Not your every day mirror edge

BluntCut MetalWorks

BluntCut MetalWorks

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Messages
3,462
Here is a good way to waste :thumbdn: your otherwise perfect weekend :p

Below is not a puzzle but just a curiosity, How did I put a rough mirror finish on my experimental 52100 knife. Please take a very careful look before take a stab at it.

Nice even slightly convex bevel. The blade has 100grit AlO sandpaper scratches
ki2s.jpg


Aaaah some reflection
71ps.jpg


something is off
geq7.jpg


hmm something odd about the: bevel shoulder, vertical lines, horizontal lines:suspicion:
4lkl.jpg
 
Heheh before all the regular knifenuts giving up on this thread. How's about, you can achieve a full mirror down to 0.1um for any steels, almost at any angles, V & Convex bevel... AND go through the entire grit progression (160um to 0.1um) using one hand & blind folded!. OK ok, new & intermediate sharpeners may want to keep their eyes open.

edit:

btw - the edge above was quickly produced with sparsely incomplete grit progression 45um -> 12um -> 1um -> 0.5um -> 0.1um.
 
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A little background. About 15 months ago, my goal was to produce a good working edge (whittle wood, slice cardboard etc..) and a mirror edge as a bonus. After many tries, I failed.

3 days ago - a subconscious 'doh, easy beerer edge :)'. Took me about 2 minutes to showed my kids - both without a doubt, told me they can produce this edge using 1 hand & blind folded too. ymvw on the result sharpness. Oh haha, my kids thought I was trolling when I first showed them this thread.

Material cost: any where between $10 to $100, depend on steel & abrasive type+quality
* enough for at least 100 mirror edges or into thousands if you are using bulk abrasive.

Estimated work time to achieve mirror from 1k finished edge
1095 @60rc: 10-15 minutes
s30v @60rc: 15-30 minutes

Interested? If there are enough 'yes' ...
 
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Are you using some variation of your sandbox and dragging the edge through loose abrasive media in different grades?

Brian.
 
Sorry for segued from a curiosity to a possibly a how-to to put mirror finish on an existing edge. Also good for quick touch up on existing mirror edge too.

So my last question was: who's interested in able to put a mirror finish on an edge, so easy that a one handed blind person can do it too.

kwazyjuice said:
I'm lost.....
Click to expand...

No. I would cost a small fortune to buy all that abrasives in full grit progression. Beside in this scenario, the bevel shoulder and the blade will get a braded too. We don't want that for Damascus, blasted, coated, etc.. blades.
bgentry said:
Are you using some variation of your sandbox and dragging the edge through loose abrasive media in different grades?

Brian.
Click to expand...
 
Many good guesses :thumbup: but ...

One more clue - You can mirror just upper or lower (yes, partial) part of the bevel. e.g. mirror the top 1/3 and haze the lower 2/3 or vice versa.

I will take a picture of my 10cents sophisticated device and share later...

edit: most of the time you can get the device for free ;)
 
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Out in the field, you can use this same technique to restore your edge. The sophisticated device best use in upside down position while using natural abrasive (um.. mud/sand/clay).

Come on knifeknuts, pitch in your best shot :cool:
 
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