Sharpening - DMT? Field strop?

M

mcmc

Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
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Hi guys,

I searched and read up on the sharpening threads in this forum, but didn't quite get the info I'm looking for, so here's another shot =)

1. Does anyone use DMT DiaFolds? I have a full complement of XC, C, F, EF, EEF. I use these on my Benchmades and they work great. But, for my CRK's, I wanted to preserve the steel as much as possible - do you guys figure the F and EF if lightly used will be ok on the CRK's?

2. Does anyone use a field strop? I have a slightly ghetto strop I bought off some guy here several years ago, but it's kind of thin and also there's heavy grain structure on the leather, so I was thinking getting a new one - stropman seems nice but I don't like that it's all sueded-up. Smooth-up is better right? So was looking into a strop for home, and one for field - was even thinking of gluing leather to one side of my XC DiaFold (it only has the stone on one side) - what do you guys think in terms of field strop? Or does someone actually make a field-sized strop that has a cover so dirt doesn't get trapped in the surface?

3. Do you guys recommend only the black/green/white compounds, or is DiaPaste ok? I have the 6-micron and 1-micron that I used on my old strop. I heard these you don't have to reapply often, unlike the compounds. But will they be too aggressive?

4. Has anyone actually had success maintaining the semi-polished, semi-convex original edge? I love love love that edge on my CRK's, and I want to maintain that! But seems like most people just repolish to 20 deg. V's and that makes me sad, the shiny convex edge of a CRK is part of the CRK magic for me.


Thanks y'all!!!
 
I have been successful in maintaining the CRK convex edge using a KSF leather strop. If you stick to (KSF) black/green compound the edge will stay satin-looking. If you strop down to (KSF) white compound, the edge will take a nice mirror polish.

I stay away as much as possible from diamond stones unless I am at a work bench and feeling patient. One slip and you have a very attention-grabbing bright scratch on your blade. I like my knives to be scratched up users, but even I have a tad bit of OCD, so avoid the diamond stones.
 
Thanks Kidcongo!

I have definitely experienced that stray scratch action with the DMT's - before they're broken in. A good number of the proud diamond dust bits need ot be knocked off before the DMT stone "settles" in.

For people who have used Diapaste - what do y'all think of a two-sided strop with the 6-micron on one side and 1-micron on the other?
 
I still am hit or miss with stropping.....but when I do attempt it the DMT paste is what I use. It's effective, my limited skills not withstanding. I actually will touch up my knives all at once with my worksharp, but that won't work in the field! I have the fine/x fine folding diamond hone, but I wouldn't try that in the field with my CRK knives.
To directly answer your above question: I use the 6/3 for my knives and reserve the 1 for my razors
 
Personally I used a fiield strop and a spyderco sharpmaker.

I maintain the edge regularly with a flexxx strop pro field II strop. Its basically just two really thick pieces of leather glued together. It came preloaded with black compound on one side and green on the other.

When I need more sharpening I get out the sharpmaker.
 
Just use the appropriate grit to fix the edge. Chips would require some work on a coarse stone.

Though I dont have a Diafold I do have the Coarse Fine combo stone and have used that extensively for years now in the field with no issues and I have used my Insingo a lot with not a lot of edge loss.

The only folder I have that shows significant wear and edge loss is a personal folder I made and sharpened it in the shop on a belt sander for months. It has a slight recurve now.

With regards to a strop..... I dont use them and not really a fan of them as a tool to restore an edge.
 
kidcongo said:
I have been successful in maintaining the CRK convex edge using a KSF leather strop. If you stick to (KSF) black/green compound the edge will stay satin-looking. If you strop down to (KSF) white compound, the edge will take a nice mirror polish.

I stay away as much as possible from diamond stones unless I am at a work bench and feeling patient. One slip and you have a very attention-grabbing bright scratch on your blade. I like my knives to be scratched up users, but even I have a tad bit of OCD, so avoid the diamond stones.
Click to expand...

Agree with all of this.

My Sebenzas are constantly used, and have plenty of scuffs and marks, but I wouldn't let a diamond stone anywhere near a Sebenza, or any other knife I care about (unless the blade was clamped into the Wicked Edge system and the stone was mounted on the rods).

I've found that, when stropping my Sebenza, using too fine a polish makes the blade cut poorly. It's been my experience that CRKs work better with a toothier edge. I use a grainy strop with black compound. YMMV :o
 
MatthewSB said:
Agree with all of this.

