Sharpening Tip: Patience is a Virtue

[arjung]

This was an absolute sharpening disaster. I do not know what mystical properties Strider S30V has but it didn't want to work with me on the edge pro apex. I was on the virge of giving up since no progress was being made.

However I remember a time when I attempted a touch up on my friends Japanese waterstone. It was a fairly painless process. I decided since I was already knee deep, what's the harm in trying. Sure it took a while but I could detect progress being made.

Maybe it's just because I'm tired or maybe the results are good, but I'm seriously thinking of getting a set of nice Japanese waterstones. It's no Murray Carter edge but it crossed arm/leg hair shaving sharp ages ago. It's in between that at face shaving right now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAR3oxTOrm0

Moral of the story: Keep on at it until you get it, even if it means re-evaluating your technique/system.
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[Noctis3880]

The Edge Pro Apex isn't particularly good at quick metal removal(might want an XX Coarse DMT Diasharp for that). However, once the burr is formed, everything else moves pretty quickly(still takes a half hour).

I was considering japanese waterstones myself, but given the large price tag for a full set of quality benchstones, the more common wear resistant super steels in the market, and the increasing number of blades with recurves in my EDC rotation, I'm having second thoughts about it.

I think a full set of 8" Diasharp Benchstones would be cheaper(around $300 kind of "cheap"), cuts faster, , lower maintenance(flattening and soaking in water), and last just as long if used properly(as knifenut proves).

I did a small Chinese meat cleaver on my DMT Duosharp stones today, which took about a half an hour to go from X Coarse to Extra Fine. Edge doesn't look very perfect, but I'd say it's pretty sharp. In theory, the DMT Diasharps with continuous surface could've done it even faster.

 

[kwackster]

My lego Strider SMF, sharpened to a 40 degrees inclusive polished edge on a Wicked Edge Sharpener.
The original edge was about 50-ish degrees inclusive and wasn't exactly evenly ground, so i had to.

The current edge can whittle hair and cut a cigarette paper cleanly while it's standing upright on a tabletop.

 

[ricklee4570]

Very nice, I keep hearing good things about the Wicked Edge Sharpener.