Lansky System Help…What Angle to Use on Pocketknives and Folders??

[Nalapombu]

Hey all.

I’ve got a quick question.

I have a Lansky system with the basic hones. I have a couple of Remington Stockman pocketknives that need sharpening. The problem is that I am not quite sure which angle to use on it.

Would you all mind giving this novice some guidance on sharpening with the LANSKY and the best angle to use on pocketknives and folders that I carry every single day?

What about fixed blades for hunting and camp use? Use the same angle or different?

I can use the assistance….

Thank you all for your help. Have a good week!

BD.

 

[old4570]

A) Match the factory bevel
B) Chose a new angle

Match the factory bevel :

Get out your marker pen and coat the bevel / edge ..
This coating will be your guide .
Sharpen at an angle that matches the factory edge ..

New Angle :

1st you need to know what angle the factory edge is ..
Then you have to decide on how tight you want your edge and what you will be cutting ..
Depending on the quality of the blade steel , it may or may not support a tight bevel angle .
The tighter the angle , the better it will cut . Too tight and the edge may roll / fold or otherwise be damaged .

Actual numbers :

Some factory edges are 22 degrees ( each side ) and others might be 18 degrees ..
The smaller the knife and the lighter the duty , the tighter you can make the bevel ..
I would not go past 16 degrees until you are sure the blade can handle it ..

 

[chalby]

I would try 17 deg. first. The more acute angle will give you better edge retention, but your usage will determine whether that angle works for you or not. A more robust angle (more than 17 deg.) will give you an edge that is less prone to chipping or rolling at the expense of having to re-sharpen more often.

IMO, it is better to reprofile to an acute angle at first, then go to a more obtuse angle if you need. Otherwise you will never know what your blade is capable of. Again, it depends on what you are using the knife for. Just slicing = more acute angle. Heavy duty use = more obtuse angle.

 

[115Italian]

I have found that the lansky markings aren’t 100% accurate. I tend to use the 20 or sometimes the 17. The 20 has worked for me well on general use knives. I use the 25 with very light strokes to put a micro bevel on certain knives.

Using a marker, as mentioned, and doing a few test strokes will allow you to closely match the current edge angle.

 

[PQGK]

I use this system
It depends on the factory edge geometry (angle) and blade width

How ever I do agree with 115Italian . Its not accurate based on above

A) Match the factory bevel
B) Chose a new angle

^ This
I usually reprofile a new angle with 25 deg man edge and 30 deg Micro bevel (As per clamp)
(just my pref)

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

For traditional pocketknives, go as low as the clamp allows with the blade you're sharpening. Most any traditional pocketknife that's used in the ways most of them are used can easily handle edge angles down to 12°-15° per side. And with the Lansky clamp, that'll be about the lower limit of what it can do with a blade that's around 1/2-inch wide or a little wider. Very small traditional blades of 1/4" width or so will likely not be sharpenable in any setting lower than the 20° setting on the Lansky clamp - anything lower would likely have the end of the clamp getting in the way.

Much bigger blades, like large fixed blades and kitchen knives, can sharpen up to very low & acute angles with the clamp, due to the width of the blade and how far that positions the edge away from the end of the clamp. But there won't be much need to go so low, for the sake of maintaining edge durability and stability. Maybe 15°-20° per side for those, or down to maybe 12° per side for kitchen knives. The higher angle settings on the clamp might best be used for that.

You can choose to match your factory edge angle as close as you can make it. But the edges on almost all traditional blades can be made much better by taking them somewhat lower in angle, if you want to take the time to do it.