While watching the video that is supplied with the Sharpmaker 204, I noted that Sal Glesser mentioned that Spyderco Knives leave the factory with an edge angle of about 30 degrees. He went on to explain that many other companies use an angle more like 50 degrees. The reason for the 30 deg. angle was to eliminate the need to back bevel. When the knive is sharpened at the 40 deg. angle, there is a good transition and the 40 deg. angle provides a good compromise of cutting ability and strength. I'm sorry the intro was so long winded, but here is my question. Should I back bevel my new Benchmade knives right out of the box? Sharpening at the 40 deg. angle seems to be taking forever. What angle does Benchmade use? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Sharpening Angles and Benchmades
- Thread starter satherton
- Start date
My AFCK was around 50°, so I backbeveled to 30° using Lansky diamond hones and around 30 minutes time. (The sharpmaker would take eternity and some to do the same)
Then I set the angle to 40° using the sharpmaker and a few strokes.
It cuts VERY nicely now.
Happy sharpening
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D.T. UTZINGER
Then I set the angle to 40° using the sharpmaker and a few strokes.
It cuts VERY nicely now.
Happy sharpening
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D.T. UTZINGER
- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 4,842
Re-profiling a Benchmade the first time has literally taken some people over an hour. They use very hard ATS-34, and the original angles are probably something like 25 degrees per side.
One thing that should be in any Benchmade fan's survival kit is a DMT x-coarse hone. It removes metal so fast, it will do a "backbevel" in minutes, where it might take an hour on the Sharpmaker. You can grind in the backbevel freehand then touch it up on the Sharpmaker, or just lean the DMT against the Sharpmaker stick so it's at the exact same angle, and sharpen that way. Remember, the back bevel does not have to be perfect (as opposed to the real edge bevel, which should be perfect), so grinding it in by hand works fine.
Joe
One thing that should be in any Benchmade fan's survival kit is a DMT x-coarse hone. It removes metal so fast, it will do a "backbevel" in minutes, where it might take an hour on the Sharpmaker. You can grind in the backbevel freehand then touch it up on the Sharpmaker, or just lean the DMT against the Sharpmaker stick so it's at the exact same angle, and sharpen that way. Remember, the back bevel does not have to be perfect (as opposed to the real edge bevel, which should be perfect), so grinding it in by hand works fine.
Joe
In regards to what angles Benchmade uses,
I measured my new Axis locks with a laser pointer and found .... the 705S at 49 degrees, and the 710 measured at between 51 degrees at the rear recurve to 57 degrees at the front. If that's of any help ... just confirms what the others found.
I measured my new Axis locks with a laser pointer and found .... the 705S at 49 degrees, and the 710 measured at between 51 degrees at the rear recurve to 57 degrees at the front. If that's of any help ... just confirms what the others found.
just finished back bevelling a 705 and 710 with a Lansky...5 stone system -- extra coarse through extra fine. Used the lowest angle for the secondary bevel.. 17 degrees?...probably closer to 15. Then did the primary edge at 20 degrees (again problably less)....finally went to the Sharpmaker and finished both edges. Got the idea from Joe Talmadge. Thinning the edges out really improves a Benchmade's performance.
Gollnick
Musical Director
- Joined
- Mar 22, 1999
- Messages
- 29,258
Every Benchmade knife is hand-sharpened. The operators who do this work are carefully selected and very experienced. Many have sharpened literally a million knives or more. But, wherever there is a hand operation, there is variablitly.
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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
I just wanted to thank everyone for the useful advice. It may be awhile before I order the DMT x-course hone (I just moved into a new aparmtment--money is a little tight). I have really enjoyed the performance of my Benchmade knives, but have little experience with such a hard metal (ATS-34). I feel confident that with such good advice I will have good results.
- Joined
- Sep 23, 1999
- Messages
- 3,831
I won't repeat what others have said, as they have said it all (almost)! I have a Razor's Edge Pro kit and an AFCK. The edge on my AFCK was too thick as well (surprise, surprise) so I locked it in the angle guide from my kit and scrubbed away. It didn't take that long (20 minutes, maybe 25) and has improved the edge greatly. I wouldn't use the clamp for improving relief again, only because it wore it down pretty good. But I can't complain about the results though! The primary bevel on my blade is almost 1/8" wide for most of the edge and a little wider at the tip. I don't know what angle that is, but my AFCK is very, very sharp!
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"Come What May..."
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"Come What May..."
dano
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 1,626
Benchmade's factory edges are crappy. Every BM i obtain, I redo the edge to 21-23 degrees per side, using an Edgepro Apex. I bought my first BM in '94 (Brend Talon 2) and I think that BM's factory edges took a steep decline around the time the original design stryker was introduced...
--dan
--dan