Schrade SCHF56L sharpening problems, 1095 steel

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frym

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May 4, 2005
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I received a Schrade SCHF56L as a present and upon opening it I could feel that it had a distinctly rolled edge, you could feel a prominent burr running along an entire side of the knife edge and it was very dull. Since I have been sharpening knives since I was a child (I am now 55), I told myself “while annoying to have to do so, I can simply take the hone the burr off and get it razor sharp.” I tried everything I had (Arkansas stones, both medium and fine, diamond stones, and ceramic) and all I end up doing is creating a new burr, or if I am able to get rid of most of the new burr I am only able to get it somewhat sharp, but I am not able to get it shaving sharp no matter what I do. I have even tried different angles, I cannot get it shaving sharp. The burr simply seems to shift from side to side. I have nearly a hundred knives and I am able to get the vast majority of those shaving sharp easily by hand. One would expect an easier time with 1095 high carbon steel. Knife has a very thick, almost 1/4 in. backbone. Perhaps a bad heat treat? Is it me or is it the knife? Any comments are appreciated.
 
I have a Becker BK2 in 1095 .25" thick spine and while I can get it newsprint cutting sharp I cannot get it to shave. I think the blade geometry has a lot to do with it for mine. But on yours if the edge was truly rolled and not just burred you may still feel the original roll from the weaker steel moving side to side and not a new bur. I would try to re-profile to knock off the weak steel and try again after a little more material is removed.
 
woodsmanoh said:
I have a Becker BK2 in 1095 .25" thick spine and while I can get it newsprint cutting sharp I cannot get it to shave. I think the blade geometry has a lot to do with it for mine. But on yours if the edge was truly rolled and not just burred you may still feel the original roll from the weaker steel moving side to side and not a new bur. I would try to re-profile to knock off the weak steel and try again after a little more material is removed.
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I've had my bk2 for 6 years. Trust me that baby can shave.
 
woodsmanoh said:
I have a Becker BK2 in 1095 .25" thick spine and while I can get it newsprint cutting sharp I cannot get it to shave. I think the blade geometry has a lot to do with it for mine. But on yours if the edge was truly rolled and not just burred you may still feel the original roll from the weaker steel moving side to side and not a new bur. I would try to re-profile to knock off the weak steel and try again after a little more material is removed.
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Interesting. It does have an edge now, but it is not newsprint sharp, and I sure can't see any reason why I shouldn't be able to get it shaving sharp. I have already spent a good deal of time honing it.
 
shinyedges said:
What do you use?
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I use a sharp maker with Diamond through ultra fine and strop. I can get almost all of my blades to shave hair but the BK2. It is sharp and it cuts but I thought it would be awesome to shave with it. I got over it because it is much too big for kitchen chores. It is a beautiful beast of a knife. More for making kindling and tougher jobs. I bought the smaller BK16 and it shaves. I am sure it is my bad technique on the thicker blade. I need to spend more time with it.
 
Gotchya, I started sharpening my bk2 with sand paper a mouse pad. I'd start at 220 grit and work my way up to 1000. Easily shaved and was easy to maintain with a strop. That was a long time ago, now I have and edge pro apex 4, belt sander, water stones, diamond stones... lol you get the point. My sharpening has improved but the sand paper mouse pad technique is solid and produces shaving sharp edges for little $. The sharp maker is more of a maintenance tool in my eyes although with the right progression of grits it is very capable too.
 
My Schrade 1095 knives VERY sharp with ease! I would try using a strop. I just started using one hallway through 2017, and can not believe how MUCH improvement it makes on my finishing an edge out. It is really unreal how easy it is to get every blade hair shaving sharp now. Makes me angry that I didn't use them sooner.
My finishing process with a strop now is use the loaded strop lightly until I don't feel a burr anymore, then bring the edge straight down on some wood or cork to remove whatever is left of the burr. After that, make a handful more passes on the strop, and DONE!
I am not saying this is related to the problem you are having, just that is what I did for burr removal. Good luck man, hope you figure it out man!
 
It's not the steel's fault. But it may be the grind is too "steep", i.e. too much of a "shoulder" between the edge bevel and the secondary grind. This was the case with the Schrade SCHF1SM I bought. I fixed it by convexing the edge (removing that shoulder entirely) and now it will get as sharp as my skills allow and is much easier to keep sharp (just strop & go!).
 
The burr on a carbon steel knife at rc 53-57 ( not saying yours is but I'd bet it's close) can be very stubborn and very tough compared to others you are used to. Spend some time stropping it on some coarse wet dry garnet sandpaper ( 100-200 grit starting then go up in grit, taping the blade to keep the blade from getting scratched up) before you give up on it. The burr is probably fairly thick and because of the toughness of the steel it seems to never go away. I've been there too.Use a fairly light touch and spend the time needed. The results are worth the time.

