Sharpening Ontario SP2-SP3

[itseasyforyou]

Hi guys,

I bought a SP-3 Bayonet knife and a SP2 Air survival knife lately. I only have a Sharpmaker btw and I'm a sharpening noob, I can only get a proper edge on a Swiss Army knife normally, lol! anyway, I would like to fix the SP2 a bit since the edge is pretty good but it feels a bit 'not very sharp' so to say when you touch it with your thumb.

I can fix it up with either a 20 or 15 degree angle, which one would be the best for the SP-2? What would the factory edge be like? I was thinking of only using the white stones since the edge is properly but just not 'clean' enough.

I also bought a SP3 but that one was a bit of a cat in the bag so to say since it's simply dull!

I think I've gave this one about 500 plus strokes total already on the Sharpmaker but it still isn't good enough! Really breaks my nerves. I started with 30 degree to re-profile it and then I started with 40 degree so 20 per site. It still has a ruff edge which you can see and feel. The point is like a dagger and should be razor sharp since that's what you want but it's dull.

Should I just continue and continue sharpening that by using the brown stones and just get the tip over it? It is a very long process but I'll guess it's the only way. I taped up the back so that I know where the back edge stops so that I don't damage the knife.

I also saw that the new 20 degree edge is very fine on the knife and I thought that when I used the 15 degree the edge itself did not even sharpen up but only a bit higher. Which indicates -I guess- that the factory edge put on this one was even wither than 40 degrees. I must say that both knives are factory seconds so I knew it wasn't all nice and shiny but the SP-3 really needs a touch up! I was thinking of diamonds but those are a bit expensive for a 20 dollar knife! I think that I just need to give it 100 strokes every night until it has a nice and clean edge.

- So does anyone know the factory edge angle of the SP-2?
- any tips on the SP-3 or should I just continue with the 40 degree sharpening until it's sharp? I think I remove too much coating if I use the 30 since I already saw a lot of black coating stuff laying next to my sharpmaker.

Thanks

 

[Stockman]

Use a black marker pen and cover the edge on both sides with ink. Then swipe 3 or 4 strokes each side on the corners of the brown rods ( 40 degrees ). This will allow you to determine if you are actually removing steel from the edge or if you are only touching the shoulder of the edge.

If you are not reaching the edge, you can just keep going as you have been, until you eventualy get to the edge ( or your arms drop off ).
Some people have attached sandpaper to the rods and used alligator clips to fasten it, then just used the flats to get to the edge a bit quicker.

 

[gary jp4]

Good advice.

I just wanted to add that the reason you are using sandpaper it is because you want something more abrasive (lower grit) so things will go faster. Changing the angle, to match your Sharpmaker, is called reprofiling the edge. For this something much coarser like 80 or 120# "wet or dry" paper would be in order to start with then working the scratches out from that with finner and finer paper until you are back on the Sharpmaker. A good progression would be 120#, 240#, 400#, and then the coarse (brown) Sharpmaker sticks followed by the white.

Gary

 

[itseasyforyou]

Thanks for the tips Stockman and Gary! I will make a picture of the edge later on so you can see how much of the ink is left! It's alot so we're really talking about reprofiling.
So perhaps I should put some sandpaper on it, otherwise it will be too much work.

Perhaps I could also put some ink on the SP2 air force knife to see what edge is on it now, maybe I should use the white stones so I don't start sharpening the knife.

It's a brilliant tip, didn't think about it!

William

 

[Bloodydishtowel]

Hey OP did you ever solve this problem with the SP3? I'm having the same exact problem and I'm even using the Work Sharp to do mine which pretty much guarantees to sharpen since it convexs the edge and everything but to no avail. I've ran it through more times than I care to and still can't cut paper