Question about Spyderco Pacific Salt Plain Edge Knife sharpening

[borabbas89]

Hey guys. New here, but I've been checking out this forum for some time. I have a quick question about my Spyderco Pacific Salt Plain Edge Knife. I haven't sharpened it yet, as it's still new, but when I do, does sharpening it tend to lower the anti-corrosion properties of the knife? THank you in advance!
Bo

 

[Liquid Cobra]

Good news! Your blade is 100% rust proof. It is physically incapable of rusting so no amount of sharpening will ever make it rust. What's even more impressive is that due to the composition of H-1 steel, it actually hardens when it is worked. Basically that means that when you sharpen the edge of your pacific salt it actually becomes a tougher edge than it was when you bought it. It will continue to get harder everytime you sharpen it. Enjoy that knife.

 

[borabbas89]

Sweet! Thank you for the answer! I REALLY apppreciate it!

 

[TravisH]

And WELCOME!

It's always nice when a lurker joins in!

 

[John_0917]

Good news! Your blade is 100% rust proof. It is physically incapable of rusting so no amount of sharpening will ever make it rust. What's even more impressive is that due to the composition of H-1 steel, it actually hardens when it is worked. Basically that means that when you sharpen the edge of your pacific salt it actually becomes a tougher edge than it was when you bought it. It will continue to get harder everytime you sharpen it. Enjoy that knife.

The blade is for all our practical purposes rustproof...it can rust but won't likely do so in a type of condition that it will ever be exposed to. As to it the "work hardening", that is very much open to debate. Yes, it is true that H1 gets harder the more than it is "worked", but whether simple maintenance sharpening will actually do that is not clear. It is a well accepted opinion that serrated edge is the way to go for H1 blades and that they are vastly superior in edge retention and cutting power than the plain edge versions.

Simply, if you want serrations then go with H1; if you want a plain edge then go with a high chromium/low carbon powder steel like S30V or similar.

 

[craytab]

It is a well accepted opinion that serrated edge is the way to go for H1 blades and that they are vastly superior in edge retention and cutting power than the plain edge versions.

I disagree completely. While it is true that you get much better edge retention with a serrated H1 blade vs plain edge, it is a well accepted opion by the members here that for cutting things a plain edge is vastly superior. I'll take less edge retention of a plain edge over superior edge retention of a serrated blade an day of the week. Plus when that hard serrated edge does dull it will be harder to sharpen. With my plain edge H1 a couple passes on a ceramic rod and it is back to razor sharp.

Simply, if you want serrations then go with H1; if you want a plain edge then go with a high chromium/low carbon powder steel like S30V or similar.

I'll also disagree here. Sure if you want serrations H1 is without a doubt the best way to go. The fact is though, most people in this hobby don't like serrations. As for S30V from spyderco, I have had it develop surface rust under not very demanding conditions. I would never take S30V over H1 for a true water blade, especially if you are around salt water.

 

[Surfingringo]

I disagree completely. While it is true that you get much better edge retention with a serrated H1 blade vs plain edge, it is a well accepted opion by the members here that for cutting things a plain edge is vastly superior. I'll take less edge retention of a plain edge over superior edge retention of a serrated blade an day of the week. Plus when that hard serrated edge does dull it will be harder to sharpen. With my plain edge H1 a couple passes on a ceramic rod and it is back to razor sharp.



I'll also disagree here. Sure if you want serrations H1 is without a doubt the best way to go. The fact is though, most people in this hobby don't like serrations. As for S30V from spyderco, I have had it develop surface rust under not very demanding conditions. I would never take S30V over H1 for a true water blade, especially if you are around salt water.

My opinions fall somewhere in between yours and John's. Personally, I prefer pe for most chores but there are definitely cutting tasks where se excels. I always go with se on all my salt knives. SE will always have an edge retention advantage over PE because of geometry, but in H1 the difference is massive. Comparing pe h1 to se h1 is kind of like comparing worst in class to best in class, so for me, even though i don't favor serrated edges, I feel almost obligated to go se in the salt line. All of the above is personal opinion so obviously, ymmv.

