problem sharpening my caly 3 please advice

G

guitarted

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I got it yesterday and it was very sharp. Although my sharpening skills are not up there but I always sharpen my knives when i get them. It kinda helps me use them.

I sharpened it free hand on a very fine stone. I sharpen the blade flat so there is zero angel. It gets scratched but I don't mind the fine scratches from the fine stone.

However, I eliminate the factory edge but the knife gets duller. Now its has zero angel but dull.

Can you Please advise me on how to sharpen it ?

By the way, I want to stick to free hand and don't want a sharpmaker or any other sharpener.

thanks

The blade is VG 10
 
Hi Guitared,

All I can think of, without seeing the edge, is that you must have hit the edge with the stone at an improper angle.

sal
 
Cut the knife lightly straight into the stone like you are trying to slice it in half (a few light passes with only the weight of the blade should work), then try putting a more obtuse microbevel on it, maybe 15 degrees per side. If that doesn't work you might try 20 per side. If that doesn't work let us know.

Mike
 
After sharpening, strop it on a piece of leather glued to wood with white polishing compound.
 
STOP!!! Get the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker before you do anything else. Read the pamphlet, watch the DVD then start over. You've ruined the secondary bevel and need to start over. OR...send it back to Spyderco and let them sharpen it for you (free). Next time, don't assume you know more than the factory. Good luck...
 
m6ttl said:
STOP!!! Get the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker before you do anything else. Read the pamphlet, watch the DVD then start over. You've ruined the secondary bevel and need to start over. OR...send it back to Spyderco and let them sharpen it for you (free). Next time, don't assume you know more than the factory. Good luck...
Click to expand...

you are actually correct and I will stop befor I do even more damage.
It is frustrating because I have been trying to learn free hand sharpening for a long time but it is not working for me.



I read everything about it and practised for hours but no good.
Thanks guys









i
 
Hi Guitared,

Learning free hand sharpening is highly commendable and I think you should continue. Just realize that it is harder to do than thought.

I would begin with a fairly soft steel (cheap kitchen paring knife) and a fairly coarse stone. Get a lupe 10X - 12X. Make a few strokes (10), look at the edge. repeat...... repeat.....repeat. Not hours, 40 hours.

This way you can see what you are actually doing.

VG-10 is much too hard and abrasive resistant to learn on.

I learned to do freehand sharpening. A good skill, but it took a while. I also learned to shave with a straight razor. Much harder (and bloodier) than originally thought.

There are sources of info on how to do it, but persistence and consistency are keys to success.

Never give up!

sal
 
Sal Glesser said:
Hi Guitared,

Learning free hand sharpening is highly commendable and I think you should continue. Just realize that it is harder to do than thought.

I would begin with a fairly soft steel (cheap kitchen paring knife) and a fairly coarse stone. Get a lupe 10X - 12X. Make a few strokes (10), look at the edge. repeat...... repeat.....repeat. Not hours, 40 hours.

This way you can see what you are actually doing.

VG-10 is much too hard and abrasive resistant to learn on.

I learned to do freehand sharpening. A good skill, but it took a while. I also learned to shave with a straight razor. Much harder (and bloodier) than originally thought.

There are sources of info on how to do it, but persistence and consistency are keys to success.

Never give up!

sal
Click to expand...


