Revelation on keeping my Sebenza sharp

T

ThumperACC

Joined
Feb 28, 2009
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I know many of you are going to say, "Yup, knew that..." and in retrospect maybe this is obvious but here goes.

I've been sharpening for 30+ years (always loved knives, even as a kid) with pretty good success, achieving 'shaving sharp' pretty easily. Now, I've had a minor issue with S30v in that I can get it hair tree-topping sharp but it loses its ability to shave rather quickly. Even though it loses its shaving sharpness quickly I can cut cardboard for an hour or so before its working sharpness goes away and I feel the need to sharpen again. So, S30v has been a mixed bag. It stays working sharp for a real long time but I wish it would keep its razor edge longer.

Well, after reading some of the threads on S35vn (was looking for something that might hold the razor edge longer than S30v), the post by Anne that Chris had just made 300 cuts on orange extension cord and his Sebenza was still shaving sharp, it got me to thinking.

Chris (I believe) sharpens to a convex edge. I, using my Sharpmaker, sharpen to a flat bevel/micro bevel. When my Sebenza it tree-topping sharp, it is usually more so on one side than the other. I must be leaving a burr/wire edge on my Sebenza :foot: and this probably folds right over almost immediately, causing a loss of shaving sharpness, but given the wear resistance of S30v, it stays working sharp for a really long time. Chris, I am sure, does not leave a burr/wire edge when he's done sharpening.

How to solve this? Take the burr off with a strop. Last week I took an old belt, rubbed a bit of green honing compound into it and spent a few minutes stropping the edge. The edge is now tree-topping sharp on both sides, looks amazing under 100x microscope and will still shave after cutting a respectable amount of cardboard. I'm in heaven! I feel like I've hit sharpening nirvana. :D

Thanks for listening and I hope this helps someone else,
ThumperACC
 
"Yup, knew that" :D

For a cheap home made strop, get a piece of seasoned wood and a piece of leather. Use a wide belt sander and surface the wood flat. Then rough up the bottom surface of the leather. Get some contact cement. Do it two part. Get a couple blocks of wood and sand them flat. Squeeze the strop in a vise between the blocks of wood. Let it dry a day. Remove it, sand the edges flush. Load a buffing wheel with green compound and buff the top surface of the leather. Make sure you don't catch the edges with the wheel, it will muck up the edges of the leather. Then use a high grit sand paper on your belt sander and finish the top surface until all the green compound is gone. This will take off all high spots. Then just reapply your green compound with the loaded buffing wheel. I have found no better way :)
 
Here is a photo a friend sent me of the finished product of one of the ones I made. This is just a tiny one for travel, but same concept :)

DSC_0657_170.jpg


I am very glad you figured this out. I remember when I first realized this and it was like the best thing that every happened in my knife world.
 
richstag said:
"Yup, knew that" :D

For a cheap home made strop, get a piece of seasoned wood and a piece of leather. Use a wide belt sander and surface the wood flat. Then rough up the bottom surface of the leather. Get some contact cement. Do it two part. Get a couple blocks of wood and sand them flat. Squeeze the strop in a vise between the blocks of wood. Let it dry a day. Remove it, sand the edges flush. Load a buffing wheel with green compound and buff the top surface of the leather. Make sure you don't catch the edges with the wheel, it will muck up the edges of the leather. Then use a high grit sand paper on your belt sander and finish the top surface until all the green compound is gone. This will take off all high spots. Then just reapply your green compound with the loaded buffing wheel. I have found no better way :)
Click to expand...

I don't have a suitable belt sander, the only one I have is a tiny 2.5" wide one. I do have a nice jointer though. Flattening the wood block will be a snap. Do you think, if I set the depth of cut small enough (say 1/2 of a 64th of an inch) that the leather would survive? I'd hate for the jointer to grab the leather and suck it in, it'd make a big mess and jam up the machine.

What are your thoughts? Is finishing the leather with sandpaper desired because it will 'open up' the surface of the leather to receive the compound?

