Sharpening with an Edge Pro?

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Classified00

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Jul 14, 2000
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Does anyone use an Edge Pro to sharpen their Busse?

I've read all about the unique edge on Busse knives and I'm not quite sure how to use my handy-dandy Edge Pro to keep one sharp.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Brent...
:p
 
I sometimes use it on the flat-ground side of the edge only. FWIW, I use an angle something greater than the maximum angle marked on (ground into) the EdgePro Apex as it came from Ben Dale. I just used a Sharpie waterproof marker to note the more obtuse angle on the vertical rod of the EdgePro so I could hit it next time I sharpen a Busse.

-- Greg --
 
I'm with you so far.

What about the other bevel, do you just strop it?
Does that produce a nice edge?

Thanks again!
Brent...
 
Hi Brent,

Yes, stropping the convex side would restore that side of the edge. I haven't yet felt a need to do that, although I've collected plenty of stuff to do it with (mouse pad, Lee Valley sandpaper & honing compound, leather strop, etc). I confess, stropping is an activity to which I just haven't dedicated the time needed to become proficient at it.

Cliff Stamp's idea of using slack sanding belts to sharpen convex edges (or the convex side of a Busse) has me thinking about some ways to construct a jig/fixture to hold the belt. Sharpening For Dummies It will probably be based around some hinged hunks of 2x4, dowel chunks to hold the belt, and a bungee cord tuned to produce the right amount of "give" in the sanding belt looped around the dowels.

If I ding a Busse edge badly, I'll use a ceramic stick or steel to forcefully "push" the displaced INFI back into place as much as possible (credit to Papathud Andre DuMochel for that tip) before hitting it with a stropping motion on a ceramic stick to sharpen it.

In extremis, I'll just reconfigure the edge to flat grinds on both sides with the EdgePro. I find that the Busse knives are still fine cutting/chopping blades in that new config due to INFI's very tough nature.

-- Greg --
 
One thought (which is probably what I'm going to do) is to gently sharpen just the very top part of the cutting surface (along the entire length) with the Edge Pro Apex. So, in effect, there'll be a very thin flat-grind on the convex side. Since the plane of the edge at that point in probably beyond what the Edge Pro can do I'll tape (using blue painter's tape) a spacer to that side of the blade to get the plane right at the edge within the limits of the Edge Pro. Any residue left by the tape can be removed by an Art Gum Eraser. Popsicle sticks make a good spacer or anything like that.
Hope that made sense. Just had a 450+ mile day so maybe not.
 
Thanks for the replies.

Has anyone just plain 'ole rebeveled the edge to make it even on both sides?

How did it work out?

Brent...
:p
 
Take a look at my thread that entitled something like - Many thanks to all the INFIholics and Jerry, or something like that. Sorry, I don't know how to post a link to a thread, but I have discussed this at some depth, and have very good luck with my Edgepro.

Good luck!
 
Has anyone just plain 'ole rebeveled the edge to make it even on both sides?
Click to expand...

Yes, I have - on an Assault Shaker and a LMS. On those knives there's no chopping to be done, or course, but I did a LOT of carving with the LMS after doing so. The edge held up fine, was still WAY sharp when I was finished, and it popped right back to Scary Sharp after a couple of minutes on a loaded strop. Edge was cut to 19 degrees on both sides, and I didn't find it too thin for the edge to hold up.

One cautionary note: both of those knives are now UGLY and sharp. There was some kind of irregularity on the edges, and the stone hit much higher up on the convex side that it did on the flat sides. You might want to test for that by running your thumb and index fingers down the flats of the blade before reprofiling. The lumps on my two knives don't make a bit of difference in terms of performance, but they did leave me with two odd-looking knives. NOTE: My SJ and SH-E do not have those irregularities in them,so in the unlikely event that I would reprofile them, I don't think the problem would show up.

If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say a 22 - 25 degree angle would still leave enough INFI on the edge for the larger knives to chop extremely well.
 
When you all talk about a ceramic stick do you mean a sharpmaker part or one of those wood handled jobs that are fairly cheap? Or does it matter?
 
WOW, this is starting to sound complicated!

Ofcourse I haven't even ordered the knife yet and I'm already thinking about how I'll resharpen it.

I guess it pays to be prepared ;)

Thanks again guys,
Brent...
:p
 
Don't let it get ya. Most sharpening methods are simple to master and don't really have to be done too often with these knives. And you can always just do a quickie with a small stone just to keep you going in a pinch (if you need to) and then get your perfect edge at a later time. You'll spend an infinitely longer time using your knife than sharpening it.
 
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