question about giving a knife it's first sharpening

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speedfan

Joined
Sep 5, 2003
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My BM 921 came today (sweet) and I was thinking, when it finally comes time to sharpen (I use a sharpmaker) will I have to backbevel it, or can I just use the 40 degree setting? Oh, and BM got this thing killer sharp. Should my avalanche be able to get just as sharp on the sharpmaker, or is that just not in the cards for a thicker s60v blade like that (I can't remember how sharp it was when I bought it).
Thanks,
Richard
 
Benchmade is kinda hit or miss on the Sharpmaker. My Ares worked on the SM right out of the box, but my 806 and 805 were just off far enough that a reprofile to 15 degrees was needed to make the 20 degree slots time efficient. My Random Task took a wicked edge on the SM. It was the same steel as the Avalanche. I will say that the SM edge on the Random Task was a microbevel after thinning the edge with some slack 320 grit wet/dry sand paper. After that, the SM worked great.
 
speedfan said:
Should my avalanche be able to get just as sharp on the sharpmaker, or is that just not in the cards for a thicker s60v blade ...
Click to expand...

You can get it very sharp, it won't cut as well as a thinner profiled blade.

-Cliff
 
speedfan said:
My BM 921 came today (sweet) and I was thinking, when it finally comes time to sharpen (I use a sharpmaker) will I have to backbevel it, or can I just use the 40 degree setting? Oh, and BM got this thing killer sharp. Should my avalanche be able to get just as sharp on the sharpmaker, or is that just not in the cards for a thicker s60v blade like that (I can't remember how sharp it was when I bought it).
Thanks,
Richard
Click to expand...

Speed/Richard,

I'd be curious to know after a bit how you like that Switchback 921 by Benchmade. I think it is the only multi-blade knife they make. I like the axis lock, the s30v and 440C steels used on it's blades.

I would use the 40 degree angle setting (I use this on my purple 921). Use light strokes and sharpen it every now and then even though it doesn't seem dull. Mine holds a very good edge but I feel guilty if I don't give it a couple of passes on the fine white rods every month.

If this doesn't seem to be working then drop down to 30 degrees. The 40 degree angle should be sharp enough and last longer although with the good steel in these knives I'm not sure it makes a big difference. I just don't feel that I know more about knife sharpening than Spyderco and they recommend 40 degrees unless you need to reprofile a shoulder at the 30 degree angle (but finish at 40).

Sounds a lot more confusing when I reread my post than it really is. You are a knife person so you'll know what is right I'm confident.
 
I just didn't want to go to touch up my blade in a few weeks and then end up actually dulling it because BM uses 10 degrees or something. I'm really like the 921 so far I know that much.
 
speedfan said:
I just didn't want to go to touch up my blade in a few weeks and then end up actually dulling it because BM uses 10 degrees or something.
Click to expand...

This would not blunt it. Even if the primary edge angle was 10 degrees, a very slight microbevel would not effect the cutting ability that much. Many people recommend such practices for burr removal, Goddard for example sets the final edge at a very high angle. Just check the edge by honing on the lowest angle setting using a marker and either reprofile or adjust the honing angle as necessary.

-Cliff
 
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