- Joined
- Aug 31, 2000
- Messages
- 1,343
I just received my Hand American Smooth Steel a couple of days ago and I thought that I would share my initial impressions and results with you all.
I ordered the 21.5 OAL (actual rod length is 16.5) steel. This is the larger of the two models that Hand American offers.
First off, a couple of impressions and facts about this steel....
I have to say that this steel is of top quality in its construction in every way.
It has a full man size (hickory.....I believe) handle with a thick leather loop attached for storing the steel in the hanging position.
It also comes with a 4-5 oz. leather sheath that snugly slips over the steel rod. Hand American suggests that this sheath can also be used for finish polishing.
The steel itself is absolutely super glass smooth. Not one scratch present on the steel that I was sent!!!!
It is hardened to Rc 62-65.
Now, for some test results....
Since I knew that I had ordered this steel I decided to get a couple of knives ready for testing prior to its arrival. I sharpened a grand total of 2 knives (so Im little lazy....shoot me). A small Henckels paring knife and a Puma Protec (440C). I didnt want to use anything really special to me in case I screwed something up. Know what I mean??
The Henckels was always a sharp knife and The Puma had never really been. I prepared them by sharpening them using a Sharpmaker 204. I used all four recommended steps first using the 30 deg setting to set a secondary edge and then the 40 deg setting for the primary edge. The Heckels sharpness returned and the Puma finally had a decent edge on it and would actually cut paper. This was a first for this knife.
I then took both of these knives and steeled them following the supplied directions. The results were great!! The Henkels parer is sooooo sharp now and the Puma is absolutely unbelivable!!!! I am actually shocked with these results.
Next I decided to move up to something that I hold a little more dear to me......My SERE 2000.
My SERE came to me new as the sharpest knife that I have ever used. I had recently used it to cut the tip off an Orajel tube for my nephew and screwed up the edge somehow.
Im not sure exactly why but the knifes edge was considerably less keen after performing this task. They must use some serious ingredients in that plastic that they use!!!
Anyway, since I really liked the edge that this knife had come with I decided to not resharpen at possibly a different angle but rather try to re-align the current edge provided. The results were again superb. The edge is almost as good as new. I did the old free hanging toilet paper test and the SERE sliced right through without ripping the TP.
Did you notice that I said the edge was almost as good as new? Well, that is true, when the knife was new I didnt even feel the TP as it passed through it.
I think that a few passes on the strop/leather hone and that situation will be remedied. Still though, the SERE is very sharp again now.
I also tried to fix an edge on an old Camillus folder that had been used pretty heavy for years with no sharpening. I didnt have such good results with this knife as I did with the others. It did get sharper but not sharp enough for me. I think that this knife needs a touch up on a stone before I re-attempt steeling it. This should provide some better results Im sure.
All in all I am very pleased with the results that I have achieved.
If you have never steeled before, give it a try, I think that youll be pleasantly surprised.
*Note-I also purchased a PC10 Leather Hone from Hand American. I will report my findings on that when I get a chance.
--The Raptor--
I ordered the 21.5 OAL (actual rod length is 16.5) steel. This is the larger of the two models that Hand American offers.
First off, a couple of impressions and facts about this steel....
I have to say that this steel is of top quality in its construction in every way.
It has a full man size (hickory.....I believe) handle with a thick leather loop attached for storing the steel in the hanging position.
It also comes with a 4-5 oz. leather sheath that snugly slips over the steel rod. Hand American suggests that this sheath can also be used for finish polishing.
The steel itself is absolutely super glass smooth. Not one scratch present on the steel that I was sent!!!!
It is hardened to Rc 62-65.
Now, for some test results....
Since I knew that I had ordered this steel I decided to get a couple of knives ready for testing prior to its arrival. I sharpened a grand total of 2 knives (so Im little lazy....shoot me). A small Henckels paring knife and a Puma Protec (440C). I didnt want to use anything really special to me in case I screwed something up. Know what I mean??
The Henckels was always a sharp knife and The Puma had never really been. I prepared them by sharpening them using a Sharpmaker 204. I used all four recommended steps first using the 30 deg setting to set a secondary edge and then the 40 deg setting for the primary edge. The Heckels sharpness returned and the Puma finally had a decent edge on it and would actually cut paper. This was a first for this knife.
I then took both of these knives and steeled them following the supplied directions. The results were great!! The Henkels parer is sooooo sharp now and the Puma is absolutely unbelivable!!!! I am actually shocked with these results.
Next I decided to move up to something that I hold a little more dear to me......My SERE 2000.
My SERE came to me new as the sharpest knife that I have ever used. I had recently used it to cut the tip off an Orajel tube for my nephew and screwed up the edge somehow.
Anyway, since I really liked the edge that this knife had come with I decided to not resharpen at possibly a different angle but rather try to re-align the current edge provided. The results were again superb. The edge is almost as good as new. I did the old free hanging toilet paper test and the SERE sliced right through without ripping the TP.
I also tried to fix an edge on an old Camillus folder that had been used pretty heavy for years with no sharpening. I didnt have such good results with this knife as I did with the others. It did get sharper but not sharp enough for me. I think that this knife needs a touch up on a stone before I re-attempt steeling it. This should provide some better results Im sure.
All in all I am very pleased with the results that I have achieved.
If you have never steeled before, give it a try, I think that youll be pleasantly surprised.
*Note-I also purchased a PC10 Leather Hone from Hand American. I will report my findings on that when I get a chance.
--The Raptor--
