meaning of a mirror edge

[mossdabomb]

Man, all of those edges are beyond amazing.

 

[C.S. Graves]

That is one far-out razor! :thumbup:

 

[al3xd4gr34t]

How are you all achieving your mirror edges?

My technique is 600 grit to 1000 grit to 2000 sandpaper on a piece of glass, then to a 6000 grit King Waterstone to a strop loaded with green compound.

 

[Jason B.]

Your 2k sandpaper is probably as fine if not finer than your 6k water stone. The OP's knife was finish with a 3 step polishing process ending with 14k diamond compound, this is about the starting point for a complete mirror finish.

 

[al3xd4gr34t]

Your 2k sandpaper is probably as fine if not finer than your 6k water stone. The OP's knife was finish with a 3 step polishing process ending with 14k diamond compound, this is about the starting point for a complete mirror finish.

This doesn't seem to make sense to me. How would my 2k sandpaper be as fine or finer than my 6k stone? I've been sharpening on sandpaper for a while now and just started to get into stones. My knife is indeed sharper after I added the 6k stone into my process. Just wondering.

 

[Ankerson]

This doesn't seem to make sense to me. How would my 2k sandpaper be as fine or finer than my 6k stone? I've been sharpening on sandpaper for a while now and just started to get into stones. My knife is indeed sharper after I added the 6k stone into my process. Just wondering.

Japanese Waterstone Grit ratings are higher than the Standard American Whetstone.

 

[al3xd4gr34t]

Japanese Waterstone Grit ratings are higher than the Standard American Whetstone.

You learn something new everyday. Thanks! Would you happen to have a list of which American grits translate to which Japanese grits? Nevermind, just googled it.

 

[Jason B.]

Because american grit and japanese grit are two different rating scales. IIRC 2k 3M paper is closer to a 8k water stone, if you were to wear your paper in and use WD40 or water as lube plus a little speed your would get a perfect mirror finish from the 2k alone. Its not easy though and I have only done it with a scandi blade.

Grit is a very confusing thing and the reason I started using micron to level the playing field for my own understanding.

 

[al3xd4gr34t]

So it seems I should be going 600 to 1000 to the 6k stone to 2k paper, then strop.

 

[Phillip Dobson]

Grit is a very confusing thing and the reason I started using micron to level the playing field for my own understanding.

Micron-grading helps, but even that scale isn't perfect. Different abrasive grains have different shapes and cut differently. Something like SiC is very friable and sharp, while garnet grains are more rounded. These abrasives will cut differently even if the grains are the same diameter. I'm sure that Knifenut is very aware of this issue.

Phillip

 

[Jason B.]

Very much aware, I just wish it all was less complex

 

[theonew]

What makes it even more complex is that technique plays a big role as well. I've gotten some pretty darn shiny edges using very light strokes on a 9 micron, 1200 US grit DMT hone. Also with quality diamond hones their cutting characteristics change with use.

 

[Jason B.]

Diamond grit is not grit but mesh, the abrasive material (diamond) is sifted through layers of mesh screens. Hence the term mesh.

Using a diamond hone as you have found is all about pressure and the less of it you use the better. The reasoning being that you can either have the diamonds dig deep into the steel surface (heavy pressure) or barely scratch the surface (insanely light pressure). This varying degree of pressure can be used with other stones too with similar effect.

 

[theonew]

This varying degree of pressure can be used with other stones too with similar effect.

But not with convex sharpening where pressure and angle are so closely connected.

 

[Jason B.]

That a bit different because the soft backing gives to the pressure, its going to matter the most with a hard surface, ie. stone, sandpaper on glass.....

The differences in pressure can also lead to different rates of plastic deformation aka the burr.

 

[BryFry]

Great looking knives guys!

I've been working on getting mirror edges with sandpaper and strop. Never had a chance to try diamond paste yet, but it sounds interesting. Here are a few edges I've done recently...

I love working on my knives. I'ts very theriputic I think.

 

[Mad_Maxx]

some of mine

GEC 73 frontier bone 1095 steel
convexed the edge and lightly polished the blade, on a strop with sandpaper and polishing paste, done by hand

Maxx

BRK Gunny (not highly polished)

 

[Jason B.]

I was going to save these for another thread but I figured what the he

 

[Ankerson]

Nice looking edges.

 

[mqqn]

Looks good. Here's one I did up yesterday:

I brought the convex polish all the way up the tip of the grind. This was done with an 8k waterstone and 100k diamond powder.

Polished edges are by far the most satisfying to cut with.

Hi Phillip -

There is going to be one very happy Emerson owner out there when they get that beauty!

best regards -

mqqn