problems... then for $22+shipping I bought a leather strop with green diamond paste on it 2 weeks ago. It isn't even fair how much this helped my edges. I use Arkansas soft stones on my blades. But after getting this new strop...They'' shave hair with ease, sometimes grab phone book paper now. Yeah regular paper cutting isn't hard at all now. But try to get a knife to grab phone book paper, and it's well beyond hair shaving!

If you've had any hold outs on buying a green diamond pasted leather strop like I did.... STOP, BUY ONE! Well worth it, you'll be extremely happy you did.
 
Several things make for a sharp edge that won't cut well:
1) The edge was too thick before sharpening. After the HT you have to sand/grind down the bevels to get past the decarb and to thin the edge. When the bevels are done, the edge should only be a few thousandths thick. On slicer type knives, the edge is taken to almost sharp. The thinner the edge before sharpening, the sharper it gets. This has to be balanced with the type of use the knife will get. Rough use and field knives will want a thicker edge. A convex edge is a way to get a bit of both.

2) The wire - When sharpening, the edge gets thinner and thinner. This makes it so thin that it forms a loose flap of metal called "the wire". This has to be removed. It will wear off in cutting, and some folks just cut a few pieces of cardboard to remove it. This leaves a rather rough, but sharp edge. This is actually a good edge for cutting soft things like meat. Others buff the edge or strop it. Stropping or buffing will also polish the edge, making the blade have less drag.

3) Decarb - If the layer of decarb hasn't been sanded/ground away completely at the edge, it will not get or stay sharp. The edge needs to be ground back a few thousandths, and the bevels need a few thousandths removed from the surface to get to the truly hard steel beneath.
 
I have found that when one of my edges won't get up to snuff on being sharp--it is because I didn't spend enough time with either my most coarse stone, or my finest one--most often it's the finest one--I also have had great results when I end up with a knife edge like you describe, with stropping--I also like the impregnated green compound coated strop: http://www.knivesplus.com/KP-STROP8-STROPBLOCK.html
is the one that I love.
 
No matter the cause, less than a minute on a paper wheel setup will give you the sharpness you want.
 
I sharpen on a 220 grit belt then a 400 grit worn out belt in the slack area giving the convex edge Stacy mentioned, I go to the buffer and use a medium felt wheel with a touch of compound to strop. I have used this method for the past 8 years and have excellent edge sharpness.
 
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