Noob Questions

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RD8

Joined
Mar 15, 2018
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I'm going to apologize beforehand for any stupid questions I ask, sorry. I'm new to knives, and I have the choice between Maxamet and Rex 121 for a hard steel. I realize 121 is harder, but I'd like to know some other characteristics, for example which is tougher, which is more wear resistant, stainless, etc. Also, what's the best sharpener out there? I'd prefer not to have to upgrade that in the future. Any help is appreciated :)
 
I'm not a steel guy, so I'll pass on making any comments on that. The sharper.... it depends? Like that? ;) I like to sharpen mostly by hand and then strop periodically after I have sharpened with stones. My suggestion on knife sharpening bench stones is the DMT DuoSharp which has two grits. The plates are about 8" by 2.5" and run around $100. Fine and coarse are a good starting point although I use my fine and ultra fine the most. Many use the guided sharpening systems like Sharpmaker. But I prefer to do it by hand. I don't know what is "the best", but I think the DMT are top shelf. If you buy, use gentle pressure when sharpening or you'll ruin the stone (knock the diamonds loose). DMT offers them in smaller less expensive sizes too.
 
Thanks for the help :) I don't have a steady hand so even a Sharpmaker isn't "guided" enough for me.
 
I see there is another thread on the steels now. Take a look and maybe you'll get some helpful info. I don't own any knives in those steels or many of the more recent steels. I am generally going the other way now although I have been really satisfied with M390. Sharpening by hand just takes some practice.... steady hand sort of. ;) Mostly you just have to pay attention to your angles and the edge as it sharpens and flip from side to side. You can buy guides if you like to use with the DMTs. Take a look at the video on Bob Dozier's web site (Dozier Knives) on sharpening by hand. I have a number of his handmade knives. For the most part, they are lower cost handmades; I call them handmade knives for the working guy. Most are in D-2.

It is sort of fun chasing the super steels, but it is mostly a hobbyist kind of endeavor. I like to try new things, but it is not a focus when buying knives.
 
RD8 said:
Thanks for the help :) I don't have a steady hand so even a Sharpmaker isn't "guided" enough for me.
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You might be surprised. The Sharpmaker's setup can actually help to create that steady hand needed. Has for me anyways.
 
Velitrius said:
You might be surprised. The Sharpmaker's setup can actually help to create that steady hand needed. Has for me anyways.
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Yeah, I injured my right forearm while biking a while back, and it's never been the same so I think I might go with the Tsprof Knife sharpener. It's pricey though
 
22-rimfire said:
I see there is another thread on the steels now. Take a look and maybe you'll get some helpful info. I don't own any knives in those steels or many of the more recent steels. I am generally going the other way now although I have been really satisfied with M390. Sharpening by hand just takes some practice.... steady hand sort of. ;) Mostly you just have to pay attention to your angles and the edge as it sharpens and flip from side to side. You can buy guides if you like to use with the DMTs. Take a look at the video on Bob Dozier's web site (Dozier Knives) on sharpening by hand. I have a number of his handmade knives. For the most part, they are lower cost handmades; I call them handmade knives for the working guy. Most are in D-2.

It is sort of fun chasing the super steels, but it is mostly a hobbyist kind of endeavor. I like to try new things, but it is not a focus when buying knives.
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I just gotta have the best steel man, can't help it. I have a $10 pocket knife I was practicing sharpening with on some stones, and it was an absolute nightmare. It looks like the Sharpmaker is the same type of thing, but vertical so I'd rather stray away from it.
 
Welcome to the Forum RD8, you’ll find the search feature helpful to answer most questions. “Best sharpener” is going to be what works best for you. I had moderate success with sharpmaker, but I’ve had the KME system for a couple of months and can’t say enough good things about it.
 
RD8 said:
I just gotta have the best steel man, can't help it. I have a $10 pocket knife I was practicing sharpening with on some stones, and it was an absolute nightmare. It looks like the Sharpmaker is the same type of thing, but vertical so I'd rather stray away from it.
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The best is pretty relative. Patience is a virtue when it comes to sharpening knives.

Just remember, harder the steel, the harder it is likely to sharpen. I can sharpen my SAK in a few minutes and I'm good to go for usually a week. I have harder supersteels too by the way. I just don't own knives in all of them.
 
