Sharpening D2?

afishhunter

afishhunter

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Oct 21, 2014
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Recently obtained my first knife with a D2 blade.
If/when it needs sharpened, will my fine Arkansas Stone and the bottom of a ceramic coffee mug work or do I need to get diamond stones?
My strop is an old leather belt, that I use dry.

All my other knives are 10xx, 440A, 440C**, 420HC, and 4116.
**Allegedly

Thank you.
 
D2 is a wear resistant steel and you'll be well served to consider either a combination of silicon carbide / aluminum oxide, (Crystolon / India), or diamond hones. Finishing up on ceramic, (Spyderco rods or bench stones), also works well if you are looking for a finer edge as opposed to a coarse edge.

Otherwise, you are going to be very frustrated trying to actually sharpen with an Arkansas stone and coffee mug.
 
Diamonds work best but SiC should still work. Never had success with anything else and I tried alot of options like ceramic and Arkansas will get you no where fast.

Try out Norton Crystallon. Fairly inexpensive and should work. Otherwise to make it fast as possible diamonds would be idea. Though I would not use diamonds on the other steel you listed, so sic may be a better option for your collection.

Would be idea to use diamond strop compound too, you can find some for really cheap these days online. But you can always de bur on a stone.
 
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Thanks. I had a feeling I was going to have to invest in some new stones. :oops:

I guess it's time and past time I invested in a good sharpening system anyway. :)
 
I used Arkansas stones on CTS-XHP once, and found after a while that I was able to get an edge but at the cost of ruining my low grit stones. They all had significant wear and lost much of the grit. I understand this is a different steel that D2 but I think if you can pony up some funds to get a decent set of diamond stones they would serve you well.

Good luck sir!
 
Mo2, "you can always de-burr on the stone." I like this and go about it. It requires more technique than stropping but is effective. Plus, the edge remains more homogeneous to the finished grit. DM
 
I had fits with Queen D2 until I used a SiC stone (Norton Economy) - that did the job just fine, and once I got the initial bevel set and apexed, then I could refine the edge on other stones without much effort. Good news is that SiC stones are not especially expensive and easily found.
 
For heavy grinding & shaping of D2, a SiC stone or SiC wet/dry sandpaper will eat it for breakfast.

I've liked using diamond for finishing D2, especially above ~ 600-grit or so. Part of this preference is simply because most common SiC stones (oil stones) aren't generally available with anything much finer than ~ 320 or so (compares to Norton Crystolon 'Fine' grit). A diamond hone will have a firmer backing for the abrasive, which is paramount for keeping D2 edges as crisp as possible in finishing stages. D2 is more prone to rounding off at the edge if the substrate for the abrasive has a little too much 'give', as the steel's very large chromium carbides (excluding CPM-D2) won't shape as crisply on a softish backing, as with other steels with smaller carbides. This is the main problem I've seen with using SiC wet/dry sandpaper for finishing D2, if the sandpaper isn't very firmly fixed (glued) to a hard backing. Thus, a diamond hone makes it very easy by contrast, and diamond compound on a very firm wood strop makes polishing D2 a breeze.
 
Diamonds work great for D2 (and any other steel, for that matter). A coarse edge works great on D2; I don't go above a DMT fine (red) on that steel.
 
jc57 said:
I had fits with Queen D2 until I used a SiC stone (Norton Economy) - that did the job just fine, and once I got the initial bevel set and apexed, then I could refine the edge on other stones without much effort. Good news is that SiC stones are not especially expensive and easily found.
Click to expand...

I agree. I recently found a SiC coarse/ fine 2"x 6" stone at my ACE Hardware store for 5$. They are the black stones. The grey are aluminum oxide.
fish, when you get a stone put mineral oil on it and sharpen with it. Then clean it off with your leather stropping belt. Further rub this slurry in your belt with a finger. Then use that area to strop your D2 blade. You'll be surprised how well this works. DM
 
When

I first tried D2 I got diamonds stones and they worked. Now silicon carbide is all I use on D2. Like obsessed said it eats D2 for breakfast.
A 600 silicon carbide will give you a very durable edge. I even deburr with the same stone.
 
Thank you, everyone.
I'm going to head on over to the ACE Hardware on Monday for a SiC bench stone. :)
 
DaRn it! Turns out it ain't a Ace Hardware.
It's that other one.
They had the SiC bench stones. $19 for the 6 inch, $25 for the 8 inch.
They can keep them for that price.
I tried Harbor Freight (after stopping at Lowe's). HF had a Gordon 4 sided 6"x2" diamond hone block for $12.
I brought one of those home with me.
200; 300; 400; and 600 grits.
 
Light pressure on those box sharpeners from HF. It cuts pretty fast, plan your actions accordingly.
You might like a 2 sided dmt, either 6 or 8", not too pricy, and last a long time when properly used and cleeaned.
2 sided norton SiC as mentioned, will work well too.
It will be a fun purchase, good luck with your decision.

Russ
 
afish, the price you stated is a little high even with a online purchase and shipping included. DM
 
David Martin David Martin
I stopped in at the stores. Did not try/look online.
I thought the SiC stones at the hardware we're a bit high, so I did not buy one.
Lowe's, Home Depot, The Scew Store, Sportsman's Warehouse, and Harbor Freight didn't have SiC stones, just diamond and Arkansas.
Harbor Freight had the best price, so I bought there.
I didn't feel like riding the trike an extra 6 miles (round trip) to Walmart yesterday, so I haven't checked what they have in stock yet.
 
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