Looky at what i found today!

[Giggysann]

Can not remember where i got these from but it may have been from deployments. All i know is i remember seeing them a few years ago and then lost track of em'.

The edges are pretty beat up, i do remember using them while i was in the service ALOT! but they are still smooth and in great shape.

Both edges on the 553 and 551 need some serious love and attention, but im sure i can get them back to shaving sharp in no time.

Always fun finding a good folder you forgot about.

 

[Professor]

Great re-discovery! I love hearing about servicemen carrying Grips! A true testament to their durability.

If they seem like they're gonna take an immense amount of resharpening, I'd take advantage of BM's Lifesharp service. You could stagger sending them in so that you wouldn't be without both at the same time.

Prof.

 

[Giggysann]

If i were terrible at sharpening i would actually do that, but i love sharpening! I do most of my sharpening freehand, its relaxing to me. And yeah Professor i remember carrying one of these every day (in conjunction to my fixed blade) these are super durable and still open like day 1.

 

[Professor]

I'm with you on the freehand sharpening. I use DMT diamond benchstones, the green extra-fine being my favorite, though all my knives are plain-edged these days.

Happy sharpening!

 

[Dabakr]

I build furniture so I have a pretty wide selection of Japanese and Swiss chisels/blades. I love sharpening too and after a pain-in-the-ass old Japanese carpenter forced me as a kid to learn proper (zen-like) sharpening techniques (not really as mystical as it sounds) I too find it is one of the more relaxing chores in the shop. On my blades I use a succession of diamond hones and work up (or down) to a 2000 and then 6000 grit Japanese wet stone. Mr. Ogata would drag the knife or blade across a piece of poplar and when it raised up a thin curly ribbon of wood-it was done, not before. I still struggle to get all my edges to 'raise the curl' ( i guess its kinda like 'shaving sharp') but even if they don't its a nice task to drift off for a while. Have fun with the two foundlings.

I just joined this forum because after years of blade use and collecting lots of pretty cheap EDC's i am interested in acquiring a few higher-end blades as my 10+yr Leek is getting beat-up and my Opinels, Shrade Old Timers and CRKT edc's are not as exciting as they once were. I decided to start with an introductory Spyderco Ambitious since I couldn't find a Benchmade at the 'value' price-point I wanted (<$50...mostly because I am worried about starting ANOTHER expensive collection that becomes ADDICTIVE ...like vintage watches an old Dunhill/Dupont lighters:hopelessness I did have this initial friction problem with the Ambitious* thats worked out but it makes me even MORE interested in the BM Torrent Nitrous which is my current fixation. I have no idea what the 'Torrent's' reputation is here among BM fanatics but it has the design style that appeals to me most in assisted op. Otherwise-I'll have to wait and see. Good luck with your project.

*although the blade stiffness and dragging has abated -I did have to 'explore' a little to make sure the washers and roller bearing were seated/cleaned properly. No matter WHAT anyone says about a specific brand it is NEVER a good thing to have a customers first impression of a brand be underwhelming. My first thought was, "i should have bought the Benchmade Torrent", but my quest was to see how the build/blade qualities of the top mid-price knife companies compared before I move on to my first +$100-$150 blade. Now I am narrowing down to between a BM vs. Spyd Superleaf/Para[???] I would probably never spend more then $200 but only on the grounds that I already have one exceedingly expensive hobby in vintage watches and figure it must be possible to get a truly AMAZING knife in the $100-$200 range.