My Sebenzas are constantly used, and have plenty of scuffs and marks, but I wouldn't let a diamond stone anywhere near a Sebenza, or any other knife I care about (unless the blade was clamped into the Wicked Edge system and the stone was mounted on the rods).

I've found that, when stropping my Sebenza, using too fine a polish makes the blade cut poorly. It's been my experience that CRKs work better with a toothier edge. I use a grainy strop with black compound. YMMV :o
Click to expand...

Just so I understand correctly, can you share why you would not let a diamond stone anywhere near your knife?

While, I would agree that diamonds are not the best abrasive for all edges or cutting duties, I have found them to be exceptional for every day use blades such as a Sebenza (both DT and S##V). As typical of many sharpening methods, one should not expect to buy something and be guaranteed results if they have not developed the skills and knowledge with regard to how to use the items purchased.

I ask because your last paragraph confuses my understanding regarding aversion to diamonds....diamonds are among the best abrasives I have used for creating a toothy edge, and while they can be used to polish the edge, the result is ubiquitously a harsher edge than "natural" abrasive hones provide.
 
unit said:
Just so I understand correctly, can you share why you would not let a diamond stone anywhere near your knife?

While, I would agree that diamonds are not the best abrasive for all edges or cutting duties, I have found them to be exceptional for every day use blades such as a Sebenza (both DT and S##V). As typical of many sharpening methods, one should not expect to buy something and be guaranteed results if they have not developed the skills and knowledge with regard to how to use the items purchased.

I ask because your last paragraph confuses my understanding regarding aversion to diamonds....diamonds are among the best abrasives I have used for creating a toothy edge, and while they can be used to polish the edge, the result is ubiquitously a harsher edge than "natural" abrasive hones provide.
Click to expand...

Sorry I should have been clearer - my problem is not with fast-cutting sharpening 'stones', it's free-hand sharpening that worries me. One slip and the knife can be scratched very deeply, all it takes is a spec of "dust" from the diamond stone getting between the knife and anything hard. When I sharpen my Sebenzas I do use "diamond stones", but only on a guided system and only after masking most of the blade and the pivot and anywhere else I don't want abrassives to get into.
 
I use a combination of a 1x30 belt sander, a sharp maker and a paper wheel.
The 1x30 is ONLY to reprofile OR strop with the leather belt, sharpmaker is to remove any rolled edge damage and the paper wheel is to polish or strop the edge. I use blacl compund on my leather 1x30 stropping belt and white rouge on my paper wheel strop depending on if i want a mirror edge or a satin slightly "toothy" edge.
 
MatthewSB said:
Sorry I should have been clearer - my problem is not with fast-cutting sharpening 'stones', it's free-hand sharpening that worries me. One slip and the knife can be scratched very deeply, all it takes is a spec of "dust" from the diamond stone getting between the knife and anything hard. When I sharpen my Sebenzas I do use "diamond stones", but only on a guided system and only after masking most of the blade and the pivot and anywhere else I don't want abrassives to get into.
Click to expand...

Understood.

However, any diamond home worth using will NOT shed its diamonds if used properly.

That said, a bad stroke or two when free-handing with diamonds will yield quick results just like a good stroke;). If you like guides, stick with them. Over time you may develop a desire to attempt free-hand. It's fun and a bit quicker if you develop the skill, but doing what works for you is no less noble.

Some will point out that guides generally impart little or no convex nature to the bevel, and some could argue various performance aspects related to that end. It's an endless discussion...do what works for you;)
 
In the 1970s I started using several grades of natural Arkansas bench stones, starting with a Washita and finishing with a Black Hard Arkansas, and had results that an MD friend told me were as sharp as a scalpel. A Japanese sushi chef that I was filleting fish with insisted on using one of my fillet knives, rather than the one his son-in-law lent him, and lectured the son-in-law about proper knife sharpening using my knives and Arkansas bench stones as examples. The problem was the amount of time it took to reach that point. About a decade ago I added a coarse and a fine diamond bench stone to my collection and would start with the fine if the edge was in good shape or the coarse if the knife was dull and then skip to the hard Arkansas and black hard Arkansas to finish. The results were excellent and the amount of time required was GREATLY reduced. A short time ago I replaced my old diamond bench stones with 6 grades of DMT dia-fine bench stones from Extra Coarse to Extra-Extra Fine and am starting to get good results as they break in.

Based on 45 years of freehand knife sharpening, I find the aggressiveness of the diamond stones to be an advantage IF you are careful and are prepared to finish on something additional if you want a truly fine and polished edge. Yes a mistake can be costly, so be careful.
 
So what do y'all's field strops look like? It's important to keep debris out of it right?
 
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