Keeping a CRK sharp

[Corytr]

I am sure this has been discussed many times over here, but with one of my 'holy crap' moments, I figured I would start yet another thread on the issue.

I've tried everything from a Sharpmaker, stones, strops, to a Wicked Edge. I have admittedly been very hesitant to use the WE on my CRK's because, if you aren't careful, the thing will eat metal for dinner.

Then, late one night, I found this:

If you are using a Sharpemaker,after using the corners turn to the flats and use very light pressure(white stones)then using some cardboard, back of a notebook works well,strop a couple of times then a couple of times on Sharpemaker and repeat.This will get a hair popping sharp blade.

If you use a Sharpmaker, what I am hearing Mr. Reeve himself saying is, after using the corner of the white stones, turn the stones to the flat side and go lightly, then strop to remove the burr. Then he says to lightly use the flat side of the stones and strop... Again? This seemed very unconventional to me. I've heard of taking a blade from a stone to a strop, but to repeat the process? This was a first for me.

Well, I tried it at the 20 degree setting that CRK recommends and it works phenomenally well. The difference between the first stropping and the last is very noticeable.

Using this method, it is easy to ensure that only the very edge sees the stone, which IMO is the beauty of a convex edge or a micro-bevel. You are not disrupting factory bevel much at all. It literally takes 10 minutes (if that) and if done a couple of times a week, you can keep your knife hair popping sharp and not have to worry about the need to re-profile the factory edge for a long time, which CRK will then do for free.

So, my question is, what do you all do? How do you keep your edges sharp?

 

[Padron26]

i use a lansky diamond kit on them. usually ill let the blade get somewhat dull, before i sharpen it. it will get a reprofiled egde.
they all get the same angles and clamp position for all of the large sebenzas, the umnumzaan gets the same angle to. i just have to add a little distance from the clamp to the thumb lug.
the way i measure is 5/8" from the clamp to the center pf the thumb lug on the large sebenzas. and 3/4" for the umnumzaan.

i use the ultra fine, sapphire and 2 strops.
when they start to get a little dull, ill use the finest diamond then ultra fine etc. which only takes me 5-10 mins to get the edges sharp again.

 

[SVTFreak]

I have no problem getting them very very sharp using only the sharp maker. On the white stones, I use very little pressure, almost the weight of the knife only. Easy peasy

 

[fmendez]

I am sure this has been discussed many times over here, but with one of my 'holy crap' moments, I figured I would start yet another thread on the issue.

I've tried everything from a Sharpmaker, stones, strops, to a Wicked Edge. I have admittedly been very hesitant to use the WE on my CRK's because, if you aren't careful, the thing will eat metal for dinner.

Then, late one night, I found this:



If you use a Sharpmaker, what I am hearing Mr. Reeve himself saying is, after using the corner of the white stones, turn the stones to the flat side and go lightly, then strop to remove the burr. Then he says to lightly use the flat side of the stones and strop... Again? This seemed very unconventional to me. I've heard of taking a blade from a stone to a strop, but to repeat the process? This was a

Well, I tried it at the 20 degree setting that CRK recommends and it works phenomenally well. The difference between the first stropping and the last is very noticeable.

Using this method, it is easy to ensure that only the very edge sees the stone, which IMO is the beauty of a convex edge or a micro-bevel. You are not disrupting factory bevel much at all. It literally takes 10 minutes (if that) and if done a couple of times a week, you can keep your knife hair popping sharp and not have to worry about the need to re-profile the factory edge for a long time, which CRK will then do for free.

So, my question is, what do you all do? How do you keep your edges sharp?

That is how i sharpen and it works grest

 

[BellaBlades]

Everything you said is spot on for you to maintain. But 10 minutes a few times a week? Should be more like 2 minutes once a week and then strop it for like 10 seconds a few days later and your all set. I dont think you need to sharpen it that much that often. I am just thinking out load and saying this because you can preserve alot of edge by not sharpening that many times. Just sharpen it once and then strop it as it gets dull. You can do that a few times before it stops shaving easily.

 

[Corytr]

Should be more like 2 minutes once a week and then strop it for like 10 seconds a few days later and your all set.

You are very correct sir. Thank you for pointing this out. I was looking at it from set up to take down. I've actually successfully maintained my edge with a SM for years now. But, I'd honestly never heard of repeating the procedure, which I found interesting. The motivation behind the thread really is because I wanted to point out how easy it is to maintain a very sharp edge. I love the convex edge that CRK puts on their knives and I've purchased at least two 'light users' that were completely (and probably needlessly) re-profiled on a Wicked Edge type of sharpener. It is definitely my fault for jumping on a deal and not asking more questions before buying, but frankly, it kind of upset me that all of that metal was gone.

 

[bart1]

I hit mine a few light licks on crock sticks a couple times a week , no wear, just stays really sharp…. like they say; unless it's heavy daily use, it's easier to just keep it from getting really dull, than to bring it back from the dead…. Bart

 

[Officer's Match]

I actually find careful use of the Work Sharp Ken Onion makes for extremely easy maintaining of CRK's wonderful convex.

 

[thoops]

I get mine razor sharp on the wicked edge and then maintain it by stropping periodically on a knives plus strop block. Works well.

 

[ice_man]

Hi guys, I tried using a sharpmaker before on some spyderco knives but was not that successful. I know I was doing something wrong when I couldn't sharpen my DF2 before.

However, I moved to CRK since I got my 1st and 2nd one last year. I have my 2nd CRK (small insingo) as my daily user, and is now in need of sharpening. I want to get and give the spyderco Sharpmaker another try. But I am confused by all this new info I read on this thread regarding micro bevels and convex edge.