Jeffg330 said:
Welcome to the Forum RD8, you’ll find the search feature helpful to answer most questions. “Best sharpener” is going to be what works best for you. I had moderate success with sharpmaker, but I’ve had the KME system for a couple of months and can’t say enough good things about it.
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Is the Tsprof a clone of the KME? It seems better but I'm not one to buy clones
 
22-rimfire said:
The best is pretty relative. Patience is a virtue when it comes to sharpening knives.

Just remember, harder the steel, the harder it is likely to sharpen. I can sharpen my SAK in a few minutes and I'm good to go for usually a week. I have harder supersteels too by the way. I just don't own knives in all of them.
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I probably won't use my knife very often, maybe only once a week but when I do it'll be on wood and branches so I don't mind the sharpening as long as I get a couple uses out of it.
 
One of the virtues of the harder steels is edge retention. They can be more difficult to sharpen, but once there you're good to go for a while. Sounds like you might be good to go for months at least even using it. Ease of sharpening may vary from one knife to the other in the same steel due to edge profile, hardness, steel characteristics, and so forth.

Most of us like the "best", but when you look at pricing, your use, and habits, the "best" isn't usually necessary. That's why I have been leaning away from always seeking the best with knives. For example, with fixed blades, I seldom use them and the best isn't necessary as long as the knife is dependable (in the woods mostly) and the edge will likely last through any normal outing. But I do have standards and that usually doesn't include the lower end steels.

Some might consider 1095 a lower end steel, but I very much like 1095 with slipjoints and it certainly isn't the "best". 1095 is very good on the ESEE and Becker lines too for outdoor use. Hard often means brittle also.
 
True. D2 and VG-10 don't look too bad either, and they're cheaper so I may start with one of those.
 
I find Maxamet quite easy to sharpen. To touch up that is. Easier than S90V or S110V. I am sure to re-profile would be a PITA!!!
My favorite sharpener by far is the Real sharp "the sharp machine". It is speedy, but I can get any knife re-profiled in minutes to razor sharp. Very easy! The only problem is the distributor of it, the guy that runs the website, is ripping people off and not sending machines. So you have to buy direct from the guy that actually makes them, which takes a little research to get ahold of. But, very much worth it, great quality system!
That said, I only sharpen each knife on that every 1-3 years. The rest of the time I sharpen freehand with stones and a strop.
 
I bought the Ken Onion Work Sharp specifically for re-profiling blades. Mostly use it on machetes, but it does just fine with regular knives if you're careful.
 
I'll probably try to keep the stock angle and be a bit more gentle with the blades, so I think I'll go with something a bit less aggressive
 
ATJ999 said:
I find Maxamet quite easy to sharpen. To touch up that is. Easier than S90V or S110V. I am sure to re-profile would be a PITA!!!
My favorite sharpener by far is the Real sharp "the sharp machine". It is speedy, but I can get any knife re-profiled in minutes to razor sharp. Very easy! The only problem is the distributor of it, the guy that runs the website, is ripping people off and not sending machines. So you have to buy direct from the guy that actually makes them, which takes a little research to get ahold of. But, very much worth it, great quality system!
That said, I only sharpen each knife on that every 1-3 years. The rest of the time I sharpen freehand with stones and a strop.
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Hey, since you've got Maxamet, I thought I'd ask. How's the toughness of it? It's hard so I'm not expecting much but if it is worse than Rex 121 then There's really no point in it
 
RD8 said:
Hey, since you've got Maxamet, I thought I'd ask. How's the toughness of it? It's hard so I'm not expecting much but if it is worse than Rex 121 then There's really no point in it
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In my experience, it is plenty tough for a folder. Not so much for a fixed blade. I would say it is tougher than Rex 121.
Another Steel you should look at if you want tough and very wear resistant is K390. It is very easy to touch up sharpening, and get very sharp with ease. Holds an edge a bit less than Maxamet, but IMO not enough to matter one bit in EDC use. It is like a tough CPM 10V. 10V is another great option.
I do have to say, from EDC experience with all these steels, Maxamet holds the longest high sharpness edge. K390 and Maxamet are my 2 favorite high carbide carbon steels. Favorite stainless would be M390, S90V, and Elmax.
 
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