Reprofiling & sharpening?

[Steel Dragon]

Well,i noticed knives that have been "reprofiled & sharpened" are sharper than most the factory edges.
On a video i just watched a bladeforums member video with a Cold Steel Recon Tanto easily shaving newspaper.I can't do that with my factory Cold Steel Recon Tanto in carbon steel.

Obviously the factory edge is "sharp enough for the applicable purpose" or people wouldn't buy them,right. But i wonder why not make the edge sharp from the factory like what most people seem to prefer?

 

[Ankerson]

Is it worth it to mess with the factory edge?

I have noticed knives that have been "reprofiled & sharpened" are sharper than the factory edge.
On a video i just watched a bladeforums member video with a Cold Steel Recon Tanto easily shaving newspaper.I can't do that with my factory Cold Steel Recon Tanto in carbon steel.

Obviously the factory edge is "sharp enough for the applicable purpose" or people wouldn't buy them. But i wonder why not make the edge sharp from the factory like what most people seem to prefer?

Some factory edges are better than others from what I have seen over the years, even from the same companies.

Personally I don't deal with factory edges most of the time on my users, I reprofile and sharpen them as soon as I get them.

The reason the factories don't finish the edges that way is because it would cost a lot more to do so.

Spyderco has a very good rep for putting out some very sharp factory edges as does Cold Steel.

 

[Dag-nabit]

Some factory edges are better than others from what I have seen over the years, even from the same companies.

Personally I don't deal with factory edges most of the time on my users, I reprofile and sharpen them as soon as I get them.

The reason the factories don't finish the edges that way is because it would cost a lot more to do so.

Spyderco has a very good rep for putting out some very sharp factory edges as does Cold Steel.

X2

Factory edges are sharpened as quickly and cost effectively as possible to produce what usually passes for an acceptable edge.

Bark River and Fallkniven generally come with very sharp edges, but I find they are even better after a couple sharpenings.

Kevin

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Most of the blade edges on 'factory' knives are ground by hand, on belt grinders, in a mass-production environment. Think of a single employee in that factory, grinding out dozens, or even hundreds of blades every day. They just can't dedicate the time & attention to detail that's needed to make every edge 'wickedly perfect'. If they did take the time to do that, those knives would be a LOT more expensive.

As was mentioned previously, at least some makers (like Spyderco) are improving their factory edges beyond the status quo, and some others at least manage to crank out some 'good ones' on a sort of random, hit-or-miss basis. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't.

If you take the time & put in the effort to find a way to reprofile on your own, it renders all those factory edges basically moot. It's a nice feeling to know, beyond any doubt, that you can make it better on your own. You'll start looking forward to 'rehabilitating' every new knife you buy.

 

[KennyB]

Most of the blade edges on 'factory' knives are ground by hand, on belt grinders, in a mass-production environment. Think of a single employee in that factory, grinding out dozens, or even hundreds of blades every day. They just can't dedicate the the time & attention to detail that's needed to make every edge 'wickedly perfect'. If they did take the time to do that, those knives would be a LOT more expensive.

As was mentioned previously, at least some makers (like Spyderco) are improving their factory edges beyond the status quo, and some others at least manage to crank out some 'good ones' on a sort of random, hit-or-miss basis. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't.

If you take the time & put in the effort to find a way to reprofile on your own, it renders all those factory edges basically moot. It's a nice feeling to know, beyond any doubt, that you can make it better on your own. You'll start looking forward to 'rehabilitating' every new knife you buy.

Heh, yeah, I re profile every knife I buy--though I dno't really get those higher-class ones like Bark Rivers or Chris Reeves or any kind of "customs".


The idea of choosing a knife based on out-of-the-box sharpness seems bizarre to me.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Heh, yeah, I re profile every knife I buy--though I dno't really get those higher-class ones like Bark Rivers or Chris Reeves or any kind of "customs".


The idea of choosing a knife based on out-of-the-box sharpness seems bizarre to me.

Fortunately, regarding the Chris Reeve or other high-end knives, they usually get it right the first time (and they SHOULD, for the $$$). There are still those who might still try to take it a notch beyond, however, with a more acute bevel or a high polish on the edge. The OBSESSION never goes away...

 

[Cynic2701]

I'm actually happy that most knives don't come with a reprofiled/polished edge. I genuinely enjoy putting it on myself by hand--somehow it feels theraputic to do so. Sit down with a nice ice cold double IPA, and some good music, and grind away. Every new knife I get I look forward to "getting to know" my new knife!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I'm actually happy that most knives don't come with a reprofiled/polished edge. I genuinely enjoy putting it on myself by hand--somehow it feels theraputic to do so. Sit down with a nice ice cold double IPA, and some good music, and grind away. Every new knife I get I look forward to "getting to know" my new knife!

:thumbup:
Yes. Exactly. It's a great way to make 'just another new knife' your own. Just as you like it. It's very relaxing, very satisfying...