Sharpening Question for Sal

James Y · Oct 21, 1999

Sal:
More specifically, do you personally feel resharpening a serrated blade to be easier then a plain blade? I'm not sure...but I thought I saw you mention in a post a while back to that effect.
I'm just curious, as I use both plain and serrated blades, but have yet to have to resharpen the serrations. You already explained to me how before, on the Sharpmaker (I still only have the 203).

I was wondering if you think serrations are easier, and if so, why.
Thanks.
Jim

JoHnYKwSt · Oct 21, 1999

I may be wrong but sharpening serrations are only easier because serrated knives are factory sharpened to 30 degrees instead of 40 degrees. What you sharpen it and you use the 40 degree angle, you don't need to remove as much metal and it's much easier to get a burr since you are already sharpening the bottom of the edge.

------------------
Johnny
[]xxxxxxx]=============>

Longden · Oct 21, 1999

JoHnYKwSt, if that's the case, then we can never really get serrations back to a factory edge (which, on a Spydie is formidable), since we're basically building a shoulder at the edge grind.

Personally, I've sharpened several of my Spydies using the 204, and while they've always been sharp enough, they never quite cut like out of the box.

The extreme example was a Merlin that I bought and used to cut some heavy stalks of vegetation. Was a great tool for that, but after an hour or so, the fully serrated edge was nothing more than a saw...the individual serrations were dulled far beyond being able to push thru paper as when new.

Several sessions with the 204 brought the serrations back to sharp, but not with the smoothness in paper cutting as when new ... and the performance varied depending on the part of the serration used, probably because no matter how slowly you draw the blade across the stones, the tips of the teeth will prevent an even distribution of force/motion of the stone on the curved edge of the individual serrations.

I've accepted this as a limitation of the serrated edge, and even question whether I need it as sharp as new (cuts goods, but dulls fast). I prefer a plain edge cuz it's gratifying sometimes to occasionally make an edge for "wow" show purposes.

With respect to the original question (tho I know it's directed to Sal), I think the serrations as easier to sharpen than plain-edge with two caveats:

1) A dull serrated edge cuts better than a dull plain-edge, so doing nothing (or minimal sharpening) still leaves you with a better performing, or at least workable edge, for most purposes.

2) You can almost never get a dulled (and I mean DULL) serrated edge back to factory sharp ... you just can't work the serrations evenly. Honing each serration freehand with a stone may be the best bet, but tedious and perhaps uneven. Anyone who feels otherwise should match their dulled/re-sharpened serrated edge against the same knife out of the box. Does every part of any serration cut as well as new?

Of course, I'm always ready (and in this case, more than happy) to be proven wrong

[This message has been edited by Longden (edited 21 October 1999).]

Sal Glesser · Oct 21, 1999

Jim - Those are pretty good answers. I would add a couple of thoughts.

In sharpening a serrated edge with a sharpmaker, I usually use only the corner of the white stone. No changing of stones or corner/flat.

I also generally use the 3 or 4 strokes on the ground side to one stroke on the non ground side. This maintains are "thinner" edge. The steels that we use do not seem to have a problem holding the thinner edge.

The "trick", as with any knife is to not let them get "dull". A few occassional light strokes will keep a sharp edge performing. You generally don't wait until your vehicle is out of oil before adding oil.

sal

KenDelavigne · Oct 21, 1999

A few notes on resharpening serrated edges:

1. With a plain edge you can often restore, or even improve on, the original edge. With serrated edges you're trying to compete with a special wheel that imparts the shape of the serration onto the edge in one movement. Trying to restore this effect using linear motion will almost certainly take away some metal you'd like to leave in place. Accept less-than-perfection even before you begin.

2. It's best not to try to restore a SpyderEdge using a round file or ceramic moved transversely to the edge. First, you'll need two rather specialized diameters, and second, as you use it you will, as Sal noted some time ago, effectively be moving the edge away from the center-line of the blade. The worst way to try this technique would be with something tapered: the beginning or end of each stroke will tend to hollow out a smaller-diameter crater within the existing serration, causing that part of the edge to move away from the center-line even faster.

3. If you use the Tri-Angle's gray stone, pick one corner/edge and reserve it for use only on serrated edges. An easy way to do this without having to remember which edge you picked is to reserve the one that's opposite the groove. This simple technique will extend the useful life of the gray stone (remember that both stones have the same material in them but the gray ones, being open-celled, will exhibit wear).

4. Try to match the angle of the SpyderEdge bevel, even if it means holding the knife at an angle off the perpendicular. Other strategies will probably remove too much metal---and you'll probably get bored and quit long before you change the existing bevel. A magnifying glass will tell you whether you're matching the angle.

Ken Delavigne

Steve B. · Oct 22, 1999

Quothe Sal-
"I also generally use the 3 or 4 strokes on the ground side to one stroke on the non ground side. This maintains are "thinner" edge. The steels that we use do not seem to have a problem holding the thinner edge."

Now wait a minute! Doesn`t the instruction manual that came with my 204 say that Spyderco recommends even strokes on either side of the blade? I was to understand that the edge was stronger and lasted longer this way.

Is this just a matter of six of one, half a dozen of the other?

motorep · Oct 22, 1999

Steve- in the video Sal says the same thing regarding serrated blades, 4 strokes on the serrated side, 1 on the flat side.

Steve B. · Oct 22, 1999

I`m still waiting on the video!!!!!!!

bummer.

Sal Glesser · Oct 23, 1999

Steve - either method works well. The even strokes produces a stronger edge, the 4 to 1 produces a thinner edge. I use both depending on what the knife is used for.

sal