New Hinderer XM-18 Sharpening information

[SharpJax]

Hey Marco, are you talkin 24 degrees per side? If so, no wonder it wont cut, thats an incredibly obtuse angle. Personally, I keep my knives at 15 degrees perside and lower, most at around 12 to 13 perside and they cut like razors. But sometimes the grind is too thick, like on the xm and if you go that low you'll have a huge bevel that looks dumb. You have to go of what the knife is used fir and hiw thick it is, take my Van heerden m16, uts about .014 on average so a 24 degree inclusive bevel looks thinner than most 30 to 40 degree bevels on thicker knives. And it cuts like a champ too, If you have any questions, you have my email, feel free to contact me anytime and I'll do my best to help you out. Take care my friend.
Alex.

Hey Alex - just to clarify...the knife had gone through two owners before it got to me, and the gentleman I got it from warned me that it needed sharpening, though the previous owner to him had claimed it was the factory edge. I'm more inclined to believe, as someone had suggested, that though it may have been the factory edge, it had been somehow dulled and probably cleaned up a bit to look factory fresh. The blade looked unused, but its a stonewashed finished so is pretty visually resilient. When I sharpened it the first time I certainly did not mean to imply in my impressions that it "won't cut", because it was certainly sharp at that point. I just knew that it could be better and wondered about the angle. Yes, it is 24 degrees on each side as determined by using a Sharpie on the two edges. I think that is entirely normal for XM-18's and it doesn't look odd to me at all. Go figure. Cuts like a champ now and would not want to brush up against it. Wow, I'm impressed that you keep any EDC type knife at 15 degrees without having to resharpen it frequently. The only knives I keep at that bevel are my kitchen knives! Most of my EDC stuff is at 21 degrees. Spyderco is a bit steeper...I think about 18. But 15??? Wow! No chipping issues? How often do you sharpen them at that bevel?

 

[SharpJax]

I didn't say You dulled it. I said..... I'm not going to repeat what I said. Anyone cares - go back and read it.
What I do not want misunderstood are two(2) things.
- Knives come from the Ranch - Sharp.
And
- Don't take an XM to 12 - 15 degrees a side.

Glad it worked out.

We're on the same page. I did not think you implied that I dulled it. Just wanted to make the progression clear for anyone who cared. Again, your input is much appreciated!

 

[RubiconSS]

We're on the same page. I did not think you implied that I dulled it. Just wanted to make the progression clear for anyone who cared. Again, your input is much appreciated!

I'm Glad. The reason for my "clarification" is.... I learned long ago that many people Do Not read threads in their entirety so "IF" someone were to read a post or two they could be left with a very inaccurate impression much like "if" this thread turns into an in-depth discussion of sharpening techniques for knives other than XM18's and bevel angles in the 12-15* range.

That is a discussion for the M,T & E forum.

 

[SharpJax]

I'm Glad. The reason for my "clarification" is.... I learned long ago that many people Do Not read threads in their entirety so "IF" someone were to read a post or two they could be left with a very inaccurate impression much like "if" this thread turns into an in-depth discussion of sharpening techniques for knives other than XM18's and bevel angles in the 12-15* range.

That is a discussion for the M,T & E forum.

Hear that.

Alex - If there's any doubt of how right 24 degrees 'looks' on a Hinderer blade, check out the great Wicked Edge pic that Final Option posted earlier. I think that's the same blade I have (spanto) and looks the same as the edge on my blade, which now will also push-cut paper easily. Like you, I'm sure, and most folks here, I'm more concerned with how the blade cuts...but 24 degrees does look right at home on this blade.

 

[solman]

I bought a used XM18 slicer from this forum and it needed some sharpening.
Indeed it turned out to be 24* per side on my edge pro. I went through the stone progression and finished with 3000 tape.
Scary sharp and cuts great.