New to Sharpening

D

DanQ

Joined
Oct 27, 1999
Messages
18
I have recently purchased my first really nice blades. I have BM 710, mini striker and two DA Socoms, one tonto with serations and the other (actually on the way) clip point plane. The MT I have is the sharpest blade I've ever seen. The Question is, how do you keep them so sharp? I'm afraid to even think about screwing up the blade. The edge is mirror bright! Any suggestions?

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Romans 12:1-2
 
A mirror finish is achieved with a very fine grit abrasive like a 8000 grit Japanese waterstone or a buffer loaded with a fine compound.

-Cliff
 
I've got a SOCOM as well and I use a Spyderco 204 to keep it sharp. If you want it scary sharp, use the 30 degree bevel. But beware, I have learned the hard way that only the hardest steels can keep such a fin eedge for any length of time (the thinner the edge the sharper and the more easily worn). 154-CM is a version of ATS-34, good stuff, but I've had mixed results with a 30 degree bevel. Hope this helped.

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"Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n"
John Milton
There are only two types of people; those who understand this, and those who think they do.
 
I agree with cliff that a very fine stone is the way to go and that the right japanese waterstone would work. But I think for a beginner, the japanese stones are a bad idea. They wear quickly so you have the added chalenge of keeping them flat and trying to get used to free hand sharpening and keeping the correct angle. I would start out with a good set of arkansas stones. They are similar to japanes stones only they are much harder and stay flat longer. They don't have to be stored in water, you just apply honing oil when you want to use them.I would get a hard and soft arkansas to start with. The soft will let you flatten out the edge bevels and take knicks out of the blade. The hard will let you begin to polish the edge and get it pretty sharp. Frm there I would either get a surgical black arkansas or a fine white ceramic stone. both will polish to a mirror edge and make it shaving sharp. The surgical black aransas will wear and perform like the other arkansas stones. The ceramic will never wear at all. It stays flat permanently unless damaged. You don't have to use lubricants on them. When they are loaded up with metal and to full to cut anymore you simply wash them with scouring powder or soap and water to get the grit out.Good luck.

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Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !
 
DanQ:

If you are worried about about ruining a blade on an expensive knife, I recommend you practice on cheap knives. I'm sure you must have a few in your kitchen drawer. Actually, if you take your time and pay attention to what you are doing, it's fairly difficult to ruin a blade by sharpening. The most likely problems you'll have are scratches on the side of the blade or a rounded off tip. To avoid scratching the blade, apply some masking tape, leaving as much exposed as you must to work the edge on the stone. To avoid rounding off the tip, make sure you fininsh your strokes with the tip still in contact with the sharpening surface (don't drag the blade all the way across the edge of the stone.)

If you haven't done so, you should definitely read Joe Talmadge's Sharpening FAQ, which can be found here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/features/faqsharp.html

I hope this helps. Oh, and stop when you get to bone.
smile.gif


David Rock

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AKTI Member # A000846
Stop when you get to bone.

[This message has been edited by David Rock (edited 21 December 1999).]
 
Thanks to all for your advice. I will purchase the book and deside on a good stone(s).
 
Another nice thing about Arkansas stones is that demand seems to have dropped so they're available for very good prices. I picked up a 2x6in Smith's hard Arkansas at a show recently for $8, and a local store had a Smith's soft Arkansas of the same size for about the same price.
 
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