Queen D2 steel, how do you sharpen yours?

I can relay my experience with Buck's old 440C blades, which were known for their "toothy" carbides and thick and unique blade grind that put a lot of steel behind the cutting edge.

I not good enough freehand to reprofile a blade on a bare stone. So, I rely on the Lansky guided rod system. On most blades, I put on a 17 back bevel and a 20 degree cutting bevel.

It took a very, very, very long time to reprofile my old Bucks. My Lansky has the normal stones and it just seemed like I had to work a very long time with course stones to punch through that thick back bevel. Once I did, I was finally able to get a cutting bevel established but it took noticeably longer than dealing with any fine grained blade I've done.

At some point, I'm going to need to get a diamond course stone for reprofiling. That's my take away.

Hope this helps.
 
Gentlemen, Thank you for all your helpful responses. Since I posted this, I have have received a Schatt& Morgan File & Wire Mountain Man lock-back folder with Antique Bone slabs. It also has a D2 blade. I was hoping that by stepping up in the Brand that I would find a respectable factory edge from Queen.

It was not to be. The factory edge on this folder is also horrific. It will not push cut (slice) a common piece of copy paper. I have to apply a sawing motion to get it to cut a piece of paper.

I'm most perplexed! I resonantly purchased two Rough Rider folders for my nephew. The factory edges on these are superior to my 3 Queens. How can a cheap, made in China folder perform, out of the box so much better than a Queen? Even Case folders, a mass produced, machine made folder will out preform my Queens in their ability to cut a piece of paper.

I've been thinking that I shouldn't have to invest in $50 to $150+ in diamond stones and or a sharping system to get a decent factory edge on a knife. Not to mention my time and efforts.

I'm sending an email to Mr. Ryan Daniels @ Queen Cutlery to express my dismay. I'll let you know if I get a response and what help may be offered. I do consider a factory edge that will not slice a piece of copy paper out of the box, to be a defect in workmanship.

Tom
 
Double Ott said:
Gentlemen, Thank you for all your helpful responses. Since I posted this, I have have received a Schatt& Morgan File & Wire Mountain Man lock-back folder with Antique Bone slabs. It also has a D2 blade. I was hoping that by stepping up in the Brand that I would find a respectable factory edge from Queen.

It was not to be. The factory edge on this folder is also horrific. It will not push cut (slice) a common piece of copy paper. I have to apply a sawing motion to get it to cut a piece of paper.

I'm most perplexed! I resonantly purchased two Rough Rider folders for my nephew. The factory edges on these are superior to my 3 Queens. How can a cheap, made in China folder perform, out of the box so much better than a Queen? Even Case folders, a mass produced, machine made folder will out preform my Queens in their ability to cut a piece of paper.

I've been thinking that I shouldn't have to invest in $50 to $150+ in diamond stones and or a sharping system to get a decent factory edge on a knife. Not to mention my time and efforts.

I'm sending an email to Mr. Ryan Daniels @ Queen Cutlery to express my dismay. I'll let you know if I get a response and what help may be offered. I do consider a factory edge that will not slice a piece of copy paper out of the box, to be a defect in workmanship.

Tom
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Why would you be perplexed with the edge of the knife you got. All through this thread, others have stated that the edges of Queen/S&M are not very good fresh out of the box.

More and more people are discovering that some of the knives from China (i.e., Rough Rider) are cheap in price but certainly not in quality.

Just sit down, sharpen your knife, and use the sharpening experience to get familiar with your new knife. A dull knife out of the box is certainly not a defect.

Good luck with putting a keen edge on your knife. Let us know how it goes.
 
For the original question, I used a Harbor Freight 1X30 Belt Sander to re-profile my Stockman, Paperwheels to polish the edge after that. Really transforms the knife.
 
Modoc ED said:
Why would you be perplexed with the edge of the knife you got. All through this thread, others have stated that the edges of Queen/S&M are not very good fresh out of the box.

More and more people are discovering that some of the knives from China (i.e., Rough Rider) are cheap in price but certainly not in quality.

Just sit down, sharpen your knife, and use the sharpening experience to get familiar with your new knife. A dull knife out of the box is certainly not a defect.

Good luck with putting a keen edge on your knife. Let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...

Ed, Thank you for your thoughts. I guess if Queen advertised their D2 steel knifes as dull, that they will only produce a ragged cut, using a sawing motion in a piece of copy paper, out of the box, then we would know what were getting. In all honesty, I don't think they imply this. They do say...

"Queen Cutlery is a well-known maker of finely crafted pocketknives."..."Queen Cutlery is still housed in the original Schatt and Morgan factory and many of the delicate hand processes and operations employed by Schatt and Morgan are still being used by Queen. Skilled craftsmen are essential to build a "factory knife" by hand and, while it doesn't lead to mass production or extremely low prices, the results are beautiful, functional knives. Our many awards are a testament to the skill of the Queen craftsmen."

