Need help sharpening Mini X-ray

V

ViperSTD

Joined
Jul 5, 2004
Messages
21
First, Hi everyone! Been lurking for a little while trying to readup on this great board. I did some searching and researching but still don't have the beta I need.

I have a SOG Mini X-ray that I am trying to sharpen. It has proved very difficult to get a shave sharp edge. It is close, but I can never seem to get to the next level. I really want to be able to put on a shiversharp edge.

I have had luck getting most of my blades shave sharp with Razoredge stones (usually freehand, sometimes the guides when lazy) and leather or cardboard, but not my xray.

It goes like this:
Coarse stone until the edge starts to push over, switch sides and repeat.
Fine stones alternating sides until it is sharp. No matter how long I spend at this stage I dont seem to make any progress.
In frustration I strop to get a fair edge.

How can I get that scary full bodyshiver sharp edge? I am frustrated and don't know anyone that can teach me. Does is matter that its ATS-34? I know its slower to sharpen, but it just wont go for me.

Another note... its a PITA to sharpen this friggin knife. Between the serrations and tanto tip its holy hell for me to do. I love the knife and it makes a EDC but I want an edge that keeps me on my toes when I open it.

TIA for everything and the great forum.
 
nothing? nobody had an opinion? I know sharpening the ats-34 will take longer.. but if I am raising burrs...

help too many hours spent on this already.
 
Well this is the traditional forum and does no have as much traffic as the general forum, surely that´s why you haven´t gotten a response yet. You should try posting over there.

I feel that to get a scary sharp edge you need precise and polished bevels, this means that you have to be very careful in maintaining the angle, it is probably more critical with a hard steel, because in something softer if you hone a bit off angle the next pass of the hone will correct it but in a harder steel it won´t.

For a fine polished edge you may want to go through several grits, not just coarse and fine, I sometimes use 5 different grits from a cheap coarse hone or sandpaper up to an extra fine ceramic, with a medium grit, a Washita and a hard Arkansas in between, I use a jig to keep the angle, I make the best even edge I can at about 15 degrees per side, then finish with a few alternating strokes on the extra fine ceramic at about 17 degrees per side. I have been able to cut hair on the arm above the skin with this method.

I recommend checking the edge frequently as you hone with a good magnifier (about 10X or more) and try painting the edge with a magic marker so that as you pass it on the hone you can see what is removed indicating what parts or sections of the edge you are hitting.
 
First, thanks. I'll try posting there if I dont get it all straightened out.

I have been using a sharpie to mark the edge and make sure that I am still at the right angle. I am broke right now so getting a jig and a sweet set of japanese stones is a bit outta the question for the time being.

I think a chepie magnifying piece is the next purchase.

Ill try working my way up through through some sandpaper grits, but I think 2k is the finest I have. Not quite the 8000 of some stones, but cardboard & rouge would work, would it not?

I am determined to get a scary sharp edge on this knife, I just don't know if I can do it freehand. Do you work one side until you raise a burr with all the grits as you polish and then alternate on the final step, or is it just with the coarse and then alternate for everything else?
 
I use a home made jig (inclined plane made of wood) and I draw the knife horizontaly instead of verticaly as you would on a Sharpmaker or crocksticks. The finest grit of sandpaper that I have is 1500, I don´t know what grit my extra fine hone is but it feel real smooth.

I only have to use the coarser grits when I reprofile an edge, normaly I can start with medium or fine.

I feel that once I raise a bur on one side then the other with the first hone, the next steps with finer grits make a burr after very few passes, I use the finer grits basicaly to polish the edge, not to change the angle. The final passes with the extra fine are at a higher angle to remove the burr and build a very small secondary bevel, from then on this secondary bevel is easily touched up when necessary to maintain the sharp edge.

For a really polished edge I strop on leather or paper or cardboard after honing.
 
Thank you Don!

We are indeed fortunate to have you here.

Gus
 
Gus, Wow, thanks for the kind words, I really enjoy this place and have learned lots, fine group of people here.

Luis
 
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