Sharpmaker isn't

Michael_Aos

Michael_Aos

Joined
Jan 25, 2001
Messages
1,639
I've been trying for the last 2 weeks to sharpen my Mike Obenauf (similar to a Kit Carson small model 4) liner lock.

It's D-2, and I assume pretty tough stuff. I spent about a week with the coarse edge on 30 degrees. It polished the edges, but doesn't wear them down. Finally gave up on that and went to the 40 degree, but that still hasn't gotten the edges to meet.

I finally broke down and clamped it into my Smiths sharpening kit (similar to a Lansky) with the coarse stone. Scratched the bevel up quite a bit, but no real progress. I went back to the 30 degree on the sharpmaker and polished out most of the scratches and even tried the 40 degree again for a while today but still nothing.

Any tips / tricks / thoughts? I'm about ready to run the damned thing through my Chefs Choice model 130 electric diamond sharpener (not really).

Mike
 
Try a diamond hone Lansky sharpener. It went through the same thing on my Sebenza. Reprofiling is very tough on the SharpMaker.
 
I've heard that D2 "takes a sorry edge and holds it forever",maybe its not you:rolleyes:
Todd
 
I had a REKAT Sifu with the D-2 Enhanced steel, and I really had a HARD time re-sharpening it with my Sharpmaker. I traded it off for another ATS-34 Sifu (in a round-about way). I like the ATS-34 steel ALOT better!.:).
 
Originally posted by glockman99
I like the ATS-34 steel ALOT better!.:).
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Well that makes me a feel a little better. I've spent HOURS and HOURS with this thing now. Good thing it's such a cool knife, or I'd have given up.

Hell, maybe I'll value it even that much more since I have so much "sweat equity" in it.

Either that or I'll break down and buy an EdgePro!

Mike
 
The sharpmaker is not the best arrangement for serious reprofiling. Problem with using other things is that unless you get the angles of the two different devices to match, it isn't going to matter much anyway once you get back on the sharpmaker.

D2... Interesting stuff. Had a D2 Dozier now for about 4 months. Goes everywhere, done lots with it. Have steeled it every couple of days since its first few weeks, but have not yet had to re-sharpen it. After steeling, hair still pops off my arm. Wonder what it will be like to try and re-sharpen. Not even my BG-42 Sebenzas lasted this long... That D2 is a heck of an edge holding steel!
 
Mike --

Don't mess around. If you're willing to spend the bucks, get an x-coarse DMT hone, lean it up against the spyderco sticks to preserve the angle, and use that for your re-profiling. Remember to use a light touch and let the diamonds do the cutting. Use a magic marker along the edge bevels to see how good your progress is.

Todd -- I first heard that quote about "d-2 takes a bad edge and holds it forever" from Bob Engnath. I used to repeat it, too. But then I ran into Bob Dozier, whose D-2 knives are almost always the absolutely sharpest at any show he's at. D-2 takes a killer edge, but it's wear resistant and can be left very hard. The DMT x-coarse should get the reprofiling done faster. You can expect at least as good an edge as you're used to from, say, ATS-34, as far as sharpness!

Joe
 
Originally posted by Joe Talmadge
get an x-coarse DMT hone
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OK, I'll bite. Where do I get a DMT hone?

Shoot me a URL to a site with a web form and I'll order it right now.


Mike
 
Knifecenter should have them. I've heard great things about this method, but I've held off because a lot of my sharpening involves recurves, which don't take to flat stones well.
 
Roughly a year ago, in Blade, Wayne Goddard was asked about D2 steel. He said flatly it was a steel that wouldn't cut, given most heat treats, etc. He did say that Bob Dozier had mastered the heat treat after tweaking with it for ages, and that his blades were great. He also named another custom maker who does well with it.

Maybe it is just the steel on these knives that are providing problems??
 
Originally posted by Bugs3x
Maybe it is just the steel on these knives that are providing problems??
Click to expand...

I dunno. I hope to purchase a TNT in September. Maybe I can compare the two blade materials?

Mike
 
my D2 sifu is hair poppin sharp, use a DMT duofold fine/xfine and a ceramic finishing stone to sharpen it, and have had no probs sharpening - i am very happy w/it - a bud also has a M2 BM AFCK (is that the same thing?) that also sharpened up fine using the same stones and technique - i am very happy w/my knives w/D2 .....


sifu
 
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