Sharp Talk: Honest Musings and Mad Ramblings

Eli Chaps said:
I surely haven't abandoned ZDP189. I've just yet to concur it. I've let that knife sit for a while and should get back to it before too much longer. I'll get it! :)
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Actually I have similar problem with S110V. Giving it up for now, not sure if I ever go and try it again. It also made me reluctant even to try S30V. :oops:
 
S90V gives me problems for some reason. But other knives in M390, D2, CPM-M4, and CPM-10V are a breeze to sharpen either by hand or with my Edgepro.

For me, the absolute worst are soft steels, the "mystery" stainless steels on kitchen knives, Krupps 4116, soft 1095, the list goes on. All that happens is that I chase a floppy burr from one side to another, then once it's finally sharp, I lose the edge quickly. No thanks, I'll stick to hard steels that don't burr very much and actually keep their edge.
 
HeavyHanded said:
Personally having done edge trailing experiments on a wide variety of materials I will say with 100% confidence (and stand behind these words)...it depends.

The harder the strop the less the edge rounds.
In use, the edge creates a "wear bevel" (see: http://www3.telus.net/BrentBeach/Sharpen/bevels.html
"The bad bevels, the wear bevels, are produced during use.")

You can create very flat edge bevels using hardwood and loose grit abrasive, right up to rounding your edge over on softer abrasives. It is possible to sharpen knives from butterknife-dull to very sharp in this fashion and was/is used in places where quality stone deposits are non-existent but the abrasive is readily available.

All "stropping" is on a continuum defined by how mobile the abrasive is and how hard the backing is. Along the way are characteristics of how well the surface holds the abrasive and how much it loads up with removed steel - swarf. I have maintained hard use edges on "strops" for extended periods and when returned to a stone the bevel showed very little rounding to be corrected.

It depends.
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Thanks for the great article! My interpretation of that article is that free hand sharpening which introduces wobble is actually removing less metal if checked often to know if it’s done.
 
Edge Reflections...

Hello Sharpeners,

In keeping with the thread title, I offer up a long-winded mad rambling.

Last night, as I was just beginning to make some breakfast for dinner for the wife and I, my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number but decided to answer it. I expected to hear a recorded woman's voice saying something about a recent cruise I (didn't) took or some urgent warning about my credit or some such. But no. When you answer the phone and the voice on the other end essentially says, "I'm Officer Smith with the PD...", nothing good is going to follow.

Long story a smidge shorter, my large wooden shed out back had been broken into. I say shed but it is somewhere between a large shed and small garage. I built it and it has heavy double doors that face out into the alley. I knew when I built it that it would be tempting, so I secured the doors to the floor and frame in various ways. It was fine for many years but last night, some needle junkies or meth heads decided they really wanted to get into my shed. It was no easy task but they managed it. It's winter up here and getting dark pretty early and they went to work as soon as it was. Likely cased the place for a couple days before hand. In the end, they got thwarted by an attentive neighbor, but they left a gaping hole in the cold night with my tools and such exposed and my motorcycle dumped a couple blocks away. Neat.

Go to where my bike is, battery was already dead but now the ignition is trashed too... Wait for the cop to show up, knowing there's nothing he can do, but engaging in the obligatory exchange. And then my son in law shows up. My wife called him. My son in law is an awesome kid and I was so glad to see him. I could use some help.

Anyway, bike got pushed back and we boarded up the shed well enough they'll likely need a reciprocating saw to get in now. Yes, they do that.

When we were finished and went inside, I found my very pregnant daughter in the house and making her and her mom the breakfast for dinner I never got to finish.

Anyway, er, again... Tonight I remembered coming across my old Buck 102 Woodsman a while back. It was the first knife I ever bought with my own money. A long time ago. I was nine or ten I think. I have no idea how many birds and fish that knife has been through but it's seen service from southern Idaho to Alaska. And oh how I hammered that knife back in the day trying to learn to sharpen! The bevel still mocks me with uneven spots all along it. Somewhere around fifteen years ago when my daughter decided to get into hunting, I gave her my knife. I don't remember why it ended up back here but I do remember her mentioning it a couple times and how much she wanted it back.

