Spyderco pacific salt. H1 steel sharpeing

[onojoe]

Hey guys, wanted to see about your experiences sharpening this steel. I know its not known for its edge retention, but wanted to see if there is a formula that works better. Whether a toothy edge is better what grits finishing up works best and what angles.

It is the plain edge and will see consistent use without access to sharpening for weeks at a time.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Colorodo]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/794-Maintenance-Tinkering-amp-Embellishment

 

[craytab]

PE H1+consistent use+no sharpening = not what I want to hear! It dulls quickly but is easily touched up. SE is a different story. Sorry but that edge will be dull. Still usable but not sharp to many people's standards. I own both PE and SE pacific salt knives. I like the benefits of the SE but there are some things it can't do nearly as well IMO (food prep, peeling fruit is much more difficult with SE in my experience).

I sharpen my PE H1 the same way as any other blade (stone the ceramic rod) so I can't speak to edge differences. The SE is just a big old toothy edge though!

 

[ThePeacent]

I just use a 1000 grit Smiths white ceramic stone or the brown rods in the Sharpmaker for my Pacific Salts.

If I want a fine, delicate edge for food prep or similar I use the fine white rods. For the hawkbills I prefer those, too.

That way they keep cutin' and cuttin'.

I find my H1 salts to perform better with a somewhat toothy edge, and that also helps to prevent rolling (common issue with H1 for many people)

A finer edge is doable, but easy, quick touch ups on anything from 400 to 800 grit ceramic are perfect for the salts IMO.

Diamonds or stones, either will work. I don't usually strop them, but the few times I did they got an extra shaving sharpness, while losing some "catchy" or "grabby" sharpness

I've used DMT plates on occasion, too, with hair shaving results in a few minutes.

H1 is soft.

Coarse stones will eat it.

 

[jmh33]

I seem to remember reading that after a few sharpening's that the PE come into its own as far as holding a better edge.. Maybe it was on the Spyderco Co forum??? I think....... John

 

[onojoe]

Thanks John and Peacent, I will search the Spyderco forum for additional info.

 

[me2]

What steels have you used that you have been happy with? Sharpen it a couple times to remove the factory edge. The factory edge on mine was kinda rough. If you are so inclined, lower the edge angle and finish on something in the 300 to 600 grit range. I carried a Salt 1 for a while until it was stolen. I backbevel at 12 digress per side and sharpened at 15 with the "fine" side of a Norton Economy Stone.

 

[ThePeacent]

Well, I think I'm done with it. Regrinding an H1 steel tip

I believe the small drop of the point, and overall thinning, can be appreciated from the pics.
I just used sandpaper and elbow grease, and a glass of water

Nothing awesome or hard, just thought I'd share

 

[craytab]

It does look much better. I did a similar thing to my Pacific Salt.