I own two Beckers - a BK24 and a BK11. I bought both of them and immediately started fiddling with them: Stripping paint, making sheaths and handles. Recently I actually cut something with them. It didn't go that well.
Both knives came with small edge bevels, which were fine enough that it was difficult figuring out what angle they were at. Everyone says 15 DPS, so I assumed that the flat grind took the blade down pretty thin. Then one afternoon I threw 6 knives in a pack and went for a walk in the woods. I spent an hour carving, splitting and chopping 3/4" sticks. The Mora was the best, the Anzas worked surprisingly well, as did one thick bladed blade I made, and the Schrade hollow handle was decent. The Beckers, which had sharp edges, wouldn't carve wood. I decided the edge angle must be something greater than 15.
Imitating the action of a Lansky System, I re-ground the edge of both Beckers with a fine diamond stone, then went over that with 500 grit carbide paper stuck to a piece of flat steel. It looked like the edge bevel effectively doubled in height. Now they would cut wood without bottoming out against the bevel transition.
I had an idea of where I was sharpening, but measurements of the edge dimensions converted to around 16 DPS. I imagine the factory edge was closer to 30.
Anyone else had trouble with carving using a factory edge? Did I just get two QC bungles? Should I lower the angle further for either or both (D2 vs. 1095CV)?
Both knives came with small edge bevels, which were fine enough that it was difficult figuring out what angle they were at. Everyone says 15 DPS, so I assumed that the flat grind took the blade down pretty thin. Then one afternoon I threw 6 knives in a pack and went for a walk in the woods. I spent an hour carving, splitting and chopping 3/4" sticks. The Mora was the best, the Anzas worked surprisingly well, as did one thick bladed blade I made, and the Schrade hollow handle was decent. The Beckers, which had sharp edges, wouldn't carve wood. I decided the edge angle must be something greater than 15.
Imitating the action of a Lansky System, I re-ground the edge of both Beckers with a fine diamond stone, then went over that with 500 grit carbide paper stuck to a piece of flat steel. It looked like the edge bevel effectively doubled in height. Now they would cut wood without bottoming out against the bevel transition.
I had an idea of where I was sharpening, but measurements of the edge dimensions converted to around 16 DPS. I imagine the factory edge was closer to 30.
Anyone else had trouble with carving using a factory edge? Did I just get two QC bungles? Should I lower the angle further for either or both (D2 vs. 1095CV)?