So I have a few questions for all you sharpening gurus:

1. Is sharpening a CRK blade on a sharpmaker any different? What is the angle I need to use on the sharpmaker?
2. As mentioned here, do I not push down on the knife to sharpen it? Instead just use the weight of the knife?
3. How may swipes on each side do I need to do for maintenance?

Sorry for all the newbie questions, I just really don't wanna mess up my sebenzas.

Thanks!

 

[fmendez]

Not a guru but have used the sharpmaker a long time.
I use the 40 deg. (20 incl.) on the sebenza
very light or no pressure at all.
About 10 passes each side on the the flat.
You might want to use a sharpie stain on the edge to make sure you are right on target.

 

[uofaengr]

If they all came with factory edges less than 20 dps this would be great advice. Out of my 3, not a single one will work on a Sharpmaker without a reprofile.

 

[ice_man]

If they all came with factory edges less than 20 dps this would be great advice. Out of my 3, not a single one will work on a Sharpmaker without a reprofile.

This is what I am afraid of. And I also think that I was not using the correct angle before..

I also read that it's lower than 20 on each side?

 

[kidcongo]

This is what I am afraid of. And I also think that I was not using the correct angle before..

I also read that it's lower than 20 on each side?

As you can witness in the Blade HQ shop tour, the knives are sharpened on a belt. This puts a very slightly convex edge on them. it takes a little while until this will flatten out to match the perfect 20 degrees of the Sharpmaker, so before that you will not be hitting the edge. The compromise that worked for me is to strop lightly for the first little while as well as use the Sharpmaker, with the strop taking care of the edge, and the Sharpmaker taking down the curve on the edge. After a few weeks the Sharpmaker will catch up with the strop (because it takes away more materials) and then you can use your strop or not at your pleasure. My first 21 really frustrated me to sharpen until I figured this out. I thought there was something wrong with the steel. Now that the bevels are flat and match the Sharpmaker, it takes a great edge that lasts a lot longer.

 

[hom76]

With a sharpie, I found that the edge of my Mnandi is quite a bit >20dps.... So I could never get it sharp with normal use of the sharpmaker. Now I am doing the edge reprofiling with diamond rods... have already been taking quite a while and still haven't yet hit the edge... Working hard now..

 

[kwackster]

If they all came with factory edges less than 20 dps this would be great advice. Out of my 3, not a single one will work on a Sharpmaker without a reprofile.

This has been my experience as well.
Now i currently don't own any Sebenza myself (had 3 different ones in the past), but i sharpen them for others quite often.
Factory edge angles can be all over the place, ranging from +/- 35 degrees inclusive to +/- 50-55 degrees inclusive.
Many that i've seen also had their edge angles change quite a bit from the heel to the tip, in many cases to an angle from belly to tip larger than a Sharpmaker can handle.

Here are a couple of Sebenza's 25 i did in the past:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...n-a-Sebenza-25?highlight=new+edge+for+Sebenza

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-Sebenza-25?highlight=new+edge+for+Sebenza+25

 

[353]

This has been my experience as well.
Now i currently don't own any Sebenza myself (had 3 different ones in the past), but i sharpen them for others quite often.
Factory edge angles can be all over the place, ranging from +/- 35 degrees inclusive to +/- 50-55 degrees inclusive.
Many that i've seen also had their edge angles change quite a bit from the heel to the tip, in many cases to an angle from belly to tip larger than a Sharpmaker can handle.

Here are a couple of Sebenza's 25 i did in the past:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...n-a-Sebenza-25?highlight=new+edge+for+Sebenza

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-Sebenza-25?highlight=new+edge+for+Sebenza+25

If some of you have problems with the sharpmaker please watch this video. I had problems from belly to tip, didn't hit the stone properly, this fixed that and I'm more happy then ever with the SM kit.

I believe I've posted this video several times on BF but here you go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FemYXS8p_tI&list=FLwfNhjgpiIiS4ccobxdDeRA&index=5

 

[gull wing]

Plus one for Sharpmaker and strop.
I've found I use the Sharpmaker much less since I strop almost every day in the evening. That keeps my Insingo cutting.
I use the Sharpmaker every other week.

I use the Knives Plus strop, low priced and good.

 

[unit]

Everything you said is spot on for you to maintain. But 10 minutes a few times a week? Should be more like 2 minutes once a week and then strop it for like 10 seconds a few days later and your all set. I dont think you need to sharpen it that much that often. I am just thinking out load and saying this because you can preserve alot of edge by not sharpening that many times. Just sharpen it once and then strop it as it gets dull. You can do that a few times before it stops shaving easily.

I used to be the guy that insisted on doing something about the "problem" when my S35Vn blade would no longer clean shave my arm on a single stroke.

Now I use my knife for all sorts of things like cutting open bags of bentonite, portland cement, sand, and redimix all day while constructing wells and after a week of this, I inspect the edge...which is way beyond clean shaving anything, but still VERY capable of doing the work and even cutting cardboard to line the guine pig's cage.

My point here is, yeah, you can maintain the blade that often...and I used to, but honestly, this steel was developed to operate as a working sharp (pretty much the condition I described for my knife now) and efforts to keep it crispy out-of-the-box sharp will require VERY regular maintenance.

I realize that almost no one will acttually try this, but let the edge go a while and see how the edge stabilizes and continues to work WAY beyond the point you might otherwise feel compelled to "fix".

 

[353]

The way I check for sharpness is lightly tapping the edge, all of it, at a 45º angle to my fingernail. If it doesn't catch, it's sharpening time.

I use only the flats on the SM, both medium & fine, and then strop with green paste on leather. Then maintaining by stropping until the blade flaws the "nailtest".