Reprofiling degree question??

U

usmc0811

Joined
Jun 11, 2008
Messages
15
Hello all I am very new to knife sharpening and have a question. In a few days I am going to be getting a KME sharpening system for my 40th birthday. My question is what is considered a heavy re-profiling how many degrees in between? Like 25 deg, down to a 17 deg. would be heavy right?
A light profiling how many degrees in between?
And a very light re-profiling how many degrees in between?

Also any other good resources on youtube or other knife forums would be appreciated thanks guys.
 
Some of it depends on the steel and how you use a knife.

Most people here go with 40 degrees inclusive (20 degrees per side). The second most popular angle is 30 degrees inclusive.

The smaller the angle, the better the knife will cut, and the more vulnerable it is to damage. You have to find your own best angle if you use a knife hard.
 
Twindog said:
Some of it depends on the steel and how you use a knife.

Most people here go with 40 degrees inclusive (20 degrees per side). The second most popular angle is 30 degrees inclusive.

The smaller the angle, the better the knife will cut, and the more vulnerable it is to damage. You have to find your own best angle if you use a knife hard.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks for the help. I have all different knives some fixed blade some pocket knives. Ill keep on reading up on this forum and others to learn as much as I can. Ill take my time and hopfully learn from my mistakes lol.
 
Most of my knives are cut at 20 degrees inclusive and then a micro bevel of maybe 2 degrees per side. So 24 or so inclusive I haven't had issues with edge retention but I don't abuse my knives either.
 
I'd start with the knife you use most. Then I'd see what the existing edge angles are. For example, one side might be 22 degrees and the other might be 25 degrees. I'd take it down to 20 degrees per side to get a clean, even bevel. Save the heavy reprofiling, which in this case could be dropping to 15 dps to make it a better slicer, until you get comfortable with sharpening.

The first issue will be your ability to raise and recognize a burr along the full length of each side.

The second issue will be your ability to properly remove the burr to get a clean apex.

The third issue, optional, will be to refine the apex, say with stropping.
 
Twindog said:
You have to find your own best angle if you use a knife hard.
Click to expand...
That's it !
Personally I live for silly thin knives with even "sillier" narrow sharpening angles.
As long as the steel is very high quality and quite hard I grin and grin. Sure I may get a chip (very rarely) or a roll but I am careful and I tend to cut things that are abrasive but I don't put a lot of force on the knife so we get along fabulously.

YMMV
Here is a very good explanation from Murray Carter who basically lives for knife making and has been trained by the Japanese. . . . er . . . remember Samurai swords (think Three Body Swords yes they cut three human bodies in HALF across the torso in one go) . . . remember Sushi knives cutting all that fish etc to a standard a brain surgeon would admire . . . yeah that's the Japanese dudes right ? ! They kind of specialize in cutting stuff with a hand held sharp thing. Don't even get me going on how great the woodworking hand tools are or we could be here for hours.
. . . anyway . . . heeeeeeeeeers Murray !
 
What I did was use cheap knives first. And a belt sander with an angle guide and tried several different angles. I also have modified my angle guide to 5 degrees to thin out the knives behind the bevel which leads to less resistance in cutting. And then put whatever cutting angle on. This I did more with some thick chef knives. And a few pudgy Chinese pocket knives. As I said 24 degree or so inclusive is what works for me with everything except the meat cleaver.
 
Thanks with a bow.
I tend to take it slow and easy. I call it My Birthday Month. Often I watch an entire series of some kind such as all the 007 movies or all the Star Trek movies. This year I wasn't inspired to do that.
I've been going through a very questionable period with my employment. Big changes in the building structure, new owners . . . lots of words (positive words) said. We will see how it all folds out. I have had to get other job offers and mention them just to get them to fill me in on the actual game plan. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:o_O

So bucks are tight but that said I have discovered Gritomatic and get a new stone from time to time as something to keep me going.
I have just received the Ruby 60 grit stone today. I think I am in love. Haven't tried it yet but if it is as good as the T2 150 and others I have slowly acquired I'm in for a good time. What to reprofile first ?
 
Wowbagger said:
Thanks with a bow.
I tend to take it slow and easy. I call it My Birthday Month. Often I watch an entire series of some kind such as all the 007 movies or all the Star Trek movies. This year I wasn't inspired to do that.
I've been going through a very questionable period with my employment. Big changes in the building structure, new owners . . . lots of words (positive words) said. We will see how it all folds out. I have had to get other job offers and mention them just to get them to fill me in on the actual game plan. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:o_O

So bucks are tight but that said I have discovered Gritomatic and get a new stone from time to time as something to keep me going.
I have just received the Ruby 60 grit stone today. I think I am in love. Haven't tried it yet but if it is as good as the T2 150 and others I have slowly acquired I'm in for a good time. What to reprofile first ?
Click to expand...
HAHA Birthday month LOL I like that. Good luck and best wishes with your job, times like them can be stressful. Stay positive and im sure it will all work out. I go through stressful times as well here and there and its hobbies new and old that keep me sane. Ill just head out to my shed and reload some ammo or go to the gym, now im getting into this wonderful world of sharpening knives, which I have a nice collection building up over these years and some are in need of some TLC so hopefully I can get the hang of this. I have been watching all the videos on the KME system as that is the one I chose, and now that I am a member here Im reading as much as I can and taking notes. Ill have to take a look at that Ruby 60 grit stone you are talking about. Is it a free hand stone or can it be used on a KME style system?
 
Thank you Wowbagger! That will be my reason for the latest knife purchase....cause it's my birthday month!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top