New Swatmandu sharpening advise

R

RussDXT

Joined
Jan 13, 2015
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45
I just received my Swatmandu (first Busse) and am excited about putting it to use. It's sharp but not shaving sharp. I have used a sharp maker and finished on the extra fine rods and a strop in the past but the edge on this seems too steep to use a sharp maker. My sharpening has been on esee's and one bushfinger.

Any recommendations? I have searched the forum but haven't found anything definitive. I don't want to mess it up before I use it.
 
Try giving it a good strop before you start removing metal. A lot of times that's all it takes to get it shaving.
 
IMO, Busse/kin come with a very obtuse edge geometry that is made for strength on impact. In my experience, this does not lend itself to efficient cutting geometry. I typically will regrind the edge on my users to more acute convex geometry, which increases penetration and cutting abilities. You do lose some strength in the edge, but you must decide where the balance lies for your uses. For general use you could probably half the effective edge angle and still have plenty of strength, but as always YMMV.
 
Convexed mine on a Worksharp before I started carrying it although both of mine came pretty sharp.
 
RussDXT said:
I don't want to mess it up before I use it.
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You won't mess it up, you'll just make it your own. I thin the edge on most of my Bussekin. You can try holding your knife in such a way as to match the angle on the Sharpmaker, or strop at a higher angle, or regrind the edge angle narrower to match the Sharpmaker.
 
:thumbup: on the stropping... It only took 5 minutes on my Regulator and it was popping hairs..
 
I just received a Wicked Edge Field & Sport Pro today . . . I recommend looking into that too if you want a very refined show quality edge
 
Red Angel Dragnet said:
IMO, Busse/kin come with a very obtuse edge geometry that is made for strength on impact. In my experience, this does not lend itself to efficient cutting geometry. I typically will regrind the edge on my users to more acute convex geometry, which increases penetration and cutting abilities. You do lose some strength in the edge, but you must decide where the balance lies for your uses. For general use you could probably half the effective edge angle and still have plenty of strength, but as always YMMV.
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+1 on this. I have heard the angle is 20 degrees and have stropped blades as large as a BATAC on a WorkSharp and got them push-cutting thermal receipt paper. Lately if the edge is not damaged I strop it on the WorkSharp with 6000-grit purple belt and then on my wallet. It may not be straught razor sharp--I dunno--but it'll cut venison steak or your ass.
 
As has been stated, the secondary bevel is usually pretty big. This hinders sliceyness, and depth of bite whilst chopping.

For MY SWATMANDU, I thinned the edge considerably, since it wo not be used for chopping.

After its sharpened, get some lapping compound, the yellow stuff. Toss it on the not smooth side of a leather belt, and start stropping. That stuff will put a mirror finish on your edge, but it will take some time.
 
drift draft said:
Try giving it a good strop before you start removing metal. A lot of times that's all it takes to get it shaving.
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Reading behind the lines of a post might bring me the wrong conclusion but....IMO a Sharpmaker will not work very well due to the steep angle and convex edge of Busse. I agree with a lot of what has been posted but that might be beyond your skill level. Sometimes we here on BF forget that most knife users don't reprofile stuff. I don/t know a single knife nut locally who does and it took me a long time to be brave enough to do it to a Busse myself. I just did it to my Hinderer too and I really took my time.

I think you will get best results by: 1. trying stropping black than green compound until edge looks shiny like dd said. 2. if that doesn't work sharpie mark the edge, get some 320 and 600 grit sandpaper, wrap around strop, perform same stropping motion on 320 sandpaper (check sharpie mark for angle)until you get burr on one side, then switch to other side until you get a burr, then same with 600, then strop again. It takes time but less likely to "mess up" than with bench stones or belt sander I think

I tried the work sharp and didn't like it at all but many do
 
messer454 said:
Reading behind the lines of a post might bring me the wrong conclusion but....IMO a Sharpmaker will not work very well due to the steep angle and convex edge of Busse.
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Mine came with a standard V edge, although I think I read that you could have asked them to convex them at the shop. Which is what I should have done but it worked out just as well on my WS.
 
I find a sand paper and mouse pad to be highly effective for my infidu , I start with 400 wet and dry then 600,1200,2000 finish on a strop and its a hair popn mirror finish

Just fyi I have never had the pleasure of handling a swatmandu (yet) but from looks I'm guessing there is no difference from the Infidu
 
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Red Angel Dragnet said:
IMO, Busse/kin come with a very obtuse edge geometry that is made for strength on impact. In my experience, this does not lend itself to efficient cutting geometry. I typically will regrind the edge on my users to more acute convex geometry, which increases penetration and cutting abilities. You do lose some strength in the edge, but you must decide where the balance lies for your uses. For general use you could probably half the effective edge angle and still have plenty of strength, but as always YMMV.
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Would changing the edge null the warranty? I agree about the edge as I have seen it on the Basic 11 I got. Powerful chopper, not real good in the slicing/cutting area. Sorry to high jack the thread.
 
thumbtack01 said:
Would changing the edge null the warranty? .
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Realistically, I would say no. If you went crazy, and ground it down to a extremely acute angle, like 5* per side, then you would have a razor thin edge that would not take well to hard use. Somebody did something like that some years ago, and Jerry said that the edge was just too thin, IIRC. Unless you blew out a huge chunk of metal (not likely) then one could just resharpen at a steeper angle.
 
thumbtack01 said:
Would changing the edge null the warranty? I agree about the edge as I have seen it on the Basic 11 I got. Powerful chopper, not real good in the slicing/cutting area. Sorry to high jack the thread.
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After seeing the return letter on the knife that was shot and posted by Jerry Busse I will say no.

I use a KME I am going to try to strop first at 20 degrees with one of the micron compounds and see. I can not see me doing much of chopping with the swatmandu when I have an ASH-1 coming Monday and an NMSFNO coming soon.
 
The plans for my SMD (which should be here today :D) are to re-profile a good bit thinner and convex, as I did on my Hell Razor and DSF. Here is an excellent instructive thread that I followed with fantastic results:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/506342-On-line-class-Edge-re-profile-convex-your-Busse?highlight=sharpening+class
I did use my Edge Pro to re-profile instead of the suggested diamond plates, but ended up with a beautiful polished convex edge to replace the original rough V-edge, and couldn't be happier!
 
They said they would get it close to 20 degrees as possible but it came much thicker. Thank you all for all the advise. Ill work with it a bit on my strop and see what I can accomplish. On a side note, anyone in Colorado you all would recommend for re-profiling?
 
RussDXT said:
They said they would get it close to 20 degrees as possible but it came much thicker. Thank you all for all the advise. Ill work with it a bit on my strop and see what I can accomplish. On a side note, anyone in Colorado you all would recommend for re-profiling?
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I'm on the Western Slope near Grand Junction and would be willing to fix you up, not sure if I'm allowed to say that here without being a service provider though. If that's the case please remove this one mods, but if you'd like send me an email and we can discuss.
 
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