Smooth or Chunky... Edge that is. Which do you prefer?

Robert Hankins

Robert Hankins

Joined
May 19, 2003
Messages
1,848
I know this has been discussed a thousand times but it is allways good to get fresh input and new perspectives.

How much "Tooth" or lack there of do you like on your edge?

I finish my edges down to a 15Micron belt and buff off any wire edge. Slices smooth but I get cut more often when it is about a 600grit edge.

Thoughts!
 
It seems to me that the more polished the edge is the sharper it will be and the longer it would last (all else, such as steel, heat treatment, profile angle, etc... being equal).

I, however, have read many comments to the contrary from people who would seem to know what they're talking about, so I don't know what to think...

I think that maybe there is a distinction (concious or un-concious) being made between 'sharpness' and 'bite'.

It seems that a 'bitey'/'toothy' edge might 'dig in' a bit better on some materials, but would dull quicker as the little micro-teeth break or wear off.

I DO know that I cut the heck out of my hand while testing the sharpness of my Spyderco Ronin after finishing the mirror edge with my new Edge Pro Apex. I didn't feel a thing!!!


SO, to answer the question:

SMOOTH!!! I think that my goal is to have a perfect mirror finished edge on ALL my knives, while varying the angle profiles to suit each knife to its intended purpose.

-John

PS - I am very interested to hear what others have to say about this and was formulating a thread in my head to post on this topic (more or less).
 
I tend to like a slightly toothier edge. Might be because I don't want to go to the trouble of polishing an edge like that. ;)
 
I like a toothier edge as well. It seems to do fine and holds up well under the type of cutting I normally do....rope, cardboard, sacks of feed, types of materials.

Mike
 
a smooth edge is best for anything that cuts on the push, like a wood chisel..

a rougher edge is best for cutting w/ a sliceing motion.. the softer the material to be cut, the larger the grit you stop sharpening with.

in either case, it's very important to polish off the burr from the abrasive

for skinning/meat cutting, i use a 60gr edge, with all burr polished off

for woodcarving, i go to a 400 gr, then finish to a mirror on a hard paper buff w/ finest green chrome or alum oxide compound...

don't be afraid to try a rough edge... just be sure and polish off the burr
 
Another poster noted that Dozier commented that D2 blades can't be polished to a mirror-edge like other steels. In my 806D2, I've found that to be true.

I customarily re-profile my blades to about a 25 degree included-angle edge, favoring slicing, and final-polish with 10,000-grit chromium oxide abrasive powder on a smooth leather strop. On ATS34 or similar steels, this produces a perfect glass-smooth mirror edge polish.

On this D2 blade, I can't produce that mirror-smooth polish. I assume that this is due to exposed 'carbides' in the D2 steel.

Interesting.
 
I prefer a polished edge on most of my knives, but if the knife is used HARD a lot, I just sharpen it to a good "grabby" working edge.

Sure is cool to get an edge to that "glassy smooth" point that just scares the hair of your arm, but it isn't necessary for every application.
 
if you use a clean, sharp abrasive and polish off the burr, a toothy edge will shave just as well as a smooth edge...

re: D2..D2 can be mirror polished, but, it is very difficult and time comsuming.. for polishing an edge by hand, i recomend using a strop loaded w/ l'homideau 925 for starters, then go to the fine green or white compound on a smooth strop..

instead of using an abrasive powder, you may try using a buffing compound... an abrasive will allways throw a burr, but, the particles in the buff compound is in a wax/grease matrix and lets the particle tumble, which creates a burnishing effect rather than just a cutting action..
 
RE: D2 mirror polish
It will take a mirror polish BUT you will see the grain of the steel..IE: carbides.
The sharpest knife edge I have ever been able to get is a Convex grind taken to zero with a 15 micron belt and then I buffed the heck out of the edge with Green Chrome on my buffer. After that I put a finish on it and went back and just touched up the edge.
Scary Sharp:eek:
 
I like a little bite to my edge instead of it being completely smooth. I find that I slice much more than I push cut in day to day chores.
Matt
 
Gud4u,

Benchmade has some limited edition blades with uncoated D2, such as the 940D2CF and 941D2CF, the non-edge part of the blades looked a lot more shiny than their satin finished 154CM blades.
 
I like a slightly 'toothy' edge ,as for my applications it seems to cut better.

But I also like the look of a beautifully polished and even/symmetrical edge.

To get the best of both worlds, I polish the back bevel/secondary bevel ( whatever its correct name)at a lower angle ( example 15 degs ) and then
sharpen the actual cutting edge to a couple of degs wider ( ex.17 degs ).You can hardly see the actual cutting edge but its there and 'toothy'.

However the overall appearance is a 'polished edge'
edge.jpg
 
I go toothy (coarse hone on a SharpMaker 204) on my utility knives and polished (200 grit wet/dry paper) on my woodworking stuff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top