- Joined
- Dec 17, 2001
- Messages
- 1,055
Is there any reason that I should not be able to get a 1/4" thick, hollow ground, 15 degree bevel (each side) blade "shaving"/push cutting sharp? Am I expecting too much slicing/shaving ability from such a thick slab of metal?
I've got a Ranger RD7 with 1095 steel, a hollow grind and a flat bevels (not convex), per order. It looks sharp. It feels sharp. I can plant my thumbnail on the edge and it won't move. I can look at the edge with my 15x loupe and see that the bevels meet, and that I'm grinding to the edge on both sides when I sharpen it. Also tried the marker trick. I can see the shininess of the edge change as I work through finer stones. It still more rips than cuts paper, won't shave, and won't even begin to cut through a piece of garden hose I have on hand.
I've got a Sharpmaker, DMT diamond hones, other stones, and I'm holding my angles steady. I can sharpen any one of my dozens of other knives, mostly thin-bladed pocket knives, and get them push-cutting, hair popping sharp in relatively no time. (Though I'll admit rebevelling Queen D2 gives me fits...)
I've got a BK&T Patrol Machete made from flat ground 3/16" stock that is razor sharp, and cuts all of the above with aplomb, including the garden hose. I've managed to maintain it in top condition for 5 or more years.
Am I expecting too much cutting performance out of a 1/4" knife? Do I just keep grinding away at the stones and hope someday I get an edge before I run out of steel, or my wife runs out of the house due to the constant scraping noise?
-- Sam
I've got a Ranger RD7 with 1095 steel, a hollow grind and a flat bevels (not convex), per order. It looks sharp. It feels sharp. I can plant my thumbnail on the edge and it won't move. I can look at the edge with my 15x loupe and see that the bevels meet, and that I'm grinding to the edge on both sides when I sharpen it. Also tried the marker trick. I can see the shininess of the edge change as I work through finer stones. It still more rips than cuts paper, won't shave, and won't even begin to cut through a piece of garden hose I have on hand.
I've got a Sharpmaker, DMT diamond hones, other stones, and I'm holding my angles steady. I can sharpen any one of my dozens of other knives, mostly thin-bladed pocket knives, and get them push-cutting, hair popping sharp in relatively no time. (Though I'll admit rebevelling Queen D2 gives me fits...)
I've got a BK&T Patrol Machete made from flat ground 3/16" stock that is razor sharp, and cuts all of the above with aplomb, including the garden hose. I've managed to maintain it in top condition for 5 or more years.
Am I expecting too much cutting performance out of a 1/4" knife? Do I just keep grinding away at the stones and hope someday I get an edge before I run out of steel, or my wife runs out of the house due to the constant scraping noise?
-- Sam
