Looking for advice on my sharpening setup, plan of attack, etc.

[brancron]

I'm pretty new to the world of sharpening, and am looking for advice.

I want to reprofile a Delica down to 10 degrees per side, with a 15 degree per side microbevel. Here is my current plan and questions regarding it:

1. I bought this coarse diamond stone for the reprofiling: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009YV6B/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Will that work?

2. Will this sharpening clamp work on small knives? http://www.amazon.com/DMT-ABG-Align...298992&sr=8-1&keywords=sharpening+guide+clamp

3. Once I get the bevel angle at 10 degrees per side, can I go straight to the medium rods on a Spyderco Sharpmaker? Will the knife clamp work with the Sharpmaker stones laid flat?

4. Once I finish the bevel, how do I go about putting on the microbevel? Do I start again with medium stones with the Sharpmaker at the 15 degree per side setting?

If someone could walk me through this process it would be extremely appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[Jason B.]

10 dps is not a practical bevel angle for the knife in question. Even with a 15 dps micro you would have issues.

1) yes, but larger and coarser wold have been my recommendation.

2) How small is a small knife?

3) Using the clamp with the rods laid flat would be kinda pointless, just put the rods in the Sharpmaker slots.

4) A microbevel is typically applied with ONLY a very fine stone, if you go through multiple grinding operations the bevel will no longer be micro. Your primary bevel should be set with a medium stone, then you skip to the UF ceramic in the 20 dps slots on the SM and set a Microbevel. Your first two passes per side should be done with elevated sharpening pressure then followed with ever decreasing pressure until hardly the weight of the blade is being used. With about 20-30 strokes per side of the bevel this process should be completed, excessive grinding of the microbevel will make it not a microbevel.

 

[brancron]

So would you instead recommend a 15 degree per side bevel and a 20 degree microbevel?

 

[yepimonfire]

Try 18° no micro bevel. If you're new to sharpening I would strongly suggest you don't even attempt reprofiling and just learn to sharpen free hand at the factory bevel. It's too easy to get uneven angles if you're not somewhat experienced.