• Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I hope that you all have something to be grateful for this year and for many years to come

  • The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
    Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/

  • America has reached 250 years, and I am grateful to be here, in the best country in the world. Thank every one of you who helps make this country a better place, those who have gone before and risked it all, and those who've paid the ultimate price to make the United States what we are today.

    Happy Birthday America! Let Freedom Ring for all time!

Sharpening

J

JJaggar

Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
253
What kind of sharpeners would be recommended for D2 and S90V steels? Looking for something to use when those steels are not at all completely dull, but could use a touch up.
 
JJaggar said:
What kind of sharpeners would be recommended for D2 and S90V steels? Looking for something to use when those steels are not at all completely dull, but could use a touch up.
Click to expand...

I use a Smith's diamond pocket sharpener I picked up at Wal-Mart. It has a course and fine side. I then follow with a leather strop
 
Also stop by the automotive section for a package a sandpaper with variable grits. Cut to size of the smiths stone and your good to go. Does wonders for me.
 
JJaggar said:
What kind of sharpeners would be recommended for D2 and S90V steels? Looking for something to use when those steels are not at all completely dull, but could use a touch up.
Click to expand...

for touch ups about any typical stones or kits would be ok. diamond makes things easier when sharpening and especially reprofiling. there is more information on this in the maintenance, tinkering, and embellishment subforum, since this is one is more for general knife questions.
 
Funny you mention this topic. It's 2:38AM and I just touched up my Medford Mini Pretorian, with D2 steel. It was sharp, but wouldn't shave the hair on my arm. I ran it through the Apex Pro fixed angle sharpener and boy or boy is it hair popping sharp now...... With a mirror polish of course.

I recommend it!!

Leo
 
JJaggar said:
What kind of sharpeners would be recommended for D2 and S90V steels? Looking for something to use when those steels are not at all completely dull, but could use a touch up.
Click to expand...

Sharpening has been covered extensively on this website, just use the search function.

I have a smith stone set, the one with course/ fine stones, ceramic triangle and the clamp. Also have a soft white arkansas stone and a fine, and super fine strop. I do not use the clamp though.

For light touch ups, a white arkansas stone, and a strop will work fine.
 
Damn Medford Pretorian is wicked! Thanks for the suggestions and sorry for being all over the place just too damn new, I'll take it on over to the maintenance forum with stuff like this, which I'm sure I'll be asking tons more questions on. I do have one while we are in fact here though...i did not know you could get a mirror polish on D2? Is it still a toothy kind of razor sharp? I actually love that about my Adamas 375, so sharp but an angry kind of sharp!
 
Pardon my ignorance but when you say "regular stropping" you mean just running it with a leather strop?
 
I use a Smith's Ceramic stone (1000 grit) for touch ups. Cheap; can get them from $2-4 US from several online sites.
Rich
 
Sweet thanks Rich. So a ceramic stone would be fine for both D2 and S90V? I don't need diamond? Now 1000 grit is good for touch ups, what's the next step after touching up with the 1000 grit? Would that be a higher grit stone for polishing the edge? Finally the leather strop? I would really love to know exactly please elaborate guys I'm sp very new to this!
 
There are some excellent videos available on sharpening thru knives ship free website. Have a look
 
Moving this one to Maintenance where there's a wealth of experienced folks who can provide input.
 
Hey all, I hear a 1000 grit ceramic stone would be fine for touching up both D2 and S90V? I don't need diamond? What's the next step after touching up with the 1000 grit? Would that be a higher grit stone for polishing the edge? And then Finally the leather strop? I would really love to know exactly please elaborate guys I'm very new to this!
 
D2 is not too bad to sharpen but S90V is highly wear resistant.

I recommend a DMT diamond plate in Coarse and Fine grits.
 
Jason B. said:
D2 is not too bad to sharpen but S90V is highly wear resistant.

I recommend a DMT diamond plate in Coarse and Fine grits.
Click to expand...

^This, especially for the S90V. On either steel, for anything more than light touch-ups, such as for re-bevelling or repairing edge damage, diamond will make it a breeze.

For regular touch-ups and light sharpening/refining, D2 is pretty easy to maintain with anything beyond natural (Arkansas) stones, like aluminum oxide (Norton India), ceramics (Spyderco, for example), silicon carbide (SiC, such as Norton's 'Crystolon') and diamond hones. D2 responds very nicely to aluminum oxide compounds on strops as well, such as 'white rouge' compounds and polishing pastes like Flitz, Simichrome or Mother's Mag polish.

For S90V, I'd not bother with anything less than diamond all the way, including for stropping.


David
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top