SharpMaker vs 420HC

[numbersman]

Hi guys, I have been using my SharpMaker for years, and consider myself reasonably experienced with it. I recently got out an old knife that I haven't carried for years to play with, a Camillus ArcLite. It wasn't as sharp as it should have been. Maybe I got used to the better steels and better knives that I was buying, or maybe I just got better with the SharpMaker, who knows. But I decided to sharpen it up. Now the ArcLite, besides being a beautiful little knife, has a chisel ground edge, and I have the combo edge variety. No problem, just whack the rods to the corners, and sharpen away. However when I switched from the medium rods to the fine rods, it didn't keep getting sharper. If anything, it may have got a little blunter. I stropped on a piece of leather, and didn't improve it. But if I go back to the medium rods, it sharpens up nicely again. Is it something to do with 420HC steel, should I just keep on using the medium rods? Or is there something wrong with my technique?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

With 420HC and similar steels for general EDC use, my preference has always been to use nothing beyond the medium SM rods, for refinement. Like you, I've occasionally tried the fine rods after, but then noticed a similar loss of slicing aggression and more issues with very thin, ductile burrs that won't be removed easily on these rods. If using them at all, I'd keep the number of passes at a minimum and the touch as featherlight as possible.

420HC will give up it's toothy aggression pretty easily with most any refinement taken beyond a certain point. I've also found this to be true with stropping 420HC, using most any compound. For stropping it, I use only bare denim, linen or a similar fabric, or I sometimes strop on a clean piece of paper laid over one of my stones, like an India Fine, which pairs excellently with this steel for setting edges on it. With 420HC, I usually set the edge with the Fine India, then strop as I described. Then later on, as the edge needs some TLC, I use the medium Spyderco rods on the SM to keep it in shape.

420HC will polish excellently, though. I have a knife or two in this steel that I've thinly convexed, then polished the convex on a hard-backed denim strop with white rouge (aluminum oxide) compound. Finished this way, instead of with the fine ceramic, a shallow convex can be made hair-popping sharp and easily maintained by the same means. This sort of polished convex works great for tasks like slicing fruits or veggies in the kitchen.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

If it's chisel ground you probably need to hold it at a skew that centers the bevel with the centerline of the sharpener so that it's appropriately hitting the apex on both sides. Otherwise you're probably hitting the shoulder on the beveled side and the apex on the non-beveled side and it's rolling your edge because of how hard the rods are and how much pressure they apply when it's right at the apex like that without any bevel surface to spread out the force.

 

[Robert Ptacek]

As Obsessed With Edges stated use featherlight passes on the rods during final finishing.What is featherlight?Terms are highly subjective.I always thought I was using light passes until I read a post here.Now I hold the knife between my thumb and first two fingers at near the balance point of the knife.I don't hold the base of the sharpener as this assures if you move it you are using way too much pressure.That info helped me greatly.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

As Obsessed With Edges stated use featherlight passes on the rods during final finishing.What is featherlight?Terms are highly subjective.I always thought I was using light passes until I read a post here.Now I hold the knife between my thumb and first two fingers at near the balance point of the knife.I don't hold the base of the sharpener as this assures if you move it you are using way too much pressure.That info helped me greatly.

That's pretty much how I do it also. Alternatively, I'll pinch the sides of the handle in the area of the pivot (for a folder) between thumb & forefinger only, while keeping the butt of the handle nestled against my palm. With the butt nestled into my palm, it helps stabilize the handle for angle consistency while also allowing me to keep the touch very, very light using only my thumb & forefinger 'pinch' grip. My other three fingers (middle, ring, pinky) are kept OFF the handle entirely.

As to how I define 'featherlight' touch: I visualize lightly brushing a deposit of dust from the rods, using the edge of the blade. Nothing heavier than that. And for just a tiny bit of stabilization, I will sometimes place the tip of one finger of my 'off' hand on the end of the base, just to prevent any wobble or sliding. Alternatively, some tacky rubberized shelf mat or drawer liner underneath the base will help to keep it from sliding around. But for the sake of training the 'touch', using it without holding the base is a very good way to get the feel for the light pressure that works best. If the base moves at all, lighten the pressure.

 

[Robert Ptacek]

It is amazing how such a light touch can have any effect on the edge refinement but it does.

 

[skyhorse]

It is amazing how such a light touch can have any effect on the edge refinement but it does.

It's works like using a saw , manual or power. When using a saw it's becomes less effective with to much force. Instead of the abrasive moving freely to remove the material , to much force will cause it to bind and become less effective.