Anyway, again, again...Just wanting to de-stress tonight, I went and grabbed the old knife and set down to spend some time on the stones. Not enough to fix all those years of mistakes, but getting it there. I stroked the edge and contemplated it as we do, but my mind was drifting. I thought back on my daughter being footling-breech and premature. How tiny she was! I thought about giving her the knife, and our time hunting and camping. Within the next couple weeks, I'll have a grand daughter. Imagine that.

Tomorrow, I'm going to dig out an old Schrade skinning knife (Sharpfinger?). Me and brother gave it to our oldest brother a gillion years ago when he was into bird hunting. But he let it sit in a plastic bag for years and one day handed it to me all rusted to hell. I countered the rust but never really did much after that. I think I'll see about that edge and give the knife to my son in law.

Perhaps not polished, but edge reflection indeed.

bc38d056-c4a4-4748-bf58-42f009d9701c_zpsjypwvf6l.jpg
 
Don't let the bastards get you down bud. As long as you still have those people that care about you none of the rest is a big deal.
 
Here's that old Schrade SC502. It is by far a sexier knife than it is a functional one. The factory grind is terrible and it feels kike a 2x4 behind the edge.

My brother gave it back to me probably around fifteen years ago and like I said, it was covered in rust. So it's lightly pitted and sort of acid washed from the rust inhibitor I used (something we had at my job then) and the scales have yellowed but no biggy.

It's really hard to sharpen the girnd on this thing and I have a functional edge on it now. If my son in law really, really digs it, then I'll work on improving the bevel.

7bcdbc0f-98bc-45fb-8dc6-c90283adc360_zps9tk5e3wl.jpg
 
Eli Chaps said:
Hello Sharpeners,

A simple question, do you find sharpening relaxing? Or perhaps, de-stressing is more appropriate.
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For me, a hobby that becomes consuming is not relaxing. My grail is not a knife but the ability to make said knife, any knife, sharp. If it becomes easy I don't do it. When it is difficult I do it, again and again, hoping to learn. Often, as today, I get nowhere. ZDP 189 - it chips when it hits metal, it chips when the angle is too acute, it hangs up on paper, but it's also the steel of Rockstead knives. I'd love to see a process video, not to emulate it of course, but to be wowed by the wizardry and persistence.
 
Eli, you should thin that old Schrade out behind the edge with a belt sander. It will make it a much better cutting knife, and a heck of a lot easier to sharpen. I have a soft spot for that pattern - fond memories of fishing with my father as a kid - that was the type of knife he always kept in the tackle box.
 
eKretz said:
Eli, you should thin that old Schrade out behind the edge with a belt sander. It will make it a much better cutting knife, and a heck of a lot easier to sharpen. I have a soft spot for that pattern - fond memories of fishing with my father as a kid - that was the type of knife he always kept in the tackle box.
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Yeah there's no doubt it is a good design. The ergonomics are excellent and the overall design is purpose driven. I actually talked to my brother in law today about doing some power grinding on it so we shall see. But yes, that is what it needs for sure.
 
I'm sorry to hear of your misfortune, but glad that you were able to enjoy some older knives and the memories they produce. Sounds like your daughter picked a good one!
 
Eli Chaps said:
Here's that old Schrade SC502. It is by far a sexier knife than it is a functional one. The factory grind is terrible and it feels kike a 2x4 behind the edge.

My brother gave it back to me probably around fifteen years ago and like I said, it was covered in rust. So it's lightly pitted and sort of acid washed from the rust inhibitor I used (something we had at my job then) and the scales have yellowed but no biggy.

It's really hard to sharpen the girnd on this thing and I have a functional edge on it now. If my son in law really, really digs it, then I'll work on improving the bevel.

7bcdbc0f-98bc-45fb-8dc6-c90283adc360_zps9tk5e3wl.jpg
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I converted a pair of Sharpfingers over to something closer to a Winkler Belt knife pattern by grinding back the upswept part of the tip so it finishes as a straight line - goes in and out of the sheath without snagging, and I rounded the base of the handles.

Made some leather lined Kydex sheathes to complete the project.

The mild hollow grind on these versions makes for a really nice utility cutter - I changed these over for my kids to use backpacking and eventually as their personal whatever knives. I wish I'd gotten a third for myself - they turned out great, took a great edge.

GYiEFUC.jpg
 
HeavyHanded said:
I converted a pair of Sharpfingers over to something closer to a Winkler Belt knife pattern by grinding back the upswept part of the tip so it finishes as a straight line - goes in and out of the sheath without snagging, and I rounded the base of the handles...
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That's really nice!
 