Joe
 
Cut into the Arkansas stone lightly, like less than the weight of the knife. This should leave a flat on the edge that is visible in bright light as a thin shiny line. Now sharpen until that line is gone. Then cut into the stone again. Repeat 2 or 3 times. This will get rid of any damaged metal along the edge. There is a chance that the edge was damaged during sharpening from the factory, or from all the burr flopping you've had to do to try to get rid of it, or both. Then sharpen normally. Edge angle below 30 degrees per side should still be able to shave your arm. It wouldn't be pleasant, but it should work.
 
me2 said:
Cut into the Arkansas stone lightly, like less than the weight of the knife. This should leave a flat on the edge that is visible in bright light as a thin shiny line. Now sharpen until that line is gone. Then cut into the stone again. Repeat 2 or 3 times. This will get rid of any damaged metal along the edge. There is a chance that the edge was damaged during sharpening from the factory, or from all the burr flopping you've had to do to try to get rid of it, or both. Then sharpen normally. Edge angle below 30 degrees per side should still be able to shave your arm. It wouldn't be pleasant, but it should work.
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By cutting into the stone do you mean purposefully dulling it? Flattening the edge ever so slightly?

Thanks for your ideas, I just might try them.
Part of me wants to send it back to Schrade (BTI) due to the nasty burr that it came with. I frankly think I might have honed it enough to remove whatever damaged/burred metal there was, but it is still being stubborn. After failing totally with with ceramic sticks I went to a soft Arkansas and then a medium (both oiled of course). Made very little progress and then got angry and went to a large diamond stone (with water), with not much better results.
 
frym said:
By cutting into the stone do you mean purposefully dulling it? Flattening the edge ever so slightly?

Thanks for your ideas, I just might try them.
Part of me wants to send it back to Schrade (BTI) due to the nasty burr that it came with. I frankly think I might have honed it enough to remove whatever damaged/burred metal there was, but it is still being stubborn. After failing totally with with ceramic sticks I went to a soft Arkansas and then a medium (both oiled of course). Made very little progress and then got angry and went to a large diamond stone (with water), with not much better results.
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The suggestion from me2, to flatten the factory edge and reset it, is a good one. That big burr you found on the factory edge is a strong clue of sloppy edge-setting work, and it's entirely possible there's some heat-damaged, weakened steel near the edge from the factory. It happens pretty often and the 'fix' for it is to get rid of the damaged steel near the edge, after which the edge-holding will improve and burring issues will decrease (assuming the designed heat treat was decent). Sometimes, removing that bad steel can come about through a couple or three normal sharpenings, OR one can go about it like me2 suggested, scrubbing the edge away by 'cutting' directly into the stone and then resetting the bevels.
 
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Obsessed with Edges said:
The suggestion from me2, to flatten the factory edge and reset it, is a good one. That big burr you found on the factory edge is a strong clue of sloppy edge-setting work, and it's entirely possible there's some heat-damaged, weakened steel near the edge from the factory. It happens pretty often and the 'fix' for it is to get rid of the damaged steel near the edge, after which the edge-holding will improve and burring issues will decrease (assuming the designed heat treat was decent). Sometimes, removing that bad steel can come about through a couple or three normal sharpenings, OR one can go about it like me2 suggested, scrubbing the edge away by 'cutting' directly into the stone and then resetting the bevels.
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Well I tired resetting the edge (TWICE) and did not get any better results. I can get it sharp, but not paper cutting sharp or hair shaving sharp. Though the top, forward edge of the knife, just past the curve can do some paper cutting, but it is such a small area. I have to yet again mention how the whole edge had a wicked burr upon opening it brand new. Have already spent quite a bit of time on and I am very annoyed that I am having to go through all the trouble to get a decent edge on a new knife. I think I am at the point where I will send it back to Schrade and hope for the best. Watch them put on a belt sander and send it back to me razor sharp! Grumble, grumble.
 
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Frym, I am having the EXACT same problem with my schf55!I have used a wide variety of sharpening strategies but the part of the blade near the handles (about an inch or so) just will not cut paper. I tried hand sharpening, sharpmaker and Ken onion work sharp as a last resort. NOTHING has helped. I am returning the blade and requesting another one without quality issues, if that is what this problem is.
The rest of the blade is perfect and sharp and will cut newsprint with no issue.
 
As a side note, I have stropped this knife on leather with Tormek PA70 as a compound. There was no burr on the edge.
 
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