sharpening angle?

B

Billbo66

Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
248
What angle should I sharpen the RC-6 to? My crock stick device has 20, or 25 deg. I would assume 25, but that didn't seem to touch the majority of the grind, only the edge. The knife is still very sharp, but I wanted to hear what people are doing. I have the grits to try to convex this as well.
 
The edge is done by hand so it may vary a little but 20 degrees is what we shoot for.
 
....and I'll add that the edges on my 3 RCs are the most even edges I've ever seen on a new knife.:thumbup::thumbup:
 
I will also add in and say that all 5 of my RC knives have had edges that are almost exactly 20 degrees.

I mean, as close as I could ever imagine.


And, of course, they all came sharp as hell.
 
Most knives in today's market are sharpened with 20 degrees on each side for a 40 degree edge. Some use 15 on each side for a 30 degree edge.

The majority of survival knives will come with a 40 degree edge due to the fact that it holds an edge the longest
 
Sharpening my RC-4 for the first time, I became kinda frustrated. I try to use a Lansky clamp-sharpening system when it's available (that means, not in the field). However, the blade on the RC-4 is tapered all the way back to the spine. So, the clamp was only holding onto two tiny points on the edges of the spine, and then the clamp could tilt back and forth. That means the edge angle would not be the same on both sides. I backed the screw out far enough that the clamp would match the taper of the blade at the spine (I used coins to allow the adjustment screw to still tighten down). That worked for a bit. However, it took only the slightest movement and, because of the taper, the clamp would let go of the blade.

I resorted to simply using a DMT diamond file to sharpen the knife. I am just not as practiced nor as consistent hand-sharpening a knife like that. The knife is sharp, but I just don't think the edge is as repeatable or consistent as it could be. Maybe I am being too picky - not sure.
 
the easiest way to find that 20 degree angle is to set a match book under the spine of the knife is is roughly 20 degrees
 
ShooterMcgavin said:
Sharpening my RC-4 for the first time, I became kinda frustrated. I try to use a Lansky clamp-sharpening system when it's available (that means, not in the field). However, the blade on the RC-4 is tapered all the way back to the spine. So, the clamp was only holding onto two tiny points on the edges of the spine, and then the clamp could tilt back and forth. That means the edge angle would not be the same on both sides. I backed the screw out far enough that the clamp would match the taper of the blade at the spine (I used coins to allow the adjustment screw to still tighten down). That worked for a bit. However, it took only the slightest movement and, because of the taper, the clamp would let go of the blade.

I resorted to simply using a DMT diamond file to sharpen the knife. I am just not as practiced nor as consistent hand-sharpening a knife like that. The knife is sharp, but I just don't think the edge is as repeatable or consistent as it could be. Maybe I am being too picky - not sure.
Click to expand...

Flat ground blades can be tricky in the clamp based sharpeners.

I touch up with a sharpmaker, but when I use a clamp sharpener I just tighten the clamp at the same angle as the blade. It looks silly, but then, instead of going from the degrees written on the clamp, just use a marker on the edge and get it close.
 
I gave up on my lansky for just that reason. it never held my knives firmly enough for me to be confident when using it. that and it scrathed the coating off my BM3550, that was the last straw.
 
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