ThumperACC
 
I sand it so its flat. I was amazed how easy leather is to work with. I have no clue about your idea though, sorry. The buffing wheel heats the leather enough to get it to take the compound :)

You can do the same thing by hand with sand paper attached to a block of wood :)
 
BTW, the biggest learning curve I had in stropping is the best results I achieved were with lightly loaded smooth strops. The lighter trick and other ways just led me to way to much crapped up compound. All it takes is a little compound IN the leather :)
 
take these steps, work really well

I do it at least, you may like it (or not), after sharpening or honing (convex of course ;) )
fine sandpaper (1000 or 1200 or1500)
compound loaded strop (green compound sgould be like 4000grit) few strops (10 per side?)
"hairy" side of good veg tan leather, few strops
"smooth" side of the leather, few harder and then loghter strops

makes all knives cut like laser, no burr at all, holds for long looks grat and shiny
Maxx
 
OP

S30V will lose it's razor sharp edge after cardboard cutting which will test a blade's endurance to hold an edge. It should remove any burr as thin as what you describe in a few cuts. Then your working edge should stay sharp for a fairly long time. :thumbup:

If I had to cut enouh cardboard to be sharpening my CRK folder all the time, I'd pick a less pricey folder for that task. YMMV :)
 
Thumper, Sir, I just wanted to add no matter what option you go with I'm glad you made this huge leap in sharpening :)

I must have spent 3 years straight spending around 1k on sharpening supplies. The best I can do is with my belt sander. The best I can do free hand is with the strops I make. I don't just mean the sharpets although it is. I also tested on all srts of media along with EDC use.

Again, congrats! Its only a 'duh moment' once you REALLY figure it out for yourself and you look back 20/20 vision.
 
If you are using a Sharpemaker,after using the corners turn to the flats and use very light pressure(white stones)then using some cardboard, back of a notebook works well,strop a couple of times then a couple of times on Sharpemaker and repeat.This will get a hair popping sharp blade.
 
Chris Reeve said:
If you are using a Sharpemaker,after using the corners turn to the flats and use very light pressure(white stones)then using some cardboard, back of a notebook works well,strop a couple of times then a couple of times on Sharpemaker and repeat.This will get a hair popping sharp blade.
Click to expand...

Thanks Chris, I'll give this a try. I'd never considered repeating the sequence after I'd stropped the blade. Sounds like an interesting idea from a guy who's sharpened a blade or two (or 20 thousand :) )

ThumperACC
 
Thank you Chris. I have a sharpmaker and a notebook so that simple tip was a pleasure to try. Two of my large sebenzas that were in need of a touch up are now almost as sharp as the new 21 I just got for Christmas. Blazed thru coated newsprint, my new one cuts a perfect line using basically it's own weight for pressure. The ones I touched up require just a touch of pressure. I will take that and feel great about my new found skill.
 
I have been trying to use the sharpmaker to maintain the edge on my large 21. For some reason I cant get it sharp from the front of the belly to the tip. Is the edge thicker toward the tip?
 
Use a sharpie and color the edge from choil to tip on both sides. If its not coming off all the way to the edge then your not starting to form a burr yet.
 
Chris Reeve said:
If you are using a Sharpemaker,after using the corners turn to the flats and use very light pressure(white stones)then using some cardboard, back of a notebook works well,strop a couple of times then a couple of times on Sharpemaker and repeat.This will get a hair popping sharp blade.
Click to expand...

I assume CR is starting on the white fine rods at 40° setting. Key bit of missing info is - is this the finishing technique or does one do this from the beginning of the session until the hair popping sharp blade is reached.

johnnytoxin said:
I have been trying to use the sharpmaker to maintain the edge on my large 21. For some reason I cant get it sharp from the front of the belly to the tip. Is the edge thicker toward the tip?
Click to expand...

Sharpie marker will tell you what to do. :)
 
Everyone should have a good strop. I am able to maintain my edges for a long time before I have to re-bevel them.

Another good technique to remove the burr, is a couple light passes on a ceramic rod. It's faster than the strop.

If you deburr with the rod then hit the strop, you should be able to tree-top hair.

apex5.jpg
 
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