Regarding the sharpening, with a little practice on the sm, serrations are every bit as quick and easy to sharpen as a pe.

edit: Anyway, I just went back and read the op and realized I got way off topic, so... Sharpening your pe h1 will definitely not affect corrosion resistance. You will also find that h1 is very easy to sharpen and takes a very keen edge. :thumbup:

 

[Liquid Cobra]

The blade is for all our practical purposes rustproof...it can rust but won't likely do so in a type of condition that it will ever be exposed to. As to it the "work hardening", that is very much open to debate. Yes, it is true that H1 gets harder the more than it is "worked", but whether simple maintenance sharpening will actually do that is not clear. It is a well accepted opinion that serrated edge is the way to go for H1 blades and that they are vastly superior in edge retention and cutting power than the plain edge versions.

Simply, if you want serrations then go with H1; if you want a plain edge then go with a high chromium/low carbon powder steel like S30V or similar.

This seems to pop up every month here. H-1 cannot rust. Can't rust. Won't rust. Straight from Spyderco's website:

H-1 which is a nitrogen-based blade alloy rather than carbon-based. The elimination of carbon in the steel renders it one-hundred percent rust proof but like its carbon-steel cousins, H-1 takes a hard sharpened cutting edge retention.

 

[brownshoe]

I disagree completely. While it is true that you get much better edge retention with a serrated H1 blade vs plain edge, it is a well accepted opion by the members here that for cutting things a plain edge is vastly superior...The fact is though, most people in this hobby don't like serrations...

Some people love serrations, some don't. I've given Spyderco serrated kitchen knives to people as diverse as a professional chef to a new wife. Except for the chef, they all say the first knife they go to for general kitchen cutting is the serrated spyderco. My first three spydercos were a serrated Q (for the lady), a serrated kitchen knife and a serrated Harpy. One of the reasons I started buying Spyderco was its excellent serrations. For many applications serrations are the best type of blade...think tomato, rope, vines...

Personally, if you don't understand the need for serrations, you don't really understand Spyderco

 

[10fingers]

What sharpening setup do use OP? I love my PE H1 and can easily get a phone book paper slicing polished edge on mine on the sharp maker with provided stones

 

[craytab]

Some people love serrations, some don't. I've given Spyderco serrated kitchen knives to people as diverse as a professional chef to a new wife. Except for the chef, they all say the first knife they go to for general kitchen cutting is the serrated spyderco. My first three spydercos were a serrated Q (for the lady), a serrated kitchen knife and a serrated Harpy. One of the reasons I started buying Spyderco was its excellent serrations. For many applications serrations are the best type of blade...think tomato, rope, vines...

Personally, if you don't understand the need for serrations, you don't really understand Spyderco

I don't think I or anyone else in this thread said that but thanks for interjecting you opinion.

I completely understand the need/desire for serrations for certain tasks, especially in H1. That said, for what I use knives for and specifically what I use my salt for, serrations don't offer me any benefit over a well sharpened PE. Of course different tasks call for different blade types. No one is arguing otherwise.

 

[John_0917]

This seems to pop up every month here. H-1 cannot rust. Can't rust. Won't rust. Straight from Spyderco's website:

H-1 which is a nitrogen-based blade alloy rather than carbon-based. The elimination of carbon in the steel renders it one-hundred percent rust proof but like its carbon-steel cousins, H-1 takes a hard sharpened cutting edge retention.

H1 still does contain carbon, I believe it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.1%.

 

[brownshoe]

Hey I had a at the end of that post, to bad it didn't copy.

 

[Herlock]

Hi! I own a Pacific Salt PE since few years and I am overall very happy with it. My one and only Spyderco so far. It’s my “seaside summer vacation knife” . About SE vs. PE in marine environment I have a funny story to share. The first summer I carried this knife, I was laying on my sun-bed when the two beach lifeguards caught my attention, since they were fumbling around their Zodiac RHIB. I approached them and they explained they had some type of rope/net which got in the way of the propeller. One of the guys was trying to somehow undo the tangled up mess and came out with a: “I need a knife”. Sure enough, I flicked open the Pacific Salt and handed promptly to him . He dived under water and a couple of minutes later he returned the knife to me saying he didn’t manage, the knife was "not sharp enough". Whaaat? It was hair shaving sharp, c’mon, you’re maybe a bit clumsy man! The other one, in the meantime, reached the beach bar and came down with a plain, beaten Kaimano table knife (like this).

