Just got a new Queen -- Sharpening question

D

Doug Selsor

Joined
Mar 5, 2001
Messages
113
I just received a couple of new knives the other day -- a Queen canoe and a Henckels copperhead. The blades on the Queen are D2, while those on the Henckels are carbon steel, I assume 1095 or something similar. Anyway, I like both knives. Fit and finish is great. However, neither came with much of an edge on the blades. I mean, you'd have to heat the things up to cut butter. I've spent some time with them on the Sharpmaker, with very little luck. I've got a Gatco, but I'm not real accomplished at using it. I guess it's because I've always had excellent results with the sharpmaker, even with steels like D2 and 440V. My question is -- do any of you use a sharpener like the Gatco or Lanskey on your Queens and Henckels and whatever else, and if so what angle do you have the best results at?

Thanks,
Doug
 
For the Henckels, a coarse India Stone is fine for reprofiling the edge. 1095 isn't bad .

The D2 is another thing. Get a DMT or some other diamond hone or you are going to be in for a long, frustrating job.

I don't know why slipjoint manufacturers, even some of the better ones like Queen, don't put better edges on their blades at the factory.
 
Hi Doug,

I had to use the diamond hones with my sharpmaker to reprofile the blades on my Queen Canoe. It will still take some time to do. Without using diamond hones it will take a long time to do.
 
Originally posted by Coonskinner
For the Henckels, a coarse India Stone is fine for reprofiling the edge. 1095 isn't bad .

The D2 is another thing. Get a DMT or some other diamond hone or you are going to be in for a long, frustrating job.

I don't know why slipjoint manufacturers, even some of the better ones like Queen, don't put better edges on their blades at the factory.
Click to expand...

My Gatco has diamond hones. I'm going to give that a try. I've just never had as much success with it as I have with the sharpmaker. Anyone have an idea as to the proper angle to use when sharpening these things. It looks fairly steep.

I may just get the diamond rods for the sharpmaker. Funny -- the two knives were $34 each, and the damn diamond rods for the sharpmaker run about $80-$85.

I do like these two knives, though. The Queen is done in black cherry delrin, while the Henckels is green picked bone.

Thanks,
Doug
 
NI have a couple of the new Queens in D2. Normally I do all of my sharpening with a Norton coarse/fine India and a hard Arkansas stone. I have been trying for weeks to get the edge on the #48 whittler reprofiled - finally gave up and bought a diamond hone today.

The #32 Congress came with a better edge profile - I will still use the diamond hone as the first step.

I have tried the Lansky/Gatco aligner/clamp systems in the past, never had much luck on the blades of smaller slipjoints - I think these systems will only work on large blades like hunters and kitchen knives.
 
Well, this evening I dug out the Gatco w/ diamond hones and gave it a try. Started out on the Henckels, and after about 15 minutes on the Gatco, followed by a few on the white sharpmaker hones, the thing was scarey sharp. The D2 on the Queen took a bit longer. I spent about an hour with the Gatco, then a few minutes on the Sharpmaker. The thing isn't quite scary-sharp, but it easily shaves hair. I used a 22 degree angle on both knives, so that I can maintain them on the Sharpmaker. Thanks for the advice. Diamond is definately the way to go on the Queens.

By the way, I dropped one of the brown sharpmaker rods on the hardwood tonight. The thing shattered! I guess it must be a sign... Buy the diamond rods... Buy the diamond rods... I know they cost 80 bucks, but they'll make you happy...;)

Thanks,
Doug
 
Be a cheapskate and try some 600 or 800 grit SIC wet/dry paper. It'll cost you less than five bucks at Wal-Mart and will reprofile faster than diamonds, IMHO. Just make sure to use a stropping motion instead of pushing the blade into the paper. Good wet/dry paper will reprofile a blade in record time. Stick the paper to a mouse mat for a convex edge, or to a piece of glass for a standard edge bevel.
 
Doug..I got my diamond rods for about 55.00 on the web and now I trying to remember where. I got the tip here on BF just don't remember which Forum :( Probably some diligent web crawling will turn up a good deal for you.
 
Originally posted by Don Adelfson
Doug..I got my diamond rods for about 55.00 on the web and now I trying to remember where. I got the tip here on BF just don't remember which Forum :( Probably some diligent web crawling will turn up a good deal for you.
Click to expand...

You're quite right. New Graham has them for around $55.00. I actually did manage to get a good edge on both of them with the diamond hones on the Gatco. I think I may take Buzzbait's suggestions and try putting a convex edge on the Queen using sandpaper on a mousepad.

Buzz, I've got a very dull 10" Marbles Trailmaker (came that way). Think I can put a good edge on it with the sandpaper, or should I send it off somewhere and have it professionally done?

Doug
 
Originally posted by Don Adelfson
Doug..I got my diamond rods for about 55.00 on the web and now I trying to remember where. I got the tip here on BF just don't remember which Forum :( Probably some diligent web crawling will turn up a good deal for you.
Click to expand...

You're quite right. New Graham has them for around $55.00. I actually did manage to get a good edge on both of them with the diamond hones on the Gatco. I think I may take Buzzbait's suggestions and try putting a convex edge on the Queen using sandpaper on a mousepad.

Buzz, I've got a very dull 10" Marbles Trailmaker (came that way). Think I can put a good edge on it with the sandpaper, or should I send it off somewhere and have it professionally done?

Doug
 
I think you are on the right track. Use the Gatco for reprofileing and finish with the Sharpmaker. I would make sure I am going thinner with the Gatco than the Sharpmakers degrees. Try a Gatco 15 degree and a Sharpmaker 20 degree. This will let you use just the Sharpmaker for quite a few times before you need to reprofile again. Also should make getting the edge sharp faster with the Sharpmaker. I am assumeing the Gatco hone is caurse. Wouldn't hurt to use a few grits with the Gatco before going to the Shapmaker.
 
If you decide to go the full convex route, I have found it easier to put a good narrow bevel on the knife using traditional v-grinds first, then switch over to sandpaper. I have tried to use sandpaper on a seriously dull knife, and I just keep smoothing out the sandpaper. I probably let my knife get too dull, I don't know.

Buzzbait, if you are still reading this, how much pressure do you use on the paper? Thanks.
 
I'm a semi-old schooler. I have a Lansky that I love, (with diamond hones, of course) and pretty much run a 20deg for all my sj's. I still like traditional whet stones, but for reprofiling or re-cutting an angle, the Lansky's hard to beat IMHO.

I always finish up with a wood-backed leather strop with jewelers rouge imbedded, for scary-sharpness.

(By the way, I don't have a sharpmaker, so I have to envy all yours) :mad:
 
Originally posted by swede79
Buzzbait, if you are still reading this, how much pressure do you use on the paper? Thanks.
Click to expand...

I NEVER put enough pressure on the wet/dry paper, when using a mouse pad backing, to make the paper wrinkle as I'm working the blade. If you use too much pressure while working on the edge, it can actually dull the blade. You just use enough pressure to get the angle you're after, and let the paper do the abrasive work.

If your paper is wearing out too quickly, you might want to try a better quality paper. I personally find Hand American wet/dry paper ( http://www.handamerican.com/scpaper.html ) to be about a million and one half times better than the usual 3M or Norton stuff. The abrasive lasts for a LONG time on the Hand American paper!!!!

Oh yeah...... Get the adhesive backed paper. The stuff is awesome to work with. It sticks to lots of stuff, and has a more rigid backing to prevent wrinkling
 
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