K390 Spyderco Mule Mirror Finish

M

MadRookie

Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
234
[video=youtube;1wwgnTy6-sw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wwgnTy6-sw[/video]


....and a pic or two...








:)
 
Mad rookie is a sharpening maniac with an upgraded Edge Pro Professional and some rather nice stones. :)
 
Thx guys/girls (if any) for the kind words.

I used an EP Pro from start to finsih - no mechanical/electrical wheel, grinders etc.

Started wit a full Atoma progression from #140 thtough to #1 200.

Then full Shapton GS progression from #500 to 30k.

Then approx 300 to 500 strokes on balsa strops with 1, 0.25 & .01 poly diamond .... takes serious time, but as my own knife, worth it!

:)
 
MR,

As always, seriously admirer your sharpening. Who did your handle on the mule? Really like the pins and the liner.
 
I tried this on my MT17 yesterday, with my lansky, and it took me all day to get a smooth finish, but still not mirror-like. Now I fully appreciate the effort you put in, great job!

I used the lansky sapphire super fine after using the yellow ultra fine, which I think is a mistake, it should be the other way around? Actually I didn't feel any difference between the two. Any tips for improving my edge, on a budget? =)
 
I secretly check your youtube often for mirror edge updates, is that wrong? Awesome bevels as always.
 
MadRookie said:
Thx guys/girls (if any) for the kind words.

I used an EP Pro from start to finsih - no mechanical/electrical wheel, grinders etc.

Started wit a full Atoma progression from #140 thtough to #1 200.

Then full Shapton GS progression from #500 to 30k.

Then approx 300 to 500 strokes on balsa strops with 1, 0.25 & .01 poly diamond .... takes serious time, but as my own knife, worth it!

:)
Click to expand...


Nice!! I've been thinking about picking up some of the atomas. I'm still waiting for the shapton GS 2000 grit to be in stock. It's the only one I'm missing from the set.
 
99cuts said:
I tried this on my MT17 yesterday, with my lansky, and it took me all day to get a smooth finish, but still not mirror-like. Now I fully appreciate the effort you put in, great job!

I used the lansky sapphire super fine after using the yellow ultra fine, which I think is a mistake, it should be the other way around? Actually I didn't feel any difference between the two. Any tips for improving my edge, on a budget? =)
Click to expand...

Hi:

First the yellow followed by the blue sapphire is the right way to go.

I used the Lansky for many years before upgrading to the EP.

:)
 
What bevel angle did you take that mule to rookie? I put a 28 inclusive on mine with moldmasters and it took me about 4 hours. The 150 grit felt like 320 on the K390 and the obtuse angle at the heel was the most difficult to dig out. Still waiting for the scales to get here. Next is finding a sheath for it. I want to carry this baby. The edge still feels z bit toothy to me even at 1u polish.

K390Mule1_zps9568dbb6.jpg
 
On landing the bevel was approx 17.6 DPS measured with the Angle Cube.

I re-profiled to 15 DPS & finished with a very, very tiny micro bevel at 20 DPS with a 4k Shapton GS.

:)
 
How much wear did you put into those moldmaster stones? I'd love to see how dished they became after hours of honing.

I'm hoping to bite the bullet soon and get my K390 Mules honed up on my edgepro and congress stones. Wish me luck.
 
MadRookie said:
On landing the bevel was approx 17.6 DPS measured with the Angle Cube.

I re-profiled to 15 DPS & finished with a very, very tiny micro bevel at 20 DPS with a 4k Shapton GS.

:)
Click to expand...

Thanks rookie. :)

PB Wilson said:
How much wear did you put into those moldmaster stones? I'd love to see how dished they became after hours of honing.

I'm hoping to bite the bullet soon and get my K390 Mules honed up on my edgepro and congress stones. Wish me luck.
Click to expand...

Not a lot surprisingly. The moldmasters don't seem to wear a lot at all. I did have to lap the 150 a few times(maybe 3 or 4 times) and the 240 and 320 twice during the session since I observed that wear resistant steels seem to load the stones faster than less wear resistant steels.

It's really not that fearsome. I just put the complete studio works of Led Zeppelin on the stereo made a pot of coffee and ground away. What you have to watch out for with the moldmasters is when they get loaded and stop cutting efficiently. if you fail to notice that, you'll spend a lot of time and energy without getting anywhere. I can usually tell by how it feels but a good indication is the scratch pattern. If you seem to be burnishing instead of hogging off metal, that stone is probably loaded.
 
Last edited:
singularity35 said:
Thanks rookie. :)



Not a lot surprisingly. The moldmasters don't seem to wear a lot at all. I did have to lap the 150 a few times(maybe 3 or 4 times) and the 240 and 320 twice during the session since I observed that wear resistant steels seem to load the stones faster than less wear resistant steels.

It's really not that fearsome. I just put the complete studio works of Led Zeppelin on the stereo made a pot of coffee and ground away. What you have to watch out for with the moldmasters is when they get loaded and stop cutting efficiently. if you fail to notice that, you'll spend a lot of time and energy without getting anywhere. I can usually tell by how it feels but a good indication is the scratch pattern. If you seem to be burnishing instead of hogging off metal, that stone is probably loaded.
Click to expand...

singularity35, did you also find the K390 steel to be softer than expected??

My custom M390 units were much harder to grind than the K390 mule....that was my impression anyway...????

Is it the HT....or just me....???

:)
 
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