my first Queens arrived today

UnixDork

UnixDork

Joined
Dec 2, 2001
Messages
453
The waiting is always the worst. :) My first Queen knives, a bone stag stockman and cocobolo tear drop jack just arrived. They're both really nice, I'm glad I finally took the plunge. The stockman has a little blade rub and isn't too sharp out of the box but is otherwise great. The jack is great all around with nice wood. Thanks a lot all of you, now I have another addiction to feed. :p
 
Congrats, I think you chose two great and classic patterns.
 
And now I know those D2 blades get scary sharp with just a little work. After sharpening them both I like 'em even more.
 
I use EZ-Lap diamond stones, the small ones with the colored plastic handles. After they're barely shaving then they get a leather strop with green compound. They sharpen up really well. The angle on the teardrop was a little obtuse for me, (and a little uneven) so it got a little extra time on a coarser diamond stone.

I've read here that some people have had trouble sharpening these Queens with D2 blades, but I'm used to sharpening hard stainless so it's no big deal.
 
I recently got a Queen MOP Doctor's knife. It was duller than dirt from the factory, but sharpened up very well.
 
And you'll find that when you get them sharp, they hold their edge for a very long time. I thinned the edges out on my Stockman (and 4180 Hunter), and you'd be surprised how much cutting you can do with them. Great knives, made me a very firm believer in D2!
 
I got my first queen today,a number 24 cocobolo. Mine came just barely shaving sharp, and with some sharpmaker and cardboard stropping help it's now a respectable sharpness. I really like this knife, a very good whittler; it appeals to me somehow in a way that the tactical folders don't, I can't really describe it.
 
I just started whittling with a Queen Large Stockman in "stag" with D2 steel. I had to do some work to get the blades shaving sharp, but once they are there they seem to hold up well.

Now I wonder if I tried another slip joint, an actual whittler style, by Case or Bulldog if I'd be unhappy with their ability to hold an edge? How does Case's "True Sharp Stainless" hold up to Queen's D2 and Bulldog's steel?
 
Don't know how well they hold up, per se, since I haven't used it much yet, but the Bulldog Wharncliff has such a thick blade that it must be honed at a 50 degree angle and takes some respectable reprofiling to get it down to a good keen edge. Once it is there, it is a nice knife though.
 
Tell me about your stropping! I have always used the back of a legal pad to great success with "mortal" steels (1095, TruSharp/420HC, 440A). I strop my D2 Canoe with what seems to be little effect (I do the stropping at my desk when my hands aren't occupied).

Thanks!
 
I recently recieved two Queens ~ a #41 copperhead w/smooth cherry delrin, and the light weight skinner w/stag bone. I ordered them from Cumberland: I'm very happy with them and Bill's service. The D2 takes a nice edge, and I like the fact that both are full height flat grinds. I find that putting a little simichrome on the cardboard helps for the stropping.

steve
 
MarkPinTx said:
Tell me about your stropping! I have always used the back of a legal pad to great success with "mortal" steels (1095, TruSharp/420HC, 440A). I strop my D2 Canoe with what seems to be little effect (I do the stropping at my desk when my hands aren't occupied).

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Try some Jeweler's Rouge on the card. The ideal stuff is that which comes in a bar, (not the liquid polish stuff), and you only need the tiniest amount on the card. Just scrape a little off the bar and rub it well into the card. My bar of rouge has lasted me some 35 years and I have only used a tiny part of it!


rouge1.jpg


This dark brown stuff is really for softer metals, (the "white bar rouge" is supposed to be for steel), but this works fine.... and it puts one heck of a polished edge on the steel. Instead of the usual "flipping" motion of stropping, I simply wipe the blade over it repeatedly with a trailing action. Any card will do... this current piece happens to be a bit of corrugated card from a box.

Do a seach on Google for "white jewelers rouge", and you'll find a bar for around $2.50

Cheers
Rod
 
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