Sharpening a 154cm Wharnecliff

[Macchina]

I just got a new Benchmade Gravitator, and absolutely love this knife. I would like to EDC it for a while, but can't get it sharp enough. I have sharpened drop point knives in D2, S30V, 440C, AUS8, etc. for a while, and can get all of them scarry sharp on my benchstones. This blade is giving me one heck of a time though! I can get the front half of the blade shaving sharp, but the rear half is completely dull. A friend has a sharpmaker, but the results were similar, and now there is a slight wave on the edge (he removed more metal on certain parts of the blade). It's like the back half is cursed. I am afraid of removing too much metal and having the blade too thick behind the edge. Should I just send it back to Benchmade and have them sharpen it? I love the wharnecliff, but it is giving me high blood pressure. I've tried round stones, flat stones, the sharpmaker, and stropping. Nothing can get it sharp. Please help!

 

[Lucky Bob]

Sounds like the blade is just thicker towards the rear of the blade. Try sharpening the blade at angle to your coarsest bench-hone, so that from the ricasso to the tip is entirely on the hone, and you can sharpen it all evenly.

That's only if you like your wharncliffe's flat... if not, just sharpen the back half some more, and you'll end up with a slight recurve.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Go back to basics, take a coarse stone and create an even bevel along the entire length of the edge. Get it easily able to slice paper for the full edge length before even considering moving to another stone.

-Cliff

 

[cbwx34]

I have one... nice knife.

They come with a very thick edge. Very thick. Plus looking straight down on the edge it was pretty thick. The initial sharpening on mine had to be worked just to get it down to the 24 deg. setting on the Edge Pro. So it may take a bit to get it where you want. I've only brought it down a little more since then (21 deg.) and it came out nice.

Your edge may not appear even... the blade is thicker is some parts than others.

So, like Cliff said, back to basics... work one side, make sure you have a burr, work the other side, etc. I stopped at 600g, and it came out well.

cbw