Two minutes later, to my dismay, the thing was solved and the first guy emerged with a meter long nylon rope (like this).

My learning is that SE has some use, specially in marine environment, specially when dealing with nylon ropes and plastic tanks. This said, I wouldn’t trade my Pacific Salt PE with a SE. PE serves me well with most of EDC tasks at seaside like dressing fish, food prep, etc. which I couldn’t really do with a SE.

As far as sharpening, at summer house I only have a Lansky Blade Medic which I use for all the knives, Pacific Salt included. It gets a decent shaving sharp edge, sharp enough for any use I put it through. Rather easy and quick.

Take care.

 

[Jason B.]

H1 steel is compressed under tons of force and only at this time does it become "work hardened"

Sharpening is a removal of metal not a compression of it.

 

[singularity35]

H1 steel is compressed under tons of force and only at this time does it become "work hardened"

Sharpening is a removal of metal not a compression of it.

Agreed, but the myth that sharpening H1 will work harden it still won't die a quiet death...

 

[marthinus]

My opinions fall somewhere in between yours and John's. Personally, I prefer pe for most chores but there are definitely cutting tasks where se excels. I always go with se on all my salt knives. SE will always have an edge retention advantage over PE because of geometry, but in H1 the difference is massive. Comparing pe h1 to se h1 is kind of like comparing worst in class to best in class, so for me, even though i don't favor serrated edges, I feel almost obligated to go se in the salt line. All of the above is personal opinion so obviously, ymmv.

Regarding the sharpening, with a little practice on the sm, serrations are every bit as quick and easy to sharpen as a pe.

edit: Anyway, I just went back and read the op and realized I got way off topic, so... Sharpening your pe h1 will definitely not affect corrosion resistance. You will also find that h1 is very easy to sharpen and takes a very keen edge. :thumbup:

Have you ever had a PE H-1 reground to be thinner behind the edge? Makes a world of difference in my experience.

 

[nickedone]

For beach/surf/sea I have both plain edge and serrated Salts in the kit, and the application determines the edge. For me, the PE gets used probably 3X as much as the serrated.

The PE makes "cleaner" precise cuts, and is easier to clean than the SE; one can even back-wipe the blade on your calf/rinse calf in water. Don't do that with the SE.

However, the PE is not nearly as easy or efficient at cutting lines and such as is the serrated (likewise cutting chores such as kelp tangles/other fibrous stuff).

Sharpening both plain and serrated edges is simple to learn and do; it is more time consuming with serrated, but will usually be needed more frequently with PE (re:Salt).

A true 50:50 blade would be versatile, but either PE or SE will do fine in the marine environment.

 

[eqlzr]

I don't care what anyone says. The first time I cut a ham steak with my plain edge Salt I on a hard porcelain plate, the edge dulled and probably rolled a teeny little bit. I sharpened it again freehand on my ceramic stones, and I can slice ham steak on the same porcelain plate now without any effect on the edge. So, the dang edge hardened a little bit with the sharpening. Science in action.

 

[singularity35]

I don't care what anyone says. The first time I cut a ham steak with my plain edge Salt I on a hard porcelain plate, the edge dulled and probably rolled a teeny little bit. I sharpened it again freehand on my ceramic stones, and I can slice ham steak on the same porcelain plate now without any effect on the edge. So, the dang edge hardened a little bit with the sharpening. Science in action.

Nope, that's just called wishful thinking.

Even a steel a lot harder than H1 will dull if you cut a ham steak on a porcelain plate. Well, depending on the cutting technique though...but yes, if it dulled the first time, it will dull again with the same kind of cutting. Even if sharpening will work harden H1, one sharpening won't be enough to make a difference. It's all in your mind.