me2, could you Please explain Jeff CLARKS procedure for removing burr's. I have a hard time doing so with different knives and different steels. It can get pretty frustrating at times and I wind up ruining some edges at times.
Electric,
Another post for a specific topic. My method is modified a little from Jeff's original, so you may want to search out the "right" way. But, here's how I do it, and how I use the 204 in general. I think of it as a final finish/touch up tool mostly, though I have rebevel several knives with just the 204. When using my 204, I also use micro bevels. It takes a lot of time to use the 204 to polish all but the narrowest edge bevels.
First, get a burr formed evenly along the edge. I have used a belt sander, a coarse Norton India stone, a slow turning water wheel about 18" across, and currently my 220/1000 grit waterstone. I have also used the 15 degree/side setting on the 204 with the brown rod corners, doing 50 to 100 strokes on one side, then switching, until a burr is formed after using each side. It's important that the bevel be slightly less than the desired Sharpmaker (204) setting, 3-5 degrees or so. This is what gives you the micro bevel. If you don't have a way to control angles, its not that critical, it just needs to be less.
Then use the Sharpmaker as shown in the video, though I generally do about twice as many strokes as recommended. I do it just to make sure I get the large scratches out from using the coarse stones. You could also use a medium grit before going to the Sharpmaker, which is why I use a 220/1000 grit combo stone now.
The difference comes when you want to change grits on the 204. Before moving from the brown flats to the white corners, or from the white flats to a strop, I use the following procedure.
Whatever your angle choice, hold the knife parallel to the opposite stone, basically double the sharpening angle. Do a couple of VERY LIGHT passes, alternating, on each side. This will remove the burr, if any. Do this on a new/clean side of the stone. This maximzes the cutting action. After this, go back and give the edge about 10 to 20 strokes per side, alternating, at the normal angle. Voila, a burr free edge.
I do not do this on the corners of the stones. The small radius puts too much pressure on the edge and can form a new burr in one pass through bending of the edge. The flats are relatively small, so care is needed here too, but they're not nearly as bad as the corners. For the pressure needed with the high angle strokes, imagine your 204 is sitting on a roller skate, and you are not holding it with your off hand. If the skate moves, you're using too much pressure. This is a slight exaggeration, but it makes the point. I generally set the base on the counter and if it slides, I'm pushing too hard.
This procedure has worked on every steel I've tried, from CPM S60V to 1095. I have not tried S30V, or any of the steels developed to compete with it, though success with S60V indicates any steel should work.
