Sharpening drives me crazy.

Gizler00 said:
I will say that I tried a different technique tonight and had different results, but still to early to tell.

I typically touch up on either the SM or I will free hand on DMT stones, then strop when finished.

Tonight I had the SM and my Loaded Strop out. I proceeded to make strokes with the Brown rods on the angled sides, then after that step I took it to the stop with black bark river compound. I repeated this exact same procedure for every step of the way while using the SM. Every time I would switch sides on the rods, or switch from Medium to Fine, I would strop lightly in between. Then I finished off with a light stropping with the Green compound.

I typically would not strop in between. Now before everyone gets their panties in a wad and says "thats what CRK says to do" I already knew that was how he does it. I just personally never have. I could and can achieve a hair popping edge with the other methods mentioned.

Now I just went out and cut up a USPS medium side Priority box and the edge is still hair shaving sharp. I will have to replicate some of the other cuts I made in the past that destroyed the blade.


Another thing worth mentioning, is that I had the same experience with my Small 21.
Click to expand...

I am not a fan of stropping or burr forming while sharpening. It could be there has been a small burr on the edge from sharpening giving you less then ideal performance.

Either way. Dont know if this might help. Been sharpening my knives like this for years.

[video=youtube;XWE14n6-8MU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWE14n6-8MU[/video]
 
marthinus said:
It could be there has been a small burr on the edge from sharpening giving you less then ideal performance.
Click to expand...
That's what I thought, there's always the possibility that there's a small wire edge that makes the knife feel sharp but falls off after a few cuts making it dull.
 
marthinus said:
I am not a fan of stropping or burr forming while sharpening. It could be there has been a small burr on the edge from sharpening giving you less then ideal performance.

Either way. Dont know if this might help. Been sharpening my knives like this for years.

[video=youtube;XWE14n6-8MU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWE14n6-8MU[/video]
Click to expand...

magicblade said:
That's what I thought, there's always the possibility that there's a small wire edge that makes the knife feel sharp but falls off after a few cuts making it dull.
Click to expand...


I appreciate the advice. I will try this method and see how the blade holds up. Honestly, I hope that's the case. That there was a wire edge breaking of leaving my edge crazy dull.

I will report back with my findings.

Thanks for actually trying to help and give me advice.
 
I had trouble sharpening mine at first. Now, I like to think "polish" the knife edge. Don't focus on "sharpening". This is contary to other knives, but it works on my Sebenza. As mentioned I only use green DMT diamond sharpener, red DMT when is used heavly, and Black Arkansas stone to "strop" the edge. I get a razor sharp edge. How long it lasts depends on what I'm cutting.
 
Would a Wicked Edge be easier to sharpen a sebenza? I know there is a video showing how it is done with this system and still keep the convex on the edge.
 
marthinus said:
I am not a fan of stropping or burr forming while sharpening. It could be there has been a small burr on the edge from sharpening giving you less then ideal performance.

Either way. Dont know if this might help. Been sharpening my knives like this for years.

[video=youtube;XWE14n6-8MU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWE14n6-8MU[/video]
Click to expand...

Sure helped me, way faster then the SM. Love my diasharp's now. Thanx!!
 
Haze said:
To be fair, it's a well used blue DMT so it's probably closer to medium, but yes. :) I worked for most of my life as a forester so my idea of how to sharpen a user knife is down to pure practicality, I just need my knife to cut stuff. :thumbup:

This is literally all I use to sharpen my CRKs.....

attachment.php
Click to expand...


Pretty much the same as I do with my 25 these days. :)

500 Grit Shapton Glass on the EP and green compound on a strop to remove the burr.
 
I have a Wicked Edge system and it gets all of my knives the sharpest that I've ever seen.

I can put a tooth edge on a knife at any grit level, or polish it up with ceramics and strops down to .125 micron. At that level it's mostly a mirrored edge that will pop hairs all the way down the edge from heel to tip.

I think that s30v and s35vn steel take very well to ceramics if you're looking for a polished edge, they're amazing steels. But that polished edge isn't practical for most people, most people want an edge that's more of an every day carry edge that can really cut with a toothy edge. The trick there that I've found online is to create an ultra mirrored edge at a 30 to 34 degree inclusive edge and then to create a micro bevel at 40 degrees inclusive that has been ground to 200 or 400 grit. Just a few passes and very lightly stropped for 3 or 4 passes on each side. This gives that polished edge that is beautiful to look at but is a more practical every day carry edge. The Sebenza edge is perfect for this!

If you folks need help getting an edge lemme know, I'd be happy to help!
 
Gizler00 said:
Great video. I just wAtched it again.

I need to pick up a larger DMT stone like that. I have the smaller ones used with the DMT Aligner. I also need an UF sharp maker rod.
Click to expand...

The main thing with my sharpening is that I go low angles. I re-profile almost all my knives to 10 degrees per side and then a simple few swipes at 15 degrees per side on the sharpmaker makes it easy to maintain.

Getting the edge to a lower angle (sharpening the shoulders down), that takes time and should not be rushed.