This certainly doesn't imply that you have have to re-profile your Queen knife and refine the edge out of the box. Or own or invest in sharping systems before you can use a Queen knife out of the box. You may be very content to take the time and effort to do this with your knives and I commend you for it.

If I had received one blade out of the 3 knives, 6 blades total that was dull, I'm sure that I would have over looked it and taken care of it. But when all six blades can't cut a piece of paper without using a sawing motion...I'm perplexed.

I just feel that a beautiful, functional knife, using the delicate hand processes and operations by skilled craftsmen should produce a knife with a sharp edge on it when you receive it.

Now if I dull an edge from normal use, I certainly will accept the fact that the edge has to be sharpened by me. I just don't see why I should have to do it when someone else, who should know better dulls it.

Let's see what Mr. Ryan Daniels has to say. How does that sound?

Tom
 
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Sounds good Tom. He's had the company for more than a year now so it would be interesting. Personally, I don't think he cares or he would have corrected the situation before now based on previous complaints from others.
 
I have received a rather quick reply to the email that I sent to Ryan Daniels at Queen Cutlery. Here's his reply:

From: rdaniels@queencutlery.com Sent: Fri 9/06/2013 5:11 P.M.

Dear Sir
I'm very sorry for your disappointment in our edges. You are right lots have people have went to the sharpening stones. All I can do is offer to re-sharpen your knives if you'll ship them back to us. I hope we can re-sharpen it to your liking. Sorry once again for your disappointment.

K. Ryan Daniels

I have sent him my sincere thanks for his kind offer.

Tom
 
It was nice of him to respond to you Tom. Seems he acknowledges that "lots have (of) people have went (gone) to the sharpening stones." If you decide to send your knife to hime, I hope everything works out for you.
 
I think (Queen experts please correct me) that the amber carved stag bone knives from Queen are a few years old now. I'm not sure if they're making more or if the ones out there are new old stock but if they are nos, then they were before Ken bought Queen. Still, nice of him to offer to correct the issue with the knives. I didn't expect he'd do any less.

As for sharpening, I have DMT diamond stones. Start with coarse, fine, then extra fine. I just received a new delrin #51 Jack yesterday and had to sharpen it because of a paper tearing edge. I have a #51 mini trapper too but I haven't sharpened that one yet.
 
I have attempted to use norton india coarse/fine stone on a canoe and whittler main blades with little success (the secondary blades and both on a congress are thin and fine). I may be creating a broad bevel that doesn't converge at the acute angle. I guess I am proficient (and arrogant) enough freehanding mortal steels not to use the marker trick or other aids to check my work. The coarse does seem to remove material. Should the india stones work on D2? And is the grit progression close enough?
 
okbohn said:
I use a belt sander and then maintain with leather hone and black compound.

Alternatively, Spyderco has diamond stones for the sharpmaker.
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I use the 1x30 belt sander too. If you re-profile any carbon steels with one and then try the D2 it will open your eyes to how much more abrasion resistance D2 has!

If you don't have a belt sander, use the diamond stones. (In fact, unless you already have practice with a belt sander, skip it, unless you have some "disposable" knives to learn with).

I wish Queen would thin down their primary grinds on their D2. The steel takes and keeps a great edge, and is a real step up for edge retention!

Their amber bone is delicious looking. I just don't like the uber thick grinds. Even when you reset the bevel, you will notice a difference when slicing compared to thinner grinds.
 
Interesting thread. I must say I just experienced the same aggravation with a Queen 5 inch toothpick, I purchased today from A.G. Russell. I like the knife, but I have already spent an hour trying to get away from that paper tearing, non shaving edge. I tried a diamond stone, and numerous others stones. The toothpick has a very thin blade, hard to believe I haven't got it sharp yet. I can usually get a good edge on my other D2 blades, like my Dozier's, Benchmades, etc. I don't have a sharpening machine or anything.
 
Well, I rode my motorcycle to work today, and after I got done, I rode on up to A.G.'s store and took my Queen Toothpick back up there, to try and put a decent bevel on the blade with their larger diamond cutters they keep on the counter. I started with the coarse grit, and then fine cut, then I tried the ceramic sticks they had, back to the coarse cutter again, and again, then the fine, then the ceramic, etc. Finally, one of the guys marked the blade edge with a magic marker for me, so I could better see what was happening, and I went through the process again. I bet I spent at least an hour before I finally got an edge that would shave a few hairs off of my arm.

Anyway, I like the knife, but I haven't purchased a knife since I don't know when that took that much work to get a decent edge, but it's not too bad now. As a comparison, after I got done, I was looking around and noticed a little Toothpick made by CRKT, and asked to see it. I must say I was impressed with the quality; fit and finish, was quite good and it was only $18.00 and something.

I decided I had to have it for that price. I never was a fan of CRKT tactical knives, but this little traditional Toothpick really impressed me, and it was shaving sharp already, so I bought it, and before I left I hit it on their ceramic sticks only about 5 or 6 swipes each side and it's much sharper the the Queen even after I spent a hour on the Queen. Granted it might not hold an edge as well, but I was impressed anyway.
 
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