HeavyHanded said:
I converted a pair of Sharpfingers over to ....
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Nice! Are those stainless? And the sheath home made kydex? :thumbsup:
How do they like it compared to the Mora Eldris (sp?)?

To add the musings & rambling, anyone has similar difficulty feeling the bevel for the last few extra light strokes? I just realized probably my problem is not able to feel & follow the bevel at light touch, as it becomes almost imperceptible whether I’m at grinding at the apex, shoulder, or flat on bevel ...

I use stone and knife on each hand, so lacking the fingertips on bevel sensation that Japanese method provides.
 
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Chris "Anagarika" said:
Nice! Are those stainless? And the sheath home made kydex? :thumbsup:
How do they like it compared to the Mora Eldris (sp?)?

To add the musings & rambling, anyone has similar difficulty feeling the bevel for the last few extra light strokes? I just realized probably my problem is not able to feel & follow the bevel at light touch, as it becomes almost imperceptible whether I’m at grinding at the apex, shoulder, or flat on bevel ...

I use stone and knife on each hand, so lacking the fingertips on bevel sensation that Japanese method provides.
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Yep, they're stainless - that was a major reason I changed out from the Mora 3" classics I started with. Stainless and a lot less likely they'll slip and catch themselves with that pattern.

Yep, the sheathes are my patented waxed leather under Kydex, hand set rivets. Used green and purple leather for the boy\girl respectively.

Re sharpening ?, Mostly I have gone over to microbevel, so once I get the edge set and burr 90% gone just a few passes on finish stone at higher angle or I take it right to the Washboard. Last few super light passes are not only tough to feel but the super light touch on abrasive increases likelihood of burnishing instead of cleanly grinding/scratching.
 
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Greetings, Happy New Year everyone!

Rather than starting a new thread, I decided to post here (ramblings and musings on sharp ;) )

Anyone noticed degradation of sharpness on blades being stored after fully sharpened, apexed and deburred? For non stainless, it can be explained as micro corrosion. However, I think I detected the same on my H1 serrated. Touched up on Spyderco UF brought it right back, but why?

Anyone can explain why my BM HK in D2 cannot hold that fresh dry shaving sharpness well but CS Broken Skull CTS-XHP does it well? For example, cutting printer paper, once or twice (new paper, testing only), the D2 couldn’t shave well anymore but XHP could.

I also found this XHP holds the edge longer than Endura VG10 stored unused (both get carried), as per above question.

Thoughts? Any good reading to understand the phenomena?
 
Chris "Anagarika" said:
Greetings, Happy New Year everyone!

Rather than starting a new thread, I decided to post here (ramblings and musings on sharp ;) )

Anyone noticed degradation of sharpness on blades being stored after fully sharpened, apexed and deburred? For non stainless, it can be explained as micro corrosion. However, I think I detected the same on my H1 serrated. Touched up on Spyderco UF brought it right back, but why?

Anyone can explain why my BM HK in D2 cannot hold that fresh dry shaving sharpness well but CS Broken Skull CTS-XHP does it well? For example, cutting printer paper, once or twice (new paper, testing only), the D2 couldn’t shave well anymore but XHP could.

I also found this XHP holds the edge longer than Endura VG10 stored unused (both get carried), as per above question.

Thoughts? Any good reading to understand the phenomena?
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I've seen this before as well, though can't seem to pin it down to any single variable. My carbon steel knives stored in waxed leather stay screaming sharp, and some of my stainless seem to, but other do seem to degrade over time in my drawer. Not a ton, but a little bit.

I've also noticed that many knives when I test them on a rope cut w/ the Edge Inquisitor demonstrate what seem to be tremendous edge retention, yet in day to day use the exact same knife in terms of usage time will just be average. The difference being the timespan over which the test is run. I've never gone back and done a running test with just a few passes/day, but suspect retention will drop about 20% at a guess.
 
I don't know that I've ever noticed but then, I've never watched for it either. If I decide to grab up another to carry I just check the edge and decide what it needs before hand but I don't ever remember how I left it. :D
 
Thanks! I guess it becomes noticeable on my PE edges just because I shave with them. :p:confused:
With normal EDU probably not so noticeable. Again, it’s nothing scientific, just anecdotal observation.:)
 
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