Sharpening BG-42

[Guyon]

How hard is it to sharpen this steel on the PCKS customs? Does it require diamond hones or rods?

Since it is a harder steel, does it keep an edge longer than others?

 

[squid meat]

maybe it's me, but bg-42 on CRK sebenzas are pretty tough to sharpen. It can be done, just took me a while to reprofile on teh sypdie 204.

 

[Jeff Clark]

It will hold its edge longer. It is harder to sharpen, but with Buck's hollow ground profile it should not be a big problem. Diamond is nice, but not necessary. Do not let it get very dull or it will take considerable time to resharpen. One way to maintain the edge is to strop it on a flat piece of 1x2 lumber with 1500 grit Wet-or-Dry paper glued to it. You can find this in the automobile maintenance department of various stores. It is used for polishing car finishes.

 

[rdangerer]

One guy's opinion: If you own more than a knife or two made of anything of the "premium" or tool steel variety, I'd invest in a diamond hone of some kind.

If you already have a Sharpmaker, get the diamond sleeves.

(do they sell those outright still? I have a set from my old sharpmaker)


What is "premium"? Well... say anything with a high alloy content (molybdenum, vanadium, tungsten) and Rc58 or higher... doesn't have to be stainless. Examples:

SS:
======
ATS-34/154CM
BG-42
D2
S30V
S60V
S90V

Non-stainless:
=============
Vascowear ))
10V
3V
M2
A2 (although I find this easier to sharpen than any of the above)

The V-crock sticks (of which the Sharpmaker is one brand/type), when outfitted with ceramic rods, are not the best tools for reprofiling in general terms. I simply don't have that kind of patience (read: I think they take far too long and are therefore a waste of time, and therefore frustrating). Ceramic stones tend to fill with fine metal dust and don't keep cutting so well after a while.

V-crocks are fine for touch ups.

Get a flat bench stone, or diamond sleeves for V-crock. Or a jig type sharpener with diamonds (Lansky, DMT, Gatco).

 

[rdangerer]

Originally posted by Guyon
Since it is a harder steel, does it keep an edge longer than others?

BG-42 is good stuff. Exceeded only by (IMO) 2 other stainlesses in terms of edge holding (S30V & S90V). Well, we could debate D2. But I'd take BG42 anyway.