Ok, I can get a blade paper cutting sharp ONLY on the tip. Why? The tip and the first 1/4" of the blade will slice fairly cleanly, but the rest will not. Any ideas? I am hitting the edge. (Knife may need reprofiling after I screwed with it so many times)
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Sharpening: How come my tip is the only sharp part?
- Thread starter GarageBoy
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 27, 1999
- Messages
- 6,117
Knives with thick blades often have rather obtuse bevels near the base of the blade. If they hava a "distal taper" (get thinner as they get further from the handle) the bevel angle may get a bit more accute near the tip. This is one of the reasons that the region nearer the handle is harder to sharpen. Since you indicated that you are sharpening on a diamond hone, perhaps you are sharpening on a flat hone (like a bench hone). A flat hone spreads out the pressure on the edge over a longer strip where the edge is straight (therefore abrasion is slower in straight areas like closer to the handle). Conversely the presure is higher on the edge where it is curved (like the belly of the blade up close to the point).
You may need to reprofile the blade to reduce the bevel angle (make the edge more acute) near the handle. Use the side of your thumb as a spacer to work the right side of the blade until you lower the angle to 15 degrees. Then flip the blade over and use the side of your index finger as a spacer and work the right side of the blade until you get 15 degrees on that side. Feel for a burr and use your felt pen to insure that you have worked your new 15 degree bevels all the way to the edge. Then go and lightly do your normal sharpening job working alternate sides. This is a lot more work than you may expect (particularly if you are sharpening a stainless blade or a tool steel). Once you have this new base profile you should get a fully sharp edge nearly to the base of the blade.
You may need to reprofile the blade to reduce the bevel angle (make the edge more acute) near the handle. Use the side of your thumb as a spacer to work the right side of the blade until you lower the angle to 15 degrees. Then flip the blade over and use the side of your index finger as a spacer and work the right side of the blade until you get 15 degrees on that side. Feel for a burr and use your felt pen to insure that you have worked your new 15 degree bevels all the way to the edge. Then go and lightly do your normal sharpening job working alternate sides. This is a lot more work than you may expect (particularly if you are sharpening a stainless blade or a tool steel). Once you have this new base profile you should get a fully sharp edge nearly to the base of the blade.
The Tourist
Banned
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- Dec 23, 2001
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GarageBoy,
If your mechanics is wrong, than 'more' is not 'better.' In fact, I won't use 'coarse' anything except for tomahawks and lawnmower blades. Knives don't need them, even for profiling. CARE is needed for profiling.
Not only do I recommend the magic markers, but a lighted loupe and a bright workplace. Work slowly, you can always take more off, but glueing it back on takes old Shaolin mumbo-jumbo, and Sharp Phil says that he has raised his rates.
If your mechanics is wrong, than 'more' is not 'better.' In fact, I won't use 'coarse' anything except for tomahawks and lawnmower blades. Knives don't need them, even for profiling. CARE is needed for profiling.
Not only do I recommend the magic markers, but a lighted loupe and a bright workplace. Work slowly, you can always take more off, but glueing it back on takes old Shaolin mumbo-jumbo, and Sharp Phil says that he has raised his rates.
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2003
- Messages
- 8
When doing the marker test, a single light rub is all that is really needed to check for the proper angle. This will minimise the amount of material removed at the wrong angle. I don't know how much experience you have with sharpening, but learning to do it freehand is difficult at first b/c it takes some muscle memory. It's difficult to get a consistent angle on every stroke. Watch the beginning and end of the strokes. That is where most people vary the angle by mistake and wipe out that edge. Using a Lansky or EdgePro system is actually easier than freehand when you are learning to sharpen, b/c it is consistent. It can also be used with the marker test to see if your freehand angles are consistent along the length of the blade. Just don't put an improper technique into muscle memory. Practice on old and ugly knives.
- Joined
- Apr 27, 1999
- Messages
- 6,117
I've been sharpening knives semiprofessionally for over 40 years and I say that coarse hones are the best way to reprofile a blade. You want to use a long coarse or medium-coarse hone. You waste so much time reprofiling with a finer hone that you seldom get enough material removed to really improve your blade performance. Use your Norton.
As I said earlier in this thread, you can use the side of your finger/thumb as an angle gage. With a coarse hone I like to angle the stone a bit away from my body and guide each stroke (edge-forwards) very intentionally. You probably want to focus your attention and pressure near the base of the blade and lighten your stroke when you get nearer the tip.
On a new coarse hone I want the hones edges a little rounded and smooth. I take it out to the sidewalk and run the edge lengthwise on the cement for a few strokes to round and smooth it. When I have heavy reprofiling to do I use the edge of the hone rather than the top surface (initially). This gives extremely high pressure when you hone and is like using the edges on Spyderco Sharpmaker rods.
If you are worried about marring the knife put some masking tape on the side of the blade (leaving about 3/16-inch of metal exposed at the edge for honing clearance). It also help to practice on cheap kitchen knives.
As I said earlier in this thread, you can use the side of your finger/thumb as an angle gage. With a coarse hone I like to angle the stone a bit away from my body and guide each stroke (edge-forwards) very intentionally. You probably want to focus your attention and pressure near the base of the blade and lighten your stroke when you get nearer the tip.
On a new coarse hone I want the hones edges a little rounded and smooth. I take it out to the sidewalk and run the edge lengthwise on the cement for a few strokes to round and smooth it. When I have heavy reprofiling to do I use the edge of the hone rather than the top surface (initially). This gives extremely high pressure when you hone and is like using the edges on Spyderco Sharpmaker rods.
If you are worried about marring the knife put some masking tape on the side of the blade (leaving about 3/16-inch of metal exposed at the edge for honing clearance). It also help to practice on cheap kitchen knives.