As an extreme example and not recommended for everyone. Here is my PM2 with an almost zero edge that I microbevel at 15 degrees per side on the Sharpmaker. You cannot even see the micro bevel in this picture. It has been reground (primary) and reshaped to an extremely low angle (the angle you actually see in the picture).

The issue with this is though at 5-7 degrees per side on S30V one needs to be careful for micro-chipping of the edge when cutting dirty material.

Maintenance on this edge (on a coarse stone) is however a breeze as any angle slightly higher than the thinned out portion easily creates a new crisp edge.

IMG_7169_zps3d0570b3.jpg


Here was the edge when I reshaped the edge to a lower angle and mirror finish.

DSCN1603.jpg
 
Last edited:
I use the SharpMaker with a back bevel of 30 degrees inclusive and 40 degree primary micro bevel. This gives me a very good working edge.

Here is a good video about the SharpMaker that covers sharpening tips. It may be of some value. It features the inventor of the tool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB0r6GvESGg
 
Hey All, I have been using my sharpmaker at 40 degrees most of my sebenzas were NIB and came with the factory edge. I noticed the damascus blades came with a very nice edge, just a bit better than the s35v edge it seems like to me, the edge feels a tad bit harder maybe thats why.

I sold off my 25s because it just wasnt as good a slicer as the 21s. Now I can get my sebenzas sharp, it can get plenty working sharp but it isnt a laser sharp like one of my sebenzas i got off a member that put it to the Wicked Edge. That thing is a lazer. I dont even have to touch it up, just very light stropping if that. Its been great.

But to be fair i havent done a lot of work with it as its part of my edc rotation and just hasnt been lucky to be in a hard cutting situation.
I had S30V sebenzas before years ago around 2006 or 2007 and the reason why I sold them all was because I couldnt maintain a paper shaving edge for a while. I felt that I would sharpen it but it wouldnt keep it for a while. I am not perfect. It could have been me.
It could still be me.

Now I have only s35v and SS damascus edges and find they hold a keen edge much better than ones in the past. There is a noticeable difference I really believe that. It could just be me. I wanted to ask you guys and gals are the extra fine ceramic rods for the SM worth it? Or what is the next step after that?

Sometimes my stropping skills or lack thereof dulls the edge with green compound then it takes another 30 or 50 swipes and i start over again. Very lightly strop with just the weight of the blade on the strop and a few passes and it smooths out just a bit but never eye popping sharp. I would say almost. It is definitely working sharp but i wish all of them had lazer edges if I can do that on the SM. I am not trying to spend 500 or 1000 on a sharpenimg system i would rather buy more sebenzas with that money. And I missing something?
 
I also have the SM,I even bought the diamond grits for it,also the lansky,dmt etc..but now for the last year or more I've been using a 3 inch Eze lap med diamond grit and stropping with green paste,I also love a slightly toothy edge.
I got my Eze laps (2) in leather sheaths on the bay for under $15.00
Fantastic little stones!
Dave
 
So I've improved a bit. Leaving a toothy edge on the knife and a quick strop keeps the knife biting, but when cutting paper (a test I use after sharpening) it seems rough. Most of my knives glide through and keep a smooth cut, edges clean. The benza leaves a more jagged edge, but doesn't rip the paper. Characteristic?
 
I've had to put a little more effort into sharpening Chris reeve's s35, but I could also say the same for Hinderer's. I find the best thing that works for me is the ultrafine sm stones with light pressure for touch ups as well as stropping with green compound on a leather strop. If they are really beat up I pull out the Japanese whetstones.

I'd like to pick up a dmt in coarse/fine that was in the yt video. Looks like that could be easier than the whetstones.
 
Question. Since the sebenza comes "convex" from factory, would I have to use both angles on my sharpmaker to get the knife to perform and be a proper edge? I'd imagine not, but I'm not a blade geometry scientist.
 
My first real sharpening of a factory edge is more of a rebeveling. I use the convex factory edge for as long as it lasts with stropping and touch ups, but then that first sharpening puts a conventinal "flat bevel" on the blade and that's the end of that. :D
 
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
Question. Since the sebenza comes "convex" from factory, would I have to use both angles on my sharpmaker to get the knife to perform and be a proper edge? I'd imagine not, but I'm not a blade geometry scientist.
Click to expand...

I would say that it is not necessary to use the 30 degree setting on the SM unless you intend to reprofile. My theory is that by sticking with the 40 degree side, only the very edge of the bevel is getting sharpened. IMO, this is one of the benefits of a convex edge or a micro-bevel. The amount of metal removed is minimal and maintenance only takes a minute if it is done when it is needed (keep your knife sharp).

In my amateur drawing below, you can see that the SM rod only contacts the very edge of the bevel. If the rod was on the 30 degree side, you would see it contacting the belly and the edge would go untouched. Yes, with enough sharpening/maintenance, a reprofile will be needed, but that takes some time.

I only break out the SM when it needs more sharpening than what a loaded strop alone can handle and I always strop (green compound) after using the SM. I am not an expert by any means. This works for me, so it is what I do.

MTyoOadl.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top