Sharpmaker - Angle recommendation

cgmblade

cgmblade

Joined
Jun 4, 2009
Messages
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What angle do you recommend I use to sharpen a Delica 4, 30 degrees or 40 degrees?
 
I have always used the one that says Edge instead of back bevel...but i think both will work...the steeper the angle the sharper it will be but it wont last as long usually...

-Alex
 
It also depends on how the edge currently is (probably from the factory.) If it's more than 30, it's going to take forever to rebevel using the SM, but if it's less you'll get more performance out of using the 30 degree setting.
 
One strategy is to use the setting that best fits the existing or factory bevel grind. This goal here is to achieve single, symetrical bevel planes that match the sharpmaker settings.

Another approach is to just test both settings and use the one that actually reaches the edge of the knife and not just the shoulders of the bevels.
 
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I use the Sharpmaker just as the included video recommends, 30 for the back bevel and 40 for the final edge.
 
Thanks for your help. I would have thought that since Spyderco makes the Sharpmaker with only a 30 degree or 40 degree option that all of their knives would be one or the other, but I guess that isn't the case.
 
IIRC Spyderco sharpens their knives at 30. I keep all my Spyderco's at 30. Works well for my EDC.
 
I try to sharpen mne at the 30* setting, but its just so much quicker to touch up on 40* (think micro bevel) that my EDC Delica sees a few swipes on the white stones at 40 far more often than a good sit down with browns then whites on 30... Anybody seen any good deals on the diamond rods lately?
 
Go with the smaller angle unless you experience undesirable edge damage, like chipping.

A thinner angle cuts better and stays sharper longer because it's sharper to begin with.

A micro-bevel similar to what Buck does works well. By only working the very edge, you remove less material, making touch-ups faster. I profile to less than 30-degrees so that only a few swipes at 30 will bring my edge back up.
 
stevekt said:
I use the Sharpmaker just as the included video recommends, 30 for the back bevel and 40 for the final edge.
Click to expand...

Yes,that seems to work best for me as well. Re profile everything down to 30 degrees, then 40 degree micro bevel the edge.

Anyone having troubles with the sharpmaker,
I truly believe this is the way to go.

Follow those instructions!!! :thumbup:
:p
 
Thanks so much for your recommendations. I had heard the term 'micro bevel' before but didn't really understand what it was. Now I can plainly see why that would be beneficial.

When I first got the sharpmaker and watched the dvd I thought I understood Sal to recommend the 40* angle for most general purpose knives and the 30* for thin blades like kitchen knives. I may have misunderstood him. Based upon what I thought he said I used the 40* for my Delica and got okay results. Later I read a post somewhere that recommended 30* for edc knives and that seemed to give better results than the 40*. Now I understand that both could be right. 30* for the main bevel and 40* for the micro bevel. You've all helped me see the light, lol. Thanks
 
Spydies come with 40+/- degrees (20 per side) from the factory, so using the 40 degree slots is the way to go, unless you want to reprofile it.
 
If you choose to do it this way,and you gotta reprofile your main bevel down to 30 degrees to start,and have a lot of steel to take off,and you don't have the diamond stones.

Just wrap your stone's up with sand paper like this.

Sharpmaker.jpg


Ideally the sand paper would be flush with the top of the stone's,and I would have zip ties on the top,and bottom,to hold the paper in place.But I just slapped it together for this picture.
It works great,and it's a lot cheaper then buying the diamond stones.
 
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