S90V... Toothy or polished?

A

asmith001

Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Messages
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I'm sharpening my S90V Military. I was curious to know what you guys prefer for S90V... A toothy edge or more of a polished edge? I've had a near polished edge at 30° with a 40° micro bevel, and was very pleased with it. I was just wondering how it would perform if I change it up. I've just re-sharpened it with a diamond stone at 30° without a micro bevel. Before I proceed, I wanted to get some opinions. Should I work toward a polished edge, or leave it toothy? Should I leave it at 30°, or reapply a micro bevel? Any experience or opinions are welcome.

Thanks,
Aaron
 
Leave it toothy. Let those vanadium carbides do their thing!

As for the micro-bevel, it depends on what you're going to be doing with it. If it's just for opening letters, cutting tape and light food prep I'd say leave it at 30. If you're going to be using it for rougher things then put the 40 on.

I keep a 30° bevel with a 40° micro on my S90V PM2 and no complains yet. When it dulls I just swipe it on the medium Sharpmaker rods and it touches back up within a few passes and it's back to shaving sharp.
 
Why not just try it and see? If it's doesn't work out, just re sharpen to your liking....
 
Toothy. I only take mine to 500 grit on shapton glass and it cuts and cuts and cuts.
 
Jastab said:
Why not just try it and see? If it's doesn't work out, just re sharpen to your liking....
Click to expand...

That was my plan, to an extent. But I don't want to waste my time if it doesn't seem logical. This S90V is a beast on the sharpmaker... It takes a while, lol.

Thanks for the info, guys. I think I'll stop on the medium stones and reapply a micro bevel again.
 
Journey in sharpening. I have gone that route too. My Manix2XL S90v also cut great with the 400 grit Edge Pro stone (new version). (28degree inclusive, with 38 degree microbevel) Great. Why go further? Made a note in my bound knife sharpening journal: leave at 400, great slicer, and shaves hair nicely, push cuts phone book paper easily. But, being a nut, I thought, let's try 600. Then, 800, oh well, we are close, how about 1000? etc. Now, after I touch it up with the 10,000 Chosera, i not comfortable unless I strop it as well. (Is this the definition of an addiction?) The edge is pretty, and it does last a very long time though.
 
As other mentioned I leave it reasonably toothy at 500gr then touch it up on some ultra fine ceramic, I find it hard to strop so I have to re-do the edge every time it gets dull, i'm sure this problem is on my part
 
Imo S90V steel can handle both a toothy edge & a polished edge very well and for quite a long time.
For a toothy edge i just use silicon carbide abrasives (Tormek SB250 Black Silicon stone and/or a Paper Wheel with 220 grit SiC), and for a polished edge i use various diamond compounds on Paper Wheels.
 
Raymond3 said:
Journey in sharpening. I have gone that route too. My Manix2XL S90v also cut great with the 400 grit Edge Pro stone (new version). (28degree inclusive, with 38 degree microbevel) Great. Why go further? Made a note in my bound knife sharpening journal: leave at 400, great slicer, and shaves hair nicely, push cuts phone book paper easily. But, being a nut, I thought, let's try 600. Then, 800, oh well, we are close, how about 1000? etc. Now, after I touch it up with the 10,000 Chosera, i not comfortable unless I strop it as well. (Is this the definition of an addiction?) The edge is pretty, and it does last a very long time though.
Click to expand...

Jeez, this exactly! :rolleyes: I try like hell to leave a toothy edge on my cts-204p paramilitary, but next thing you know I'll be comparing it to something in superblue and I'll decide it's not quite "sharp enough". The problem is that it is NOT superblue and doesn't sharpen like superblue. The bottom line is that I think this steel excels at a low grit finish but I am slightly insane so I have a hard time leaving it there.
 
S90V runs from 200-400 grit at my house depending on what I'm doing. It will cut well even with a 8k grit polish just to be clear. Those super steels with that much vanadium like to cut, and cut. I do like the more aggressive, toothy edges though. Some don't really need the help though and S90V is one. I just like to do it.
 
I m leaving my edges at 6oo grit and they are very sharp with good edge retention with that finish.
 
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