Sharpening a Strider

D

dsclements

Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
8
I just recently purchased a Strider sng tanto. I love the knife except for the fact that I'm having a heck of a time getting a sharp edge on it.
I'd like to qualify by this by saying that I've got knives from Spyderco, Benchmade, Buck, Emerson, Cold Steel, Chris Reeve's (2 sebies and 2 fixed blades), kabar, CRKT, leatherman, swiss army, Tomey, and a variety of lesser known knives. I'm a Deputy with the Sheriff's office and I have a little side business shapening knives for $5.
I use a simple method with a spyderco sharp pack and a leather strop. I'm very familure with the general process of developing a "bead" and then polishing it off. My general garuntee is that I'll sharpen any knife for $5 and if it doesn't easily shave the hair off your arm I'll give 'em their money back. I've been doing this for some time so I've encountered all kinds of knives many of which had been used very hard for a very long time. The bottom line is I'd like to think I know how to sharpen a knife. Even the fireman have me sharpening their knives!
Know here's the rub. I've saved up forever to get this knife and it doesn't come close to meeting my expectations for sharpness. When I have tried to sharpen it (several times) I notice that I've got to use a far more aggressive angle then I do on most knives, but even then, once I "finally" get that bead when it comes off it's just very dissapointing. I'm not trashing the knife because so far I like it and it's certainly not dull. I would just like to know other peoples experience sharpening these knives.
I've ultimately come to the point where I sharpen it with a diamond stone and then leave it like that with the micro serrations in it. This seems to actually cut more agressively than when I use a hard stone or ceramic because no matter how "fine" I try to get the edge it just will not come to that "razor" edge that I'm accustomed to.
With most of my knives all I need to do is touch them up with a ceramic and I consder them quite sharp. I just can't seem to get an edge on this strider to save my life. By contrast the Sabenza's that I have will practically scare the hair off my arm.
I like the design so much that I just ordered a Buck/Strider Police knife in ATS34. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get this "Sharp" and it may become one of my several edc's.
Is the difference the grind, the steel, or the heat treatment? Or am I the only one with a great Strider knife that just doesn't want to impress me with sharpness?

Best regards
 
What angle are you putting on the strider? you can get them hair popping scary but you might have to re-profile the edge.
 
?? They are not too hard to sharpen , you would just have to reprofile it. They come at 22-23deg. Put it down to 15-17, and it will slice like crazy. Maybe the straight angle of the blade is whats giving you problems? And the tip of the Tanto is not really sharp on striders. something like 35 deg. Try convexing it.
 
I tried using the standard angle (30 degree, 15 on each side) that the spyderco sharpac has. This didn't come close to the edge so I tilted the knife 5 degrees on each side and then approximately 2 more on each side until started working the edge. Do you know what actual angle Strider puts on it? I kinda hate to re-grind it - that s30v is a bear! Although I've done it on Simonich knives that just seemed to be much easier.
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

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Well I did it.

It took exactly 1500 stokes on both sides with a diamond stone. Then I went over it with a hard stone (500 each), then a ceramic. Only 50 per side with the ceramic. Now it meets my expectation. I don't know why but I've just never had to work this hard before to get the edge I expect. I'm sure it will be easier to maintain it now that I have it.

By the way, my Buck / Strider Police knife arrived today, I'm very impressed! It was sharp out of the box but after 20 strokes on the ceramic it cut the hair from my arm from approximatly 1/8" from my arm. Not every hair mind you but it was still very impressive. It's rock solid and the lock lines up exactly in the middle with no wobble. I love the finish, and I actually like the handle more than I thought I would. Very sharp checkers on the handle, feels good in my hand. I'll carry both side by side for a while and see which one I reach for more often. Thanks for welcoming me to the forum, I'm glad to be here.

Deputy Clements
 
Welcome Deputy

I'll say that with the newer steels, they all take longer to get right, but once you have them there, its easy to maintain on the Sharpmaker. Its just hard as hades to set the bevel on the Sharpmaker. I use an edgepro, then switch to the Sharpmaker for maintenance. Doesn't matter who made them.
 
both my striders (SnG drop point and SmF recurve)easily shave armhair i mostly just touched up the factory edges with a sharpmaker and they were there.
 
Thanks guys. I'm very happy with it now. I gave it a few more strokes on the ceramic and it's got that "bite" that I'm accustomed to. It now easily sliced through a complete sheet of paper and "pops" the hair right off my arm.

I'm sure it will be eaisier to maintain now. BTW I said "sharpac" I guess this is showing my age I see now that Spyderco is calling it a sharpmaker. Mine was an old one that came in a cordura pack. I love that thing!

10-8
 
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