Sal, I used your invention and took a backwards approach to learning freehanding. I learned on the Sharpmaker, and persistence and practice gave me good results. The Sharpmaker system coupled with my first Spyderco knife, an Endura 3, which didn't require reprofiling to work on the Sharpmaker, gave me very good results in a short amount of time and gave me the confidence to start reprofiling and experimenting with different techniques. I learned the basic principals of sharpening from the Sharpmaker video and a lot of forum members, and have now progressed on to benchstones and freehanding. Since I love the finish of the Spyderco stones I bought all 3 grits of their benchstones, plus coarser stones from DMT for reprofiling. Each time you sharpen you get a little better, and frequenting the toolshed forum here on Blade Forums you can pick the brains of many great sharpeners and learn a lot about sharpening. Like Sal said a loupe is essential, and I would recommend a Radioshack 60-100X lighted microscope (only $10) so that you can really see what is going on with the edge. It allows you to see exactly where you are sharpening and to track burrs and their removal. In a bit over a year I have gone from not having a clue to yesterday getting my R2 to cut a free hanging hair. I used to think a shaving edge was an unattainable feat for me, but now I know with practice you can get edges that go way beyond just shaving. Practice, persistence, and knowledge will pay off, it just takes a while. I went from sharpening being a dreaded necessity so that I can cut things to sharpening becoming a much enjoyed hobby and obsession.

So, guitarted, I agree with Sal and say continue on learning to sharpen. If you are going to use knives it is an essential skill. Having to ship off your knives all the time for a sharpening will get old fast. I think you would do fine learning how to sharpen by getting a Sharpmaker and a cheap X coarse benchstone for reprofiling. You can go with just benchstones and pick it up, but I think the simplicity and quick results you get with the Sharpmaker will increase your confidence. Follow the Sharpmaker video to start, and start lurking in the toolshed and posting any questions you have. Sharpening isn't that complicated when you get down to it, it is an aquired skill that takes a lot of practice and following basic principals. It is also addicting, so instead of dreading that practice you will soon look forward to it.

Mike
 
In my opinion the sharpmaker is a great sharpening system that is easy to learn on. However, in the long run you would be better off learning to sharpen freehand on a benchstone. The first step would be to read some threads in the toolshed. You'll learn alot about stones and it can help you decide what stones you want to spend your money on.

You also mentioned that you started sharpening with a fine hone. You would have much better success starting out with a very course hone. Forming a bevel with a stone thats too fine usually ends up with a bevel that is not formed properly. Your coarse stones are much more important than your fine stones. If you want to learn freehand sharpening the best way (other than having someone teach you) would be to google it. I've been buying knives and sharpening them for about 3 years now and like gunmike, I can get knives scary sharp. However, no one ever showed me proper knife sharpening techniques and I learned by looking up knife sharpening tutorials and practicing different methods. It takes time and patience, but once you learn to freehand sharpen owning knives is much more pleasant.
 
I'm most certainly not a sharpening expert, but I've learned (with many hours of practice) to get good results with a combination of techniques.

Definately get the razoredge video (maybe DVD now?) to give you a visual idea of the difference between primary and secondary bevels. What I've also gotten from that is that I use a rough stone (or rough stone jig on my Gatco clamp system) to remove most of the metal -- then I use a Spyderco Sharpmaker to finish the job.

http://www.razoredgesystems.com

The Spyderco video/DVD is also excellent - no slam intended there! Get both
presentations.

I can't get S30V sharp, but the VG-10 blades I have are not hard to get literally shaving sharp (I haven't shaved in 20 years, but my forearm is good enough for testing ;) .

Getting the burr, and understanding how it's important to roll that over and such, is key (in my opinion).

Best of luck to you!
 
I have been learning free hand sharpening for the past 20 years now. I can do it with a stone, file, rod or steel but it takes practice, patience, attention, skill, and concentration. I normally only use this type of sharpening when touching up a blade. If I have to put an edge on a compleatly dull knife or want to re-profile an edge to a more obtuse angle, I dig out the Lansky.

Asking someone over the net how to free hand sharpen is not going to really work. It would be like asking a pro golfer how to hit a golf ball. They can tell you how to do it but that doesn't mean you are going to be able to do it. It sounds like you want info fast to get your knife sharp again. That is not going to happen overnight if you are sticking with the free hand idea. That is why it took a while for people to chime in. We didn't know where to start.
 
Your more ambitious than I am...:eek:

Putting a zero edge on a knife without obscene amounts of sharpening experience is just asking for trouble. Too many ways it can get screwed up. Hey, at least you tried though, I'm too afraid of destroying my knives to try that.
 
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